Haha - well, it's good to know that gender confusion, and the responses they ellicit, can go both ways! Thanks again for the warm welcome.
-Max On May 4, 1:57 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: > I used to get that when my hair was longer too. If I was changing a tire or > something guys would stop to ask "need any help ma'am?" until I turned > around. :) > > -Kyle > > > > On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 12:18 PM, Javier Garcia <[email protected]> wrote: > > LOL... sorry I laughed, but the milkshake story remind me of the movie "The > > Weather Man", one of the very few movies I like with Nicolas Cage. I am a > > male but have long hair, so conversely I think sometimes I am perceived as a > > female, which I think makes some drivers to be less aggressive... .irony. > > > Javier. > > > When I was on the scooter, well, I can't even begin to explain to you > > >> all the harassment I took. Folks would yell out their windows at me, > >> one guy threw a milkshake at me; in the case of the scooter, I think > >> they actually may have been trying to kill me. I work on a college > >> campus, so it's very busy, lots and lots of completely unaware > >> pedestrians, and lots of, sort of like... fraternity pranks. If I'd > >> run by a group of guys, I'd seriously need to duck and cover. A bunch > >> of people have asked me why I didn't just opt to get a bigger/more > >> powerful scooter, and honestly, it's because of all that I experienced > >> riding the little Honda. For some reason, it's like it made people > >> angry - not really sure why, but I'm hoping I'll feel more comfortable > >> on a bike. > > >> I should also say that while on the scooter, and at other times too, > >> I'm sure, I'm perceived as male; (I'm not male) this is to say that I > >> think there was sort of this masculinity complex tied into the > >> scooter; why is a guy riding this sort of sissy looking scooter - I > >> think that was the attitude. Anyway, regardless, I think your > >> sentiment is correct; ride like they're gunning for me! > > >> On May 4, 11:28 am, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > I'd take your instructor's advice one step further. Forget the invisible > >> > business, pretend that the other drivers CAN see you and are ACTIVELY > >> TRYING > >> > TO KILL YOU. In traffic you really do have to be mindful of not only > >> what > >> > that car is doing, but what it could be doing in the next second. If the > >> > driver is really trying to run you over, then where's the best place you > >> can > >> > be to make them miss. Whatever you do, don't day dream, stay vigilant > >> and > >> > you should be fine. > >> > The shifting thing will come with time. After a week or two you won't > >> even > >> > think about it. Your left hand and foot will be shifting without even > >> > waiting for you. You'll get the hang of it in no time. > > >> > -Kyle > > >> > On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:17 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. > > > -- > > 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.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. 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