Pro Beginner Biker

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Pro Beginner Biker Bringing you all of the “pro beginner” tips I’m learning as a new motorcycle rider. Keeping things light, fun and real as I figure it all out.

“Pro Beginner” Tip: Let the “F” words fly while you’re in your MSF Basic Rider Course!What the “F”! Friction Zone, Bab...
20/09/2022

“Pro Beginner” Tip: Let the “F” words fly while you’re in your MSF Basic Rider Course!

What the “F”!

Friction Zone, Baby, Friction Zone: This is where you’ll live on the first day of your BRC. What is the friction zone, you ask? Well, let’s start with what it is NOT. It’s NOT going to leave you feeling like blaring “Danger Zone” from the Top Gun soundtrack-no high fly-by speeds happening in the friction zone. So what is the friction zone?(drum roll, please)-The friction zone is that sweet spot where you let out the clutch lever just enough for the engine to start sending power to the back wheel, which will allow your motorcycle to start moving forward. Are you thinking,“Wait, don’t I need to roll on the throttle a bit to keep from stalling?” Ah, what a wise young sage you are! We’ll cover the clutch/throttle relationship later. But for now, in all seriousness, the friction zone matters. Google it, watch YouTube videos, maybe I’ll throw a video your way, too.

Fist Bumps: You know what I’m talking about-the alternative to the ol’ fashioned high-five. If your BRC is anything like mine was, you’ll meet some awesome & encouraging people who are just as nervous as you are. These are your people (shout-out to Chris & Kyle-my BRC people)! They’ll cheer you on as you work through the intense sweating & puking vibes. Let the fist bumps fly. That type of encouragement & support is hard to find these days-soak it all in!

Fight the Fear: You’ll be learning all kinds of new things during your BRC, but you may find that your biggest obstacle is pushing past the feelings of fear & learning to trust yourself. Don’t let that ugly, 4 letter “F” word (fear) keep you from rocking your BRC. Grab that 4 letter “F” word by the balls and show it who’s boss.

In closing: You may have been taught that using the “F” word leads to getting your mouth washed out with soap. Ah, how times have changed! Let the “F” words fly during your BRC. And if you’re anything like me, in between all of those “F” words that you should embrace during your BRC, you may be letting that real 4 letter “F” word fly-A LOT!

15/09/2022

“Pro Beginner” Tip: As a beginner, on Day 1 of your MSF Basic Rider Course, you may be feeling like you’re going to vomit. Chances are that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Find common ground in the “puking vibes” and ride on.

The day finally came for Day 1 of my MSF BRC class. So, I layered on the deodorant, because at this point, let’s be real, the sweating was out of control. I pulled into the parking lot, sat in my car for a second-with a million thoughts running through my head. The thoughts that were screaming at me the loudest were “Will I be the only woman in here?” and “Will I be the only one in here who has no idea how to even start a motorcycle?”.

After a quick armpit check to make sure my deodorant was doing its job, I walked into the building and grabbed a seat at an empty table, but it wasn’t empty for long. I’m what some would call a “people person”, so I immediately started chatting with each person as they sat down. I figured talking would also keep me from throwing up. What I quickly realized is that everyone at my table was also feeling the “puking vibes”.

We were all nervous. But guess what!!! We all had different levels of riding experience-from “zero experience” to “years of experience” (but hadn’t ridden in a long time). And another fun fact for you-I was the only woman at my table. Yes, even the guys (including those who had previous riding experience) were hoping to make it through the class without completely embarrassing themselves.

In closing, trying something new, or reacquainting yourself with something you haven’t done in a long time, can be scary, nerve-wracking, and make you feel like you’re going to puke. Chances are that you’re not the only one feeling that way. And, if you really feel like you’re going to puke from being so nervous, go to the class anyways! Just grab a bag to take with you (similar to one they give you on an airplane) and a pack of Altoids (wintergreen is my favorite). Remember to eat an Altoid after you throw up. Bad breath can be more embarrassing than being the newbie in the BRC.

“Pro Beginner” Tip: When you’re all excited to go and check out which motorcycles feel right for you, wear the appropri...
13/09/2022

“Pro Beginner” Tip: When you’re all excited to go and check out which motorcycles feel right for you, wear the appropriate foot gear.

