Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. Got the new shifter yesterday and all
is well now. Gears shift, no transmission issues. I might have rode to work
today but it's a sauna out there and I can't wear gear in this crap.

When I went down I put the headlights out of whack and there was dirt in
there. Turned on the bike (at night) and the headlights seemed to be
pointing to the damned sky. I tried to adjust by removing it, but could not
figure out how to change the vertical angle. Any thoughts?

On Sat, Aug 6, 2016 at 1:56 AM, Paul  wrote:

> So glad you chose to write about your mishap Dan. I completely agree with
> everything the guys said here...once you get back on the bike just take
> your time and only go as fast as you're comfortable going. I'm teaching my
> wife to ride right now and she's picking it up fast, but we constantly have
> to talk about what to do in various situations.
>
> My son also rides and after he took the safety course he had a small
> mishap similar to yours. (He was even riding a NH 250 and bent the
> shifter.) We took it off and had a body shop bend it back into shape and it
> worked just fine. But replacing it is also not a bad idea.
>
> So get the bike fixed up and get back on the road. You're already going to
> be a smarter rider because of this. Hang in there! :)
>
>
> *Paul LeBoutillier *
> *www.hondanighthawks.net *
> Honda Nighthawk Lovers Email group
> 
>
> On Fri, Aug 5, 2016 at 11:18 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>
>> I found the right part, I am 99% sure:
>>
>> http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-24701-KBG-000.html
>>
>> I'll look into Clymer's manual. Thanks.
>>
>> On Aug 6, 2016 1:10 AM, "Jim Bolen"  wrote:
>>
>> Oh, and get yourself a Clymer's shop manual. You'll thank me later. :-)
>>
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Jim Bolen]

Damn, Joey, if you only had this!
http://youtu.be/EnJfsH_druU

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Joey Kelley]

Dan,
My point on the speed - is the in a car - when you slow down you
get 'safer' - when you slow down on a motorcycle, you get more tippy -
which, might mean you're less safe. Its a counter intuitive statement - but
is true.
-Joey

-Joey Kelley
JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 2:58 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:

> Thanks, Joey, aka God's Gift to Women (for a brief moment.)
>
> I don't really think I was going too fast - a good rider could have easily
> made it through that curve. But, I was going too fast for me (obviously) at
> this stage. Someday, making a curve that tight will hopefully be second
> nature. I watched a video on youtube of a rider on a curve who ends up
> hitting a fire truck head on because he keeps steering right to go right,
> causing the bike to stand up and drift further left. The guy survived, but
> it's a pretty chilling video. Anyway, that's exactly what I did, only in
> much luckier circumstances - and going the other way.
>
> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 2:33 PM, Joey Kelley  wrote:
>
>>
>>  You mentioned that you felt you were 'going too fast into the
>> curve' - although I cannot say for sure (I wasn't there, don't know the
>> curve etc) most of the time, a motorcycle can comfortably take a curve at
>> speeds that would be difficult with a car - because you can lean into the
>> curve. A common mistake - and one I've made before - is to forget one of
>> those other things they tell you in the MSF course - roll on the throttle
>> through the curve. (or at least, don't try to back off) You brake before
>> you get to the curve - then maintain or accelerate through it whenever
>> possible. The motorcycle is more stable the faster you go - so slowing down
>> too much can make a curve problem worse.
>>  Hope that helps!
>>  -Joey
>>
>> -Joey Kelley
>> JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
>> JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Javier Garcia 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Exactly Tommy. You must be doing it otherwise you couldn't ride a
>>> motorcycle at normal speeds. I don't know the exact speed at which CS
>>> becomes apparent, but is not very high (maybe is more over 15-20 mph?). For
>>> those who are still unsure, next time you are on your bike on a long
>>> stretch, try pushing one side of the handle bar forward (a gentle push). If
>>> you push the left side, the bike will lean and go left, and if you push
>>> right, it goes right. This is all that there is. You are effectively
>>> counter steering because pushing left (right)  is really turning your
>>> handle bar to the right (left) when stationary or at low speeds.
>>>
>>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Tommy Hill  wrote:
>>>
 I have never taken a motorcycle class. I don't think they had them 30
 years ago. But seeing everyone talk about them, I am considering it. I
 figured out counter steering as well as most of the concepts of which you
 speak on my own and in large part by trial and ERROR. Didn't even realize I
 was doing them.

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Joey Kelley]

Kyle - I thought we agreed not to discuss the roller skates - but keep that
between us!
Bro code geez
:-D
 -Joey

-Joey Kelley
JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 3:25 PM, Kyle Munz  wrote:

> Joey just wears rollerskates when he rides now, solved his feet down
> problem.
>
> On Aug 8, 2016 13:58, "Dan Cook"  wrote:
>
>> Thanks, Joey, aka God's Gift to Women (for a brief moment.)
>>
>> I don't really think I was going too fast - a good rider could have
>> easily made it through that curve. But, I was going too fast for me
>> (obviously) at this stage. Someday, making a curve that tight will
>> hopefully be second nature. I watched a video on youtube of a rider on a
>> curve who ends up hitting a fire truck head on because he keeps steering
>> right to go right, causing the bike to stand up and drift further left. The
>> guy survived, but it's a pretty chilling video. Anyway, that's exactly what
>> I did, only in much luckier circumstances - and going the other way.
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 2:33 PM, Joey Kelley  wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>  You mentioned that you felt you were 'going too fast into the
>>> curve' - although I cannot say for sure (I wasn't there, don't know the
>>> curve etc) most of the time, a motorcycle can comfortably take a curve at
>>> speeds that would be difficult with a car - because you can lean into the
>>> curve. A common mistake - and one I've made before - is to forget one of
>>> those other things they tell you in the MSF course - roll on the throttle
>>> through the curve. (or at least, don't try to back off) You brake before
>>> you get to the curve - then maintain or accelerate through it whenever
>>> possible. The motorcycle is more stable the faster you go - so slowing down
>>> too much can make a curve problem worse.
>>>  Hope that helps!
>>>  -Joey
>>>
>>> -Joey Kelley
>>> JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
>>> JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow
>>>
>>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Javier Garcia 
>>> wrote:
>>>
 Exactly Tommy. You must be doing it otherwise you couldn't ride a
 motorcycle at normal speeds. I don't know the exact speed at which CS
 becomes apparent, but is not very high (maybe is more over 15-20 mph?). For
 those who are still unsure, next time you are on your bike on a long
 stretch, try pushing one side of the handle bar forward (a gentle push). If
 you push the left side, the bike will lean and go left, and if you push
 right, it goes right. This is all that there is. You are effectively
 counter steering because pushing left (right)  is really turning your
 handle bar to the right (left) when stationary or at low speeds.

