Ducati Monster Forum

...of those who are blessed with a motorcycle endorsement!

 ;D

YAY!

After practicing yesterday in 90 degree weather, and finishing up the course in a nearly constant rain today I completed the written portion of the test with a score of 100 and accumulated a mere 6 out of 21 points in the skills evaluation portion! It was an exhausting weekend, but I had a great time and it was definitely worth it. My classmates were absolutely awesome and the instructors even more so. I was actually kind of sad to see today end.

Tomorrow I will be taking a long lunch to go proudly present my papers to the DMV, and then the real business begins in the scary land of the real world street environment.

Thanks for all of the support leading up to this weekend ladies!  :-*

~Meag~

first to say

YAAA HOOO

congratulations!

COOLIO!
... gonna wear your leathers & lipstick in your DMV photo?
nice broad shoulders and blip of color. wahah. a lot of people think the DMV is torture but i think you can treat it like a victory podium.  hurra for your officiality!

super congrats! just watch out for the  [leo]! ha ha just kidding! awesome!
tara

Yay!!!!! Great job!  [thumbsup]

good job biposto  [clap]

i knew you could do it :)

Gonna change your screen name to "Strictly Monoposto"?

Congrats!

YAY!!!!!!  Knew you could do it. [thumbsup] [beer]

Conagrats!  [clap] [clap] [clap]

In the new mug shot taken right after passing my test, I have the HUGEST smile on my face. Couldn't help it.  [laugh]

Congrats!!  I knew you could do it. [thumbsup] [beer]

Congrats!

 [beer]

*\o/*   [beer]

You've worked hard, enjoy your rides this year!!  It'll be an amazing year for you.  I'm so happy for you [thumbsup]

Congrats!

Congrats!!!  [thumbsup] [clap]

Now get out there and  [moto].

Thanks gals! It's very exciting!


I'd love to- but it's literally been raining since I finished my paperwork at the DMV on Monday!  >:(

Congratulations!  I knew you could do it.

How were the bikes at the class?  Do you feel more confident now about being able to get your seat?

get any seat time in on the 400 yet biposto?  [moto]

way to go Meagan!
now you can ride to DIMBY next year.

I've only ridden once since I received my endorsement, in an industrial park next to our municipal airport.

Tony and I spent the day on the Multi last Saturday and we were pretty beat when we got back. I took a quick nap and we decided it would be a nice evening for me to go practice a bit on some roads with no traffic. I was doing alright with it; taking off and shifting my bike both up and down are fine. Stopping is a little tough though- I'm not used to the weight of the bike yet and definitely need to work on feeling its center of gravity. I'm not confident at all on it when it comes to slowing and stopping because I can't put my feet flat down.

I ended up dropping it after buzzing around the park for a bit. I don't even know how I managed it, but luckily I was close enough to the edge of a lot when it went down that it ended up on the grass. The drop didn't hurt the bike but it definitely hurt my confidence. Tony left it on the ground for me so I could try to pick it up myself and that was a joke. Then the bike took a while to start again as it had been on its side for too long. It's been raining most days since so I have yet to get back in the saddle, but now the drop is going to be in the back of my mind when I go out again. Especially knowing that I can't get the bike back up alone. I knew I was tired, and I probably shouldn't have even been on the bike in the first place.

We originally weren't going to lower it because I didn't want to mess with its geometry, but I'm really rethinking that now. It wouldn't have to be forever, because I can touch well enough with my new boots, but I really think I'd be able to focus more on my skills and less on falling over if it was lowered a bit so I could put my feet flat down when stopping.

*sigh*

I had never been on a motorcycle before when DucPete threw me on his old 695 in a parking lot. I dropped that puppy within 10 minutes. God, I was so embarassed and felt so stupid and wanted to just give up on ever riding. I went into total panic mode and bawled. But Pete told me to buck up, the bike wasn't hurt, and to get back on. I know it hurts your confidence a ton but you gotta keep at it. Pick your chin up girl! :D

I also couldn't (and still can't) flat foot a monster and it definitely takes a bunch of time to get used to. If you're wearing your moto boots, see if you can have Tony stand in front of you and hold the handle bars while you balance the bike. Practice over and over getting the bike off the kick stand and shifting the bikes weight (slowly) from one foot to the other. I didn't think I could hold the bike up with one foot flat but it ended up being surprisingly easy. So yeah, have Tony there to catch it if it goes to far but try throwing the weight around at a stop. I know it helped me, in fact, I still do that in the garage on rainy days. When I was doing laps in a parking lot, I would shift into neutral to free up my brain from dealing with the clutch and let the bike coast in and slow on its own time. When it slowed down enough, I'd have both feet off the pegs ready for the stop. Of course, Pete was there waiting on the bike and me too just in case things got wobbly.

