Motorcycle Lessons

[paulrose]

Please don't laugh at me. I need someone
in the Chicago area to teach me how to shift my "new", spotless 82 XS. I have owned a Honda 400 and 750 and both were clutchless A models. I also have never owned a manual car. Willing to pay a modest fee.

[randy]

Find an MSF course in your area.

[paulrose]

Motorcycle Lessons

Thanks. The free State of Illinois courses
are impossible to find open classes. The private classes are $400. I was looking for
some retired person who has time and wants less money.

[jetmechmarty]

Go to a motorcycle retailer in your area. They will help you. My daughter is in the exact situation as you. My local Yamaha dealer recommended a private instructor. The price is $129 for a one day beginner course that teaches just what you need. They offer more advanced classes from there.

Get searching!

[audio_mekanik]

Not sure if it is Ok to put links to other "forums" but try this. You can learn a lot from this site.

click here

Almost everything you want to learn about riding, and some stuff you didn't want to learn.

[barberad]

here ya go...

http://www.illinoiscouncilofsafety.highpowersites.com/index.html

enjoy.

Do you still have the 750 honda?

Dan

[paulrose]

Motorcycle Lessons

I should have never sold the
Hondas, (2) 400A and (1) 750A.
The story of my life. If the Aprilia
Mana CVT is a hit, all the Japanese
brands will be coming back with
clutchless or CVT bikes.

[SiP]

They can make as many clutchless bikes as they like - I'll never buy one. Both my kids can go and buy what ever car they like - but I taught them both stick shift so they can drive if needs be.

More than willing to teach you as well:
Flights $800,
Per diem $45 /day
Hotel $100 / day
Able to ride one of the best bikes in the world - priceless.

[webbcraft2150]

Whatever you do, don't go out by yourself unless you are prepared to drop the bike!!!! Then its not going to be so spotless and your chances of coming away from it with a high squeaky voice are real good. The XS get real heavy real quick on a low or no speed laydown. Couple that with the afterburner effect at 4k and things can get nasty real quick. See if you can find an independant shop that works on older bikes and tell them what you are looking for. HD dealers have a program called Riders Edge and it is usually affordable. They supply you with a bike to. Affordable can mean different amounts to different people, but laying down a nice XS or XJ, or crashing it and hurting yourself can cost alot more.


Oh, and ditto with SiP, automatic clutches belong on mini-bikes, with B&S engines.

[paulrose]

Motorcycle Lessons

Thank you folks for your many
replies with good advice. I will treat
my XS 1100 with great respect and be
very careful. I am seeking an experienced
instructor. However what is wrong with
auto clutches or CVT trannies? High performance machines like Ferrari, Porsche,Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maserati, and F-1 racecars are switching to
twin clutch auto shifters. I believe Yamaha
has a 1300cc touring bike with an electric gear selector. Is there less control?

[soccer4m]

Donation

Hi Paulrose,,,no need to worry about shifting, and clutches and other stuff. Just donate your spotless XJ Maxim to me and it relieve your anxieties about shifting with a clutch. You will feel great and the bike will be put to good use. SO, again just donate the spotless XJ to me, and go buy an easy to ride one.
Just kidding, check out the MSF courses and you should do well....regards, Mike in san diego

[soccer4m]

make that donation the xs

Correction, make that donation to me the xs,,,,,not the xj.

[Korr]

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO PRACTICE!! You could start with the basic stuff like friction zone and power walking. Pull the clutch in and practice getting into neutral and first gear, do that for like 15 minutes straight Once you are more than confident that you can switch between first and neutral easily you can start looking for the friction zone. You will be switching back to neutral everytime you stall I know this sounds really basic and very very boring, but it's the only way i know. That's how i taught my cousins and friends. only 1 of them dropped the bike, he asked where 2nd gear was and i said NOOOOO and he heard someone saying UP! He decided to shift into 2nd gear on a brand new 2007 250 ninja(not my bike, my cousins) infront of a curb, he low sided and parked half of the bike on the curb.

[paulrose]

I have a solution. Maybe I should install
one of those reasonably priced Sputnik
or Ural sidecars. Then I will not have to worry about dropping the XS1100.
I still have to learn not to stall in traffic.

[Korr]

everybody stalls, i stalled this morning infront of the gate to leave my apartment hehe. you'll be a pro in a few weeks easy