HumboldtReign
make wheelies
I've been on the Ninja 250 now for almost 2-3 monthsand I will say that this experience (operating a 2 wheeled vehicle) is a completely new experience to me as I have absolutely NO dirt experience.
I've noticed that certain things that I do as a rider are set in this blurry grey area of whats technically correct or incorrect. In other words I may have settled into some "early" bad habits of doing things that I don't realize are wrong. I thought this would be a great opportunity to help other newer riders, like myself, correct any mistakes, and continue to grow as a stronger rider. I think this is mostly effective because I have no reinforcement from anyone else watching me how I ride to tell me where I can improve. Many of my concerns are spawned from questioning whether or not I'm riding to the fullest potential, or executing the ride inputs on the motorcycle, or if I'm truley riding in a fashion that every ride makes me a stronger rider.
So here we go, please feel free to add on and be as brutally honest as possible. I'm here to learn becuase I have a strong passion to be an expert rider.
1) When warming up a bike (carborater) I have the key to on, choke all the way engaged and the bike in neutral. I hit the starter and let it jump to around 4rpms. Once the bike is on i close the choke until it usually warms up for a minute and a half at 3Rpms. My question is, is it bad to give it throttle /gas to "help" it start and get it up to the 4rpms?
2) What is "loading" the pegs?
3) When coming to stop signs and stop lights should I be downshifting all the way into first or second gear? Is this a specific riders preference or is there pro's and con's to doing either? Would this change from bike to bike?
4) When feathering the shifter (slowly disengaging the clutch by easing up on your left hand squeeze) when shifting up, does this or can this add to more wear and tear on the bike? Is it better in terms of creating a more "smooth" ride. Is it better to be quick and speed shift? ( a quick grab/pull and release of the clutch lever) Does this boil down to specific rider's preference?
5) Why is it common to see newer riders hang out in the middle portion of lanes. (Specifically on 2-4 lane roads/highways). I know it depends on the situation where a rider can safely be in lanes 1,2, or 3 but is there a general rule of thumb?
6) How do you learn the true area of the powerband on a bike ie: the 250 redlines at 13.5rpms. So I tend to shift right around 7-9. This is just where I have come to feel where I get the most power. Should I be shifting at this set of RPMS for every gear?
7) When switching lanes should I add into the equation of carefully trying to avoid the small reflectors or highway bumps. Do they add a quick loss of traction if I travel over them incorrectly?
8) Do you ride with the index finger and the middle finger over the brake around turns? Is this a good habit to learn. I'm guessing it cuts down reflex time, etc.
I have to go to lunch but I'll add more as I think of them
-Fox
i know newer riders tend to have questions, but seriously, youre thinking about most of these WAYYYY too much....
1) pull the choke and leave it. when the bike starts up, leave the choke open until you can hear the engine RPM raise significantly. by the time you start the bike, put all your gear on, etc you should be ready to go. no need to give it gas, i would think it would flood it more....
2) someone correct me if im wrong, but im pretty sure its just moving your weight from peg to peg to get a better response on stability or a turn-in, depending on the situation youre after...
3) personal preference- but as a general rule of thumb you are going to downshift through the gears. you dont want to end up at the stop light/sign in 5th gear. always be in a gear you can use.
4)i doubt its gonna cause any abnormal wear. when youre not taking off from a stop, you can be as quick about shifting as you want, so id tend to go with that. no need to feather out the clutch when you are already in motion...
5) cuz theyre noobs. stay in whatever part of the lane will give you the most space cushion, while avoiding pot holes, grease spots, etc. i tend to follow the car tires path in front of me. if you go down the middle you are more likely to hit grease or nails or anything that hasnt been moved aside from car tires....
6) roll on the throttle slowly/smoothly. there will be a point where you will notice an increase in power. this is the start of the powerband. then there will be a point where you wont feel it pulling as hard anymore = end of powerband (but thats normally close to redline). you dont have to shift in the powerband.
7) no. noobs get freaked out by these (no name calling here, i did the same when i was noobish) but they will hardly rattle you, especially if youre on the freeway. slower speeds (especially while turning) is another issue....
8) ive heard of this, but personally would NOT recommend it. im intermdiate/experienced and still have a hard time placing my fingers there, whether im just in town or in the twisties especially. i would be seriously concerned if a noob was practicing this. think about if you accidently panic braked = definitely not good....
relax, youre overthinking all of this
Think you could have done better?
This a thank you to all that have generated amazing helpful respones. I know some of the questions seem a little too worrysome to a few of you but these are just little things that are on my mind when im riding. 