 On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Tommy Hill 
 wrote:

> I have never taken a motorcycle class. I don't think they had them 30
> years ago. But seeing everyone talk about them, I am considering it. I
> figured out counter steering as well as most of the concepts of which you
> speak on my own and in large part by trial and ERROR. Didn't even realize 
> I
> was doing them.
>
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>>>
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Kyle Munz]

Joey just wears rollerskates when he rides now, solved his feet down
problem.

On Aug 8, 2016 13:58, "Dan Cook"  wrote:

> Thanks, Joey, aka God's Gift to Women (for a brief moment.)
>
> I don't really think I was going too fast - a good rider could have easily
> made it through that curve. But, I was going too fast for me (obviously) at
> this stage. Someday, making a curve that tight will hopefully be second
> nature. I watched a video on youtube of a rider on a curve who ends up
> hitting a fire truck head on because he keeps steering right to go right,
> causing the bike to stand up and drift further left. The guy survived, but
> it's a pretty chilling video. Anyway, that's exactly what I did, only in
> much luckier circumstances - and going the other way.
>
> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 2:33 PM, Joey Kelley  wrote:
>
>>
>>  You mentioned that you felt you were 'going too fast into the
>> curve' - although I cannot say for sure (I wasn't there, don't know the
>> curve etc) most of the time, a motorcycle can comfortably take a curve at
>> speeds that would be difficult with a car - because you can lean into the
>> curve. A common mistake - and one I've made before - is to forget one of
>> those other things they tell you in the MSF course - roll on the throttle
>> through the curve. (or at least, don't try to back off) You brake before
>> you get to the curve - then maintain or accelerate through it whenever
>> possible. The motorcycle is more stable the faster you go - so slowing down
>> too much can make a curve problem worse.
>>  Hope that helps!
>>  -Joey
>>
>> -Joey Kelley
>> JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
>> JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Javier Garcia 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Exactly Tommy. You must be doing it otherwise you couldn't ride a
>>> motorcycle at normal speeds. I don't know the exact speed at which CS
>>> becomes apparent, but is not very high (maybe is more over 15-20 mph?). For
>>> those who are still unsure, next time you are on your bike on a long
>>> stretch, try pushing one side of the handle bar forward (a gentle push). If
>>> you push the left side, the bike will lean and go left, and if you push
>>> right, it goes right. This is all that there is. You are effectively
>>> counter steering because pushing left (right)  is really turning your
>>> handle bar to the right (left) when stationary or at low speeds.
>>>
>>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Tommy Hill  wrote:
>>>
 I have never taken a motorcycle class. I don't think they had them 30
 years ago. But seeing everyone talk about them, I am considering it. I
 figured out counter steering as well as most of the concepts of which you
 speak on my own and in large part by trial and ERROR. Didn't even realize I
 was doing them.

 --
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 Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
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>>>
>>> --
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>>
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

Thanks, Joey, aka God's Gift to Women (for a brief moment.)

I don't really think I was going too fast - a good rider could have easily
made it through that curve. But, I was going too fast for me (obviously) at
this stage. Someday, making a curve that tight will hopefully be second
nature. I watched a video on youtube of a rider on a curve who ends up
hitting a fire truck head on because he keeps steering right to go right,
causing the bike to stand up and drift further left. The guy survived, but
it's a pretty chilling video. Anyway, that's exactly what I did, only in
much luckier circumstances - and going the other way.

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 2:33 PM, Joey Kelley  wrote:

>
>  You mentioned that you felt you were 'going too fast into the
> curve' - although I cannot say for sure (I wasn't there, don't know the
> curve etc) most of the time, a motorcycle can comfortably take a curve at
> speeds that would be difficult with a car - because you can lean into the
> curve. A common mistake - and one I've made before - is to forget one of
> those other things they tell you in the MSF course - roll on the throttle
> through the curve. (or at least, don't try to back off) You brake before
> you get to the curve - then maintain or accelerate through it whenever
> possible. The motorcycle is more stable the faster you go - so slowing down
> too much can make a curve problem worse.
>  Hope that helps!
>  -Joey
>
> -Joey Kelley
> JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
> JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow
>
> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Javier Garcia 
> wrote:
>
>> Exactly Tommy. You must be doing it otherwise you couldn't ride a
>> motorcycle at normal speeds. I don't know the exact speed at which CS
>> becomes apparent, but is not very high (maybe is more over 15-20 mph?). For
>> those who are still unsure, next time you are on your bike on a long
>> stretch, try pushing one side of the handle bar forward (a gentle push). If
>> you push the left side, the bike will lean and go left, and if you push
>> right, it goes right. This is all that there is. You are effectively
>> counter steering because pushing left (right)  is really turning your
>> handle bar to the right (left) when stationary or at low speeds.
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Tommy Hill  wrote:
>>
>>> I have never taken a motorcycle class. I don't think they had them 30
>>> years ago. But seeing everyone talk about them, I am considering it. I
>>> figured out counter steering as well as most of the concepts of which you
>>> speak on my own and in large part by trial and ERROR. Didn't even realize I
>>> was doing them.
>>>
>>> --
>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>>> Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
>>> an email to nighthawk_lovers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>> To post to this group, send email to nighthawk_lovers@googlegroups.com.
>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers.
>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>>>
>>
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>
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Joey Kelley]

