2010 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

Just a head’s up, folks – the leaves are dropping (well, around here anyway). Suit up all the way! You’ll miss your when the flesh is ground off against the pavement and the bone is shattered beyond relief.

Now get the hell out there and ride!

All Gear All The Time (During Autumn!)!

When the weather cools down too much, then I’ll do that writeup.  I have no time anymore and what time I have I’m not going to sit here!

And just for shits’n'giggles, we broke 20k views last month.  Kinda nifty, right?

This blog has been all about the new, but this entry is about the old; this whole blog is about new Harleys and ignores the other 95% of bikes out there.  I want a place I can point people that are interested in getting [back] into motorcycles, and I’m going to make this entry be it.

Step 1: Do you really want a motorcycle?

If yes, skip to Step 2.

If no, go away.

If you are unsure, consider this: bikes are not for everyone.  They are dirty and dangerous.  They are also the closest you can get to flying, often moreso than actually being in the air. For commuting, they can be very efficient, though still, you have to think about where you’re going to be riding.  If it’s in a major city, you probably don’t want a bike – take the subway/bus.  If you have too long a ride, the ride might become a chore (especially during bad weather). But most people don’t ride for practical reasons.  Most people just love having their ears in the wind.

Step 2: What kind of bike do you want?

Shut up because it doesn’t matter.  You’re getting a used bike. Here’s why:

• You are going to drop your bike.
• You might crash your bike.
• You are going to have to fix your bike.

Step 3: What kind of used bike do you want?

Short answer: Japanese!

Long answer: it depends.  Let’s look at all the steps…

Type. All bikes fit within 4 categories.  The categories are based on use, not looks or manufacturer.

Cruiser:

It’s about taking it easy.  Maybe you want to go from bar to bar, maybe from ocean to ocean.  Doesn’t matter how far, and it never matters how long it takes.  You’re out for the experience.  This is pure riding for pleasure.

Sport:

It’s about going fast.  It’s jockeying the fastest horses on the earth, slipping in between cars and blowing by everything, leaving it all behind.  You’re out for thrills.  Going slow is your old man’s style.  And screw him, anyway.

Standard / Naked:

It’s about not giving two shits what you’re riding. It runs? Great, let’s go.  These are the least expensive bikes* and the ones you see running 365 days a year.  It’s about not getting hung up on culture, tradition, clubs, or image.  You toss that all out the window and you get where you’re going on a bike.  You commute, you take a trip, and deliver pizza.  It’s not about the bike.  It’s about being on a bike.

* Some carbon fiber laminate and titanium racing bikes have so much stripped off of them that they are often called “naked” but that’s more of an adjective than the actual type.

WTF:

This is about expressing yourself.  Or pissing people off.  Or, to get right down to it, being a self-absorbed egomaniac (most times).  I hate to make an “other” category, but if you’re not about crusing, racing, or being functional, you fall into the “other” category and likely you are all about curb appeal.  In that regard, instead of a bike, go buy some art.

All other bikes fall are a hybrid of these types above.  Plenty of legit bikes border on WTF, and a cruiser+sport is a touring bike (think: any big BMW). There are naked cruisers (bobbers), there are WTF cruisers (choppers), there are naked sport WTF (confederates), and pretty much if you combine categories (like primary colors) you can come out with any other color.  I mean bike.

Here’s a sport WTF I think is hilarious while also probably badass:

To be fair, dirtbikes and scooters are technically motorcycles.  But once you’ve been around the block a few times, you’ll come to understand that dirtbikes and motorcycles are lot like airplanes and helicopters, or apples and oranges.  And the same is true for scooters; they also have their own little cult and obsessions and jokes and lingo.  They’re motorcycles according to the gubbmint and the dictionary, but a dirtbike is a dirtbike and a scooter is a scooter.  A bike is either a cruiser or a crotch rocket, and you have to choose (even if you decide to get one of each, like plenty of guys do down south).

Argue all you want, but once you figure out that you want a bike and realize that you’re a fool unless you buy used, the next step is to figure out what kind of riding you want to do.

Here’s where the buying guide becomes a personality test!

Chances are, though, that you already (or have, by this point) decided what’s most appealing.  If you can’t make up your mind, don’t worry about it! Buy a nice, versatile standard/naked!  You can’t go wrong.

Size & Weight.

An “appropriate” starter bike’s engine size depends on the type of bike you chose.  In general 500cc is about right.  Suck up the ego, stop giving a shit that someone else might have started on something bigger, and plan on going with a 500cc.  Unless it’s a sport bike: then go lower.

