Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge 2nd Post: As new as new can be... Teach Me!

Reposted from Riding Technique: (Mods, feel free to correct me if I'm breaking the rules. Thanks.)

Let me begin by saying that I might be in love with Bonnevilles... I know, I know... I hardly know them, but they're so beautiful, I think they may just be the ones - if only they noticed me like I notice them.

Seriously, though. I'm 30 and sorry to say I've never ridden. However, I'm ready to get into bikes. I've done a good bit of research, and am planning to take my beginner's course next month. I've been looking around and have several friends that have been riding for around 20 years. However, these days, they're mostly into dual-sports. I'm looking for a commuter and something I can get into longer rides with.

Currently, I'm living in Eastern Washington, where traffic and congestion is low. I have some relatively quiet city streets and highways to practice on, and the time to invest a little every day. I'm from Portland, and travel there frequently (about 700 miles, round trip), so I'm hoping after a while that I'll be able to ride to and from, rather than drive.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, especially with regard to first bike selection, gear, safety tips, and general etiquette; as well as anything I wouldn't know to ask.

Also, after being an infantry medic for more than ten years, as well as a calm and beaten-down graduate student, I'm not interested in showing off, speeding, or otherwise donating organs (I’ve already had enough close calls to know I want all of my parts). In other words, I'm as concerned with safety as I am with enjoying the ride.

I am looking to really dive into this, and invest as much time and learning as possible. Though, I'm not loaded, as anthropology grads don't make much after paying to teach...

So, where do I start? Help me pick a bike. Is a Bonneville to start too early? I've been reading on several sites and have been learning good bits here and there, but I'm really just starting out. Sorry to sound as new as I am. Thanks in advance for any help.

ETA: I have read 'operation-save-a-newbie'


Jack

Edited by WitchDoctor02 (02/09/07 11:16 PM)

bonneville or america or speedy??
americe is my first real bike and it has everything I need for comuting to long travel .

was riding bonneville and it is not that comfy and good as America is.

and Welcome to the house of horror......... means this forum

Hi Jack - welcome to the forum.

I would get your training done and as soon as you have passed, then get to trial your top 5 bikes ( whatever they are)

Peoples opinions change - what I can say regarding the America is its a reliable,good looking bike,which gets admiring remarks- espcially from senior citizens!

There are many other forum members who have more than 1 bike- they will chime in with pros/cons im sure...but welcome to the forum!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8tMgZxsaxCY

Regards

RodYork

Hi Jack and welcome to BA.COM

I would pick a few bikes, it's all down to your personnel opinion. Myself I liked the America, the idea of being sat in a comfy position on a long ride with your feet up and the look and feel of the America is what persuaded me. Then again you can add whatever you want as in after market parts, unfortunately there is not as many for the America/Speedmaster as there is for the HD market, but Brent (Newspeedmaster) is slowly doing his bit for that.

Whatever you choose you have to live with it if it be America or Speedmaster or dare I say it some other manufacturer

Hi Jack
The Speedmaster is my first bike, and it's just perfect in every way. No kidding, I love my motorcycle.
I waited 30 years to get a motorcycle, and always thought it would be a HD Sportster but the Triumph really won me over.
By all means, take the MSF and after you pass it go get a Speedmaster, America or even a Bonnie if you like. This is a good time of year to get a good deal on a leftover 2006 or even 2005 if you can find one.
Once you get your license, start SLOW, and practice around home and work your way up progressively to more challenging roads.

Get good equipment - a full face helmet, chaps or riding pants, a good 3-season textile jacket with armor. Don't be afraid to get the best you can afford. It might save your skin.

There's a lot to learn as a new rider but this and other sites are a great way to get into it.

Good luck and ride safe!

