Brand new rider advice and tips needed

[armorfz]

Hey guys I just joined the forum and have been reading a lot. I just bought my first bike it's a 2016 armor grey 07. I went with this bike after feeling more comfortable on it over the 09. Now this is my first time riding anything like this. I've ridden dirt bikes, atvs here and there over the years and I'm very adaptive to motorsports I can usually jump on or in something and get the hang of it pretty quickly. But for a first rider in general what are some good do's and donts for a beginner rider? Any help or info will be appreciated. I plan on taking it slow and not riding in heavily traffic areas or express ways for a while.

[jake]

Take the MSF class, watch Twist of the wrist.
 
 
https://youtu.be/DVWcag00ktc

[i28]

^what he said.
You could also read books like Proficient Motorcycling, Motorcycling the Right Way, and Total Control.
 

[timjh]

+1 on MSF class.
 
When on the road, don't just assume others don't see you. Rather, assume they DO see you and are intentionally trying to kill you.

[Cruizin]

Street bike operation is easy compared to riding in the dirt. But, cars are a whole different routine.
 
GEt the suspension dialed in for your weight. Best safety and performance upgrade you can do.
 
Avoid group rides, they are dangerous. Ride your ride, your speed, always look only where you want to go. The bike always goes where you are looking.
 
Leave the brakes alone in corners. The time to use the brakes is BEFORE you are in a corner. If you touch the brakes in the corner, the bike will stand up straight and you will go of the road.
 
Stay calm, have fun.

[snowdriftless]

^what he said. You could also read books like Proficient Motorcycling, Motorcycling the Right Way, and Total Control.

I used to recommend reading "Proficient Motorcycling" (Your Local Library may have a copy, Mine did). It can help you recognize hazards on the road but seems to treat the symptoms and not the disease. I believe that the best advise is to work on your skills. Go to a track day, take the MSF advanced rider course and/or go to a motorcycle track riding school, Take the FZ down a gravel road and see what it feels like to loose traction.

[Zephyr]

Street bike operation is easy compared to riding in the dirt. But, cars are a whole different routine.  
GEt the suspension dialed in for your weight. Best safety and performance upgrade you can do.
 
Avoid group rides, they are dangerous. Ride your ride, your speed, always look only where you want to go. The bike always goes where you are looking.
 
Leave the brakes alone in corners. The time to use the brakes is BEFORE you are in a corner. If you touch the brakes in the corner, the bike will stand up straight and you will go of the road.
 
Stay calm, have fun.

 
On the Suspension point.  Is there a resource on the Forum such as a "sticky" or otherwise that explains how to setup the suspension?  I don't have a FZ-07 yet, but this is the one area that I keep seeing pop up.  I presume that suspension adjustment isn't that difficult, but perhaps a quick "how to" would inspire confidence in those whom this will be their first street bike.  I have read up on the preload and sag concepts, but until I put my hands to it, then it is still a bit of a gray area - specifically with regards to what settings are good for each weight range.
 
Thanks.

[i28]

I used to recommend reading "Proficient Motorcycling" (Your Local Library may have a copy, Mine did). It can help you recognize hazards on the road but seems to treat the symptoms and not the disease. I believe that the best advise is to work on your skills. Go to a track day, take the MSF advanced rider course and/or go to a motorcycle track riding school, Take the FZ down a gravel road and see what it feels like to loose traction.

I think the strength of "Proficient Motorcycling" is that it teaches you to read the road and avoid putting yourself in situations beforehand. It's better to avoid the situation beforehand than to be at a place where you're relying on your emergency skills to avoid the car that pulled out in front of you. 
I have also learned to avoid bad habits beforehand and learned the physics of motorcycling just by reading some of these books and it has given me some theoretical knowledge as a good starting point.
 
As far as riding, you're right with the advanced rider course, track school, and seat time. Those are also pretty useful.
 

[yamahazaki]

on your first days, practice stopping and going on a steep hill- the steeper the better (preferably one with very little traffic). And experience stopping on a cambered road. If you get those down, you should theoretically be able to stop in any street condition. Better to get used to it now instead of getting surprised by it down the road.

[Cruizin]

Street bike operation is easy compared to riding in the dirt. But, cars are a whole different routine.  
GEt the suspension dialed in for your weight. Best safety and performance upgrade you can do.
 
Avoid group rides, they are dangerous. Ride your ride, your speed, always look only where you want to go. The bike always goes where you are looking.
 
Leave the brakes alone in corners. The time to use the brakes is BEFORE you are in a corner. If you touch the brakes in the corner, the bike will stand up straight and you will go of the road.
 
Stay calm, have fun.

On the Suspension point.  Is there a resource on the Forum such as a "sticky" or otherwise that explains how to setup the suspension?  I don't have a FZ-07 yet, but this is the one area that I keep seeing pop up.  I presume that suspension adjustment isn't that difficult, but perhaps a quick "how to" would inspire confidence in those whom this will be their first street bike.  I have read up on the preload and sag concepts, but until I put my hands to it, then it is still a bit of a gray area - specifically with regards to what settings are good for each weight range. 
Thanks.

 
 
We have almost 100,000 posts here, so I dont rememebr if there is nor not. Have you tried searching tech tips section or our suspension section?
 