Dan,
 Welcome to the group and thank you for sharing your experiences.
 Too many people get shaken by the first 'moment' where they dump
it and never try again.
 In the 'misery loves company' field - here is my first dumping
story:
 A few days after completing my MSF course I very proudly got my
license. It was a Motorcycle Only license. At the time, it was legal in the
State of Maine to operate a motorcycle with only a car learners permit.
With my very second hand (fourth hand?) Nighthawk 450 - I was convinced I
was God's Gift to motorcycling. And Women. (Give you a hint - I was
neither)
 17 year old Joey goes out with his parents, with them riding Dad's
1987 Harley Touring Bike, for an ice cream. I was leading, partially
because I think Dad wanted to keep me where he could see me, found a
parking spot in the ice cream place, pulled in, clutch in, brake on - in
neutral - kill switch off and over I went.
 I forgot to put my feet down.
 Mom and Dad took another lap of the parking lot to see if they
could find another spot to park - and I picked my bike up.
 Later- I pulled the same trick, at a stop sign. This time, it was
in front of the older high school girl I had a crush on.
 It was a rough start. But you know what - three bikes later - I've
pretty much got the feet down thing figured out :-D
 The best advice I can give you - is get back on the horse.
 You mentioned that you felt you were 'going too fast into the
curve' - although I cannot say for sure (I wasn't there, don't know the
curve etc) most of the time, a motorcycle can comfortably take a curve at
speeds that would be difficult with a car - because you can lean into the
curve. A common mistake - and one I've made before - is to forget one of
those other things they tell you in the MSF course - roll on the throttle
through the curve. (or at least, don't try to back off) You brake before
you get to the curve - then maintain or accelerate through it whenever
possible. The motorcycle is more stable the faster you go - so slowing down
too much can make a curve problem worse.
 Hope that helps!
 -Joey

-Joey Kelley
JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online
JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Javier Garcia  wrote:

> Exactly Tommy. You must be doing it otherwise you couldn't ride a
> motorcycle at normal speeds. I don't know the exact speed at which CS
> becomes apparent, but is not very high (maybe is more over 15-20 mph?). For
> those who are still unsure, next time you are on your bike on a long
> stretch, try pushing one side of the handle bar forward (a gentle push). If
> you push the left side, the bike will lean and go left, and if you push
> right, it goes right. This is all that there is. You are effectively
> counter steering because pushing left (right)  is really turning your
> handle bar to the right (left) when stationary or at low speeds.
>
> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Tommy Hill  wrote:
>
>> I have never taken a motorcycle class. I don't think they had them 30
>> years ago. But seeing everyone talk about them, I am considering it. I
>> figured out counter steering as well as most of the concepts of which you
>> speak on my own and in large part by trial and ERROR. Didn't even realize I
>> was doing them.
>>
>> --
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to nighthawk_lovers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>> To post to this group, send email to nighthawk_lovers@googlegroups.com.
>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers.
>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>>
>
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>

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Tommy Hill]

I have never taken a motorcycle class. I don't think they had them 30 years 
ago. But seeing everyone talk about them, I am considering it. I figured out 
counter steering as well as most of the concepts of which you speak on my own 
and in large part by trial and ERROR. Didn't even realize I was doing them. 

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

I do know it somewhere in my melon. I have crashed bicycles before, too!

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 11:56 AM, Javier Garcia  wrote:

> I think you are right Kyle, because it is very intuitive to me :). People
> sometimes forget that CS also works on bicycles, so if you have ever ridden
> a bike faster than 10mph or so you know how to CS.
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 11:53 AM, Kyle Munz  wrote:
>
>> Countersteering is *very* counterintuitive, unless you're a physicist.
>> My advice is don't try to understand it, just practice it over and over
>> again until it becomes natural. When you get it right on a long sweeping
>> turn though, nothing feels better.
>>
>>
>> -Kyle
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 10:49 AM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks again, everyone. I'm trying to wrap my head around
>>> countersteering. It's a little bit counterintuitive.
>>>
>>> The bike is still not ready to be ridden - need the part to come in the
>>> mail, then hopefully all will be well. Then I'll head to a parking lot for
>>> awhile. Many times.
>>>
>>> On Sat, Aug 6, 2016 at 9:30 PM, Jeremy  wrote:
>>>
 First thing, you walked away.  Huge plus.  I've had two crashes, one
 the day before my MSF course on my sisters buel blast, could barely walk on
 my right foot and never had it checked.  Still went to the corse the next
 day.  Second crash was my cousin jumping on the back of my VFR attacking me
 ( long story) full throttle and dumped the clutch as I screamed " you wana
 go for a $@$( ride". Threw us both off the bike quick.   Hurt him I was
 fine, bike was okay.

 I recommend watch twist of the wrist by Keith Code.  A bit hokey acting
 but It's focused on race cornering and throttle control however it can be
 applied to street also.  It was a major help to my riding,   lots of tips.
 I believe you can YouTube it.