You may already be doing all this, but I figured I'd let you know what helped me with the stopping/height thing.

So, other than commiserating with you about the confidence thing and suggesting that you keep the bike at its same height for right now, all I got to say is you're doing great!  [thumbsup]

Don't give up girl. You'll get it!

keep at it biposto :)
we all know how much you want this  [moto]

i can't flatfoot my monster either  ;)

You are doing great.  So you dropped it...everyone does at some point.  More practice will make you more comfortable with balancing and standing on your toes. 

Keep it up!

Dropping your bike is part of the initiation process...  ;) We've all done it. One of the first trips I ever took on a motorcycle I pulled over to the side of the freeway onto the huge, paved, but sloping shoulder because I wanted to check the map. (Newbie error -- memorize your route.) I stopped, and put a foot down. Waaaaay down on the down side of the slope, and then sort of crow-hopped to the side as the bike dropped out from under me. On the side of a busy freeway.  :-[

I couldn't pick it up, either. Had to wait for my extraordinarily patient bf to park his own bike (in a level spot) and come help me.

And I'm not one of you vertically challenged ladies, either. I flat foot the Monster with inches to spare. So, I have no excuse.  [bang]

What you'll learn is that you really control the bike with your hips. Keep practicing, and don't give up! A year from now you'll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about....

My first drop was when my neighbor broke that seal for me.  He nudged into my bike and the good ol' suicide sidestand did its best!  My neighbor was TERRIFIED!!!  Broken lever and all the rest was fine.  I was able to pick it up by myself, but I know I did it the hard way!  It's tough as hell to pick up a bike if the top of it is facing downhill.  I know I couldn't pick up the SV after my crash.

Rain?  Will your bike melt?  Get out there!  [moto]  Rain teaches smooooooth riding.  I like riding in the wet as much as riding in the dry on the street.  I hate it on the track, since traction there means all that much more, but on the street, it's fine.

I can't flat foot my Monster, either.  You just end up getting used to it.  The GSX-R 1000 that my boyfriend sold that I rode for a bit was an inch taller than my Monster, and it really wasn't so bad.  It probably was made easier by the fact that the GSX-R is 40 pounds lighter than the Monster. 

i don't flat foot either and i dropped mine 1 hour after bringing it home. welcome friend. ha ha.
tara

I also dropped my bike on the day it was delivered.  I had a multistrada 620 ,which I had lowered by the dealer, but was still tall.  I was able to stand almost on the balls of my feed. I had it in my head that it was too tall and knew I would drop it.  Therefore, I did drop it. Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.  I psyched myself into dropping it.  I then psyched myself not to.  I quickly learned that it was easier to land on one foot.  Now I have a Monster 696 which I can't flat foot, but it is nice and light and very easy to land on one foot.  Practice with confidence!  Practice makes perfect.   

****slight threadjack****

i see a lot of drops from a lot of riders....how tall are you?? :)  I must be the most vertically endowed of the group at 5'7", 5'8" with riding boots on....

****stop of threadjack****

we have a lot of students drop our training bikes - at a standstill, and they are TOTALLY flatfooted - and NOT moving!! LOL  ;D

It eventually happens to most if not all.

T brought me back to the industrial park by the airfield today. I practiced for about an hour without incident, and increased my speed a bit over last time. A couple of things I noticed/learned:

1) "Tar snakes" are indeed sketchy to ride over! I hit one the long way while only slightly leaned over in a turn and it was the weirdest feeling. I wasn't on it long, but I was on it long enough to know that it is not a nice feeling, especially when both tires roll over it at the same time. Note to self. We have a lot of em round these parts.

2) I've found that the back brake really is my friend when it comes to stopping. Not only does it just feel better to me to use both brakes, but it also keeps my right foot occupied so I'm not doing a stupid little waddle when I come to a stop, upsetting the balance of the bike. I found my stops today were much more solid because I was planting my left foot firmly each time. I know in some cases road conditions might not allow for this, but for now it's helping me feel more comfortable with the weight of the bike. It's what they taught me in my MSF class, so I'll run it.

3) Deep breathing really helps keep me relaxed. I find that a nice long deep breath when I start to get death grip on the bars helps me loosen my whole body. I did this during my MSF class to help ease my nerves and it made such a huge difference. I also noticed that the death grip tendency was alleviated by holding my grip further out towards the end, so I could hold the bar end with my pinky. Made my throttle application much smoother too.

