| Author | Message | ||
     Artesian |
Hi, Im brand new to these forums. This will be my first tale, of hopefully many! I got a buell M2L all stock from the HD Fort Myers dealer (southwest Florida). I was apprehensive about having 1203 cc between my legs for my FIRST MOTORCYCLE RIDE EVER! But the guys at HD Fort Myers put my fears aside each time for the last 6 months (prolly 4 visits in all) so I felt comfortable with them and I knew it was a great bike. It is a 2001 but only has 1365 miles on it. My first ride I am going around my block a lot of times, 4 miles riding a 12 block area without seeing a main road(im not ready.) I am having a problem... From takeoff I turn too wide, and I think part of that is I DO NOT want to lay my bike down... I got better, but this bike is killer- and at full turn, the "walking" turn radius is HUGE! I suck at walking it around also... I finally understand what you guys mean by rolling on the throttle. Big smile... It don't seem like a lot of travel when the bike is off, and I was discouraged with the low rev limit... But from first gear, then second- I was thinking to myself DOES IT EVER STOP ACCELERATING!!!??? I scared my self, but I am changed for life- I only hit 55-60, and most of the time I was between 1500 and 2500 rpm's... But I want to live on that bike now- I love riding. Also, I am trying to imagine myself in "emergency7" situations, I.E. brake hard, avoid stuff, etc. Some suggestions would be appreciated. I have got shifting and breaking pretty good, but I have tendancy to leave signal on and over steer the turns. Im getting lower though, no scrapes yet. :: I can breathe!!:: | ||
| Bomber |
Art -- welcome to the board, motorcycling, and Buelldom! I also own an M2 (world's best motorcycle) . . . all the advice I could give can be summed up in one word Education! Rider's Edge (at your HD dealer, likely) Motorcycle Safety classes, track days . . .. . . ask other local riders, or the guys at your dealership (they sound aces, and come highly recommended) . . .. . . enjoy yourself, gear up, and don't stop grinning! | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Welcome Art! What bomber said... Education! I highly recommend the Riders Edge program. They use Buell Blasts instead of smaller bikes. They are also not beat to death like many of the MSF bikes. It costs more but you get more saddle and class room time. It is FAR cheaper to take the class and learn the right way than pay the consequences on the street. Also John mention gearing up. Leather and good ballistic nylon is good. Bleeding and broken stuff is bad. As Court has said "I always dress for the Fall". I use the "I'd rather sweat than bleed." line Good riding gear is priceless. M2's rock! So do S2's and S1's and XB's and ...... Brad | ||
| Spiderman |
>>>>use the "I'd rather sweat than bleed." line I use that one a lot too my dad likes that line LOL But in all seriousness welcome an enroll in the nearest MSF course weather it be Rider's Edge or a local community college class. It will be the best money you ever spent on your motorcycle!! | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Take the course and learn the benefits of push steering and please look through your turns and not down. Bomber I am sorry to disappoint but the S1 is the greatest motorcycle ever built | ||
| Shotgun |
Brent, you have the best motorcycle ever built. Get thee to a MSF course ASAP. If you're lucky, you can train yourself to ride. In time. With lots of miles. But you gotta learn to stop, turn, swerve and ride. Take that safety course and then practise what you learn and then take another next year. Join BRAG and get $50 credit against whatever motorcycle safety course you take. | ||
| Spiderman |
Sorry Newf But MJ was the greatest Bike ever re-built an re-built an re-built. | ||
| Artesian |
I appreciate the recomendations- Im going to do a MSF course Dec 18th, soonest available. Till then just hanging out in my neighborhood. I check both through and down, Newfie- I am constantly compelled to look down to make sure Im not on gravel, sand, etc. What is the advice on that? | ||
| Captainkirk |