 Again glad your okay, don't beat yourself up over it, get back up and
 go.
 Sent from my iPhone

 On Aug 4, 2016, at 4:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:

 I introduced myself here a week or so ago...

 I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about
 riding motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride
 them (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each
 summer for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF
 course to learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable
 moving forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is
 going to college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching
 on. Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!

 I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
 first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
 the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
 being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
 buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
 250, the same bike I rode in class.

 We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
 highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
 turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
 to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
 the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
 movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
 read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
 to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
 that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
 I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
 going 50 mph…)

 I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
 first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
 similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
 highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
 traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
 stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
 (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.

 Then came the ride home…

 I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with
 the oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and
 we were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving,
 though, and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
 accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Kyle Munz]

Countersteering is *very* counterintuitive, unless you're a physicist. My
advice is don't try to understand it, just practice it over and over again
until it becomes natural. When you get it right on a long sweeping turn
though, nothing feels better.


-Kyle

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 10:49 AM, Dan Cook  wrote:

> Thanks again, everyone. I'm trying to wrap my head around countersteering.
> It's a little bit counterintuitive.
>
> The bike is still not ready to be ridden - need the part to come in the
> mail, then hopefully all will be well. Then I'll head to a parking lot for
> awhile. Many times.
>
> On Sat, Aug 6, 2016 at 9:30 PM, Jeremy  wrote:
>
>> First thing, you walked away.  Huge plus.  I've had two crashes, one the
>> day before my MSF course on my sisters buel blast, could barely walk on my
>> right foot and never had it checked.  Still went to the corse the next
>> day.  Second crash was my cousin jumping on the back of my VFR attacking me
>> ( long story) full throttle and dumped the clutch as I screamed " you wana
>> go for a $@$( ride". Threw us both off the bike quick.   Hurt him I was
>> fine, bike was okay.
>>
>> I recommend watch twist of the wrist by Keith Code.  A bit hokey acting
>> but It's focused on race cornering and throttle control however it can be
>> applied to street also.  It was a major help to my riding,   lots of tips.
>> I believe you can YouTube it.
>>
>> Again glad your okay, don't beat yourself up over it, get back up and go.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Aug 4, 2016, at 4:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>>
>> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>>
>> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
>> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
>> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
>> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
>> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
>> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
>> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
>> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>>
>> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
>> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
>> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
>> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
>> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
>> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>>
>> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
>> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
>> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
>> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
>> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
>> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
>> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
>> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
>> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
>> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
>> going 50 mph…)
>>
>> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
>> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
>> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
>> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
>> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
>> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
>> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>>
>> Then came the ride home…
>>
>> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
>> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
>> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
>> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
>> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
>> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
>> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
>> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
>> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
>> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
>> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
>> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
>> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

Thanks again, everyone. I'm trying to wrap my head around countersteering.
It's a little bit counterintuitive.

The bike is still not ready to be ridden - need the part to come in the
mail, then hopefully all will be well. Then I'll head to a parking lot for
awhile. Many times.

On Sat, Aug 6, 2016 at 9:30 PM, Jeremy  wrote:

> First thing, you walked away.  Huge plus.  I've had two crashes, one the
> day before my MSF course on my sisters buel blast, could barely walk on my
> right foot and never had it checked.  Still went to the corse the next
> day.  Second crash was my cousin jumping on the back of my VFR attacking me
> ( long story) full throttle and dumped the clutch as I screamed " you wana
> go for a $@$( ride". Threw us both off the bike quick.   Hurt him I was
> fine, bike was okay.
>
> I recommend watch twist of the wrist by Keith Code.  A bit hokey acting
> but It's focused on race cornering and throttle control however it can be
> applied to street also.  It was a major help to my riding,   lots of tips.
> I believe you can YouTube it.
>
> Again glad your okay, don't beat yourself up over it, get back up and go.
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Aug 4, 2016, at 4:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>
> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>
> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>
> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>
> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
> going 50 mph…)
>
> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>
> Then came the ride home…
>
> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. The car behind me
> stopped and helped. Of course, I was embarassed beyond belief and shaking
> with panic, but assured the guy behind me I was okay. I called my wife (who
> is not a big fan of this motorcycle thing, by the way) and told her what
> happened. I couldn’t ride the bike because the gear shifter had bent too
> much. She came with my eldest son 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Jeremy]

First thing, you walked away.  Huge plus.  I've had two crashes, one the day 
before my MSF course on my sisters buel blast, could barely walk on my right 
foot and never had it checked.  Still went to the corse the next day.  Second 
crash was my cousin jumping on the back of my VFR attacking me ( long story) 
full throttle and dumped the clutch as I screamed " you wana go for a $@$( 
ride". Threw us both off the bike quick.   Hurt him I was fine, bike was okay.  

I recommend watch twist of the wrist by Keith Code.  A bit hokey acting but 
It's focused on race cornering and throttle control however it can be applied 
to street also.  It was a major help to my riding,   lots of tips.  I believe 
you can YouTube it.