I kind of want to hit some quiet back roads now, but I'm not sure if I should practice a little more before I mix myself in with cars. T thinks I should take it slow and give myself time to process my practice sessions before I hit the street. I'm usually the cautious type, but at the same time I feel kind of limited by the industrial park. I do feel like I need to be in the saddle as often as possible as an hour here, an hour there every few days isn't going to make for a very steady progression.

Great job!!!!! Keep up the good work!  [thumbsup]

Glad to hear things are getting better! [clap]


I started out practicing in a parking lot, but really made a lot of improvement when I went out on very quiet neighborhood streets without much traffic around, and just practiced for a half hour - hour every day for a couple of weeks.  The daily repetition really made a difference.

i rode around my neighborhood for what felt like years! but it really helped stopping at signs, making left and right turns without a car up my rear end making me nervous. good luck!
tara

quiet back roads sound like a good idea  [thumbsup] [moto]

I'm nervous as heck to get out on real roads. I know this is a completely normal, natural feeling though. Tony told me that when he started out he rode for a while but gave it up for a couple of months because he just didn't like it. I've only been out on my bike 3 times since I passed my MSF. One short session in a parking lot. One short session in an industrial park ending with a drop. And one successful hour long session, again in the industrial park.

You'll build up to the road, and there isn't anything wrong with that.  You are doing great.  I'm a proponent of going at your own pace in these things.  It will probably help that you have someone who can go out with you just in case.  For me, knowing that M was right behind me and giving me tips after every ride made me feel so much better and excited to go out again.  Plus, I knew if anything happened he could help me out (like picking up the bike, talking

If you can go out more often, that will help as well.  Just 30 minutes of cruising a day will have you feeling great in a matter of weeks.

I've found it helps newer riders to have someone more experienced ride with them, specifically, a decent distance behind them, to keep tailgaters away. This is typically why I sweep newbie rides, and let them go at their own pace.

Sometimes it's easier if it's not with the boy, too. Idk if that's an option.

I don't really have anyone local I trust to ride with other than Tony, which kind of stinks. Not that I don't want to ride with him; I just think having a neutral party to ride with would take some of the pressure off. Not to mention if I want to ride with supervision I have to wait until he feels like riding.

All day yesterday I was looking forward to riding when I got out of work. It was beautiful out all afternoon. I got out and ate supper with T, got geared up and we hopped on my bike. Not a block from his place the wind picked up and the sky turned black. We turned around and not 10 minutes after parking the bike in the garage it poured. And poured. And continued to rain/pour until almost dark.

It let up enough before dark that I would have gone out without thinking twice, but he didn't want to go out in the wet. I wanted to ride my bike with him following me on the Monster or Multi, but he won't take them out when the pavement is wet because it makes a mess of everything. He's a fair weather rider. My theory is bikes don't melt, and they wash, and if we wait for this stretch of bad weather to break we'll never ride.

The weather we've been having here in Maine has been awful. I honestly can't remember the last time I woke up with the sun shining and crashed without listening to the rain. This summer has been a joke weather-wise and I'm never going to get any seat time in if I have to wait until things are 100% pleasant. Not unless I just start riding by myself, and I know he probably wouldn't be pleased with that idea.

/end rant

have you tried explaining to him that YOU would like to get comfortable riding on wet and dry pavement?  Maybe offer to help clean off his bike afterward?  Unless you feel comfortable riding on your own that's all I got.  Sorry  :-\

I found in those early days of practicing on quiet back streets, that I learned quickest on my own.  I didn't really realize how much pressure I felt until it was gone.  Having someone experienced with you is good if there is traffic, or the roads are more technical.  For just getting used to the very basics, it's kind of nice to do it on your own without worrying about what someone else thinks.

See if you can get out on your own...tell him you won't be going more than a 5-block radius (or whatever) and will have your cell phone with you.  Basically all you will be doing will be going around the block multiple times by yourself.

...and don't worry about the neighbors thinkin' you're lost  ;)

T and I went back to the industrial park again this evening after supper. I was much more comfortable tonight and really tried to focus on my stops. Tony saw a noticable improvement over last time, and I'm starting to feel more comfortable with my bike. I was kind of bored with the park tonight, as I have no trouble with my shifts or turns, so I asked him to bring me to the training lot so I could work strictly on stopping (the lot where I took my MSF is 5 minutes from his pad, 6 minutes from mine  [cheeky]). I did stops for a while, trying to reduce my stopping distance each time and trying to have the bike almost completely still before putting a foot down.