250cc is probably what you used in your MSF course to get your license.  They get the best mileage and they’re the easiest and cheapest to maintain.  The only real problem with them is they only truly perform if you’re very small. Say 120 pounds.  That’s kids (in the US anyway) and women (hopefully).  My 250lb brother once rode a 250cc bike, but said it was a near death experience to take it out on a highway.  It was his training bike and he sold it after a few months.  He always regretted training on something so small.

650cc is another common starter’s bike engine size.  It tends to work out just fine.  My starter bike was a 650cc cruiser, and it was perfect for me at 200 lbs.

Anyway, the other side of “shoot for 500cc” is that you have to match the weight of the bike to your own strength and weight.  I’ve seen big, heavy dudes do alright with 1100cc cruisers as their first bikes, and I’ve seen smaller folks struggle with a 600cc ride.  Only you really know what you can handle, and you only know after you’ve tried, but the important thing is to remember that YOU ARE GOING TO DITCH YOUR NEWBIE BIKE SOON anyway, so there’s no point trying to look cool before you can really ride.  It’s the easiest temptation to fall into with a motorcycle, and it’s important enough that I’ll mention it again when I wrap this 4-day-long entry up, so let me just say it once more here in bold: get the bike that suits you, not the image you want.

The pic above is me playing around.  It just so happens that Suzuki made a 650cc Volusia (now the c50) that copied the aesthetics of classic american bikes.  I then happened to find one that had been dropped many times and was all scratched up, so instead of paying more for a bike that also looks good, I paid the same as I would have for a newbie cruiser in better condition, a naked bike, or a much higher quality sport bike (since sport bikes are mostly plastic on the low end, the same dollars buys more bike … and less bike, depending on how you look at it).  I got a bike that has “looks” if you don’t look to closely at all the dents and scratches, and best, I got a bike that I could drop all I want and never have to worry about what damage would be done to the aesthetics.  I got the best of the beaters.  It was all luck: right place, right time, and I had cash in hand.

In sport bikes, as I was saying earlier, you can go lower and never really notice that you’re half the cc’s of your cruising comrades.  The Kawasaki Ninja, one of the most common bikes on the road, at just 250 cc can get you up to 40mph in first gear.  You can wheelie backwards and probably top out around 100mph.  The 500cc can probably do 60mph in first gear – again, so long as you don’t mind redlining – and can easily take you well over 100mph.  Top speed is probably 140 right out of the box.  You could start on either one, but with the larger you definitely want to be mature in your throttle control.  At 650cc, the Ninja can do 200mph with just a light adjustment and you can easily get 80mph if not more from 1st gear.  The reason I’m mentioning the 1st gear top speeds is that some typical, untrained person might know enough about, say, a lawnmower to be able to pop a clutch and work the gas: if this idiot straps on this bike or that bike, what’s the chance he can kill himself? See above =)

That 250cc Ninja doesn’t look as much like a toy as the 250cc cruisers do, right?

Step 4: Ok, how do I find a used bike?

The best resource for you will depend on where you are.  If you live in a place with decent population density, use Craig’s List.  You will have to spend a few hours, if not days (depending on your internet background), figuring out which ads are real and which are not, but once you find a good deal (but not too good) you have a solid lead, most likely.  Lots of good folks all over are realizing that internet classifieds – the type of communication which Craig’s List epitomizes – are the easiest and fastest way to get their shit out of their house.  Super unique items belong on eBay for a national audience, but if you want to sell something like a motorcycle you want the people within driving distance to come look at it and you want to find them (or, really, let them find you) on Craig’s List.  www.craigslist.com

If you live in the boonies, you might still be ok with Craig’s List, but your best bet is to do your research in-person at bike shops (not necessarily big branded ones, like a Harley dealership, but as mom-and-pop as you can find) and be friendly.  Shake hands.  Mention you’re looking for a beater to learn on.   If you say “I’m looking to get into riding and I want to find a decent bike around $2,000″ you’ll soon fall right into the word-of-mouth network and someone will know someone who could part with their old ride.  Simple as that.