Welcome the site Jack,

A little biased here, but in the grand scheme, these Triumphs make pretty good all around bikes. You can easily check the various specifications yourself, but a main difference between the standard Bonneville and BA/Speedmaster is rider position, as the latter are bit longer, front footpegs set in a forward cruiser position and the neck is raked out a bit. The standard Bonnie is more upright, with pegs set underneath the rider. Some of the children on this site call them "geezer bikes". But they ride them also, so I guess that makes them "pre-geezer" bikes as well .

In my opinion, the vertical twin Triumphs are a forgiving motorcycle. They have suitable power, don't weigh a ton, handle predictably and are kind of fun in the twisties. Many people here who ride them have ridden a lot, and for many more it's their first bike. Being a narrow-minded sort, the 750 Bonneville was my first bike 30 years ago, and the 02 790 my second.

Eastern WA? There's a dealer over in Wenatchee and one in Missoula. There's a couple of us relegated to this wintery, soggy, forgotten corner of the US. Every once in awhile a used one turns up, but they are relatively rare in these parts. You're right, they talk to you. And if the bike doesn't, every Tom, Dick and Betty you see at a gas station will .

Most people here, way smarter than me have owned/ridden many makes and models, they'll chime in with their 02¢ and advice.

Ride Safe!

JH

Hi Jack welcome to the forum. I have been riding for six months and my America is my first bike. First and for most, take the MSF course before you do much of anything. They will teach you the basics. Second thing I would suggest, read the book Proficient Motorcycling. http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536

Next get you license! You are going to need it. Depending on how well you did in the MSF course and how comfortable you are on a bike, you can go take test rides. HOWEVER there are two schools of thought on this subject. Some say to buy a used older bike that you can tear up and not be upset about. Others say to buy the bike you want and spend your money once. As for me I bought my bike from my best friend and it was here for 2 months before I took the MSF course. I personally feel any Bonneville is a great first bike. Even the America and SM are light compared to most other cruisers out there.

I seriously recommend you ride every bike you can. When I bought my bike, I took my best friend to the Triumph dealership to pick up his new 06 bonnie black. I thought when I saw the bike, I can’t believe he is selling my bike for this thing. It looked like half the bike mine was and I kind of felt bad for him. Fast forward 4 months and 4 thousand miles later, we were riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway and we swapped bikes. I was speechless, I loved riding the 06 Bonnie! It really messed me up, the only thing I thought about for a couple months was that bike. To the point, I think I am going to buy his or another one sometime this year. I have also ridden the new Tiger and the ST, but my two favorites are the America and the Bonnie. By the way I don’t think I will ever sell my America, it has been the best. I would have never considered the Bonnie until I rode it and I ended up loving it. Ride everything you can get your hands on.

Welcome aboard dudester
Nice screen name!
Mike

Jack,

First of all welcome to the site, you have stumbled upon a vast warehouse of expericence and knowledge and there is not one person on this site that will not go out of their way to help you.

First of all go out and buy yourself the best helment you can possible afford DO NOT SKIMP ON THIS point.

Second everyone would suggest you get the MSC out of the way first.

When it comes to Triumph's this may sound weird but you are about to enter into a life time love affair with your bike. Triumph loyalty runs deep. I would safely say that many of these guys on this site would walk if all the Triumph's disappeared tomorrow, before they rode any other type of bike.

The thing about Triumph's and this really going to sound weird is YOUR bike will talk to you, what I mean is you can be standing in a room with 100 brand new speedies and america's and one of them will talk to you, believe me you will know when you find your bike.

As for the various models, I own a America it suits me and what I want it to do perfectly, round town, 2 up and long tours. Do not let anyone tell you these bikes are under powered I have yet had anyone run away from me in fact it seems they are trying to catch you.

Once you find your bike, you are going to want to tinker with it and everything you can possible do to a Triumph you will find detailed step by step instructions here. If your not sure about something STOP and post what you are doing and what you want to do have a beer and the check your post and and you will have your answer in about fifteen minutes.

