Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Speedy as a first bike

Hi guys,

I visited a Triumph dealership and it looks like I can get a reasonable good deal on a '05 Speedy. The kick is: This will be my frist bike (as in first ever). My experience will include: an MFS course, possibly with extra practice and then this 500lbs piece of metal

I am one of those guys who does not like to speed and I plan on practicing in around my block for a long while before I hit the streets. Has anybody else gotten a Speedy as their first motorcycle? Any opinions will be appreciated.

Thanks,
-V

V take the class yes the bike will work its a easy ride
but take the class
I have seen a few guys pick up there brand new bike and dropped them on the way home
The class you use there bikes there small hondas and real easy to ride
But dont leave a dealership with your investment and use it to learn on
The bike is fantastic it runs good a low and high speeds but take the class

Speedmaster was my first bike after the msf class too. No problems and tons of fun. Just get comfortable with the friction zone on the clutch and you'll have as much fun tooling around town and country on a speedy as you did on a 250 in the msf class. You'll just look a lot cooler.

Hey Vitaliy!

Every so often this pops up as a question from a newbie to biking...

And we haven't had any replies that they've come off/hated it/sold it on or anything like it that I can remember....

There are people on here who've been riding for years...I haven't. But I did have experience of a 125 for a year before getting my America.

Don't let them deliver your bike. While there's nothing more embarassing than the dealer watching you ride your bike out, you have to ride it home. And that's a huge barrier to overcome. And your attitude of a little bit of practicing is cautious, but cautious can be good.

Just take it at your own speed and when you are ready - hit the road!!!

whatever makes you comfortable. i live 14 miles across town off of I-70. 5 O'clock evening traffic. i hadn't been on a bike in 30 yrs...i let them bring it to me... loose a small battle . win a war.

V, 1st of all be sure to take and pass the MSF course first. Best of luck with it, it's a great experience.

The Speedmaster is also my first bike and I got it about 3 weeks after passing the MSF course. It has been a wonderful bike from the start. It's so accomodating of a new rider and a blast to ride.

With all due respect you DO NOT have to ride it home from the dealer.
Due to inclement weather my dealer was good enough to deliver the bike to my driveway and I'm darn glad they did.

At first I was able to get some much-needed practice around my neighborhood, then around town. I moved up to the interstate after not too long and now ride 2-up with the wife.

I have a grand total of about 3,200 miles on the odometer and it feels like I've been riding the Speedmaster my whole life. But I don't take it for granted either.

Every mile is a learning experience. Just take it slow and learn at your speed. RIDE YOUR RIDE.

All the best!

It's a long time since my first ride but I can't help thinking the speedy would have been too much for me. Just the sheer heft of it.

You have to buy the bike you love but my advice, fwiw, would be a season on a tiddler. there will always be deals around.

My america is my first. Good times. I had it delivered, it's all good. I understand where Gina is coming from, but pick your battles. do what is comfortable.

I bought my Speedy right after pasing the MSF course. She is my first bike and I don't think I could have made a better choice. These bikes are very light and very well balanced. They are very rider friendly. As far as riding it home from the dealer I would say just do what you are comfortable with. I rode home from the dealer, and I was terrified. It was my first time ever on a bike on city streets. The MSF course was in a parking lot, so the ride home from the dealer was an adventure to say the least. I agree with Gina in that the trip home gave me a great deal of satisfaction and sense of acomplishment.

got my 04 speedy after the msf course..no problems. and you dont have to ride it home, just trailer it or put it in the back of a pick up. youll get used to it soon enough. by 500-1000 miles youll be perfectly comfortable on it. git-r-done

Thanks guys =) I am going to have it delivered simply because my dealer is far away from me. I will have to either battle miles and miles of non-stop strip malls or take my chances on a freeway. Since this motorcycle is a luxury item, I'd rather feel a little discomfort than a lot of pain.

Thanks,
-v

Well, sounds like you made up your mind, but i got my bike a week ago, my first bike ever, 06 speedmaster... This was a day after I passed the MSF course. My dealer was a fairly good distance from home, and I drove it off of the dealers lot. Well, that was a week ago, just did the 500 mile maintenence. Love this bike, the best bike I think that I could have gotten even if it weren't my first. As far as comfort, you have to make that call for yourself. Seeing as your dealer is far away and you don't seem too confident in your abilities delivery is probably a good choice. I honestly didn't know at the time that I purchased my bike that they would deliver it. Still wouldn't have changed what I did. I am still learning the limits of the bike, handles great and begs me to keep pushing her limits... Nothing about this bike is overwhelming though... just go and enjoy it when and where you feel comfortable. Congratulations on your new bike. I think that you will discover that it will not be a luxury but rather a neccessity.

