[pandvh94]

Hi all!
So I passed the MSF course nearly a month ago and immediately bought a 2000 500R that I've been fixing up (it wasn't running). Had it up and running about a week ago.

Today I thought I might brave the public roads of metro Detroit. Between swerving around the potholes on Mound Rd and constantly fearing for inattentive drivers, I got up to 45 mph and was loving it! I'm hoping to get in some riding time everyday after work so that I feel more comfortable at higher speeds soon.

I gotta say, I used to be terrified by the idea of riding a motorcycle. But i get it now. A lot of fun!

 

[K-woppa]

Welcome to the club. :smile2: The msf course was the introduction to get you started, but you should always keep learning. There are books and articles on riding techniques and the mental aspect of riding, such as staying out of people's blind spots, reading the traffic and road conditions, throttle control, etc. Always have your head in the game, never get cocky, and enjoy the ride.

 

[pandvh94]

Welcome to the club. :smile2: The msf course was the introduction to get you started, but you should always keep learning. There are books and articles on riding techniques and the mental aspect of riding, such as staying out of people's blind spots, reading the traffic and road conditions, throttle control, etc. Always have your head in the game, never get cocky, and enjoy the ride.

Thanks! Any books you were thinking in particular?
I was also planning to take the advanced rider course sometime in the future.

 

[jkv357]

Congrats. Glad you took a course.

Have you checked the age of the tires? Something that's often overlooked with a new rider on a used bike, especially if the tread "looks good". 5 years old is typically old enough to replace.

One of the single most important factors for safety on the road IMO.

 

[pandvh94]

Congrats. Glad you took a course.

Have you checked the age of the tires? Something that's often overlooked with a new rider on a used bike, especially if the tread "looks good". 5 years old is typically old enough to replace.

One of the single most important factors for safety on the road IMO.

Funny that you mention that! They are BALD. Just ordered some BT45s 🙂 Hopefully they live up to the hype. Thanks!

 

[jkv357]

Funny that you mention that! They are BALD. Just ordered some BT45s 🙂 Hopefully they live up to the hype. Thanks!

Old and bald...don't go far...

 

[K-woppa]

Thanks! Any books you were thinking in particular?
I was also planning to take the advanced rider course sometime in the future.

Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. The following link shows it, along with a couple of other popular books in the side bar.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/329406.Proficient_Motorcycling

The BT45 is a good tire; dual compound rubber allows good durability, cornering grip and resistance to squaring off if you ride a lot of straight roads.

 

[K-woppa]

Also, Nick Ienatsch has written a lot of really good articles in Cycle World. He's an expert road racer and instructor. There's more to be said about him, but we won't go into it. You can read some of that advice here.

https://www.cycleworld.com/authors/nick-ienatsch

 

[bpe]

BT 45, that's my tire.

 

[pandvh94]

I havent really done my googling yet but I figured I’d ask -

Any suggestions for wet road conditions and rain? Other than taking it slow and careful of course. I guess I’m more wondering if there’s something different to pay attention to while taking corners.

 

[ben69]

I started riding this year myself. Also took MSF. I've had the chance to ride 5 or 6 times on the streets now and I'm just now starting to get a little bit comfortable riding in the crowded streets here. Safety, education, and parking lot practice is key.

For the rain, to my knowledge the first 15-20 minutes are the slickest as the oils in the pavement rises with the rain, after that washes away, you have less traction than a dry street, but more than enough to ride comfortably. You should be fine in corners as long as you're riding safely and not hauling ass.

 

[ducatiman]

Old and bald...don't go far...

hey, hey, watch it with the old and bald comments! ;D

 

[one_evil_monkey]

Not to knock any one,
Points for @K-woppa!

I’m sure a ton of stuff got covered, but I glossed over, so sorry.

Good on you for MSF. I never say do it because of too many years of experience. It gives basics and it’s not the end all be all. So don’t rely on that. However, it gives a new rider a sence of the workings.

Tires, look at Julian date. 5 years is all you want to push them and a reason.
I’m not gonna go in to how to read a tire. Aspect, width, speed rating, load, I’ve done it already.

Personal since I can’t get my Maxxis ProMaxx in the US now is a Dunlop GT501. Is for you? I dunno. It’s sticky with a slight slow warm up.
It’s a decent but if you want cheap go with Shinko.

Welcome to the world of riding.
O_E_M

ETA:
I glossed over the other comments but clutch and throttle control....
I don’t give two s**** if you’re on a 1400 or a 250.
Learn your bike. Always keep your head on a swivel.
Don’t be “that guy” who revs with crap clutch control trying to get out in traffic because guess where you wind up... dot dot dot.... a spun back tire, a panicked rider, and well more or less someone I see on a dash cam in a packed suburb making it to those craptastic Most Daring type shows. :-/

 

[pandvh94]

Thanks for all the responses!
@one_evil_monkey I'm starting to get used to my clutch more. The friction zone is a little further out from the bar than I'd like. I know I could easily adjust the cable to allow more free play but I havent gotten around to it yet.

That being said, once I get my motorcycle back from the shop, I'm definitely going to do a couple u-turns around my street to play with the clutch a bit more. Thanks!

 

[bpe]

You don't want to adjust the free play out of spec, for the purpose of lever comfort. Have you tried adjusting the lever adjustment? The silver knob numbered 1-5. Or do you possibly not have one, because of a different after market lever?

 

[one_evil_monkey]

You don't want to adjust the free play out of spec, for the purpose of lever comfort. Have you tried adjusting the lever adjustment? The silver knob numbered 1-5. Or do you possibly not have one, because of a different after market lever?

@bpe 1000% agreed

OP, Even craptastic aftermarket Chi-wan levers have adjustments to fit your paw but the freeplay on the clutch cable is a pretty standard adjustment.

O_E_M

 

[one_evil_monkey]

Here, straight from the Clymer

 

[pandvh94]

Noted. Mine's all stock so I'll adjust the dial.

 

[ducatiman]

I'm a multi-bike owner. Clutch/brake controls can (and do) feel and react differently between bike A, B and C.

I instinctively "sense" the feel between, and *I* adjust within the individual bikes' needs, example the dry clutch Ducati #1 requires a certain finesse and slip...the wet clutch Ducati #2 completely different, the VFR worlds different yet again. All 3 employ hydraulic clutches.

Undeniable all 3 differ in level feel, requirement in lever pull, friction zone, differing "slippage" required in specific road conditions, quick or lazy take-off? Many scenarios which you will quickly gain a sense of as you become familiar with and garner road experience on your EX.

Ditto on brake feel...all 3 differ. Again, experience in various road/traffic conditions will offer a sense as to how much brake, how soon...what is too little, too late (ouch!) ....on and on.

Get out there and ride, the best thing you can do for yourself is experience some miles!

 

[one_evil_monkey]

Duc covered it, more or less.
No offense to him, he failed to touch on something.
He references his Ducaties... Duccatii? Haha
AND a Honda....
AND hydraulic clutches.... wet and dry types.

But you’re here to learn, hopefully, about the EX’s clutch.
The EX500 uses a wet clutch, means it shares oil with the transmission.
Oh, did I forget to mention it ALSO baths in that SAME oil?

The EX is old school.
There’s no fancy slipper clutches, electronic traction control, or hydraulic clutches... it’s cable actuated clutch.
There’s no fuel injected stuff, no big “‘Busa” type power.
It’s a simple machine and it’s ALL about YOU.

If you overrev and have s*** for clutch control well... oops.
You’ll get the “feel” for it.

Be safe.
O_E_M