First time Rider and Owner
 

Just completed a MSF course (offered by Apex Cycle Education, great instructors!) and just bought my first bike today!

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...4_963557_n.jpg

2000 GZ250, has about 13k on it, was well-loved by previous owner. Can't wait to get it registered and insured so I can get out and ride!

(btw, the camaro is my neighbor's, not mine :sad: )

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Congratulations on passing the exam and getting a bike !

Wow that bike sure looks like new, well taken care of indeed. :tup:

Happy riding, keep the shiny side up !! :rawk:

And - welcome to the forum of course :2tup:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Thanks much!

I'll actually be up in your neck of the woods tomorrow. (Unfortunately, won't be taking the bike) whole family is meeting up with in-laws and then going over to the sheep and wool festival at the fairgrounds. (it's what my wife wants to do for Mother's Day.... as long as I get some fresh lamb kebabs, I'm good :2tup: )

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Oh the fairgrounds are only a couple miles from my house, and I have been to the sheep & wool festival several times. It's really nice. We may go there as well tomorrow, don't know yet.

You could also try the lamburgers. :yummy:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

mmmm...

Mary had a little lamb,
It's fleece was white and pasty,
But made into the Sunday roast,
It was extremely tasty.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Bike looks nice. Have fun.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Good looking bike. I have always liked the older bikes with the pin stripping to add a little class.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Welcome aboard from South Carolina. Ride safe.


:)

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Alright, Bike is Insured, now off to the dreaded DMV to register it.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Did the previous owner remove the licence plate? or do you have to get a new one for each new owner? Where I come from, the plates go through life with the vehicle. :)

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

The license plate stays with the previous owner. North America is probably the only place in the world where the plate belongs to the owner and not the bike.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Water Warrior is correct, the plates are registered to the owner, not to the vehicle. Another reason, when getting a bike, to bring or rent a motorcycle trailer to pick it up, since it shouldn't have plates on it when buying a used bike.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Done! Class-M Permanent License, Registration and Plates! Only an hour and a half at the DMV. Not too shabby.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Congratulations.ride safe. :) :cool:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

:2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup: :2tup:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

thats the nicest stock gz ive ever seen :2tup:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Went home for lunch, rode the bike back to work (only about 6 miles) Got up to 55mph for about a mile. Absolutely thrilling and slighting terrifying at the same time. The sheer amount of wind resistance against my body was more than I was expecting. Got to work safely, am going to wait till evening rush hour traffic dies down a bit before heading home.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

After living in No.VA. for 2 years, rush hour is'nt going to end until midnight. :lol:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Depends on the state. Plates stay with car in CA. With owner in NY.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Thankfully I only live a couple miles from where I work and I can take all local roads. I route-planned and took a different way home than I usually do, but there were 3 less intersections to deal with. Worked out great.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

That's because Kalifornia is a different country than the US.


:)

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

dvsdave, soon the ride home will be 20 or 30 miles with a StarBucks tossed in for good measure.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Hey, congrats on the "M" and passing MSF. I enjoyed reading about your experience so far with riding. Chuckled some when you mentioned getting up to 55. :-) I'm sure I will have my own stories beginning Wednesday or Thursday!

Howard

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Well, took the bike this morning to work. Got about halfway there, and it stalled on me. Huh... only 115 miles on it. I'd better switch to reserve. Go another 3 miles to get to the gas station, (uphill the whole way) and it stalls out on me only 150 yards from the station.

*SIGH* Parked the bike on a side street and walked in my boots to get a gas can and gas. Not a fun way to start the day. Thankfully, my boss just thought it was hilarious instead of being upset that I was late.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Hm, it shouldn't stall out on you after only 3 miles on reserve; reserve should take you at least 30 miles.

And a full tank should last more than 150 miles before hitting reserve.

There could be something else going on, like dirt in the carburetor. Hope it cleans up by itself.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

To be honest, I'm not sure how close I can get to the top of the tank when I top it off, I might not have had a full tank.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Reserve still should still take you about 30 miles not 3 miles.Sounds like you may have a petcock issue. (dirty pickup screens)
:) :cool:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Tank should be filled to level with the metal thingummy with the hole in it, under the filler cap. This allows for expansion. :2tup:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

did you have the valve on the reserve postion the whole time? its missleading for me anyway and this happen to me once too, luckly i made it home but it was close.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

I've got a 2000, does the short side or the long side point to the position?

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

The long end points to the position:
Good photo here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4351&p=48242&hilit=petcock#p48 242

I guess the photo doesn't actually answer your question but the answer is the same.
Point the long end to what you want.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

The long side points to the position.


http://s1.postimage.org/1y68dt1hg/GZ...el_petcock.jpg

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Oops, that would have been my problem! Lesson learned!

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Yup, the pic shows it in the "ON" position.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

lol i knw it :lol: :lol: same thing happend to me! i was like my bikes broken!! :cry: take a good look at the valve you will see the tiny litte arrow! suzuki has a twisted sence of humor

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Most petcocks are the same way.(long side points)The short side will only point to "on & res",it can't point to "pri".Only the long side will point to all three.
:) :cool:

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Hi, I am A first time rider and new owner also, I have the very same Bike as you have
have had a few issues learning to shift and get it to run when I let the clutch out. any tips on this
are welcome. I am excited to ride.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

DeeDee, glad to have a new member join us and share our riding pleasure. Question for you. Have you taken a riding course from a decent instructor ? This is the best way to learn and develope good habit and not develope bad/dangerous habits. Also pick up a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. In his writings he explains so many small details that you will be amazed. We can help with certain questions and I will it leave up to another to explain the clutch control etc but please do the course and reading. It is the best and cheapest life insurance you can buy.

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

I think America is the only country in the world with predominantly automatic cars. This means that no one with a car licence is used to using a clutch. In all other countries, car drivers who move on to motorcycles are used to using a clutch. In England, if you pass your test in an automatic, that's all you're allowed to drive. If you then want to drive a manual car, you have to take another test, in a manual car.

I think the best advice I can give you is to find somewhere quiet, get a few revs on the bike - in 1st gear with the clutch pulled in - ('til it sounds like there's enough revs for it to move off) then let the clutch out smoothly until the bike feels as though it wants to move off. Pull the clutch in, and try it again. Keep doing this until you can feel this point without having to think about it.

Next step is to find this point, then, simultaneously, get a few more revs and let the clutch out fully (smoothly) and move off, accelerating gently as you do so. Pull the clutch in, stop, and do it again, until you feel comfortable. Don't forget, you MUST pull the clutch in before you stop, or you will stall the engine.

Hope this helps to explain the basics. :)

Re: First time Rider and Owner
 

Thank you for all the information. I have forgot to pull the clutch in. I will figure this out I took the riders course
That helped alot. Have been riding in the fair grounds. I had a miner tip and broke my tail light
Someone tell me it gets better