Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

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kevinf
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Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by kevinf »

Here in PA we get to take a free course for motorcycle safety, upon passing the course you are automatically granted a class M license and may receive discounted insurance rates. I have to say that operating a bike is a ton of fun, this was my first time riding one. Squeezing the clutch with your fingers and shifting with your toes was a bit awkward at first but I'm starting to get the feel for it now. Shifting is definitely way more forgiving than any car I've driven at least :lol:

I was riding a Kawasaki Eliminator for class, and kinda like it. I'm definitely considering a motorcycle purchase as a backup vehicle in the future :)

Here's the site(s) for any Pennsylvanians who're curious and haven't heard of it already:
http://www.livefreeridealive.com/
https://www.pamsp.com/

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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by potownrob »

kevin, that is too cool. if they offered free classes and automatic licensing etc. here in nys, i'd be all over that. last i checked, here you have to pay for the class, take a separate driving test to get the actual license, then probably pay more for insurance.
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by AHTOXA »

I'm taking my bike course very soon, but no free courses here. I'm having to pay $225 for mine.
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Squint
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by Squint »

I don't have a motorcycle license, but have several friends that do. It's somewhere ~$200 in Kentucky and you take a two day class (first day is classroom, second is riding) - if you pass everything you get your license and discount on insurance and don't have to deal too much with the actual DMV.
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by RITmusic2k »

Congrats on the experience and the new endorsement! Super jealous that it's free in PA; the MSF Basic RiderCourse was $250 when I took it in California. Best experience ever, though! Well worth it to anyone else thinking of getting onto two wheels.
kevinf
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by kevinf »

Our instructors told us the course was $480 in New York state, and that PA was the only state that is totally free for residents. I suppose I'm super luck in that way. The classroom session was a little dry but the riding was a blast :)
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by Rope-Pusher »

kevinf wrote:Squeezing the clutch with your fingers and shifting with your toes was a bit awkward at first but I'm starting to get the feel for it now.
So how is that any different than what you do in your car?
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kevinf
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by kevinf »

You mean I've been doing it wrong this whole time!?!?!
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by Rope-Pusher »

kevinf wrote:You mean I've been doing it wrong this whole time!?!?!
Thank Dog that you made that post about your motorcycle classes or you might have gone on doing it wrong in your car for the rest of your life!
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kevinf
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by kevinf »

While we're all here... I've got my eye on a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 750. Anyone able to weigh in on that choice?

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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by IMBoring25 »

Nice bike overall. Mine was a '93, but they didn't change much over the years.

Any mechanical device will have its weak spots...The big ones for this bike are the electrical system (relatively low power, a Regulator/Rectifier that, in the stock location, tends to overheat and fail, and a Stator that requires an engine pull to change, at least the first time) and the automatic valve adjusters (if they start making noise there's a guy who sells beefier springs to repair the automatic adjusters or a kit to convert them to manual adjustment). I wound up replacing and relocating the R/R, rebuilding the automatic valve adjusters, replacing the ignition switch, and replacing the outer bearing on the water pump shaft on mine. The stator held out, maybe because I caught the R/R in time.

The good:
  • Shaft drive
  • Cast wheels
  • Center stand
  • Good brakes, dual front disc
  • Relatively inexpensive
  • Faster than most 1500s (I don't know about the veracity, but I've heard it said the engine was originally developed for the Ninja before they decided to go with an inline 4)
  • 50 MPG average over my ownership cycle
  • Cheap to insure
  • Of all the middleweight bikes I've sat on or ridden, this was the one I found to be the best for my 34-inch inseam, which had left me feeling like a bear on a tricycle on the Vulcan 500 that was the biggest thing available at my BRC
The bad (aside from mechanical notes above):
  • Even with 50 MPG, a 3.5 gallon tank gives it pretty short range
  • Could use a sixth gear; While it runs surprisingly smoothly at silly RPMs and still turns in good mileage until you get much over 65 MPH, it really spins on the highway, which bugged me, as I've always had large-displacement domestic vehicles that gear up for mileage and NVH
  • Limited aftermarket accessories support
  • While good for a middleweight, it's still a middleweight, which makes it pretty small for long-distance touring: I might have upgraded to hard locking bags from the leather saddlebags that came on mine but frustration with the range, gearing, and overall frame size put me onto buying a new touring bike instead
If you find a good example I'd consider it a good starter bike or buzzing-around-town bike. I'd probably still have mine if I hadn't been trying to get all my vehicles in the garage after I added the tourer.
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by Squint »

kevinf wrote:While we're all here... I've got my eye on a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 750. Anyone able to weigh in on that choice?

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Bet you didn't think you would get that detailed of an answer, huh? :lol: :lol:

Question answered completely. Thanks, IMBoring!
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by AHTOXA »

Question fatality!
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kevinf
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by kevinf »

IMBoring25 wrote:Nice bike overall. Mine was a '93, but they didn't change much over the years.

Any mechanical device will have its weak spots...The big ones for this bike are the electrical system (relatively low power, a Regulator/Rectifier that, in the stock location, tends to overheat and fail, and a Stator that requires an engine pull to change, at least the first time) and the automatic valve adjusters (if they start making noise there's a guy who sells beefier springs to repair the automatic adjusters or a kit to convert them to manual adjustment). I wound up replacing and relocating the R/R, rebuilding the automatic valve adjusters, replacing the ignition switch, and replacing the outer bearing on the water pump shaft on mine. The stator held out, maybe because I caught the R/R in time.

The good:
  • Shaft drive
  • Cast wheels
  • Center stand
  • Good brakes, dual front disc
  • Relatively inexpensive
  • Faster than most 1500s (I don't know about the veracity, but I've heard it said the engine was originally developed for the Ninja before they decided to go with an inline 4)
  • 50 MPG average over my ownership cycle
  • Cheap to insure
  • Of all the middleweight bikes I've sat on or ridden, this was the one I found to be the best for my 34-inch inseam, which had left me feeling like a bear on a tricycle on the Vulcan 500 that was the biggest thing available at my BRC
The bad (aside from mechanical notes above):
  • Even with 50 MPG, a 3.5 gallon tank gives it pretty short range
  • Could use a sixth gear; While it runs surprisingly smoothly at silly RPMs and still turns in good mileage until you get much over 65 MPH, it really spins on the highway, which bugged me, as I've always had large-displacement domestic vehicles that gear up for mileage and NVH
  • Limited aftermarket accessories support
  • While good for a middleweight, it's still a middleweight, which makes it pretty small for long-distance touring: I might have upgraded to hard locking bags from the leather saddlebags that came on mine but frustration with the range, gearing, and overall frame size put me onto buying a new touring bike instead
If you find a good example I'd consider it a good starter bike or buzzing-around-town bike. I'd probably still have mine if I hadn't been trying to get all my vehicles in the garage after I added the tourer.
Great answer, thank you!
kevinf
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Re: Just took a class for motorcycle lessons...

Post by kevinf »

Quick update: I bought the Vulcan 750, and I'm loving it. Just got it home today :)

On some of IMboring's points... this bike does have good kick to it, and it fits my 32" inseam very well (I too felt cramped on the BRC bikes). I'm going to sign up for the BRC2 now :)
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