Again glad your okay, don't beat yourself up over it, get back up and go.  
Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 4, 2016, at 4:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
> 
> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
> 
> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding 
> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them (and 
> couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer for the 
> past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to learn how to 
> ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving forward with this. 
> This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to college and my 
> youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on. Mid-life crisis 
> behavior is in order!
> 
> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long first 
> day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But the second 
> day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite being able to 
> do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up buying a bike a 
> little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk 250, the same 
> bike I rode in class.
> 
> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main highway 
> going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and turns. hat 
> bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph, to get 
> comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took the bike 
> out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little movement 
> would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a read a bit 
> and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready to topple 
> over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on that road made 
> me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though I did stop in a 
> parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles going 50 mph…)
> 
> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the first 
> time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very similar, the 
> same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined highway with 
> 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much traffic – one 
> light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even stopped off and 
> got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear 
> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
> 
> Then came the ride home…
> 
> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the 
> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we were 
> going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though, and 
> everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an accident. 
> Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily for 17 years 
> now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should have entered the 
> curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or so. There came a 
> point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I had messed up. 
> Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more and made the turn. 
> But I decided to just brake while going straight off the road. The second I 
> hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down hard on the pavement. 
> (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had other ideas.) Pretty much 
> instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt much, and I got up and moved 
> the bike off the road. The car behind me stopped and helped. Of course, I was 
> embarassed beyond belief and shaking with panic, but assured the guy behind 
> me I was okay. I called my wife (who is not a big fan of this motorcycle 
> thing, by the way) and told her what happened. I couldn’t ride the bike 
> because the gear shifter had bent too much. She came with my eldest son and 
> we were able to roll the bike into our pickup truck and take it home. We even 
> made it to the movie, though a later screening than we’d planned.
> 
> Obviously, I’m feeling a complete lack of confidence. I’d like to get right 
> back out, but there was some damage to the bike (the gear shifter mentioned, 
> 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Tommy Hill]

Dan, if you don't mind electronic manuals, look around. I have them for the 650 
and 700, but with some searching or asking here, you should be able to find one 
for your bike.

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Paul]

So glad you chose to write about your mishap Dan. I completely agree with
everything the guys said here...once you get back on the bike just take
your time and only go as fast as you're comfortable going. I'm teaching my
wife to ride right now and she's picking it up fast, but we constantly have
to talk about what to do in various situations.

My son also rides and after he took the safety course he had a small mishap
similar to yours. (He was even riding a NH 250 and bent the shifter.) We
took it off and had a body shop bend it back into shape and it worked just
fine. But replacing it is also not a bad idea.

So get the bike fixed up and get back on the road. You're already going to
be a smarter rider because of this. Hang in there! :)


*Paul LeBoutillier *
*www.hondanighthawks.net *
Honda Nighthawk Lovers Email group


On Fri, Aug 5, 2016 at 11:18 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:

> I found the right part, I am 99% sure:
>
> http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-24701-KBG-000.html
>
> I'll look into Clymer's manual. Thanks.
>
> On Aug 6, 2016 1:10 AM, "Jim Bolen"  wrote:
>
> Oh, and get yourself a Clymer's shop manual. You'll thank me later. :-)
>
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

I found the right part, I am 99% sure:

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-24701-KBG-000.html

I'll look into Clymer's manual. Thanks.

On Aug 6, 2016 1:10 AM, "Jim Bolen"  wrote:

Oh, and get yourself a Clymer's shop manual. You'll thank me later. :-)

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Jim Bolen]

Oh, and get yourself a Clymer's shop manual. You'll thank me later. :-)

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Jim Bolen]

Nah, you probably just screwed up the shifter lever. Easy fix, and really easy 
to adjust to your specific boot and shoe size.
Try ebay, and if you don't find anything there, the cheapest place I've found 
for oem parts is Huntington Beach Honda.

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

Thanks, Tommy!

So, I got the bent shifter lever off. Any recommendations for where to buy
a new one? It's worth mentioning that I would like a bit more vertical
space between the peg and the shifter to fit my fat boot in there more
easily. (That may just be an adjustment I can make...)

Just for kicks, what do you all think... Is everything going to work fine
with the transmission once I replace this? Or could my adventure have
caused more tranny damage?

On Aug 5, 2016 9:34 AM, "Tommy Hill"  wrote:

Nice write up, Dan. Thank you for sharing. I hope you get the bike and you
on the road quickly.

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Tommy Hill]

Nice write up, Dan. Thank you for sharing. I hope you get the bike and you on 
the road quickly. 

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

So, I think that maybe I should focus more on countersteering, huh?

I use countersteering successfully on the main road in town, but the curves
aren't as sudden or as drastic as the one I went down on. Fortunately, the
speed limit was slower where I went down.

But countersteering needs to be second nature, and clearly it is not. I
drove the same route yesterday and it's pretty obvious that I should have
been going slower, but in the situation I was in, had I been confident and
ready to countersteer I would have easily made it through the corner.
Instead I panicked, focused my eyes on the side of the road, and you know
the rest.

Gonna hit the parking lot (not literally) once the bike (and I) is
road-ready again. Thanks for all the thoughts and support!

Dan

On Fri, Aug 5, 2016 at 8:48 AM, Kyle Munz  wrote:

> I agree with Jim, you should certainly practice more countersteering.
>
>
> -Kyle
>
> On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 11:55 PM, Jim Bolen 
> wrote:
>
>> Don't try to bend the shifter back in place. The metal has been
>> compromised, so you need a new one (pretty cheap). You don't want the
>> fatiqued metal to snap during a ride.
>> I'm an instructor, and we preach countersteering. Practice in a big empty
>> parking lot, then when it feels comfortable, practice some more.
>> Then, the next day when you're feeling confident about it, go practice
>> countersteering some more. Not kidding. I can't tell you how many times
>> it's saved my bacon (mostly from dumbasses in a cage).
>> Also, practice (A LOT!) looking where you want to go, not at the
>> obstacle. Easy to make a habit from every day riding.
>> Oh, and I almost forgot- practice countersteering. ;-)
>>
>> --
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>> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
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>> email to nighthawk_lovers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
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>>
>
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Kyle Munz]

I agree with Jim, you should certainly practice more countersteering.