What you should already know, long before you end up on the internet reading some jackass’ long-winded explanation of how to start motorcycling, is how to buy and sell.  I said should and I’m going to explain the process now anyway because plenty of folks just don’t know what they’re doing…

Part of “finding” a bike is knowing how to gauge the prices.  After you’ve decided that you want a cruiser, and you’re normal-or-just-above height and weight so you want between 500cc and 750cc ride, and it has to be used, and it should be within 40 miles of you … then, so long as the bike runs, you have to be able to afford it.  And that’s the trick.  Everyone thinks they have gold.  If you punch in $1500 as your max price on ebay or CL, you won’t find diddly.  People ask for $2500 when they’ll actually settle for $1800.  $2000 is the best asking price if what you really want is $1500.  Now, some people don’t know how to sell, either, so they have a bike worth $3,000 and they want and expect that much and they have every right to get that much.  Don’t piss these people off, they’re trying to play fair.  If a bike really does seem too good for the amount of pork you’re gonna fork, then maybe mention what you’d offer but then just let it be.  There are dozens of bikes all around that you can buy for whatever your price range is.

That is, of course, assuming you realize a modest, in-shape starter bike is probably $1,500-$2,000.  Anything lower than that and you’re probably buying someone’s headache / spare parts.  If I were buying a starter bike today, April 1, 2010, I would pay between $1,500 and $2,100, figuring some $1,800 bike might have a good $300 in cool parts like a windshield and aftermarket exhaust. Much more than that – say $2,700 and up for a starter bike – and either you have failed a negotiating or you are buying too much bike.

As far as negotiating goes, go armed with the Kelley’s Blue Book value and do your homework.  A word on KBB: the dealer trade-in value is the number you want to use when you buy from an individual (don’t buy used from a dealer! it defeats the purpose!), and that should be an absolute upper limit on what you pay to an individual.  Your actual cost should be about 15% less than that.  If a Honda Shadow 550cc from 2004 has a blue book of $2150, and that’s normal wear and decent condition, you should figure $1,800 is your first offer and if the guy is itching to sell, maybe $1900 will close.  Now, if he’s gone through the trouble of putting on saddlebags, maybe replacing the tires, who knows – he’s going to think he should get whatever his out of pocket was.  Don’t fall for that.  First, if you want to be fair about it, give him whatever they’re worth today, not when he bought them: that adjustment comes from hundreds of years of doctrinal equity and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be respected.  Secondly, if you don’t like what the old owner’s done, make that your reason for not honoring the aftermarket goods.  Either tell him to strip them and sell them piecemeal or say that you won’t pay extra (or “won’t pay more than $X” for what you don’t even want).

But buying too much bike… that’s the pitfall. That’s where you walk up, cash-in-hand, and are bummed that this cherry ride isn’t going to be yours.  And the seller’s pissed because you are another douche that tried to lowball him.  This all comes back to the center of this article: how/which motorcycle should you start with?

After you figure out what you want, you have to figure out what you need.  If a 500cc bike is ready to go, but you want to get the 800cc version because you think it’ll keep longer and look cooler, then you have just fallen into the trap.  I’m not going to badmouth you, especially since I did that same thing (trading quality for imitation looks), but you can’t expect to get away with a lower cost on the ride just because you’re going to use this bigger bike as your starting bike.  Don’t think you’re going to get an uncalled for bargain, don’t piss off fellow riders, and don’t forget what your main goal is: getting on the road!

The next section is based on the assumption that you’ve decided on size/type and figured out a budget and now you’re ready to take test rides, kick some tires, and hit up your bank for the cash-money-dollaz.

Step 5: How do I know if this bike is any good?

Get your reading glasses on, gents, because I’ve got a doozy for you.  You want to visit Adam Glass’ webpage. This is the best internet resource for quickly getting up to speed on the mechanical foibles of a used bike.  His guide is based on common mechanical problems to look out for, especially abuse from racing.  In his guide, he asks you to print out the checklist and bring it with you to inspect the bike.  That’s not really necessary so long as you study, study, study.

In other words, knowledge is power.  Just like “cash is king,” you’ve heard that before and that’s because it’s true.  If you approach John Seller and you demonstrate some mechanical expertise, you’re either going to win a friend or scare off an attempt to bilk you (or both!).

You will not be walking off with a bike for half price because you read a 35-page guide.  You will not become a mechanic because you read this guide.  You will simply have a handy reference in this guide that will definitely address some issues that will definitely pop up.   Did I mention it’s free?  Only downside: it’s somewhat dated.

That guide is comprehensive enough that I won’t even bother stepping on toes trying to explain what else you should do.  Just read that guide over and over and know it.

