Got It! (2016 Honda CBR500RA)

[wolf39us]

Picked up my new bike yesterday!  Couldn't ride it yesterday due to rain and previous plans. 

Today was a gorgeous 71F and sunny so I figured this would be a good chance to see what I've got.  This would be my very first time on a motorcycle so I was pretty nervous (been riding scooters for awhile though)

Sure enough, first thing that happens is I accidentally put the bike in first without pulling in the clutch LOL.  Bike lurched forward, but wasn't anything I couldn't handle.  This was the first and last time I caused the bike to stall for today.

Practiced in a parking lot getting a feel for the friction zone.  Going through the gears 1, 2, 3.  Doing a U-Turn, and doing it again.  Retraining my brain also to use the pedal brake and front lever which is different for me as well.

After about 1hr of me messing around, I parked the bike and went home to let my nerves settle. Watched a couple of more safety videos and decided that I needed to get over my nervousness.

Practiced a little more in the parking lot.  Shifting is a bit rough for me... Took it on the road and finally started to get the hang of it!

My nerves are much better.  Tried it out on one of our local higher speed routes 55mph zone.  Wow this bike has so much more pull than my 150cc scooter!

All I got to say is, I'm done for today... But I definitely love the bike.  Going to calm down for the rest of the day and give it another go tomorrow :-)





Here's my old bike (2013 Honda PCX150)

[stromboli]

Oh good. Not a 2 stroke yingity zingity like back in the day. Had a few 2 strokes. Annoyed the fuck out of me. Ride safe.

[Naru]

Congrats

[Mike Cl]

I loved my days on a bike.  Mostly had a 125 Yamaha and rode in the dirt.  Did get on as Norton Commando once or twice and took it up to 100 mph (In Hawaii, no less)--didn't do that again!

Enjoy the hell out of your bike--and do stay safe!

[Hakurei Reimu]

Nice ride! I like me a good, hard vibrating piece of metal between my legs!

...That came out wrong, didn't it?

[Flanker1Six]

Congratulations..............................glad to hear you saved it; instead of dropping it on the stall!     We expect exclusive burn out (use chlorine bleach not gasoline), wheelie, and stoppie footage next week!   Bus jumping would be cool too!     I've reserved a special time slot on Wheels That Fail (aka WTF?!) on the Velocity channel for June. 

Oh yea....................if you're doing burnouts in the garage..........................make sure you do them facing the OPEN DOOR, and not the back wall. 

[Johan]

Oye I'm getting old but that looks like a lotta bike young man. I'm not one to talk. I'd happily strap my old fat carcass into a 60 year old single engine airplane tomorrow if I had the opportunity. But do keep your head on a swivel with that thing and if the need for real speed becomes overwhelming, please do it on a closed track only. Does look bad ass though. Congratulations and enjoy!

[wolf39us]

Haha, it's only a 500cc.  There's not too many engines smaller.  Just the 250s + 300s

[drunkenshoe]

Enjoy it! :)

And drive safe.

[PopeyesPappy]

Very nice, Wolf. Now you need to bring it down to North Carolina this Memorial Day weekend. We're planning on doing the Moonshiner 28 run Saturday.

[aitm]

. I'd happily strap my old fat carcass into a 60 year old single engine airplane tomorrow if I had the opportunity.

Ditto! Ah the good ole days....

[PopeyesPappy]

We missed you yesterday Wolf. Here's the first 20 miles of Hwy 28 from 129 at Deals Gap to the 143 turn off.

Here's the route.



The roads in that area were made for your new bike.

[stromboli]

True story. Nothing quite like an early morning ride through beautiful scenery. Last street bike was a Honda 750. I really would love to get back on one, but my priorities now center around my wife's needs. Otherwise I'd be on the road for days at a time.

[wolf39us]

My priorities center around not playing slip and slide on the pavement.

Motorcycles as a means of transportation is silly in my opinion.  It should only be a recreational vehicle and I simply have no desire to recreationally ride.  It's a damn shame too...

[Jason78]

Well that makes my 2011 Honda CBF look like crap!