-Kyle

On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 11:55 PM, Jim Bolen 
wrote:

> Don't try to bend the shifter back in place. The metal has been
> compromised, so you need a new one (pretty cheap). You don't want the
> fatiqued metal to snap during a ride.
> I'm an instructor, and we preach countersteering. Practice in a big empty
> parking lot, then when it feels comfortable, practice some more.
> Then, the next day when you're feeling confident about it, go practice
> countersteering some more. Not kidding. I can't tell you how many times
> it's saved my bacon (mostly from dumbasses in a cage).
> Also, practice (A LOT!) looking where you want to go, not at the obstacle.
> Easy to make a habit from every day riding.
> Oh, and I almost forgot- practice countersteering. ;-)
>
> --
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> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Jim Bolen]

Don't try to bend the shifter back in place. The metal has been compromised, so 
you need a new one (pretty cheap). You don't want the fatiqued metal to snap 
during a ride.
I'm an instructor, and we preach countersteering. Practice in a big empty 
parking lot, then when it feels comfortable, practice some more.
Then, the next day when you're feeling confident about it, go practice 
countersteering some more. Not kidding. I can't tell you how many times it's 
saved my bacon (mostly from dumbasses in a cage).
Also, practice (A LOT!) looking where you want to go, not at the obstacle. Easy 
to make a habit from every day riding.
Oh, and I almost forgot- practice countersteering. ;-)

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Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Kyle Munz]

Yeah, but you've learned that lesson now. Countersteer would have helped
here, anytime you think you're going too fast for a turn, countersteer.
Best to practice this repeatedly until it's something you just do and not
something you think about. You also mentioned issues with the figure-8, I
would recommend practicing that too, mastering the small speed maneuvers
actually helps a lot with everyday riding. At least you've got your wreck
out of the way now and can focus on riding.


-Kyle

On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 4:24 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:

> OUCH.
>
> On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 4:12 PM, 'Ross M. Jamison' via Nighthawk Motorcycle
> Lovers!  wrote:
>
>> Welcome.
>>
>> There is a saying I was taught - If you haven't been down, you're either
>> lying or you haven't been riding long enough.
>>
>> I'd say less than an hour after I had bought a used Kawasaki KZ-175, I
>> accidentally popped a wheelie and went on the ground. The bike had hardly
>> been hurt. I picked it up but forgot it was still running. Next thing I
>> know I'm now heading east when I was going south. Legs flying behind me.
>> That back in 1972. I've dropped my bike out in the driveway & had to get my
>> son to help me get it back up. I have a 1992 Nighthawk 750.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Aug 4, 2016, at 3:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>>
>> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>>
>> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
>> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
>> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
>> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
>> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
>> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
>> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
>> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>>
>> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
>> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
>> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
>> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
>> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
>> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>>
>> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
>> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
>> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
>> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
>> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
>> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
>> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
>> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
>> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
>> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
>> going 50 mph…)
>>
>> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
>> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
>> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
>> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
>> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
>> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
>> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>>
>> Then came the ride home…
>>
>> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
>> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
>> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
>> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
>> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
>> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
>> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
>> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
>> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
>> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
>> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
>> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
>> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
>> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. The car behind me
>> stopped and helped. Of course, I was embarassed beyond belief and shaking
>> with panic, but assured the guy behind me I was okay. I called my 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

Got vice grips. Will try!

On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 4:11 PM, Graham Rogers 
wrote:

> Dan, the gear shifter indeed can be bent back. If you have a vice and vice
> grips you can do it. You may even be able to do it with it still on the
> bike.
>
>
> On Thursday, August 4, 2016, Dan Cook  wrote:
>
>> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>>
>> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
>> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
>> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
>> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
>> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
>> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
>> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
>> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>>
>> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
>> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
>> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
>> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
>> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
>> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>>
>> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
>> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
>> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
>> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
>> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
>> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
>> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
>> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
>> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
>> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
>> going 50 mph…)
>>
>> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
>> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
>> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
>> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
>> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
>> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
>> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>>
>> Then came the ride home…
>>
>> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
>> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
>> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
>> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
>> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
>> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
>> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
>> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
>> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
>> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
>> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
>> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
>> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
>> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. The car behind me
>> stopped and helped. Of course, I was embarassed beyond belief and shaking
>> with panic, but assured the guy behind me I was okay. I called my wife (who
>> is not a big fan of this motorcycle thing, by the way) and told her what
>> happened. I couldn’t ride the bike because the gear shifter had bent too
>> much. She came with my eldest son and we were able to roll the bike into
>> our pickup truck and take it home. We even made it to the movie, though a
>> later screening than we’d planned.
>>
>> Obviously, I’m feeling a complete lack of confidence. I’d like to get
>> right back out, but there was some damage to the bike (the gear shifter
>> mentioned, also one of the front blinkers broke, and possibly other
>> problems I haven’t noticed.) I need to get it to a shop since I’m not
>> mechanically-inclined at all. My main takeaway from this, other than BE
>> CAREFUL ON CORNERS, is that I’d have been hurt much more if I didn’t have
>> all that gear on. I have a nice big raspberry rash on my arm and can only
>> imagine how bad that would be without the jacket’s protection. I have a
>> sore left wrist, a bruised rib, and a slightly sore left ankle. But it
>> could have been so much 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

OUCH.