Remember this is a global site and sometimes it can get a little heated in the general forums area, we are ALL TRIUMPH owners and we all have that in common and everthing else takes a backseat when it comes to our bikes.

Again good luck and welcome to the mad house.

jack welcome to the board.
my tba was my third bike. i would recomend starting off with a beater bike and work your way up the 'sexiness' ladder. My first bike was an 84 kaw ltd 450, It was realatively lightweight, good speed, and it was no bigdeal when I did something stupid like put my kickstand through a storm grate (fyi don't do that). I would be considerably more upset if I did that to my new bonny.
I don't think your first bike would be a good bike to ride to portland but it would be a good bike to puzt around town and find acouple twisty roads in eastern wa.
One suggestions/request take the motorcycle safety class get your license and some time under your belt and then take the advanced riders course.
just my .02 good luck and welcome to the board.
capn

Hey WitchDoctor, welcome to the site.
I say this to all Newbies, although most don't listen. A small dirt bike is the best teacher. Even if you spend one month on it, do it. It's an environment where you can safely make mistakes and correct them. That way, on your first street ride, you'll have more control. If you can ride on mud and sand, you can ride on anything. Good luck!

Quote:

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or jogging trousers

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very funny

Welcome....
I agree with Brian. Borrow, rent or buy a small (250cc) dirt bike and practice off-road and make all your first time mistakes on a relatively soft surface (asphalt is very unforgiving). When you feel confident, put yourself in the presence of these fine machines and let the magic begin.....

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Hank

Ditto what everyone has said about bikes and training. Remember Triumphs aren't just motorcycles they are a lifesty...JUST KIDDING GUYS! Really they are exceptional bikes and you WILL meet a lot of new people becuase when you stop any where, someone will come up to you and start talking about the bike.

In addition to the MSF, do yourself a big favor and buy the 'Ride like a Pro IV' and 'Ride like a Pro-Surviving the mean streets' videos. Just Google ride like a pro and you'll find the site-they are excellent after you have completed the MSF course. Get good riding gear-I wear a ballistic jacket, flip Nolan hement, gloves, riding pants and good boots year round. I've been down on the hot Texas summer asphalt and it is no fun. Welcome and good luck.

Welcome WitchDoctor!
The Bonneville America was my first bike after about 8 yrs not riding. I remember I was a bit apprehensive at the time, not sure what style bike to go for, cruiser/ commuter/ sport/ tourer? so many options, make/ style and even whether I'd make the test ride or not. In a way it was like learning to ride all over but quickly found no problem getting back in the saddle again with the America. It's up to you what bike you end up going for, after your preliminaries try a few and see what you feel most comfortable with. IMO I found the America very forgiving, easy to ride and get used to after a long period not riding.
As for training, try and get as much input as you can. Official courses, books, internet, whatever, it all helps. Some great posts on this site.
My short advice would be to take it easy, gauge your speed to the road conditions/ traffic, leave plenty room between yourself and the next vehicle, expect the unexpected - ride like you're invisible at every junction, try to plan escape routes, be 360 degree aware and try not to overtake near junctions, especially don't overtake at crossroads. This is just in case BTW, usually riding equates to much fun

I don't get it. All these folks keep saying Hijack, and then stay on subject ?

(And to stay on) Welcome. Buy the bike you want and ride it. Take the MSF course. You should learn the defensive techniques you need to survive.

Welcome home! I'm going to have to disagree with getting a small dirt bike to practice on. They don't handle anything like a street bike & you will develop habits of "man handling" a dirt bike & you can't really do that with a street bike. It's not a bad idea to get a "starter" street bike & get some practice in a parking lot or on some back roads.

Welcome to our club Jack.

Personaly i think the BA or the Speedies or the standard twins are good bikes to begin with. But you do need to treat the throttle with respect. These bikes may not be 140hp sport bikes but they still have enough get up and go to get you into trouble. But, it sounds to me like you all ready know that.