The other part of knowing if the bike is any good is the subjective part: is it any good for you? Here’s my list, in order by priority:

1. You want to make sure your feet touch the ground.  If you have to get on tiptoes, then know that when you drop the bike, you may break your leg.
2. When you turn the bars all the way, are you hitting your knees? If so, you are done with this particular ride unless you have a smaller friend who can ride it to your shop to swap the bars.
3. Are your arms comfortable? Try to imagine holding your arms like that for 3 hours: are you ok?  If not, again, you’ll need to swap the bars, and swapping the bars can be anywhere from $100 to $700 depending on the assemblies that makeup your controls (throttle by wire, ABS, cruise control, long/tall bars, heated grips…). It’s often easier to just pick a different bike.
4. Can you lean the bike 30 degrees to either side, with your feet flat on the ground, and recover easily?  This is the test for size/weight of the bike compared to size/weight/strength of yourself.  If you can’t dip the bike like a dancing partner – though only 30 degrees – then it’s not a match for you.  The ratio is off.  Too much bike!

If, by some weird chance, you have not read Adam’s guide to buying used and you want to go at it anyway, let me give you the 30-second version (and I curse you for rushing something as enjoyable as the sport of motorcycle riding.):

• If there are no service records, the bike was not serviced.  For a bike with 100 miles, great! For more than that, run away! Most used bikes have between 5k and 15k miles, and you damned well better believe if service isn’t recorded, it isn’t done.  Receipts, logs, anything – no proof? Run away.

• If you don’t get a test ride, run away.   Leave your license as collateral (or the purchase price), but get a test ride.  The only exception to this is if you do not have your license.  In that case, you’re gonna ride bitch and you’re going to have the seller scoot you around.  Make sure he at least gets through 4th gear, applies the brakes somewhat sternly, and for best results, make sure the bike is cold when it starts up.  A bike that starts from cold has been cared for.  A bike that does not start from cold is a bike you cannot buy.

Step 6: What else do I need?

You need gear.  I’m telling you this because you will likely fail to calculate the cost of gear if you are not told by somebody (hopefully your MSF instructor at least).

A helmet can go anywhere from $50 – $500 for a base model, depending on the brand.  Each brand is different.  A few will fit your head.  Some will fit it very well.  Depending on your luck with your skull, you might fit very well into a cheaper helmet or you might have to spring for one of the fancy ones.  I use Icon and they’re average: it fits me better than the $500 helmets and the $50 helmets, and I happily paid $200 when I got my first bike and $200 the other week for a replacement.  A helmet must be replaced after a crash or after 3-5 years, depending on the quality of the protective layers (plastic/foam degrades at different rates).  To buy a helmet effectively, check out the CALSCI webpage; this guy has been blogging since before it was cool, and he covers every last nook and cranny of riding, and you’ll see me recommend him again.  The link above has all the info you’ll ever need.  Quick version: Buy a new-in-box full-face helmet that fits snugly when you first try it on; it will mold to your head.

Gloves are the next most important thing.  When you fall, you protect yourself instinctively with your hands.  Do not sacrifice your hands to your first accident.  Get yourself a sturdy pair of leather with extra protection in the palms, the butt (which is what I’m calling the part that would contact the wood if you were to do a karate chop), and make sure they’re rated for the temperature you’re riding in.  Oh, but you live in a place where it’s sometimes 90 out and sometimes 10 below? Sounds like you need 2 pairs, if not 3.  For gloves, generally, look around and make sure you’re getting a good price on something that fits.

You need boots too.  You’ve purchased footwear before, yes? Same thing, just make sure your ankles are protected.  You want to stay conscious of the two types of protection you need: impact/roadrash is just one; the other is heat from your pipes.  The first time you forget the boots and ride in sneakers, you’ll remember as soon as you press your flesh to the exhaust and come away with a scar for life.

You need a jacket.  But that’s the last thing, so don’t get too upset.  Realize a jacket is either going to be a synthetic with pads and – sadly – some really stupid logo on it OR it’s going to be leather.  Guess what that costs? More than the helmet, in most cases.  You want to be certain there’s padding on the arms; your back and chest certainly will love you for protection, but your arms are really quite delicate in true crash conditions and you want to get padding/plates sewn in.  Most jackets have removable lining.  Shop around! And with all of this, don’t buy it off the web unless you know it’s exactly the right size (each mfg is different!) and you don’t mind supporting some weirdo rather than the local guy (if there is one).

And then you need insurance.  If you have a sub-1000cc cruiser that’s over 4 years old, and you are not a male under age 25, you should be able to get bare minimum insurance for about $400.  If you are under 25 with a crotch rocket, expect that rate to triple.