On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 4:12 PM, 'Ross M. Jamison' via Nighthawk Motorcycle
Lovers!  wrote:

> Welcome.
>
> There is a saying I was taught - If you haven't been down, you're either
> lying or you haven't been riding long enough.
>
> I'd say less than an hour after I had bought a used Kawasaki KZ-175, I
> accidentally popped a wheelie and went on the ground. The bike had hardly
> been hurt. I picked it up but forgot it was still running. Next thing I
> know I'm now heading east when I was going south. Legs flying behind me.
> That back in 1972. I've dropped my bike out in the driveway & had to get my
> son to help me get it back up. I have a 1992 Nighthawk 750.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Aug 4, 2016, at 3:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>
> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>
> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>
> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>
> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
> going 50 mph…)
>
> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>
> Then came the ride home…
>
> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. The car behind me
> stopped and helped. Of course, I was embarassed beyond belief and shaking
> with panic, but assured the guy behind me I was okay. I called my wife (who
> is not a big fan of this motorcycle thing, by the way) and told her what
> happened. I couldn’t ride the bike because the gear shifter had bent too
> much. She came with my eldest son and we were able to roll the bike into
> our pickup truck and take it home. We even made it to the movie, though a
> later screening than we’d planned.
>
> Obviously, I’m feeling a complete lack of confidence. I’d like to get
> right back out, but there was some damage to the bike (the gear shifter
> mentioned, also one of the front blinkers broke, and possibly other
> problems I haven’t noticed.) I need to get it to a shop since I’m not
> 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Dan Cook]

Yeah, we got into countersteering and target fixation. I didn't
countersteer enough because I saw myself heading for the side of the road
and that is where I looked and kept looking. Definite target fixation. I
should have been looking through the curve.

So, I was taught it, just didn't learn it...

On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 4:53 PM, Kyle Munz  wrote:

> Going down bruises your ego far more than your body. I felt like a
> complete failure for months after I turned mine upsidedown on the freeway.
> You have to get back on it before you lose your nerve though. In your turn
> going slower might have helped, leaning might have helped, but I have to
> ask, did your MSF course cover countersteer and fixation?
>
>
> -Kyle
>
> On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 3:12 PM, 'Ross M. Jamison' via Nighthawk Motorcycle
> Lovers!  wrote:
>
>> Welcome.
>>
>> There is a saying I was taught - If you haven't been down, you're either
>> lying or you haven't been riding long enough.
>>
>> I'd say less than an hour after I had bought a used Kawasaki KZ-175, I
>> accidentally popped a wheelie and went on the ground. The bike had hardly
>> been hurt. I picked it up but forgot it was still running. Next thing I
>> know I'm now heading east when I was going south. Legs flying behind me.
>> That back in 1972. I've dropped my bike out in the driveway & had to get my
>> son to help me get it back up. I have a 1992 Nighthawk 750.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Aug 4, 2016, at 3:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>>
>> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>>
>> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
>> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
>> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
>> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
>> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
>> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
>> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
>> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>>
>> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
>> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
>> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
>> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
>> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
>> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>>
>> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
>> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
>> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
>> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
>> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
>> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
>> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
>> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
>> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
>> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
>> going 50 mph…)
>>
>> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
>> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
>> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
>> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
>> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
>> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
>> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>>
>> Then came the ride home…
>>
>> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
>> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
>> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
>> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
>> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
>> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
>> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
>> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
>> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
>> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
>> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
>> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
>> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
>> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Kyle Munz]

Going down bruises your ego far more than your body. I felt like a complete
failure for months after I turned mine upsidedown on the freeway. You have
to get back on it before you lose your nerve though. In your turn going
slower might have helped, leaning might have helped, but I have to ask, did
your MSF course cover countersteer and fixation?


-Kyle

On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 3:12 PM, 'Ross M. Jamison' via Nighthawk Motorcycle
Lovers!  wrote:

> Welcome.
>
> There is a saying I was taught - If you haven't been down, you're either
> lying or you haven't been riding long enough.
>
> I'd say less than an hour after I had bought a used Kawasaki KZ-175, I
> accidentally popped a wheelie and went on the ground. The bike had hardly
> been hurt. I picked it up but forgot it was still running. Next thing I
> know I'm now heading east when I was going south. Legs flying behind me.
> That back in 1972. I've dropped my bike out in the driveway & had to get my
> son to help me get it back up. I have a 1992 Nighthawk 750.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Aug 4, 2016, at 3:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
>
> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>
> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>
> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>
> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
> going 50 mph…)
>
> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>
> Then came the ride home…
>
> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. The car behind me
> stopped and helped. Of course, I was embarassed beyond belief and shaking
> with panic, but assured the guy behind me I was okay. I called my wife (who
> is not a big fan of this motorcycle thing, by the way) and told her what
> happened. I couldn’t ride the bike because the gear shifter had bent too
> much. She came with my eldest son and we were able to roll the bike into
> our pickup truck and take it home. We even made it to the 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

['Ross M. Jamison' via Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!]

Welcome.

There is a saying I was taught - If you haven't been down, you're either lying 
or you haven't been riding long enough.