Brent- Welcome to the Island of Buell! I'd like to offer a few suggestions, if I may: 1) WHAT THEY SAID about the MSF course or Rider's Edge. Most states offer them for around $20.00 2) WHAT THEY SAID about gear. You can't spend too much or have too much gear. Generally, you get what you pay for 3) Start out doing short rides often. When weather permits, I try to ride every day, even if only a few miles. It really helps to get you in tune with the bike. 4) While it's great to ride with friends, I feel it's best to ride by yourself while learning. Usually the new guy ends up riding trail, falls behind, and starts pushing to keep up. And that's when the S@#t hits the fan. 5) That bike will turn on a dime and give you 9 cents change. Don't try to horse it through the turns. You don't RIDE a Buell, you BECOME the Buell.Practice your countersteering on a straight road (preferably with no traffic....) and just nudge the end of the bar in the OPPOSITE direction you want to go. To lean right, PUSH the end of the right bar. As you get more confidence, you'll find you can lean it further and further and still feel comfortable. It's a mind-blowing concept at first, but it works! MSF usually covers this. 6) Pan for gravel ahead into the turns, WHAT THEY SAID about looking down 7) After you apex the turn, start rolling on the power. This will actually raise the bike up and give you extra clearance...as if you needed it on a Buell! 8) Ride the crap out of it. Let us know how it goes. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into! ck | ||
| Oldguy |
Art - Newfie's got it right, look through the turn, to where you want to go. If you're looking down you can't see what's coming, only where you are. And if you look at where you don't want to go - you'll go there. As for the sand, gravel, oil, etc., you need to constantly scan for those things, but be LOOKING for where you want to go and the path around the problems. Also, when you start to feel comfortable riding, beware that you don't get complacent. Thirty some years later, I know that I don't know enough, and I need to learn something on every ride. Ride like they're out to get you, because if you let your guard down, they will get you. That said, ride safe, dress for the fall and enjoy your new Buell. Good job on signing up for the MSF course. Glenn | ||
| Whatever |
This is NOT the Island of Buell ?!?!? This is the Island of Misfit Toys...  . THE M2 IS the best bike EVER MADE !!! Just glad I got my M2L before they ceased to be made anymore. Take the MSF class... and if you plan more than a weekend jaunt get a new seat... the stock M2L seat sucks.  | ||
| Bomber |
well, as a break frlom tradition, almost all the advice this poor soul is getting matches! what's up with that? check the road surface waaayyy out ahead of you, while you're looking through the corner . . . . many folks fall off when things start to happen too quickly for them to process -- the further ahead you look, the slower things seem to happen, and the easier it is to keep up, mentally . . . Newf . . . . I'll not argue the merits of one bike vs another with a man that rides an S1 from here to there, thanks . . . . stubbornness wins out over facts every time! | ||
| Artesian |
I appreciate all the advice, and hearing it more than once helps a lot! I scared myself on the bike twice so far- the M2L has way more low end torque than I could've imagined- almost went ghost rider a couple times... Im in a parking lots and small blocks trying all your guys advice- thanks a lot!! I cant imagine riding at 55 with a slight prolly bout 20 degree turn- we have a causeway like that and the pavement is uneven- im gonna piss my pants when I finally do it! | ||
| Bomber |
perhaps adding Depends to your gear is a good idea! (grin) | ||
| Road_thing |
Bomber--that's something we older guys have to look forward to! | ||
| Bomber |
hell, thang, I look forward to damn-near everything! (big grin) | ||
| Captainkirk |
I guess, now that I think about it...it's more like Gilligan's Island. One more bit of advice,Brent. If you treat every vehicle like they're gonna do something TOTALLY stupid, you'll be pleased, when eight out of ten times they don't, and ready for it when twice out of ten times they do. A year from now, write and tell us how many times you avoided getting creamed because you were ready for it. And always, always watch the front wheels of cars on the side streets. You can see them start to roll or turn about a second and a half before the car moves to pull out right in front of you without looking. Best of luck! ck | ||
| Court |
>>>I look forward to damn-near everything! (big grin) Me too. I get up in the morning, scan the obituaries and if my names not there, I get dressed and go to work. Just think what it will be like when I become as old as you two? Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving! Court | ||
| Firemanjim |
