New to riding and my 1st bike.

[leejoejayp]

Hey All!

Great forums here. I am just learning to ride and I just picked up my first bike, a 1983 Nighthawk 650. I'm taking it slow and I can't wait to get out there on it. I'm picking through the forums and if anyone has any words of wisdom to impart I'd gladly accept it.

I look forward to being on here.

J

[detdrbuzzard]

hello and  to NHF leejoejayp, nice first bike you have

[luckylindy]

 .  Clean looking 650.

[Brittles]

Welcome from Maryland... 

Nice looking 650..............your gonna' love that thing!!

[joshmodelskidoo]

keep the rubber side down!!

[Tryvelcro]

  to the addiction.

If you haven't taken the Rider Course, do it.  Definitely worth it.

Oh, an nice looking bike you've got there.  Can I have it?     (Don't mind me, I tend to lust after OPBs).

[happycommuter]

 , great bike.

If you haven't taken the Rider Course, do it.  Definitely worth it.

This.  Skip past the trial and error of learning basic riding, and do it on their little bikes.  Probably get a license too.

Also invest heavily in protective gear.  Full face helmet, motorcycle boots, gloves, armored jacket and pants.  Always wear them when riding.

Assume drivers do not see you, and that they are trying to kill you anyway.  Plan accordingly.

[ariwhiteboy]

  to the forum! Nice looking bike you got there. Ride safe 

[wojoman29]

, great bike.

If you haven't taken the Rider Course, do it.  Definitely worth it.

This.  Skip past the trial and error of learning basic riding, and do it on their little bikes.  Probably get a license too.

Also invest heavily in protective gear.  Full face helmet, motorcycle boots, gloves, armored jacket and pants.  Always wear them when riding.

Assume drivers do not see you, and that they are trying to kill you anyway.  Plan accordingly.

 


Welcome to the forum.

Nice looking ride you got there.

It's getting hot as hell.  Newenough.com has last year's Firstgear mesh jackets for only $60.  I love mine on 75 degree+ days. (They seem to run small - I ordered 1 size up from what I regularly wear).

http://www.newenough.com/street/closeouts/mesh_jackets_and_pants/first_gear/firstgear_mesh_tex_motorcycle_jacket.html

[82CB750SC]

Great looking bike and 

I agree with everyone else, course, license, and gear!  Be sure to get a manual too, you'll need it eventually.

[BlackLabel82]

I wish my first bike was that nice! Welcome to the forum! You can't beat a CB of anykind, especially a nighthawk! 

[JB1290]

That bike is clean! Welcome.

[fishball]

Hi J and welcome to the group.  That's a beautiful 650 you picked up.  Where do you call home?

[leejoejayp]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!!!!!
And thanks for the tidbits as well! I did invest in safety gear(helmet gloves,bootsetc..), and I did pass the written part of the safety course. I will be taking the riding/test in a few weeks. I tried the 250's that the course provides and had a rough time with the size. While I'm only 6' I have a size 14 foot and kept getting distracted trying to jam my foot under the gear shift. I also felt like my knees were too high to get comfortable. My lack of experience didn't help things either. LOL!
I plan on using my NH for the course, I've got more room to manuever and hopefully the weather will cooperate and allow me some time out on it.
I do appreciate the comments on the bike! When a friend at work said he was considering letting it go I jumped on it. A 27 year old bike with only 6,200 miles on it and the condition he kept it in was just too good an oppertunity to pass up.
BTW I'm in the Lancaster PA area if anyone knows of any hidden shops or great riding spots.

Thanks all!

J

[wojoman29]

I think you'll be fine using the Nighthawk for the course.  I took the driving test with 5 people.  The only one that failed was some dude on a rice rocket.  He couldn't handle the cones on the slow turns.

[Brittles]

I occasionally visit my brother in York and come home via Lancaster, then south to head towards the Eastern Shore. There is some nice riding in PA.

[highwayjamin]

  To the group,great looking bike for your first.   

[mikedc8371]

   To the addiction. Great lookin bike.   

[biometrics]

A twin sister to my own '83 NH... they must have separated at birth... yours looks better than mine... I guess mine was ridden hard and put away wet...  Best of luck, and I second using the course bikes to learn on (usually 250's) .  they are much lighter than the 450lb NH, and you don't need the distraction of all that POWER and weight while you are learning the basics during the course.

[nhpony]

Welcome!  I'm about 1 month into riding my first motorcycle up here in PA, an '85 650 NH.  I rode a scooter for a few months too, but LOVE my nighthawk!  It's a great bike, though mine is not as clean as yours and has more miles (25000).  But, it still runs and rides great!

Enjoy your bike!  Where are you taking the rider course?  I took it here in March and it was a great thing!

[coffee_brake]

Words of wisdom? Go to the library, or to the bookstore and pick up "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough....this book has saved many new riders bikes, and their bodies too. Me included. I read it every year and always learn something, even after 10 years in the saddle.

[hppants]

Welcome to the group - nice looking bike.

These people are wise beyond their years.  Ask questions, and you will get sincere answers.

[skramer360]

Words of wisdom? Go to the library, or to the bookstore and pick up "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough....this book has saved many new riders bikes, and their bodies too. Me included. I read it every year and always learn something, even after 10 years in the saddle.

+1 on the book. My wife gave it to me for our anniversary earlier this month. Haven't read it all yet, but its got tons of good stuff in it.

[leejoejayp]

Thanks for the info! I dropped the hint to my boys about the book (fathers day :-). 
I'll be taking the riding course next weekend at the County Safety Training Center. I'm still debating on if I use mine or theirs for the course. Being new to riding and the whole clutch concept (never drove stick), I'm not sure how quickly I can "adjust" to different bike.
I'm seeing some great looking rides on here. Hope to be able to see some of you out there on the road!

J

[coffee_brake]

It's not problem adjusting to shifting a bike. The whole riding experience is so different from driving, IMO it doesn't matter if you know how to drive stick or not. It only helps you understand how the transmission operates. which is pretty cool to know for bikes and both auto and manual car trannys.