If you can borrow, rent or steel a little 250 bike for a while and practice then that will pay dividends later.

Pop down to your local Triumph deeler and see about test riding the Twins and which ever one talks to you is the one you should go for.

As for safty gear. Im my veiw, these are essential every day riding items.

Helmet, i dont go for the "most expensive one is best" argument. Get a full face that has at least a DOT rating, and or get a DOT and Snell rated helmet. Personally, i find that often the only difference between a $100 helmet and a $500 is the fit and finish and the comfort level. Oh, and the paint job. But for head protection they are all about the same.

Buy the full face that is the most comfortable. Stand in the shop for at least 30 minutes with the thing on your head and see if there are any presure points. If there are, then dont buy it and move on to the next one. All manufacturers make different shaped helmets and we all have different shaped heads. It is trial and error. Keep trying till you find the one that feels good.

Full fingered gloves. ALWAYS wear gloves when you ride.

Boots, over the ankle ones, and prefereable motorcycle boots, not cowboys or bassball boots. Dont shout this out loud around here. But i find that often the best place to go looking for motorcycle clothes and gear is the Harley shops. But if you tell anyone i said that i will deny it. Though it is where my last three pairs of boots have come from.

Leather Jacket or one of the new modern man made fabrics. But again, Motorcycle Jacket, not some fashion jacket from JC Pennies.

If you can afford it, leather pants are good, but personally i ride with heavy denims. Chaps are OK, but i think they look at bit village people if you know what i mean, and beside, i ride a bike. Not a horse.

Have fun shopping, and keep in touch with us all on here. We are a fun loving lot. Dont ride much, were all to busy talking to each over on here.

And I'm going to have to agree with Yota here!

Excellent point, youngin! Two COMPLETELY different disciplines.

'Cuz....out there in the dirt, you USUALLY don't have to watch out for Mom Vans/SUVs(most of THEM never see the dirt, ya know)/Tuner Cars/Semis/etc.

Yes! Street riding IS a completely different animal.

Cheers,
Dwight

Thanks for the replies and welcomes everyone!

I have given some thought to starting out with a smaller bike, but from what I've read, it sounds like the biggest incentive is controlling speed and starting out slow. I really do believe that I will be able to resist urges to open it up too much too soon. Lighter weight seems like it may be useful in the short term, however, it sounds like many folks start out with standard sizes. I'm interested in hearing all opinions.

I'll probably wait to pick up my bike until after my beginner's class - considering I don't know the first thing about making a bike move any direction other than down...

I will do some shopping around, but, so far, am really leaning toward Bonneville Blacks or Americas. I’ll take any suggestions on whether to buy new or used, and where to find decent selections – your stories of talking bikes are making me very eager to get out there!

For those of you that suggest starting out with something different, I’d love to hear some specific suggestions.

In any case, I definitely get the point about gear, and plan to invest some real energy in selecting the right stuff. In my mind, I'm considering $$ investment in protective gear as part of the total-picture. I've noticed several great threads here and on other sites about gear selection, which I'll continue to study.

Thanks a lot, and keep it coming if you have any thoughts. Like I said, I have thick skin and can take a rub, so if I'm headed in the wrong direction, let me have it!

I should mention that I’m vertically-challenged at 5’8” and have a 30” inseam, which I’ve noticed is very short for most dual-sport/enduro bikes, as well as many other types of bikes. Though, seems like most Triumphs have shorter seat heights.

Hey!!!

Welcome.

I want to agree about the getting a 'litle bike' first, for a while but I'm not sure I can. I rode a 125 for a year, but I'm still getting them mickey taken for how my riding was when I first got an America. Ok so I'm now 10000 miles later and on my second one... so my riding is a whole lot better. I think the point I'm trying to make here is the while my 125 is a cruiser too, I had to relearn how to ride. My road sence was there but my actual riding....is now so different, and is better. I think.