Step 7: What else do I need to know about buying a used motorcycle?

Maintenance! Buy the manual for your particular bike.  Learn to change your own engine oil.  Then change the crank oil.  Then tranny oil.  Then fork oil.  Then replacing spark plugs. Then you’ll be popping the tank off to inspect the heads.  Pretty soon you need to make friends with a machinist to help you swap out parts … It’s a [fun!] vicious spiral.  All it takes is time and patience.  One word of warning: if you try to do something and film it POV style at the same time, you are destined to fuck up.  Just FYI.

Keep track of maintenance cycles and keep up on them.  Don’t let your bike fall apart or turn to shit.  Especially your first bike, which will (a) be what you use to gauge whether to keep riding, and (b) be the bike you’re selling in a few months to help pay for that shiny new scoot.

Saving $$$.

1.      Your insurance company of choice – this is true for all of them – have a significant jump in the premiums you’ll be charged if your bike crosses the Liter mark.  950cc is one price, not much more than 750cc, etc; 1000cc and up are a different league.  Now, how much that jump is will vary, but it’s worth keeping in mind if, say, the extra $30 a month matters to you.   I use Progressive as they have excellent service and the prices are fine with me.  Geico is notoriously poor for motorcycles as of last year, I don’t know if the recession got them to play ball but I’d doubt it.

2.    When you actually go to buy this used bike from Tom Seller, BRING CASH.  You can get away with a lower price much more easily when you have the cash in your hand and Tom Seller is watching you count it.  I am putting this in print on the internet and yet there are still people who have heard this and refuse to believe it.  Cash in plain sight is worth more than cash tucked away in some bank with closing hours at 4pm or whatever bankers do.

Women.

If you’re married, here’s how you get her to go for it:

• Explain that it’s much more constructive than drinking or cheating on her.
• Concede that while people do die on motorcycles, plenty die in cars and pools and smoking cigarettes.
• Promise (to her and yourself) to wear all your gear all the time.
• Mention that the wives of bikers you know are all confident, strong women that make perfect partners for their husbands.  Women always want to outdo one another.

If all that fails, buy your starter bike and let her see how puny it is.  Stay off highways and practice in parking lots.  Then, unless money is an issue (and if it is, I have no answers other than to figure what you can live without), go get your next bike and ask her after you got it what she thinks of it.

If you’re not married, please take this advice:

• Don’t let any girl on the back of your bike unless you’ve got at least 6 months experience solo.
• Don’t let any girl ride without a helmet.  Or boots and jacket, even if they’re not meant for motorcycles specifically.
• Don’t let a girl jump on the back without understanding how to properly ride with you (not against you).
• Make sure she doesn’t burn her ankle on the exhaust when she hops on.  My wife still has the scar.
• Do not ever show off for a woman.  99% are plenty impressed by the look of it on the curb, the sound of it starting up, and the fact that you rode it there.  Pull a wheelie or take a turn too fast and she’s not going to be at your hospital bedside.  Disregard females, acquire miles.
• If you don’t have an awesome pillon seat, the woman will limit your ride.  It’s not her fault though, most seats are goddam awful.  And if anything in life deserves to be treated well, it’s a woman’s fine ass.  Note: this is not sexist or chauvinistic.

Touring.

Get a compass, a GPS, or a map, depending on your level of orienteering skill.  Get what works for you.  Being lost is only fun for a little while; sometimes you gotta eat.

To find the best roads, talk to the natives.  Or, if you’re a geek, use terrain maps and take your best guess.

Racing.

Don’t be a fucking asshole.  That’s it.  That’s the rule.  If you want to race, you’re gonna go do it no matter what people say.  The rule is, therefore, as simple as that.  Don’t be a fucking asshole.  Don’t race on public streets near other people, don’t race while drunk, don’t race with someone on the back, and you shouldn’t race on roads you don’t know but you’ll probably disregard that.  I’ll tell you this, though: if you learn a road very well, you kind of end up getting complacent, so racing on roads you don’t know is sometimes better racing on familiar ones.  This is mostly true if you’re too lazy to find a good spot to race: the track!  Or huge abandoned parking lots!

General.

Be friendly to your fellow bikers.  Even if they have gang colors, they’re out for a good time and the last thing you should do is have your fun in a way that others can’t have theirs.  And when you’re new, let people know that it’s ok to toss you a pointer or two.  Maybe you don’t turn your head enough when you go around curves, maybe you suck with the clutch, maybe you just parked like an idiot.  Thank people for their guidance and don’t let your ego consume you.