In between runs I was shooting the breeze with T when my MSF instructor swung in on his bike to get something from the classroom. It was great to see him, and he was happy to see me working at it. He did what he had to do and stopped to watch me for a few. When I rolled up next to him, he looked at me and said "oh yeah, you're definitely ready. You already have a lot more skill than most others starting out." What an awesome feeling. Hearing my strict MSF instructor, who is a police officer to boot, tell me I have nothing to worry about really helped my confidence and gave me the boost I needed to happily hit the street. I think having Tony hear that from my instructor probably helped ease his mind too.  ;D

(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/Rockhopper15/1991%20Suzuki%20Bandit%20400/08050819241.jpg)

I also hung my gremlin bell today, which was so graciously gifted to me by Howie  :-* Wanted to make sure I got that puppy on there ASAP!
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/Rockhopper15/1991%20Suzuki%20Bandit%20400/08050820251.jpg)

Aren't they so sweet, all snuggled together? My baby-monster-wannabe fits in just fine.  ;)
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/Rockhopper15/1991%20Suzuki%20Bandit%20400/08050820271.jpg)

 [moto]

Nice! [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

You look great on your bike...so petite I'm feeling tall though. [cheeky]

agreed  [thumbsup]

i've stood next to biposto, and she made me (5'1") feel tall  :)

You are doing fantastic  [thumbsup] - the bike seems to fit you well.  If the MSF instructor says you are ready then the only thing you need to do is make sure you *Feel* ready before you hit the streets.  Sometimes you just "have to do it".

I don't know if us men type are allowed to post in here, but whatever...

I know it's a bit late, but don't let anything ruin your confidence.  When I first starting riding, I dropped my streetbike TONS of times (and I rode dirt for years previously).  I would just do dumb shit, like leave the disc lock on, or get freaked out by a bee (I'm allergic) and I have a 32" inseam so I can't even use the short excuse.

Anyhow, years later, I've raced on and off for a few seasons, turning some respectable lap times in the process and haven't dropped a bike in years.  So, don't let the jitters get to you and just realize that this is all a learning process and within no time, you'll be as fast as Grio.  Maybe.

Of course you're welcome here! 

I agree, you will get much more comfortable with time.  Sometimes even after a while it still happens.  I've been riding my M620 for six years, haven't dropped it since the first year until last weekend.  Just got careless in some sand (in my driveway, no less - so embarrassing!!).   :-[  That's the great thing about Monsters, though . . . aside from the obligatory tank ding, they can generally take a drop pretty well!!  (Kinda like me and beer.) 

Been a while since I've posted, but I thought I'd give my peeps an update.

My confidence has been improving, and each time out I am more and more comfortable with the bike. I'm getting better at pushing it around in the garage and driveway, and managing the weight of the bike at stops is much better than it was before.

A couple weeks ago I got my first public embarrassment out of the way at a local gas station. It wasn't stopping at the pump or filling up that was the problem though. I filled up and did a nice clean U turn through the pumps to the exit of the station. I stopped before the edge of the lot, before the dip in the pavement where I feared my foot might land (and not reach) and beyond that was a square storm grate, which was slightly raised. It was dry, and there was no sand, but for some reason I got it in my noob little head that I didn't want to ride over that grate. So, I turned my bars slightly and started to roll between the grate and the curb. Then I touched the front brake. Duh! Not supposed to do that with the bars turned. Moving so slow. While looking at the ground.  [roll] On the ground the bike went. Ping went the brake lever (luckily my man had the foresight to drill the lever so it only broke at the end). Crack went the mirror. Poof went my ego.

There were 3 Poland Spring water tankers in the lot filling up, their drivers all standing around, peeking under their rigs at the tiny little gal with the tiny little bike, flooded, on its side, by the side of the road.  :-[

I shook it out, laughed it off, and we went on with our ride (after the bike dried out enough to start of course. Yay for carbs!)

Haven't dropped it since.

I still haven't been out without Tony in tow, but that's ok with me for now. As long as I'm getting to ride I'm happy. My bike has been running like crap, and we're trying to get the carbs sorted out, but I have a stalling issue that is persisting regardless of the adjustments we make. Luckily there is a very bright group of individuals on the Bandit forum that have been helping us sort it out. T doesn't want to take me on longer rides until we can get the bike to quit stalling at stops. But hey, shorter rides are still rides, right?  ;D

Uh!   I can just feel what that must have been like!  I've been able to save myself a number of times (as recently as yesterday and I think the root cause
of those two near mishaps was because I was all hopped up on coffee!).  One of these days I'll just cut and paste your text but hopefully not anytime soon!

Good riding to you!   ;D

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