[Joie]

Hey everyone,
i just aquired a 1992 Yamaha Seca II. it's got 270000 on it and i know it was very well taken care of. the owner drove it regulary and it starts up no problem. it fell over in the grass once but has never been down while moveing. i have never been on a bike but have always wanted to learn.(except an old mini bike ) i'm wondering if there is some place out there that will teach me to ride. also i know nothing about bikes. is the yamaha seca a decent starter? should i sell it and look for a different one?(it was free to me ) i'm gonna be commuting to work and back('bout 50 miles) and rideing it for fun once i know how. any suggestions or info would be much appericiated(Thanks)

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[Joie]

oops.....that's 27,000 miles. not 270,000.
sorry, i got a little happy with the 0's

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[RRonin]

Hey Joie, check the the DMV, they usually offer a motorcycle driving course. It's not all that extensive but they can teach you the basics.

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Tony
00 CBR 929rr
95 Camaro Z28

 

[BBQ Dave]

Joie,

Take a safe riders course for MSF. They cost around $50 but lower your insurance (in most cases) and teach a lot about techniques and reactions. Its a must for every rider.

A little other advice is of course buy some good gear that fits and never get over confident. Enjoy the whole experience!


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Dave

600 Bandit

 

[Tristan]

Free bikes are the best kind, and the Seca should thrill you for at least a year. Take an MSF course and have fun!

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'98 Superhawk

 

[Joie]

Thanks for you info. i have signed up for a motorcycle safty course. the only thing is that i have to wait until september to take it cause they are booked up until then.
and i took the bike out for the first time today. it was quite fun, although i never went faster than 35mph. i just took it around the neighborhood for about 15 min. it was pretty easy. although i still have tons of respect for the machine and know i still have lots to learn. and nobody told me anything 'bout the seca. does that mean it's a peice of dookie? i mean, i appreciate you guys going with the "if you do not have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" quote kinda thing, but hey, i'm a big guy...i can take it. remember, it was free to me. and free thing are always good, but they must be free for a reason? or mabey you guys don't have any experience with the seca? anyways.......thanks for the direction. any helpful hints would be welcomed. thanks again..........Joey

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Joie

92 Seca II
92 Stealth RT

 

[Dan F4]

There is nothing wrong with Seca's. As long as it's in good running condition you will get a lot of good use out of it.

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Dan F4 Red/Black

 

[DoubleAught]

Welcome, Joie, nothing wrong with a Seca, it's a good bike to start on. While you're riding around the neighborhood, practice your braking. Use mostly front brake (right handlebar) and little rear brake (right foot). Start out slowly at first, and practice until you can stop very quickly. This is the single most important thing to learn. Loved Cowtown, used to hook up with the Freedom riders down on Alma School rd.
Enjoie!!

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[Rossco929]

A free bike? You lucky dog. The Seca will be a great bike to start off on. Like somebody else said, take a course. Also, NEVER be tempted to ride beyond your skill level to try and keep up with another rider. In my experience, that is how most new riders go down. If you ride with more experienced riders, always plan some "catch up stops" along your ride where they can stop and wait for you to catch up.

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Rossco.

 

[Joie]

Well......i found out the hard way that you are not supposeta give her any gas in a corner.(i think) i gave her some gas and we went strait to the curb.(oops!) bikes fine. no cracks, scrapes or anything!! and i'm still alive!! luckly, i landed in the grass. the guy was out doing yard work and was quite nice about it. i thanked him for the grass and went on. wow. my first mess up and i'm stil alive. gald i got that out of the way.(hopefully) but really, did i just do it wrong? or is my experience correct.(no gas on a turn) i mean, the experience tells me that it's wrong, but again, i have no other experience with bikes and don't know any better.(ignorance is my excuse on this one)
i know, i know...it's not a good excuse, but i do not plan on useing it long. thanks


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Joie

92 Seca II
92 Stealth RT

 

[GreenNinja]

You were not wrong in using gas through a turn, what you did wrong, was not lean!

You will be amazed at what your seca can do. Motorcycles are very good at turning, it is the riders who arnt. So Practice turns! turn turn turn,.. start off slow and gradually take it a little faster, and try leaning a little more each time.

Dont get in the habit of hitting the brakes as you are entering a turn!! Get the braking done a bit before the turn and as you enter the turn try to keep a neutral throttle, and if you are comfortable at that point, ease a bit of throttle on through and exiting the turn.

Your instinct will tell you you cant possibly make the turn, but you can. Trust the bike, not your instincts on this one! LEAN!!!!!

Glad you and the bike are ok!

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Fear Green.

 

[Guest]

Joie, you answered your own question as to whether or not the Seca is a good starter bike. Had that been a fully faired sportbike, you'd probably be looking at a few hundred $ worth of repairs.