Just out of curiousity, did you guys check your disability insurance policies before you got on the bikes? Me thinks that such a policy can be quite useful...

My speedie was my first bike and I decided to ride it home from the dealer the week after I took the MSF course. 160 miles, mid 40's with 30mph winds, yeah that was an experience It was definitely a learning experience. I did have a minor crash at the dealer. I was riding around the parking lot to get accustomed to the clutch and feel of the bike (much different than the 250 I was on the week before) and the bike got away from me a little when I shifted into 2nd. I ended up nudging a carand scratching the forks but no major damage. It was still roadworthy and I began the long ride home with one of my friends following me in a cage for half the trip. I forgot to switch the gas back on after stopping to grab a bite to eat and then made it home safe and sound. If you ride it home just try to remember (and apply) what you learned at the MSF course and relax as much as you can.

I was speaking from my experience. I was so nervous when collecting both my bikes (the America and my learner bike) from the dealers, and as I had to take them home, I had to ride them away. Yes I was worried that I was going to drop them - I still am - and would have been mortified if I had.

However if I'd had them delivered I think it would have still be sat on the front. And still only have 3500 miles...not the 5000+ miles I've done since...

And Vitaliy, perhaps 1 1/2 hours is a little too far for the first ride... just take it steady.

V
After reading the posts here, there is nothing more I can add. You have made a superb choice for your first bike, I don't honestly thing you could have made a better choice.
Of course for your 2nd, 3rd and possibly 4th bike you will want an:
AMERICA.

No to be honest I am seriously thinking of keeping my America for my youngest lad, for him to have as his first 'big' bike. As it is so forgiving and easy to ride.

Nine month ago, I bought an America as my first bike. Hadn't ridden in 30+ years and then only very occasionally on my brother's Honda. I rode the bike home from the dealer after taking the written test for a CA learner's permit. Stayed on secondary roads for 20 miles. Signed up for the MSF basic course. I had 500 miles on the bike by the time the course was scheduled. Just prior to the course, I ran off Highland Valley road and hit a curve sign. No major damage but $$$. I wish I had waited until after the MSF course to venture into the moutains. Looking through turns and steering drills possible would have kept me out of the rocks. Take the MSF course. The Triumph IS heavier and more difficult to handle than the 250s. I must admit that I thought I was being so careful when I went of the road that I sersiously considered selling it. I now have 4000 mi and enjoy it more each time I ride. The Speedmaster is a great road bike. Just take your time learning.

Any other bike, and I would say get a small secondhand beater to practice on first. The Triumph twins are the only bikes larger than 400CC that I consider well behaved enough to make a good first motorcycle.
Just remember that there is a lot more power on tap when you twist the throttle than the wee safety course bikes.

Well at first I thought I'd be on the rare side of having a new(er) SM be my first legit bike but I guess not.... While I'll prolly end up sayin the same thing as others I just felt compelled to put my 2 cents in (I do that a lot)...

I'm just under 700mi on my '06 SM which is about 1 wk & a few days old. I too rode home from the dealer (about 30mi) & this was about 2wks after the riding classes I took. I chose to ride home mainly cause I wanted the bike in my posession as soon as possible but even though this is really my first bike I've had a few 'trials by fire' over the years where I've gone out riding w/ some friends using someone's Dad's '85 Honda Shadow (that needed a tune up sooo bad... the damn thing ketp dyin on me in left turns in heavy Sat afternoon traffic!!!) So had done city street riding before & had been an avid bicyclist thru downtown Chicago for at least 3-4 yrs so I was accoustomed to being 100% invisible... so I knew what to expect & be on the look out for, I think this made the switch a bit easier... but regardless, one of the only things I will suggest is use the knowledge gained from class, think about it etc... in just the short time I've been out riding I have already been able to teach or more correctly inform a friend who's been riding for years about a nugget of knowledge or something the either didn't know or where half wrong.

