Road: Bike Transitions
Adapting to a new bike can be difficult at times, but we take a look at ways to make the transition that much easier and safer.
While getting used to a new motorcycle takes time, selecting your bike of choice can be a draining experience. Unless you have a standout favourite model or brand that you’ve just got to have, making sure that you test ride each and every bike as much as possible before you put down your dollars is vital so you don’t buy a bike that doesn’t quite suit you.
Note all of the tips in the main copy when on your test rides, and be sure to think of the exact use of the bike that you’re thinking of purchasing. Looks are a selling point among most motorcycles, but comfort and efficiency are also very important for your satisfaction over time.
Doing as much research via magazine bike reviews and internet forums for real world experiences is a good way to learn more about a bike you’ve got your eyes on, as is speaking to fellow riding enthusiasts who may have had their own individual experiences with a certain bike or brand.
Whatever your choice, there’s no doubt that you’ll be overjoyed with the purchase each time you go for a spin. I haven’t found a bike that I don’t have good fun on yet, and I’ve ridden more than a few.
Gobert adapts to Suzuki’s GSX-R1000K9
Purchasing a new bike is the fun part. Getting comfortable on it is the part that usually causes headaches more often than not. I think we’ve all experienced a difficult transition at some point in our lives whether it is swapping from old to new, or even from a touring bike to a sportsbike (or similar).
We tend to get comfortable with certain qualities in a motorcycle and sometimes it’s difficult to break the mould and feel comfortable right away on a new bike. It comes down to that old adage where we begin to come one with the bike, feeling like your ride is just an extension of your body in some ways.
Modern sportsbikes are becoming more and more like Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP bike, both much more race orientated and way more compact than bikes from even five or 10 years ago. Trading your trusty YZF1000R for the new 2009 model big bang YZF-R1 isn’t exactly a simple swap-over.
When taking your first ride on your new steed, take these simple steps in order to help you understand it right from the start. As much as you want to gas it up from the first set of lights, work your way into getting comfortable and you’ll reap the benefits in the long run.
Before you click into gear and take off in a rush from the place you purchased your bike from, make sure you have a good look over the controls, check out the rear view in the mirrors, adjust the brake and clutch levers into position, and even feel where the indicator, lights and horn switches are.
Another thing to check out is what tyres are fitted on the bike. If you’re buying the bike new from a dealer with new tyres, check out how much they’ve been scrubbed in (if at all) before ride off. If it’s a second hand bike, just check over what brand the tyres are and how much tread they have left on them if they are used.
As simple as all of the above sounds, these things are often overlooked when the excitement of a new bike comes over you, so taking the extra few minutes to check over these points is well worthwhile.
Once on the bike and you feel that the tyres are scrubbed in and ready for a bit of lean angle, get a feel for flowing through corners on the bike. Don’t do anything too quickly or make any sudden actions when getting a feel for it, basically work your way into it so you can begin to realise exactly how to bike reacts in certain situations.
For example, on one corner, purposely enter it slowly without applying much brake and learn what your new bike feels like when entering a corner without much force on the suspension. On the next corner, go in faster and brake with some extra force, allowing you to feel how the bike handles with more weight over the front wheel.
On another corner, see how it reacts when you have to accelerate harder than you usually would, taking note if the bike tends to run wide or if it holds its line comfortably to a certain extent. Getting a feel for the throttle response is also important for your comfort and safety.
Braking is another aspect that should be tested on purpose within the first hour or so of riding a new bike, applying the brakes softly and also with great pressure – feeling what the braking power is like and if it is touchy or whatnot.
Doing these things on purpose and consciously will make you much more prepared in the future if there is ever anything that causes you to reach outside of your comfort zone. Things that you might have done naturally after years on your old bike may not come so easily on the new one unless you practice different scenarios first.
In some cases, climbing aboard a new motorcycle will cause you to use different muscles as the seating position is different, even causing back aches or neck pains over the first few weeks before your newly used muscles begin to gain strength.
There’s no real way to get around this other than ensuring that your handlebars and footpegs are in the correct position (both of which are adjustable on selected bikes these days), otherwise just wait for the muscles to form properly and don’t overdo it in the meantime.
As a moto-journalist I’m lucky enough to ride a lot of different makes and models of bikes, so taking these steps is something that pretty much comes with the job on each and every bike I ride.
Recent
Newsletter