Wrapping up…

No matter how pretty my new bike is, notice I haven’t mentioned the Harley once.  I love my bike, but it is only coincidentally a Harley.  I bought it because it’s a true cruiser with ABS.  The prettiest bike is an Indian, if you ask me, but the true Indian is almost extinct; the new ones you can buy from the reincarnated company don’t count in my book.  The Chief from 1947? Best bike ever made IMO.

Don’t fall into the Harley pitfall.  It’s the classic “too much bike” problem.  Harley makes some gorgeous bikes, but you don’t need them to get your ears in the wind.  The Harley will be waiting if you save your pennies; buy a Jap beater and get out there.  In the end, no one cares what you ride except yourself, so don’t be your own devil.  I haven’t mentioned any Harley in this entry because it’s not relevant to buying one’s first bike.  I’m only mentioning it here to say that you shouldn’t buy a Harley as your first.  Harley is too much image. You would gain nothing by buying a Harley as your first, and then paying enormous repair bills to cover up for those growing pains.  Harley parts, even the ones made in China, cost a ton.  Trust me.  Or don’t and learn for yourself.

You WILL drop your bike.

In a way I’m looking forward to when I drop my Harley; right now that bike is too pretty for me.  But godwilling it won’t be for a while, and that’s because I spent years on my beater.  I bought a beater that fit me so well I was not required to upgrade under pressure.  In a way, I paid my dues.  Expect to do the same.

Ride safe, guys ‘n’ gals.

Yes, I am ASKING rather than declaring.  My good buddy came over on saturday and it was near 60 (WOW!!!!!!!!!!) so we went out.  He just got his endorsement but we all know that doesn’t mean much, it’s just better than nothing.

For myself, I learned by buying a beater and pussyfooting for 6 months.  Then I progressed one-thing-at-a-time.  I did parking lot drills.  I was jealous of my MSF instructor for doing tight, slow rolls on his behemoth so-called “road king” (hahha, what a road it’s been!).

So on saturday, I put him in full gear and made him follow me around town: short roads, lots of stops (learn those brakes!), a few turns.  Then we got to a parking lot and I had him do circles, trying to pull it in tighter and tighter.  We did figure-8′s, both him following and me chasing him.  I also stood like a bullfighter, pointing, spinning, trying to get him to tighten up his turns.  He dropped my beater twice-ish and felt bad, but obviously a beater is meant to be beaten.  I was surprised the volusia even started – that battery tender works wonders!  Then I had him ride himself, me shadowing him (trying to be invisible, ducking his mirrors).  He did fine.  He was very cautious at intersections, probably half because of the natural respect we have for riding on a bike (rather than in a cage) and then half because they were bad, car-clogged intersections and he wasn’t familiar with them anyway.

So all in all, not bad.  I think the key is to make sure the new rider is comfortable: you can’t push them, and you have to imagine yourself in their shoes.  When I was a new rider, my #1 fear was falling off tight turns.  It was only after months (if not a year or two) that I realized that fear was normal, since I was speeding like an asshole. And it wasn’t until I picked up the new harley that I realized – ABS be damned – new 4-piston Brembo brakes beat the everloving piss out of whatever shitshow came standard on a cheapass Jap beater 9 years ago (the c50 was always a beater – it’s plastic, boys, don’t be fooled like I was!).  My point, before that tangent, was that any new rider on my beater needs to learn doubly-well the way braking really works.  Beyond that, each man’s hangups are his own.

But what about the specifics? Grab some cones and build a little course?  Head out on some normal roads and let it come naturally? Not really sure.  Not even sure a plan needs to be made, but when it comes to riding, the more the merrier, and I’d like to get him off to a good start.  And there’s no replacement for time logged.

He got some practice, he didn’t get hurt, and at the end we had some scotch.  Pretty good start, I’d say.

And I’ll share with you something I told him that I think bears repeating: at the motorcycle show this coming saturday, sit on every damned bike! and don’t be worried about breaking/dropping anything because those vendors are required to carry liability insurance.  Don’t let them hit you with “you dropped it, you’re paying $$$$!!” … just give your ID and offer to pay the vendor’s  insurance deductible.

Note that this is not legal advice, I am not a lawyer, and if you rely on my understanding of insurance law you are probably an idiot.  BUT! Do the above anyway if you happen to be the kind of klutz who drops a bike on a stand at a show with thousands of people around (probably watching you).  It should be a great show.

Also: PCV should be delivered today!