As seen in my first post, I was mastering being a “pro beginner” before I even knew it.

The first time I went to check out bikes, I wore my trusty ol’ Birkenstocks.

Spoiler alert - I’m on the shorter side at 5’2”. I wasn’t test riding a motorcycle that day, so I could have worn stiletto heels if I wanted to, right? Sure, but that would have been a worse idea than me choosing to wear my Birks. Shoe/sole/platform (whatever you want to call it) height matters-at least to this “pro beginner”.

I can go from a whopping 5’2” to 5’4” (That’s a whole 2” taller! The world looks entirely different way up there) depending on what I wear on my feet. Sole/platform height may not matter to some of you, and that’s cool. You do you. But for me, when checking out motorcycles, I found that wearing the shoes I intended to ride in was what worked best for this “pro beginner”. Let me explain why…

Seat height was a big factor in my motorcycle search. I wanted my feet to be able to be fully planted on the ground.

Wait, let’s pause. Yes, yes, I know… motorcycles can be adjusted in many ways, including seat height. And yes, I know it’s not a necessity to be able to have both feet fully planted on the ground.

But as a total newbie, those things mattered to me. My feet being on the ground helped me feel a bit more confident. So, I picked a pair of boots that I already owned, and tried out bikes hoping to find one that felt right without having to adjust the seat height.

Another “pro beginner” tip. If you do choose to wear sandals (or open-toed stilettos) when checking out motorcycles, getting a feel for where your toes hit the gear shifter is a fun little experience.

In closing, wear whatever you want whenever you want. But for this “pro beginner”, I learned that chunky platforms and open-toed shoes aren’t my jam when on a motorcycle.

“Pro Beginner” Tip: Figure out how in the world you’re going to learn to ride a motorcycle. As someone who had never eve...
13/09/2022

“Pro Beginner” Tip: Figure out how in the world you’re going to learn to ride a motorcycle.

As someone who had never even started a motorcycle, let alone dared to operate anything with wheels that had a manual transmission - the idea of learning to ride a motorcycle was exciting - and sweat inducing. Like -need to layer up on the deodorant-level of sweat inducing. But, I was determined to figure it out.

How does one learn to operate these 2-wheeled (sometimes 3 I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️) machines? I had no clue where to start! So, I hopped online. Youtube tutorials - hmm, that may work for some, but seemed like a bad idea for me.

A google search had the magic answer - the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. The MSF has a course that is taught by RiderCoaches. What’s a RiderCoach, you ask? RiderCoaches are Miyagi-like masters of the motorcycle world. They are apparently fearless humans who take on the task of teaching total newbies how to ride a motorcycle. So, I signed up for my Beginner Rider Course with the MSF.

The easy part was signing up for the course. Now things got real! The sweat level increased, more layers of deodorant were applied - and I impatiently waited for the first day of my MSF class.

In closing, learning to ride a motorcycle is your own personal experience - go about it in whatever way feels right for you. This “pro beginner” decided that a Karate Kid-like experience felt right for me, and I went hunting for my “Mr. Miyagi”.

Yep, there I am. All bright-eyed and excited to be getting a feel for which motorcycles I liked before I took my MSF Cl...
13/09/2022

Yep, there I am. All bright-eyed and excited to be getting a feel for which motorcycles I liked before I took my MSF Class.

I decided that now, in my early 40’s, would be a great time to learn to ride a motorcycle. Why not, right?

After getting my endorsement on August 21st, I’m now 3 weeks into being a “pro beginner”. I’m out here mastering the art of “learning”.

Wanting to document my own progress, I thought maybe I could be a support and encouragement for those who are new to riding as well.

Join me as I master the art of being a beginner biker. This may prove to be quite a ride.

Side note: Wanna share your thoughts, encouragement, send a virtual high-five my way, try to convince me that what I’m doing is crazy? Have at it! You’re just going to have to go the extra step of sliding into my DM’s. This little personal blog of mine will keep things light, fun, and maybe give a good laugh to those that find it comical.

Nice to meet you all, and welcome to my adventure of being a “pro beginner” biker.

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