Lot of great advice but also some complete rubbish above especially from Intrade. Please ignore him. Once you are past crawling speed steering is done by counter steering Which creates the lean. Google it. Basically you push the right hand grip to turn right, and push on left to go left. Don’t be afraid your bike will lean a long way and countersteering will produce the lean so go with it. Don’t fight it modern tyres are amazing. Most braking on road is on front though your bike will have more weight on back than most so rear is still important. But front brake is king once you are moving out of first gear. Rear is king at crawling. Don’t brake turning. If possible can someone get it to empty car park for you to practice in?
sw20,
Jul 7, 6:09am
Modern, as in the last few years, 250s are barely 30hp. It's the inline four cylinders from the late 80s early 90s that were 40-45hp and revved to the moon. My first bike was a 1990 Suzuki Bandit 250, 45hp and redlined at 16,000rpm.
yz490,
Jul 7, 6:16am
Getting some lessons is a must in your case. Learning on the dirt [on an older small trail bike--Yamaha DT175] is a good idea with plenty of wriggle room in a flat paddock. With yours --if second hand--get the steering head bearings checked by feel for lumps. If they are worn or its had a light crash into something straight ahead it can dent the races so if the adjustment is tight then you end up sort of fighting it in & out of the bearing dent. You're not really steering as such except turning around in your drive but more balancing. But regardless of that, you still feel bearing dents & it upsets you ballance. That problem is less prevalent though with modern taper roller bearing as opposed to cup & cone bearings.
apollo11,
Jul 7, 6:23am
Mate had a worked RGV dyno'd at 70 bhp. It was a tricky little bike to ride around town. Definately not a beginners bike.
bwg11,
Jul 7, 7:13am
If the OP can ride a push bike, any discussion of counter steering is out of place as it is instinctive. IMO, deliberate counter steering is only for experienced riders to initiate an avoidance swerve.
tamarillo,
Jul 7, 7:43am
Don’t agree as op admits to not being able to turn it. Takes a lot more conscious effort to move a motorcycle especially cruiser style. Confidence to push it over is needed. What many fail to realise is countersteering is how you turn a bike.
daves01,
Jul 7, 7:59am
And never look at what you don't want to hit as - sounds strange advice I know but if you look at it you tend to hit it .
Also from a keeping yourself alive position assume that all other road users are out there to kill you and that none of them have seen you. Looking back up motorway on ramps never hurts . also has the advantage of you seeing the cop in case you might possibly be doing something that they might disagree with lol
daves01,
Jul 7, 8:01am
Or better still 2 strokes . :-) Once you hit the power band it was like warp speed 9!
marte,
Jul 7, 8:25am
Get some bike riding lessons, it's like skiing, if you teach yourself, it only means you will need lessons later to unlearn what you taught yourself, and more lessons to teach you how to do it properly.
Which leads me to my favorite acronym 'DIPSHIT'. ' Do It Properly, Saves Hassle In Time'.
And, my advise? When you turn to the left, it's only your left ( downhand) that's doing the steering, you pull that hand closer while putting downhand pressure on the left handlebar grip. Your right-hand pretty much just rests on the righthand handlebar grip & only gets used if you hit a bump or such. & Opposite for turning to the right, you just use your right-hand to steer & the left-hand just rests there.
Yep, pay a proper Bike riding instructor.
tamarillo,
Jul 7, 5:21pm
No no no. You do not pull your left hand towards you to turn left, exact opposite you push it. That’s the downward pressure. Google countersteering.
desmodave,
Jul 7, 6:10pm
You have to learn to walk before you can run . Did you get taught to contersteer ? . I tend to think you would already be doing it without knowing yet . When you know or when you learn that's when you can start honing your new found skill .
desmodave,
Jul 7, 6:13pm
I think we need to get OP to make it to an instructor without wiping themselves out . Without coordination its going to be hard to make headway .
desmodave,
Jul 7, 6:22pm
Just means you have be good on the throttle , clutch and rear brake . Be a quick way to learn how to be smooth . I like me 2 smokers , have a little aprilia rs125 to keep me on my toe's .
kazbanz,
Jul 7, 7:31pm
Thinking about this overnight. Given OP is based in Waitakere I know the local riding school guys. They are running GN 125's and Yamaha Scorpio 225's .in both cases they are very easy bikes to ride. The intruder 250 can be a bit of a different animal Not much more power that the scorpio but size,weight and setup wise its definitely a step up. Personally I would (and Have) taken the factory handle bars off and gone to flatter Trail bike type bars. Ive also removed the factory fat grips and gone to the smaller GN250 grip/throttle tube. Ive moved the clutch and brake lever to a position the rider was able to use them with ease rather than finger tips. Everything done has been easily reversed once the rider had more time in the saddle. There's not a lot can be done with the forward style rear brake and gear setup which imo for a learner isn't ideal. That ^^^ was what I meant when I posted about the bike needing checking--along with silly stuff like tyre pressures. etc
apollo11,
Jul 7, 8:10pm
I've ridden most 2 strokes in my time, from rg50's to rg500's. Had tons of fun on a Mito125 at one stage.
star29,
Jul 7, 8:53pm
I have booked lessons where the instructor comes to you.
star29,
Jul 7, 8:57pm
Yes, you do have to pass your basic handling skills which i did. However one 2 hour introduction course is not enough for a beginner.great advice on the steering. I think it will come. They do teach you to look where you are wanting to go. :) thank you
smallwoods,
Jul 7, 9:07pm
Best thing ever done.
star29,
Jul 7, 9:25pm
Did you have lessons?
bryalea,
Jul 7, 9:43pm
You don't actually "have to start somewhere". I don't have a bike license. you could get a car. I am quite sure I could ride a road bike, have ridden a farm bike up and down hills you could barely walk up or down, but I consider road bikes far too dangerous to even consider. It is far more that just your ability that is an issue. It is the ability of every other driver on the road that is possibly the biggest issue.
star29,
Jul 7, 9:58pm
I have a car and i want to learn how to ride a bike. I have no issue paying for lessons. What i meant by :have to start somewhere" is how are you meant to learn? It's something that ive wanted to do for a while and im determined and dedicated to it.
apollo11,
Jul 7, 10:17pm
People can live their lives timidly if they like, some prefer to huddle at home watching tv. Motorsports, scuba diving, rock climbing, boating- all risky past-times, but you minimise the risk through common sense and investing in good safety gear. Ride defensively and you minimise the risk of an accident. Staying alert in the saddle is important, and is a skill that can keep you safe on the road in any vehicle.
star29,
Jul 7, 10:25pm
Thank you Apollo for your input.
kazbanz,
Jul 8, 12:49am
star29 in that perfect world I would have you out at "the sandpit" on a XL125 or similar small trail bike for a couple of weekends. if you can go out there with friends its just the best place in the world to learn a solid foundation of rider skills.
star29,
Jul 8, 1:13am
That would be awesome. But thats not possible for me sadly. :(
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