I finally got my permit this afternoon (which was such a fiasco, I won't get into it) but took the bike around the neighborhood two times late tonight, with no knuckleheads on the roads. Last week, I bought a blue/black '06 F4i and so far I love it. Since it's my first and only bike I've ever ridden, I can't compare to anything else, but it really wants to go. I didn't take it over 5000 rpm because of the break in and all, but as soon as it hits 3000 it really picks up torque big time that I was really quite surprised. I did get it up to 40 mph though and it didn't take too long at all. I stalled it a few times and haven't quite fiqured out what gear I'm in when, but so far a great 10 miles! It was 34 degrees here, so that wasn't too pleasant and my visor kept fogging up since it's so damp out. Anything you can put on the inside of it to take care of that?

 

congratulations on your new bike. glad to hear you are taking it easy for now. yes, this bike has plenty of power; you will notice another big increase in power once you get up around 8K rpm. main thing is to enjoy. this bike can provide you with all the bike happiness you could ever want. i've had 11 bikes over the last 20 years and this is by far my most favorite bike i have owned / ridden. have fun and ride safe.

gw

 

Congrats on the new bike and welcome to the forum.

I too spent a lot of time in knucklehead-free zones before I took to the wide open road. Go find a parking lot and get used to manuevering, the controls (especially the brakes), and the gears/shifting. That way you'll work out the kinks without having to worry about other drivers.

In regards to your mask, yes, anti-fog solutions are available at any sporting goods store that sells skiing equipment. They are oil-based and wipe on the inside of the mask. Moisture will still collect, but it won't be foggy.

Lastly, on the topic of riding gear, make sure you get it all. Don't screw around. Get a GOOD helmet, gloves, a jacket with elbow/shoulder/spine protection, pants, and boots. Riding gear is cheap, skin grafts are expensive.

 

Congrats! I agree with the above and be careful. You must be very observant to others, as they might not see you. There are wipes and sprays to prevent fogging. You can find that **** anywhere.

 

Congrats on the new bike and a safe first ride! I did the same thing as you, started riding in the country at night with clear roads until I got the hang of it. Riding in traffic is MUCH different, as you have already been advised get the hang of things before you venture out.

 

Just a little heads up in case you didn't already know..... if it is that cold outside be extremely careful about getting all over it! The tires don't warm up as fast and are really slick. Trust me I know from experience! I dropped my R6 last year! (It was around 40 degrees outside)

 

Enjoy the ride.

Do some searches on things to watch out for (sand, wet, new asphalt) and dumb mistakes to avoid like pantlegs getting caught on the brake and falling over at stoplights, there must be a million of ways to do something dumb. Just remember to ride at your own pace and don't try to keep up with faster riders.

Stay warm.

 

You dropped your R6 because it was a piece of crap Yama, not because it was cold.[:-]

 

It still out runs my F4i!

 

Break-in period ride it hard
just go below the redline
and change the oil after 600miles