Just remember that the bike is gonna be harder to handle going real slow than it will be at regular road speeds.Parking lots and walking speed on a large bike are hard skills to master.And the clutch is your friend--its not an on/off switch,its used to regulate the amount of power you transfer to rear wheel(think rheostat).Use of clutch and throttle will make way tighter turns going slow. | ||
| Ferris |
Artesian, YOU have it right -- one should look up, AND down, AND all around. ALL the time. Happy Hooliganing  FB | ||
| Bomber |
Court . . .. . we'll remind you to tell us when you get that old (of course, we'll HAVE to!) | ||
| Road_thing |
Eh? What? Remind who of what? ...now where did I leave that damn cane...I need it to go get my teeth out of the glass by the bed... | ||
| Artesian |
Hey firemanjim- thats probably right and was actually the idea. One of the reasons I like Buell is that my martial arts instructor swore by his M2 Cyclone- and he was just about a master rider in everything from motocross to street racing. When he found out I was interested in riding, he told me, "you must learn to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run." Hence the low speed maneuvering... I also accelerated while taking a turn and travelling over a sink hole- it was a little scary, but fun :-) I dont think I got the front wheel off the ground, but then again I am 6'5" 285. | ||
| Artesian |
Well here it is, about a month later. I took my bike out into the open today for the first time, and I have to say it wasnt exactly what I expected... it was a little better :-) I wore a jacket, and got really hot sitting still, then hands were getting cold after I took off, was wierd about 70 degrees today probably. I was on a 60 mph two way rd with no dividers, and got seriously blasted by wind, sand, you name it- Thank god for the full face! Neck was red though. Ill do it again Im sure, but it took a lot out of me- a 2.5 hr ride, just over 100 miles- I was going a little slow (plus Christmas shoppers traffic madness). A lot of the things I was worried about didnt even show their faces: Very enjoyable. Oh yeah, and I smoked a couple cars that would have killed me in my car :-) 4 gear frenzy!!! | ||
| Country |
Glad to have ya here. I too own an M2L and it too was my first bike. }} I don't live tooo far from ya, Orlando. When ya get more confident come on up to Lakeland and join a couple of rides. Just look in the TABOO thread under StormFronts. The M2L is the best motorcycle ever built | ||
| Djkaplan |
At 6'5", you're probably the worlds tallest M2L owner. | ||
| Rman |
Hello Artesian, This is my first time on the "bad web". Hello fellow Buellers and Buellettes. Nice to be amongst you. I have an M2L also. After 30 years of motorcycling under my belt, I have to say that of all my past rides, The M2 hits the mark. It's the "custom" bike I've been building in my head for years if I had the bucks and know how. Eric Buell, you 'da man. well. see you all on black ribbon, nor calif. rman} | ||
| Captainkirk |
Hey, Rman! Nice to have you here. Stick around, it gets fun sometimes! Couldn't agree more about the M2. What year ya ridin'?  psssst....it's Erik with a "k"  | ||
| Rman |
ARR Cap'n, Glad to be aboard. 2001 black M2L. It's down right now, rear cyl rocker gasket leak. I got a Kook's header on ebay. Will give it a try when I get her back together. What are you runnin' Capt? Judging by the time of your post, you must be back east. Brrrr! Hope that sun peeks through soon. Hey, any of you guys ever try to fit a yamaha R1 rear wheel(17x6)on your tube frame Buell? I'm considering going to chain drive and bumping up to a 190/55x17 weenie on the fatter R1 rim. I know the R1 rim has a bigger axle dia. than the Buell but that can be made up for with different wheel bearings. Anybody got experience, info on this?? Again, glad to be part of this great Buell site and hope to contribute as I tweek and modify. rman | ||
| Captainkirk |
Rman- Not east, midwest (I stay up way too late posting on this freakin' board). '99M2, down because IT'S TOO FRIGGIN' COLD OUTSIDE! Thank you for traveling on my starship and fasten your seat belt, please. Check the KV for info on the wheel, tho I don't recall seeing anything on that order.  | ||
| Jessicasdad |
Bill here .... first time rider as well and thinking about the XB9SX. Any opinions ???? I am 36 years old and a new Dad ... Current plans are MSF first to get my motorcycle rating here in WA, and THEN the Rider's Edge as some of you have pointed out it offers much more seat time in and out of the class ... thanks ! |