Then never ride out of your personal comfort zone... there's no need to push yourself beyond what yon KNOW you can do. For instance just last week I was out w/ some ppl who hang 'round an old established "club"... first off these folks surely liked to toss 'em back, which made me nervous. Well on the freeway we're all clippin along 'round 75miles an hour (this was 2 days after getting the SM) and all of a sudden the leaders just opened it up & next thing I know I'm being left in the dust of a bunch of straght pipped HD's chokin on their oil "run off"... well after tryin to catch up I noticed I was now pushin' 90. Needless to say, the bike shouldn't be pushed so hard so young & nor should I as a rider.
I throttled down & settled in a a cruising speed I felt comfortable with. Sure I made it to the next destination about 10-15 min later then everyone else but I made it in one piece & that's what's really important. Sure the tried to bust my balls 1) for riding a Trumpet & 2) for not keepin up... but it was all in good fun as long as I didn't back down to 'em they gave me some respect and after finding out how many miles I had under my arse they did ease up.

So the moral of my long winded story.... "Do what's comfortable for you." If anyone gives you a hard time tell 'em to stick it! It's not their life.
-K

Thread drift, note to self, FZ is ANOTHER Speedy owner named Kevin... It's weird man, WEIRD!

Enjoy it V! I bought my Speedy in Feb and let it wait at the dealership until I took/passed my class 3 long months later. I had never driven a road bike and hadn't ridden on 2 wheels in almost 20 years, but picked her up the day after class. I thought about delivery or having a friend ride her home from the dealership for me before I took the class, but once I'd was in the class I knew there was no way anyone but me was going to put the first miles on her.. and that I wasn't waiting for delivery. I'd say wait until after class to make your decision if you can.

The single most stressful part of that first ride on her was getting my brand new speedy up the dealer's very steep inclined lot onto the street. Stall... Stall... Stall... Stall... I finally let her rip and have been trying to peel the grin off my face ever since. I've never felt like I was in over my head or that the bike is too big and I've been on a bunch of different roads/situations in just one month/1000 miles.

Enjoy your new Speedy. You did get the straight black version yes? I understand they are the quickest. Something about the colored paints seems to slow down the others...

Hi Vitaliy:
My 04 Speedy is my very first bike. Got it Sept 04 at 62 year old. I could not have picked a better first bike. It is easy to ride and very forgiving. You will find that you will tend to speed up after a while and will find out just how well the bike performs in the twisties. I now have almost 12,000 miles on mine. I do not agree with Gina though, I had the salesman (Bobby) bring my bike home so I could get my learner permit and ride on my own property first. I took the MSF course the next spring, but rode on my permit for almost 3,000 miles. If I were to buy another bike I would still have Bobby at the very least ride it around the parking lot and deliver it to me just for luck. My son John did the same for his Daytona 650. You are going to have a great time Pard.

Dave

I'll add that my '04 Speedmaster is my first bike as well and haven't ridden a motorcycle in 15 years or so. I too had taken the MSF class a few weeks before buying and my only in-traffic driving prior to picking it up was two different test rides at the Triumph dealership (man, they must be brave...).

I had a 45 mile ride home from the where the previous owner lived, so I had no other choice than to ride it home (well, I suppose I could have found someone else to ride it, or have it towed). To top it off, there was no way I was going to avoid the freeway, but I sayed on a back road as long as possible and was firmly planted in the far right lane the entire ride home with my wife following in our car.

One of the requirements when I was buying the bike was the my wife was comfortable riding it as well - it's a bike we'll be sharing for awhile. Unfortunately, if you've read the Misc. tech forum, my wife's first time in-traffic on the bike didn't end well. Although, it really had nothing to do with traffice, but I think she needed a little more empty lot practice to get a feel for the bike.

She got back on the bike yesterday and was out for 30 minutes or so, I have a feeling she'll be sticking to back road and parking lots for awhile.

Kevin,

New rider & new bike and these chuckleheads are giving you crap 'for not keeping up' ??

Sounds like you need new friends.

You did the right thing, btw.

You sound like a laid back sort of a person, and I think the America / Speedmaster is a sort of a laid back bike enjoy it, and feel that breeze in your face, you cannot beat that sort of feeling.....

My Speedmaster was my first bike as well. Bought it the week after I passed the MSF course, drooled over it for three months prior. I had the dealer deliver it because I wasn't comfortable riding it home, I needed more time. The first ride around the block was great no problems. The second not so good. I didn't even make it out of my driveway. I didn't let it warm up enough before I closed the choke. When I went to take off the bike stalled and the wieght caught me by surprise. I must say it was a nice gacefull fall and it only scratched the mirror.
No real moral here. Practice what you learn. Ride safely. Enjoy yourself.
In the past year since I got my Speedmaster I've ridden many differnt bikes. I go to every dealer demo day I can and ride as many bikes as they'll let me. I love my Speedmaster and have no plans on replacing it. It's one great bike.