I'm loving this thread. I've been riding for a few weeks now and these are some solid tips and no-no's. Keep em coming!

 

Get some riding boots....shoes with laces are meant for tennis, not motorcycle. Once you buy a good pair of boot, test it, see how it sits on top & below shifter lever.....it's underneath the shifter is most important. Adjust the shifter lever angle if needed to, to compensate with your boots....NEVER wear motoX boots for street bike...you'll have a hard time shifting gear.

Cheap used boots are better than new tennis shoe.....

 

Don't leave your kickstand down while moving your bike. Even if it's only 5 feet ahead, you might not notice it catch the ground or something and move up slightly then it won't hold your bike when you go to lean it on the stand.

Sounds obvious but it's happened.

 

My cousin, who has been riding some sort of motorcycle since he was 7 (now in his 40s & still riding), always says, "Just because you have the power it doesn't mean you have to use it, damn what everyone thinks, your life is more important."

Don't forget there's a time & a place for everything & you should want to stick around for the times you haven't had yet.

Don't forget that person yelling, "do a wheelie" while your on the highway with unpredictable events, can care less about you or what may happen to you.

Don't ever assume that variables don't exist.

Don't confuse respect with fear.

Don't use any type of tire shine products on you're tires!!

Don't forget to enjoy your bike & your life!

 

Amazing post!
Thank you very much for adding your wisdom to my thread,
AND sticking with the "don't do" format, which seems to have been lost on many.
i will heed your words,and hopefully live a little (or a lot....) longer.

 

If you're not used to the limits of how low your bike can go, don't push them. I was making a turn (about a 45 degree turn) at about 35mph thinking i was comfortable enough with my bike to test it. Well, mid-turn I freaked out because of how low I was and how fast I was going. I looked down, froze up, and let go of the throttle. Instant lowside. So i guess morale of the story:

-Ride within your comfort level (as stated before)
-NEVER LOOK DOWN IN A TURN. (as always, where you look is where you will go)
-Don't let the throttle back in a turn until you get a feel for how your bike reacts.

Looking back now, I know I would've pulled through the turn if I had just kept my eyes up and hit the gas.

Oh and one more thing. I don't care what your state law is...WHERE YOUR FRIGGIN HELMET!

 

1. Don't try mount your bike from the wrong side go from the kick stand side.
2. Don't run you tank empty you might pick up some crud.
3. Don't think you are a master tuner before researching, for example don't tweak the suspension settings before recording the originals to go back to.
4. Brake before the corner not during it (until experienced anyway)

 

NO NO's

1 - too much throttle on cold tyres
2 - filtering / riding in the blind spots of cars
3 - riding next to a tall vehicle when you cant see when it needs to pull out to pass a parked vehicle
4 - on 2 / 3 lane roads if travelling on the empty lane - always expect a car from the congested lane to pull out in front of you
5 - filter through traffic slowly
6 - in a 3 lane road if you intend on taking the middle lane...check the middle lane is clear and that no other vehicle from the lane after it is intending to take that middle lane at the same time you do.
7 - never ride faster than your reaction speed on roads where other vehicles/people/animals may come out in your path...
8 - be aware that on a congested road vehicles hide junctions / giving way to cars coming out of those junctions.
9 - ride cautiously whenever theres a blind corner or road
10 - be aware of whats behind you before slowing down

just common sense things really...

keep your riding as defensive as possible...

and hope for the best...

 

definitely loving all the tips in here. 2 weeks of riding so far and a couple of these ive had to learn myself the hard (and scary way). Hopefully i can avoid the rest with the help of this thread.

 

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.

As a very new rider, this information, advice and wisdom is invaluable!

Cheers,
Robster