I too was going to go for the Bonnie Black ....it's the goth in me that wanted that. But then I saw my black and silver America sat in the corner and she spoke to me. You'll know what I mean cos it'll happen to you. I still had to get my licence...the easy bit was getting the money.
As others have said get the gear. If nothing else you never know when someone is not gonna see you. Wearing the gear, you'll have a better chance of telling us you're ok after. Get stuff that you are comfy in. not necessarily what looks the coolest.

And that's not short... I let someone at work sit not my America and she's 5'4 and had no hassle touching the floor. She was suprised when she could mind you...

Witchdoctor,
As vwone (Dean) mentioned, there are some very good books avilable to supplement your riding course (which I still haven't taken ). My favorite is Total Control by Lee Parks, in which the author gets into more geometry and design than most other writers. It's cheap enough, so grab a copy.
As far as Americas/Speedies as first bikes - perfect. They do not handle real well at parking lot speed, but they are not so heavy that you can't muscle them around a bit. Other than that, it is a wonderful motorcycle that you can grow with. As you get more proficient, you can add more goodies from Brent, FastEddy, StreetBoogie and Soren (not to mention BellaCorse and others). So, go pick out your favorite color and have it delivered when your MSF course is complete. After you finish the course, you'll be able to ride anything on the market. If you buy a small bike, you'll have to sell it in a few months, so go ahead and get a bike that you can keep for a few years. Mine's 5 years old @ 48,000 miles - no problems. If you are going to ride to Portland regularly, I'd look at some touring pegs to get your feet back under you, or your bu+t will be taking all the bumps and will fatigue you before you finish 2 tanks of petrol (300 miles). I am in the process of building some hangers for my bike now.
Welcome Home!

Here the thing the America and the speedmaster are great bikes the can cruise in traffic and are a very good highway bike. The best part is you do not have to replace it after a year. One of the best parts is the power to weight. It will hang with bikes the are twice the weight and handle close to a sport bike. Take the course like everyone has said. When i sat on my America darn thing fit like it was built for me. The only funny thing was when I told my wife its so great I wont have to add a single thing. That was the biggest lie I ever told my wife :::laughin:::

After you finish the riding course and get your license, get a test ride on as many Bonneville derivatives as the dealer will allow, then buy the one that feels best to you. That is much more important than the one that looks best because you can't see much of the bike from the seat, so styling is only important if you don't like to ride it and spend most of your time sitting and admiring it. Now, in my case it is a happy coincidence because I love the look and feel of my America.

Since you say you've never ridden, here's my 2 cents;

If you live near a tourist area or college town, rent a scooter/moped for a few hours - and do it several times. They're really a blast and you can get them up to about 40-45mph. You get to practice all the basic riding skills without having to muscle a heavy bike (you will use muscles you normally don't use) and you don't have to think about shifting - just twist and go. You'll quickly master the concepts and learn the all-important defensive riding skills that will save your life later on. Do this a number of times and in short order, you'll feel much better about adding the complications of a motorcycle. You'll also be in a much better position (confidence) to test drive your motorcycle choices.

The wife and I drive to St. Augustine and Daytona Beach a couple times a year just to ride the scooters and when we travel, we look for scooter rental shops. Eyebrows would rise when we'd pull up on our Gold Wing and rent a couple of scooters, but for about $20 an hour, you just can't beat the fun of zipping around town all the while sharpening your low speed skills.

Now as for a bike, I just bought my America, but I've been riding for about 35 years. These days, almost every bike out there is good. Once you find one that "fits", then consider whether the dealer is one you can trust and whether there is a support group you can turn to. I decided to get back to the basics, but ruled out the UJM because I wanted a bike that wouldn't be obsolete in just a couple of years. The Triumph spoke to me and this site convinced me.

Enjoy the ride.

