Need Tips
- Thread starter Stack
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41bigdawg
Let the Big Dawg eat !
Sweet looking bike, interesting choice for a first bike tho. Take it slow and do lots of parking lot practice, take a riding course to learn some skills. It takes some effort to make that fat back tire turn but don't be afraid to make her lean over, that k9 is very stable. Once you get the hang of it you will be dragging parts on the road with the rest of us 
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Beautiful bike! Take your time getting a feel for your ride. I tend to take all turns fairly slow, because it is a little different with the chopper front end. If you have never rode before a class is a great idea. Most Harley dealers have a riding school & I believe they furnish the bike for the training. Cheers to many Safe & Fun rides on your new Dog!!
first thing to remember is that a motorcycle will go in the direction you are looking, so don't look off the road in a turn!!!!!! when doing a tight turn, as in a U-turn, hang your ass off the outside of the seat for better balance. and another one for a turn, set them up as far in advance as you can to make the turn as straight as possible. AND TAKE A RIDER'S SAFETY CLASS!!!! another little thing to remember for now, no group riding until you are comfortable riding by yourself, you don't need the stress of others hotdogging around you. it's your life.
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
I'll second this -- get a cheap honda 250 rebel and learn, take the safety class. There's reason they use bikes this size at the classes. I'm not saying don't ride the dog at all but spend more time on the small bike, you'll know when you're ready..
The other best piece of advice I can provide is "Ride your own ride" -- What this means is ride in YOUR comfort zone -- do not run faster (ie above speed limit just because the group is, If you feel someone is too close, ask them to back off. If you feel you need to slow down more than the group does to turn then slow down -- make sure that those with you are aware you're a new rider.
Now I say this from more a perspective of someone that also went big when I started.
At 43 I bought a 100cu, 38 rake, 6 over chopper as my first bike, 180 tire -- Not as radical as a K-9 granted.
I had friends look at me like I was insane -- But I spent an extreme amount of time on 2 wheels (mostly bicycles) all my life, including as an Adult.
I knew my limitations, I am not the type that does stupid shit on the bike (then or now) to try and impress some random chick.
I left it with no passenger pegs and no rear seat till I was ready (and I had a lot of women looking for rides on it in those days)
One of the things that also saved me more than once is even then I was 300lbs and 6ft and had a lot of leg power back in the day (lets not talk about no, I'll get more depressed) so I had a few times where I oopsed but because of the power I was able plant a foot and keep the bike from going over.
When you consider what you should be able to find an old rebel for, its cheaper than the first time you drop the K-9 most likely and you'll get a break on your insurance having two bikes and one driver!.
TAKE THE COURSE -- can't emphasize that enough. I ride in a state/area that does not have a lot of curves now and have a friend thats ridden for years that I would be scared to take him to Tail of the Dragon - he's always been in this area so counter-steering is not his strong suit.
To this day, when I go into a roundabout/circle and I feel the bike drift away from where I really want to go, I see the mental image of my instructor pointing to me and using his other hand to move his head (telling me to look where the exit is).
mjsk9
Well-Known Member
Maybe I am a little slow but I do not get this concept "when doing a tight turn, as in a U-turn, hang your ass off the outside of the seat for better balance." and further telling a new rider to hang his ass off the seat sounds extremely dangerous to me since everyone's interpretation is probably different? Is it suppose to hang off like the MotoGP riders when entering turns at over 100 MPH? Please explain as I have seen that recommendation from you in the past? Thanks!
mjsk9
Well-Known Member
The only time I do it is if I'm going to fast for the curve, and I need to pull the bike over more to make the curve.
Welcome nice bike.
NOT A FIRST TIME RIDING BIKE!
NOT A FIRST TIME RIDING BIKE!
1 B.M.F.
Well-Known Member
Find a big parking lot such as a mall on a Sunday when the parking lot is empty. Practice makes perfect. If your smart you will think like every car out there is trying to get you. PAT ATTENTION to your surroundings. Once you get the hang of changing gears up and down. Stopping and starting. Do it again in the parking lot. Until your 200% satisfied that you can turn around with out stopping. Taking off without stalling. Stopping with out putting your feet down until the last second. Then and only then go find a road that you know like the back of your hand that has barley any traffic and try your skills. Don’t go riding around looking for people to See who is looking at that chopper. Trust me their looking. I hope you take a riding class and I hope you use your brain and buy a leather jacket, gloves and most importantly a HELMET. I don’t wear one but I like to think of myself as a good rider (45 years of riding) knock on wood no accidents on street bike EVER. Dirt bike different story. Good luck. Spend the $ and go to Harley riding school. And welcome to the FORUM from TEXAS.
mleach72
Well-Known Member
No, he means the opposite side of the seat from the turn. It helps to counterbalance the bike. If you do it right, you can be scraping pegs and pipes at very slow speeds.
Stack
Member
I took a two day course to get my motorcycle License. Was easy but they had us on a small bmw bikes. Felt like was on a mopeg
SKOGDOG
One of the old ones.
Good start but not enough. Notice how many of these (experienced) guys tell you to go to a formal riding class—good advice.
Go to Amazon and spend $20 to buy Proficient Motorcycling—written by a guy named Hough. Best $20 you’ll ever spend if you need to know about smart riding.
Stack
Member
I plan to take is slow. I got nothing but time. I live Orange County next to a mall. So I am planning to just practice in the parking lot till I get a good feel for the bike. Had the bike for a month already. Wanted to take classes before I got on it. Complete the classes and learn a lot. Now been on my bike couple of times but just around the block. Or in the parking lot. Want to get a good feel. Biggest thing for me is I got 300mm rear tire BB wants to stand up in the turn.
mjsk9
Well-Known Member
Matt.... Yes I understand the counterbalance dynamics and the pictures were definitely tongue in cheek. The video below references the counterbalance concept but even in the video the "shift" is exaggerated while demonstrating the concept in his garage vs. a virtually non existent / noticeable shift while he is performing the maneuver in the parking lot. Very different than "hang your ass off the outside of the seat". Again for a new rider that type of description could certainly cause unwanted results....
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