Sam - I am with Kami - go get a bike!!

John - the cagers not seeing you is what I am really thinking about. I actually just switched out my helmet to a mostly white one to help and my jacket is white as well. Bought some Xenon lights for as many lumens as possible too so I hope every little bit helps.

Been practicing as much as I can and forcing myself to stop on hills and get going again. The MSF stuff that I am not looking foward to is the E stop (as I have no idea how one would remember to shift back to 1st before coming to a stop and only removing your left foot from the peg) and the last-minute swerve (where the instructor stays behind cones and at the last second directs you which way to go)

Fingers crossed!

Short of flashing lights, they probably still won't see you there's a thing dragonflies do called "looming" - they fly directly at their prey, so they don't seem to change in size ie. move. Same effect applies to motorbikes vs car drivers. You're actually better off weeving from one side of the lane to the other while you ride ... so long as people don't think you drunk :D

Make sure you have your headlight on is about as much as you can do and - again! - treat everyone like they're out to kill you ...

Do NOT used your gear box as a brake! Pull the clutch and use the front brake. 80% of the braking power of a bike is in the front brake. You lose 1/2 that if you lock the wheel (and can keep the bike upright) and locking the rear wheel is all too easy ... even though modern tyres will let you get away with a hell of a lot!
Hate to say it but, the only way to get a feel for brakes is to use them - go into some place with good surface, no dirt or shingle etc, and practice applying the brakes as hard as you can - smoothly. You do not want the forks to slam to the bottom of their travel by grabbing the lever - smooth and steady, let the forks compress and the weight transfer to the front wheel BUT be ready to let go the brake if the wheel locks ... hold the tank with your knees and try not to put your weight on your wrists ... it's the difference between pulling a gun's trigger and squeezing start at like, 30kph and brake hard to an almost stop then increase either the braking force until you scare yourself or the wheel locks, then increase the speed.

That's what the e-brake test is erm testing - your ability to brake hard without locking up the wheel. If you get an emergency situation in the wild, you gotta be able to react - HARD - without sliding headfirst into something cos you've lost the front wheel.

Thanks Kami... the thing that is getting me is thinking about braking and then while doing and it making sure not to lock the wheel up, that you have to shift down to first by the time you are stopped.

Not for nothing, but if I needed to suddenly stop, I highly doubt I would be worried about being in first - unless, of course, it is followed by a roadrunner take-off!

Too bad you don't live any closer... or at least in the same timezone - would love to ride!

Got a pic of the Duke? I wanna seeeeeeeeeee :singing:

As part of the test? That's retarded. So pull the clutch and bang away on the gear lever and forget about that side of your body just concentrate on your brake ... when I did my test here, I didn't even use the rear brake. In NZ there was a riding test - cop followed me around the city - but none of the silly thing we had to do here.

Too right! I might be able to keep up with you too all my riding buddies here have like Blackbirds, Busas etc ...!

Been kiting every day since I got it :o but I'll get one soon :D

Finally took some pics ... crappy freakin' phone forces a resize when you export the pics off the phone so this is as big as they get

Oh this'll burn your buns too - on the TL forum, one of the guys won a Ninja 250 in a some raffle thing in the US ... he doesn't know what to do with the bike

There is a new "stepping stone" race class here in the states for 13/15 year old kids using spec Ninja 250's. They're in demand and anyone looking to sell one should post on the race boards.

Hope your having fun on the bike Chud