My First Ride

[DaveGPz]

Also check for little rolly bits of broken glass at intersections- they can slip like bearings

[Blurr]

see Owen^^^^ thats how you lean it

I don't know who Owen is, but as you can see in the pics the whole "look where you're going" lesson has been digested perfectly and it shows in Dale's riding

Owen= Baby_ninja or if your talking about the other Owen = Mr Wasabi

Shifty can you please show owen how to lean it????

[dalecati]

Thanks guys for all your replies! I'll definitely be posting up here with all of my questions and I hope to receive the same array of insight from all of you!

Continuing on with the stopping and braking theme, do you think boots make a difference?

The reason I'm asking is this. At present I wear a pair of Shifty's everyday riding boots when I'm practising on the zzr/riding pillion with him. They are a little too big for me so when I am riding myself sometimes I get a bit stuck changing up the gears. Today though on my second ride (WOO!) I was wearing my steel-capped boots. (Long story for the switch - Shifty doesn't like me riding in them because of the elastic sides over the ankles but today I'm working at the boarding kennel so I get a lot of dirt on them from the dogs and sometimes poo when I'm playing with them in the running yard. As such I didn't want to get dirt and poo all over his boots.) Now for anyone who owns a pair of steel caps you'll know that the sole on them is around 1 inch at the toes and about an inch and a half at the heel of your foot. For me, this means I AM TALL! when I wear them. Needless to say, on the bike today I could touch the ground SO MUCH EASIER with them on. Now I'm torn between believing that I was more confident stopping today because a) I'd had my first ride last week with considerable stopping practise and generally got used to the feel/sensation of it, or b) because I could touch the ground easier and felt more confident and felt like I was stopping much better than last time.

Obviously it could be a mixture of both of them, but as I still don't have a pair of my own boots yet, I was wondering what people think about boots and even whether some have thicker soles than others?

Waiting on your responses!

[DaveGPz]

My wife is vertically challenged and rides a ZZR600 - I went into the Harley part of Peter Stevens and bought a pair of Jenny Reb boots; bit classy, but also about an inch taller than her old boots. BIG difference in confidence.

[Six Addict]

see Owen^^^^ thats how you lean it

I don't know who Owen is, but as you can see in the pics the whole "look where you're going" lesson has been digested perfectly and it shows in Dale's riding

Owen= Baby_ninja or if your talking about the other Owen = Mr Wasabi

Shifty can you please show owen how to lean it????

my bike goes round left handers at least

u watch ill have my knee down on the 16th

[Blurr]

that was the old bike mate

and i hope you do

[Six Addict]

i cant see left hand turning capabilities as a new feature of the ZX10 ...

must have slipped by there marketing department...

see u on the 16th!!!

[Blurr]

not new feature on the bike just new software upgrade on the rider

[Shifty]

Thanks guys for all your replies! I'll definitely be posting up here with all of my questions and I hope to receive the same array of insight from all of you!

Continuing on with the stopping and braking theme, do you think boots make a difference?

The reason I'm asking is this. At present I wear a pair of Shifty's everyday riding boots when I'm practising on the zzr/riding pillion with him. They are a little too big for me so when I am riding myself sometimes I get a bit stuck changing up the gears. Today though on my second ride (WOO!) I was wearing my steel-capped boots. (Long story for the switch - Shifty doesn't like me riding in them because of the elastic sides over the ankles but today I'm working at the boarding kennel so I get a lot of dirt on them from the dogs and sometimes poo when I'm playing with them in the running yard. As such I didn't want to get dirt and poo all over his boots.) Now for anyone who owns a pair of steel caps you'll know that the sole on them is around 1 inch at the toes and about an inch and a half at the heel of your foot. For me, this means I AM TALL! when I wear them. Needless to say, on the bike today I could touch the ground SO MUCH EASIER with them on. Now I'm torn between believing that I was more confident stopping today because a) I'd had my first ride last week with considerable stopping practise and generally got used to the feel/sensation of it, or b) because I could touch the ground easier and felt more confident and felt like I was stopping much better than last time.

