Thanks for mention all of this - I'm definitely taking notes, and will probably put the bike in the garage this weekend and just go over it once more. They did go over it at the shop, but I like to know what I'm doing, what I'm looking for/at, too. Makes it easier to be responsible for my bike and my safety.
Thanks again. On May 4, 11:30 am, Javier Garcia <[email protected]> wrote: > Max, > check the fluid level of your battery. If needed, you can refill with > distilled water. When checking the brake fluid, do not only look the level > but the color too. If it is too dark, it is recommended to replace it. Also, > I think nobody has explicitly mentioned to check the brake pads. In your > case, just the ones in the front wheel, since in the rear is drum and you > will need to take the wheel off to check the shoes. > > Javier. > > On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 11:17 AM, Max <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks for all of the information. I did buy a repair manual from > > Amazon, and it's already been really helpful because I wasn't even > > sure how to remove the seat so that I could remove the side panels. > > The battery needed to be charged, so I needed to do that right away, > > and though the manual is for several different bikes, all with similar > > attributes, it did the trick. > > > I'm not the most mechanically inclined person, but I'm definitely will > > to learn; I think that's one of the most important things that I > > realized with the scooter and now even more so with the motorcycle - I > > need to be responsible for what's happening with my bike because it > > affects my safety on the road, and the safety of others. I do best > > with a checklist, which is why I asked for thing I should look for; I > > haven't really thought to check things like the brake cables, which > > may sound idiotic, but I guess I wasn't sure what I was looking for, > > so the suggestion of checking brake fluid, again that may seem > > obvious, but that's just not something I check very frequently with my > > car. It's important, of course, but I'm definitely realizing that the > > stakes are much higher when I'm riding the motorcycle. > > > Thanks again! > > > On May 4, 9:09 am, Joey Kelley <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Mark, > > > Welcome aboard! > > > Before Paul beats me to it - we love pictures of bikes - feel > > > free to send some along. > > > In general when buying a new bike you want to go over everything > > > that is a consumable / replaceable and consider replacing it. Look at > > > your fuses - verify they all work, verify that you have spares > > > available should they be required. > > > If you haven't done the oil - do so. > > > Air filter inspection is a good idea, it may not be necessary to > > > replace it, unless it is in poor condition. > > > Look for any sort of weather cracks on your tires - check the > > > tread as well - bikes that Sit are often worse than those that are > > > run. > > > Be sure to check your brakes - not only that they work but that > > > there is sufficient fluid etc. > > > You've done yourself a service by getting into the MSF course > > > before riding - do yourself a favor and never be completely > > > comfortable on the bike - if you're too relaxed, you aren't looking > > > for enough danger. > > > Again welcome! > > > -Joey > > > > On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 8:57 AM, Max <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Good morning, > > > > > My name is Max, and I'll confess to being new to my 1995 Nighthawk > > > > 250, as well as motorcycles in general. For the past 2 years I've > > > > lived a mile away from work and I drove a Honda Metropolitan 50cc > > > > scooter - it was great, if not a little small, but with only a mile to > > > > go and getting over 100 mpg, I was content. That said, I just bought > > > > a house about a month ago, and now I'm nearly 14 miles away from > > > > work. I drove the scooter back and forth for a week or so, but I > > > > could quickly tell that I was just sort of going to run the scooter > > > > into the ground; the commute was many back roads, making the trip > > > > about 17 miles long and the roads were just awful. > > > > > Having always wanted to learn to ride, I sold the scooter, did some > > > > research to help me decide what kind of beginner bike I should > > > > purchase. I found a 1995 Nighthawk 250 on Criagslist; this guy had > > > > bought it from one of the schools that does the Motorcycle Safety > > > > Courses. I had it checked out; it had definitely been dropped, has a > > > > few dents in the tank, but the shop said it was just fine, so $1300.00 > > > > later, it's mine. I took the course over the weekend, and then came > > > > home to practice for a bit. Yesterday afternoon I went on my first > > > > real ride, and it was so, so nervous making. I rode again this > > > > morning, 13 miles to work, and while it is nerve wracking, I have to > > > > admit that it feels good to be on two wheels again. > > > > > After looking at this site for a while, I've found out where I can buy > > > > my owner's manual, and so I've just done as much, and I also ordered > > > > some riding gear, too. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions, and if > > > > there's anything that you think I should know, any advice you have for > > > > a brand new rider, definitely bring it on. > > > > > Having no service records for the bike, would it be your suggestion to > > > > just do everything like it's a new bike - change the oil, etc? Since > > > > I don't know what's been done, other than changing the oil, is there > > > > anything you can recommend that I should check - maybe the air filter, > > > > and fluids? > > > > > Very glad this list exists - there's an entire forum for the > > > > Metropolitan scooter, and I used it pretty often. Look forward to > > > > communicating with all of you. > > > > > -Max > > > > > -- > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > > . > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > > groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > > > -- > > > -Joey Kelley > > > JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online > > > JoeyFixesComputers.com - Its What I Do! > > > JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