Steve

Have to chime in because I was in the exact same boat as you 2 1/2 years ago. I was looking for my first bike and had heard all the pros/cons of small vs. big bike for the first one. LUCKILY, while I was considering the various jap harley copies I came upon this forum and all it took was one look at an America and the decision was made... WHEW! It was the right one, not only did I get a great, unique bike but for me it was the perfect fit in all respects. Not too big, not too small, great handling and PLENTY of power. Good thing too, because I bought mine BEFORE I had my license, and didn't ride it UNTIL my first class!

BTW, I'm a victim of that 30" inseam as well and I can put both feet flat on the ground with the stock seat and sit even lower with the low-profile seat I acquired later on.

Quote:

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My favorite is Total Control by Lee Parks

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+1 on Total Control, a great book - get it.

Re: the small dirt bike.
MotoGP riders practice in the off season on XR100 Hondas, and then race 200plus hp missiles. The idea is to learn traction control and braking limits in a relatively benign situation. No cars. No SUVs. Just you and the bike. I would even stay away from trees for the first ride. When the time comes for the first street ride, you should be concentrating on traffic and road conditions, not thinking about brake/clutch/shift/howdidthatgo? Ask yourself this:
Where would I rather make my rookie mistakes?

Thanks for the continuing feedback!

I just registered for my MSF course in Seattle in March (the soonest I could find). I have given some thought to starting out with a smaller bike for the first little bit - I've looked at Buell Blasts, Honda Rebels, and other similar bikes, but I'll hold off until the course so I can test ride a few.

It seems like most folks on this site have great faith in Triumphs as starters, based on experience. The same, it seems, cannot be said for other manufacturers - according to other forums. Is this a result of the nature of this site and Triumph enthusiasm? Or, do Bonnevilles, Americas, and so on offer some advantage, otherwise. Don't get me wrong, I've been searching high and low and haven't seen anything that makes me feel the way that Triumphs do... I just want to be the best rider I can be, and if that means I have to start out somewhere else, I will before I trash a work of art that I was over-eager about. God, it hurts already to think about not going with a Triumph ASAP... (I already have a Bob Dylan Triumph t-shirt - maybe I shouldn't say that out loud)

My plan is to spend a few days in Seattle (5 hours from Pullman) for the course, and spend the next couple of days hanging around and checking out bikes since there’s a shortage of shops around here.

I will check out all of those books and videos that have been mentioned so far. Thanks for the great input and warm welcome! Keep it coming with any more thoughts.

Jack

Welcome aboard Jack. My wife started riding early last summer and is now riding a T100. She started on a Rebel mostly because she was leery of the weight of anything bigger. It didn't take long for her to realize the Rebel was just too small. However, it was a great starter bike and we were able to sell it for almost what we paid for it. I consider that bit of money well spent.

What we did do that made her proficient was to spend the entire break-in time practicing in parking lots and around the neighborhood. Yep, 500+ miles in back streets and parking lots! Very time consuming but by the time she took her test, her skill set was ingrained.

Good luck to you no matter what you decide!!

xwhatever on the dirt bike.
I rode dirt when I was a kid quite a bit.
And every now and again the rear will get squirrelly on gravel or whatnot and without thinking the ole brain just reacts to whatever I would have done with a dirt bike in that scenario. Plus only being able to afford POS dirt bikes tought me a little on repairs and how to ride a bike that isn't quite right. My first xr had no rear brake, so now I very rarely use the rear, and know how a bike will react with only a front brake being applied.
The 80s XR 100/200 or a kdx 200 are great bikes light enough to throw around, and cheap enough to dump.
But on the other hand the wife had never been on a bike before she got her savage. She is just a natural with no ingrained bad habits like my covering the brake at all times etc.

Welcome, as you can see there is no shortage of opinions on this site. My wife whom has never ridden two wheels before started riding my America in the back yard without a dent scratch or near miss, in the spring she will be taking a beginners course on her very own America. My 16 year old son has had some saddle time himself.( rides dirt bikes )These are bikes for the beginner to the million mile club. ENJOY!!!