norfolk newbie
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators
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Willopotomas
- GP Racer
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:11 pm
- Location: Coventry, ENGLAND
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HowardQ
- World Champion
- Posts: 3921
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:20 pm
- Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
Couldn't disagree with anything already said, especially Nooj's comments about the performance, it really is on a different planet from cars and I've owned some fast cars, also rallied them for many years in the past.
It has to be your choice, just take great care, whatever bike you go for.
Take particular care with the current state of roads as well, as a pothole that will cause a nasty bang when a car wheel hits it, can throw you off a bike into the traffic.
You never really notice wet white lines in a car, they can be really slippery for a bike!
Take it really steady at first whatever bike you go far, especially if you go for a Falco and gradually build up your confidence. It's also great to get out on your own as much as you can, rather than going with mates, as it always gets competitive in a group. You end up spending all your time trying to keep up rather than concentrating on improving your own skills.
Finally one of the biggest things for new riders is knowing about and understanding counter steering, (which sounds totally silly to a car driver), but is the only way to corner safely and they don't normally even mention it in training.
I don't want to try and explain here, but in simple terms to turn into a right hand bend, you push gently on the right hand bar, (later when you are more confident, you can pull on the left), i.e. you act as if you are turning left to turn right!
Practice it by pushing the bars very gently, whilst riding slowly on a quiet road, so you can feel how it works.
Every new rider, who does not fully understand this, will find themselves in a situation where they are running wide on a bend, quite often on a L/H bend with oncoming traffic. The way to get out of this is pushing on the left hand bar to drop the bike further into the bend and turning tighter, but turning this way is completely unnatural to a car driver. Also if you think like a car driver and brake, the bike will stand up and go staight on into the traffic!
Something like a BikeSafe course with the local plod is also a great idea.
The Falco is a great bike, if this is your choice, take your time, learn all you can about riding a bike and enjoy it.
Once you have got started never stop learning how to ride better or getting more training, it will help you enjoy the bike much more.
It has to be your choice, just take great care, whatever bike you go for.
Take particular care with the current state of roads as well, as a pothole that will cause a nasty bang when a car wheel hits it, can throw you off a bike into the traffic.
You never really notice wet white lines in a car, they can be really slippery for a bike!
Take it really steady at first whatever bike you go far, especially if you go for a Falco and gradually build up your confidence. It's also great to get out on your own as much as you can, rather than going with mates, as it always gets competitive in a group. You end up spending all your time trying to keep up rather than concentrating on improving your own skills.
Finally one of the biggest things for new riders is knowing about and understanding counter steering, (which sounds totally silly to a car driver), but is the only way to corner safely and they don't normally even mention it in training.
I don't want to try and explain here, but in simple terms to turn into a right hand bend, you push gently on the right hand bar, (later when you are more confident, you can pull on the left), i.e. you act as if you are turning left to turn right!
Practice it by pushing the bars very gently, whilst riding slowly on a quiet road, so you can feel how it works.
Every new rider, who does not fully understand this, will find themselves in a situation where they are running wide on a bend, quite often on a L/H bend with oncoming traffic. The way to get out of this is pushing on the left hand bar to drop the bike further into the bend and turning tighter, but turning this way is completely unnatural to a car driver. Also if you think like a car driver and brake, the bike will stand up and go staight on into the traffic!
Something like a BikeSafe course with the local plod is also a great idea.
The Falco is a great bike, if this is your choice, take your time, learn all you can about riding a bike and enjoy it.
Once you have got started never stop learning how to ride better or getting more training, it will help you enjoy the bike much more.
HowardQ
Take a ride on the Dark Side
2001 Aprilia Falco in Black
2002 Kawasaki ZX9R F1P
Take a ride on the Dark Side
2001 Aprilia Falco in Black
2002 Kawasaki ZX9R F1P
One can ride a fast bike slowly but vehicles tend to have a pace of their own where everything just starts to feel right etc. So there is more satisfaction to be had in properly using the sweet spot of a slower bike than being afraid to enter or clumsily abusing that zone, on a fast one.
I may be a bit old fashioned but I advocate building experience over the years on increacingly capable bikes. Having done that myself I realy thought twice about buying a bike as fast and capable as the Falco as the next step on from my Guzzi Lemans. I've now had the Falco 5 years covering some 40,000 or so miles on it and still reckon it is very fast, way too fast for todays road conditions and for some one who hasn't served such an "aprenticeship".
As has been said, we all make our own choices and some can be sensible and restrained enough to stay within ther abilities. I recently aquired a BMW R100s to share the load with the Falco and it is a far more sensible relaxed every day machine. One that won't bite or take you over the ton at the slightest provocation. The new Guzzi's are similarly sensible though more stylish and evocative.
A mate of a mate bought a Falco in part on my recommendation. He's a very experienced and "enthusiastic" rider who only had the Falco a couple of weeks before he got a bit too enthusiastic with the right wrist.
I may be a bit old fashioned but I advocate building experience over the years on increacingly capable bikes. Having done that myself I realy thought twice about buying a bike as fast and capable as the Falco as the next step on from my Guzzi Lemans. I've now had the Falco 5 years covering some 40,000 or so miles on it and still reckon it is very fast, way too fast for todays road conditions and for some one who hasn't served such an "aprenticeship".
As has been said, we all make our own choices and some can be sensible and restrained enough to stay within ther abilities. I recently aquired a BMW R100s to share the load with the Falco and it is a far more sensible relaxed every day machine. One that won't bite or take you over the ton at the slightest provocation. The new Guzzi's are similarly sensible though more stylish and evocative.
A mate of a mate bought a Falco in part on my recommendation. He's a very experienced and "enthusiastic" rider who only had the Falco a couple of weeks before he got a bit too enthusiastic with the right wrist.
Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can enjoy today
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Willopotomas
- GP Racer
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:11 pm
- Location: Coventry, ENGLAND
Nice one.. Another cager on the road to redemption! hahacraig2011 wrote:well pasted mod 1 today got mod 2 on the 10th feb hoping to pass that thanks for all the comments and advice dont worry all taken onboard
Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handle bars to the saddle.