Unless you weigh under 180 lbs, you would probably need new springs as the fz07 is set up for a 170 lb rider. After getting springs changed out to match your weight, then you need to set your sag.

[Zephyr]

On the Suspension point.  Is there a resource on the Forum such as a "sticky" or otherwise that explains how to setup the suspension?  I don't have a FZ-07 yet, but this is the one area that I keep seeing pop up.  I presume that suspension adjustment isn't that difficult, but perhaps a quick "how to" would inspire confidence in those whom this will be their first street bike.  I have read up on the preload and sag concepts, but until I put my hands to it, then it is still a bit of a gray area - specifically with regards to what settings are good for each weight range. 
Thanks.

We have almost 100,000 posts here, so I dont rememebr if there is nor not. Have you tried searching tech tips section or our suspension section?
 
Unless you weigh under 180 lbs, you would probably need new springs as the fz07 is set up for a 170 lb rider. After getting springs changed out to match your weight, then you need to set your sag.

Thanks for the fast response.  I haven't done a thorough search as of yet, but your response told me basically all I need to know, which is loose a bit of weight or plan on investing in a shock upgrade soon after acquisition.  "Shock Upgrade" has now moved to the top of the list with some other minor mods.

[Cruizin]

fork springs should be first and cost less..

[motomeek]

Welcome!
 
Being on this forum is a great step as "DO" to do...
 
Always constantly be learning. Be humble and ride within your limits. And investing is gear is highly recommended.

[armorfz]

So I took my new bike on its first ride only 9 miles but I'm really happy with my choice the bike is very light and predictable and the power is great. A few more rides and I think I'll be completely comfortable on it.

[hamster]

Cool!! Now be proactive and try to forsee everything - vehicles trajectories, signals, potholes, etc., apart from getting used to the bike.
 
A matter of time!

[ddog]

Twist of the wrist contains some of the best information out there. If you search YouTube you can find the video version, and that is a great breakdown of the content in the book. I recently took a course through the California super bike school and one of the first and most beneficial drills they had us do was ride without using anything but 4th gear and no brakes. This was on a track, but if you have any twisty areas near you this drill will drastically improve your throttle control (the most important aspect of being a safe and effective rider). Additionally, something I was never told until I took the course but is incredibly important: when increasing lean angle do NOT add throttle. This is the greatest contributing factor in causing high sides and is an incorrect cornering method in general. Don't start rolling on the throttle in the corner until you're fully leaned over, you'll be surprised at how much that will smooth out your turns and build your confidence.

[jake]

I watched twist of the wrist at least 10 times before I even go my bike lol. I watched every video I could find on bike safety and although nothing is better than doing it yourself understanding the concepts was vital to my learning process( which is still ongoing )
 
I had a year of riding before I went to the track and if you want to learn how to become a better rider the track will open your eyes. Its not about how fast you are its about control and understanding what your bike is capable of.
 
I truly believe that after a few track days you will become a lot better and safer rider than you were before. Its not for everyone and its not cheep but riding is a skill that you always have to be improving on.
 
It doesn't come over night you must be patient, pushing your capability will end in failure and failure on a bike is costly for you and the bike.
 
 

[Beemer]

If most accidents are caused by hitting something (usually another vehicle) I suggest that if you ever find yourself hard on the brakes to avoid a collision, look to the left and right quickly to find a path to go around the vehicle. You can still steer some with the back tire locked up to get you set up for where you want to go but try not to lean. When the time is right, let off the brakes and steer around the vehicle. Many accidents could've been avoided if they didn't get fixated on what they were looking at. Stay loose and practice quick steering.

[Guest ChicagoAJ]

So I took my new bike on its first ride only 9 miles but I'm really happy with my choice the bike is very light and predictable and the power is great. A few more rides and I think I'll be completely comfortable on it.

So around 40 miles and you'll be completely comfortable? Most people don't get completely comfortable and adjusted to a new bike until they're around the 3,000 mile mark, and this usually pertains to people who have been riding for a number of years. Better to take it slow than to think you're perfectly comfortable only to make a stupid mistake. 

[hamster]

So I took my new bike on its first ride only 9 miles but I'm really happy with my choice the bike is very light and predictable and the power is great. A few more rides and I think I'll be completely comfortable on it.

So around 40 miles and you'll be completely comfortable? Most people don't get completely comfortable and adjusted to a new bike until they're around the 3,000 mile mark, and this usually pertains to people who have been riding for a number of years. Better to take it slow than to think you're perfectly comfortable only to make a stupid mistake. 

 
 
In other words, better not to be overconfident on our riding skills.
 
And don't count on others noticing you, always ride preventing possible dangers.

[Beemer]

So I took my new bike on its first ride only 9 miles but I'm really happy with my choice the bike is very light and predictable and the power is great. A few more rides and I think I'll be completely comfortable on it.

So around 40 miles and you'll be completely comfortable? Most people don't get completely comfortable and adjusted to a new bike until they're around the 3,000 mile mark, and this usually pertains to people who have been riding for a number of years. Better to take it slow than to think you're perfectly comfortable only to make a stupid mistake. 

 
 
 
 < perfectly comfortable.