Obviously it could be a mixture of both of them, but as I still don't have a pair of my own boots yet, I was wondering what people think about boots and even whether some have thicker soles than others?

Waiting on your responses!

I think you were a lot less freaked out being your second ride, but a bit of extra height makes all the difference confidence-wise. As mentioned, Drew started on his great big Suz____ straight up and didn't ever have a problem, because he's a good bit over 6"... and 80% of that is his legs!! Boots can help and if you're buying bike-specific boots anyway you may as well get some that give you a bit of extra height while you're at it. As old mate said, Harley boots are not something to admit to in public, but from what I've seen they're often pretty chunky in the soles... just depends how much they cost after Harley tax (everything is expensive) and if you can get something that's actually protective, rather than poser-vale (another Harley trait... like those super-safe lace-up leather vests with no sleeves).

The taller you are the more in control you feel, but as time goes on you'll get more confident anyway - remember I'm only 5'7-5'8" and ride the 12 no problems, even with a passenger on board, and it's a lot bigger & heavier than Drew's bike. It's good though, you're in a position where to do the same things as him, you have to make up for your lack of height with better technique, so it actually makes you a better rider, regardless of if you drop it once or twice at walking speed... someone like Drew can do those things more easily, but it makes him a lazier rider. I was very nervous letting him have a go of the twelve

[Possum]

Continuing on with the stopping and braking theme, do you think boots make a difference?

Definately - Boots with grip and good support can help you feel more in control of the bike and yeah boost your confidence.
I'd imagine you'd get heaps of advice about what boots are best but when it comes down to it - it's whats most comfortable for you.

Yes some come with thicker soles than others. I've got a girlfriend who had a similar issue requiring the height - she found a pair of boots that fitted her perfectly - when she ordered she asked to have the sole height increased.

For work i used to ride in oliver steel caps (my firebrigade issued boots - best work boots ever and lasted yonks!!) These were ok for short trips to work but eventually the end of the steel cap wore through and started to become sore.. so i got my first pair of rossi's bike boots. For me these didnt provide enough support and were only water resistant not waterproof. I currently have alpinestars and couldnt be happier...

Oh whatever you decide make sure they are comfortable to walk in too... !

Cheers

[mgvette57]

I ride with a pair of lace up Colorado steel cap boots at the moment.

Originally these were the best option I had as the bank account dryed up before I got to buying boots.

I have found that they are extremely comfortable to ride in (unfortunately they're not waterproof) especially the other day when I actually heard and saw and chunk of concrete 'ping ' off the toe of the boot that came from the idiot ute driver in front of me

I think you just need to find what suits you and what you are comfortable in (the Colorado's have a fairly thick sole on them as well)

[dave#3]

I'm always nervous about wearing steel capped boots when riding. If something happens and the steel caps don't hold up they'll slice your toes clean off.

[mike-s]

Agreed about sorting out a pair of boots as soon as finances allow, not just for the steelcaps factor, but the fact of ankle and shin support/protection. My current boots (and next pair, as i bought another pair when aldi had more of them the second year in a row) have a steel plate beneath the sole as well as a (metal or hard plastic) plate on the ball of the ankle to stop that suffering in an impact. They also go up 1/2 way to my knee too.

[Six Addict]

just baught a pair of rjays edge racing boots or something.... quite stiff at first and even took me a while to get used to moving my foot to the rear brake...

they quite good tho.... also had a pair of dririder nordic boots and they were really good until they became upwaterproof....

[jamster85]

hey mate re the boots i found when i first started riding ( mind you my first real bike was a zx12 other than that i had trail bikes) my alpine stars just felt weird mainly because they hold your leg in place and you have bugger all ankle movement i feel the average steel caps have huge ankle movement , i also find the heel take a bit of getting used to and because you cant just slide your foot off you need to slide out and down it feels abit intimidating , all i can say is just keep trying and you will get there as for surface and grip in all hounesty i find general slip ons better but you know your safer in proper race boots
cheers james