What GreenNinja said is good stuff. Also, you should practice countersteering, which will help you negotiate the turns. Countersteering (without getting into a physics lesson): push forward on the right grip, and the bike will lean right and go right; push forward on the left grip, the bike leans left and goes left. Try it on a wide, desolate street or parking lot; you'll be amazed. Go back and forth, like a slalom course. Stay loose, no death grip on the bars, and hug the bike with your thighs. Work on smoothness and fluidity. Keep practicing! You'll get there.

Also glad you and bike came out so well!

P.S. "Thanked him for the grass"...LOL!!! Great sense of humor!

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Pete
"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of
age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers."

[This message has been edited by Pete (edited August 25, 2000).]

 

[VYPIR]

I would like to add a little to this one. Always look at where you want to go in a turn. Example: when turning don't look straight ahead. Look where you want to end up within the next few seconds (depending on speed, sometimes microseconds) You will find that by doing this you will not have to focus as much on making the turn, but instead on where you have to be after the turn.

I agree with using the gas in a turn. I usually gas it in turns. You can make some really sharp turns spinning the rear and changing your angle into the turn. You might want to wait awhile before attemting this manuver, a long while, please!!!

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You get the best thrills on two wheels!

 

[GPz750A2]

I too gas in the turns I feel (for me any how) that I have far more control with gas than without learn the handeling of your bike and it will drive itself, you just tell it where to go and how fast or slow to get there.

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If your not living on the edge your taking up too much space!

 

[Rossco929]

I would just like to add a couple of things. I am glad your first little miscue turned out so well. As one poster said, aim well ahead in your steering, don't fixate on anything, or you will end up heading straight for it. Countersteering is the way to go, but the gas should be used coming OUT of a corner, after you have passed the apex. As you sraighten up (less and less lean as you finish the corner), roll on the gas gradually. The better you get at riding, the more gas you will be able to give it, and the quicker you will roll it on coming out of a corner. And yes, get your braking done before you enter the corner. When you are more accomplished, you can brake right to the apex, but that is a long way off right now. Easy does it for the time being.

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Rossco.

 

[Joie]

ok.i hope i'm not wearing you guys out but...
i was wondering if i should keep my booty glued to the seat all the time? i mean, i've hit some large bumps, but i have not been bold enough to hit some railroad tracks or anything but that seems kinda funky. and i have been going to a parking lot and doing circles and some figure 8's. i also understand the concept of countersteering and can recognize when i'm doin' it.....but, is it mainly for wide turns? at higher speeds?(i'm not there yet)
thanks

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Joie

92 Seca II
92 Stealth RT

 

[VYPIR]

It is generally a good idea to stay seated. When you hit rough parts of the road such as tracks or potholes you might want to stand on the pegs. Stand just enough so that your knees are still bent, your kidneys will thank you.

BTW counter-steering works at slow speeds as well. Try some slow, tight U-turns by getting on the opposite side of the bike from the angle of the turn. You should find yourself counter-steering. Oh yeah, be sure not to drop the bike while doing this.

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You get the best thrills on two wheels!

 

[Joie]

well, i have decided to stay off the bike until i finish the motorcycle safty course.(that means that i have to waite till sept but hey, i think it will be worth it. it's just kinda hard letting the bike just sit in the garage. i mean it's just begging me to ride it everytime i see it. but i think i should at least have SOME knowledge about what i'm doing. i would like to thank all of you guys for the info, but i think this is best for me.(i need to gain some confidence in the machine and myself on it) but hopefully it will be cool enough in sept. that i can ride with all the gear comfortably.(not sweat my booty off((texas)) again thanks all

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Joie

92 Seca II
92 Stealth RT

 

[jk6672]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Aril, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joie:
well, i have decided to stay off the bike until i finish the motorcycle safty course.(that means that i have to waite till sept but hey, i think it will be worth it. it's just kinda hard letting the bike just sit in the garage. i mean it's just begging me to ride it everytime i see it. but i think i should at least have SOME knowledge about what i'm doing. i would like to thank all of you guys for the info, but i think this is best for me.(i need to gain some confidence in the machine and myself on it) but hopefully it will be cool enough in sept. that i can ride with all the gear comfortably.(not sweat my booty off((texas)) again thanks all

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't you have any buddies to ride with? IMO, practice makes better. Not waiting around thinking about it. You should fear a bike just a little, but not enough to make you shy from riding. The simplest and best advise I can offer is to respect what's between your legs and you can't go wrong. It's more than a machine, it's a way of life. It breathes life into use all
BTW, I'm not knocking your decision either, I respect it.


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John

"I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart" - e.e. cummings

[This message has been edited by jk6672 (edited September 02, 2000).]

 

[MonsterMom]

I just finish the MSF course in mid Aug. I learned a great deal. Your lucky only having to wait a month. I took it in CA and had to wait 3 months. While your waiting, read Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist II. It is a great book.

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Humm . . .