I'd say less than an hour after I had bought a used Kawasaki KZ-175, I 
accidentally popped a wheelie and went on the ground. The bike had hardly been 
hurt. I picked it up but forgot it was still running. Next thing I know I'm now 
heading east when I was going south. Legs flying behind me. That back in 1972. 
I've dropped my bike out in the driveway & had to get my son to help me get it 
back up. I have a 1992 Nighthawk 750. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 4, 2016, at 3:01 PM, Dan Cook  wrote:
> 
> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
> 
> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding 
> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them (and 
> couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer for the 
> past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to learn how to 
> ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving forward with this. 
> This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to college and my 
> youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on. Mid-life crisis 
> behavior is in order!
> 
> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long first 
> day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But the second 
> day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite being able to 
> do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up buying a bike a 
> little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk 250, the same 
> bike I rode in class.
> 
> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main highway 
> going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and turns. hat 
> bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph, to get 
> comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took the bike 
> out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little movement 
> would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a read a bit 
> and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready to topple 
> over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on that road made 
> me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though I did stop in a 
> parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles going 50 mph…)
> 
> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the first 
> time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very similar, the 
> same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined highway with 
> 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much traffic – one 
> light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even stopped off and 
> got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear 
> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
> 
> Then came the ride home…
> 
> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the 
> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we were 
> going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though, and 
> everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an accident. 
> Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily for 17 years 
> now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should have entered the 
> curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or so. There came a 
> point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I had messed up. 
> Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more and made the turn. 
> But I decided to just brake while going straight off the road. The second I 
> hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down hard on the pavement. 
> (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had other ideas.) Pretty much 
> instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt much, and I got up and moved 
> the bike off the road. The car behind me stopped and helped. Of course, I was 
> embarassed beyond belief and shaking with panic, but assured the guy behind 
> me I was okay. I called my wife (who is not a big fan of this motorcycle 
> thing, by the way) and told her what happened. I couldn’t ride the bike 
> because the gear shifter had bent too much. She came with my eldest son and 
> we were able to roll the bike into our pickup truck and take it home. We even 
> made it to the movie, though a later screening than we’d planned.
> 
> Obviously, I’m feeling a complete lack of confidence. I’d like to get right 
> back out, but there was some damage to the bike (the gear shifter mentioned, 
> also one of the front blinkers broke, and possibly other problems I haven’t 
> noticed.) I need to get it to a shop since I’m not mechanically-inclined at 
> all. My main takeaway from this, other than BE CAREFUL ON CORNERS, is that 
> I’d 

Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] It took less than two weeks...

[Graham Rogers]

Dan, the gear shifter indeed can be bent back. If you have a vice and vice
grips you can do it. You may even be able to do it with it still on the
bike.

On Thursday, August 4, 2016, Dan Cook  wrote:

> I introduced myself here a week or so ago...
>
> I’m a 44 year old male and have always been insanely curious about riding
> motorcycles. I never had a dirtbike as a kid, though I got to ride them
> (and couple scooters) on occasion and loved the feeling. So, each summer
> for the past decade or so I’ve considered taking the local MSF course to
> learn how to ride and get a sense of whether I’d be comfortable moving
> forward with this. This year I decided to do it. My oldest son is going to
> college and my youngest is starting high school. Time is marching on.
> Mid-life crisis behavior is in order!
>
> I took the class in mid-July. It was difficult, and after the very long
> first day I was questioning the whole idea. The class was difficult! But
> the second day went better and I passed, losing points only for not quite
> being able to do a figure 8 without going outside the lines. I ended up
> buying a bike a little over a week after the class – a used Honda Nighthawk
> 250, the same bike I rode in class.
>
> We live on a dirt/gravel road in a small town that has only one main
> highway going through it. It’s a 45-50mph road with lots of twists and
> turns. hat bothered me at first because I wanted to go slower, say 30mph,
> to get comfortable. In fact, I was literally shaking the first time I took
> the bike out and got the speed up to 45 mph because I felt like any little
> movement would send the bike (and me) to the ground. I thought about this a
> read a bit and realized that I could relax – the bike isn’t nearly as ready
> to topple over at those speeds as I feared. So, a few days of riding on
> that road made me feel much better. I did very little slow practice, though
> I did stop in a parking lot for a few minutes (after riding about 8 miles
> going 50 mph…)
>
> I’d had the bike for about a week and decided to drive to work for the
> first time yesterday. The road for the first half of the trip is very
> similar, the same road that I take in town. Two lane, twisty, tree-lined
> highway with 45-50mph limits. Then some slower roads, and not too much
> traffic – one light! – and then I’m at work. So I made it to work. I even
> stopped off and got the bike inspected on my way in. I wore my gear
> (boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet) and changed and worked all day.
>
> Then came the ride home…
>
> I was in a bit of a hurry because we were having “family night” (with the
> oldest off to college, this is one of our last full family nights and we
> were going to see a movie.) I don't think that affected my driving, though,
> and everything was going fine, as I’m sure it usually is before an
> accident. Then, on a 35-40mph road that I have driven the car on daily
> for 17 years now, I completely underestimated a curve. I probably should
> have entered the curve at 15-20mph, but must have entered it at 35mph or
> so. There came a point that I remember distinctly when I realized that I
> had messed up. Perhaps if I had more experience I could have leaned more
> and made the turn. But I decided to just brake while going straight off the
> road. The second I hit the dirt/grass on the side of the rode, I went down
> hard on the pavement. (I was hoping to stop in the grass but the bike had
> other ideas.) Pretty much instantly I knew that I was okay. Nothing hurt
> much, and I got up and moved the bike off the road. The car behind me
> stopped and helped. Of course, I was embarassed beyond belief and shaking
> with panic, but assured the guy behind me I was okay. I called my wife (who
> is not a big fan of this motorcycle thing, by the way) and told her what
> happened. I couldn’t ride the bike because the gear shifter had bent too
> much. She came with my eldest son and we were able to roll the bike into
> our pickup truck and take it home. We even made it to the movie, though a
> later screening than we’d planned.
>
> Obviously, I’m feeling a complete lack of confidence. I’d like to get
> right back out, but there was some damage to the bike (the gear shifter
> mentioned, also one of the front blinkers broke, and possibly other
> problems I haven’t noticed.) I need to get it to a shop since I’m not
> mechanically-inclined at all. My main takeaway from this, other than BE
> CAREFUL ON CORNERS, is that I’d have been hurt much more if I didn’t have
> all that gear on. I have a nice big raspberry rash on my arm and can only
> imagine how bad that would be without the jacket’s protection. I have a
> sore left wrist, a bruised rib, and a slightly sore left ankle. But it
> could have been so much worse.
>
> I know the saying – there are riders who have dropped their bikes and
> those who will drop their bikes. But I didn’t want this to happen within
> two weeks of buying my first