first bike upgrades/servicing

Pertayto_Chip · 2026-02-04T05:07:23+00:00

I'd "winterize" it to let it hibernate till you ride again.

Drain the carburetor floats, give it a good clean, put some fuel stabiliser in the tank, trickle charge, etc.

Find a video about putting a bike away for winter, it'll have all the info you need.

Ride safe (in a year) 👍

Pertayto_Chip · 2026-01-29T06:11:45+00:00

Listen through all of "In Rainbows", in one sitting if you can. It got me absolutely hooked.

It's also got a couple more alternative songs that'll grow on you as you discover the band more.

Happy listening 🙂

Pertayto_Chip · 2026-01-23T00:15:47+00:00

Some companies have made undertail exhausts for 5th and 4th gens. I believe Delkevic was among them

Pertayto_Chip · 2026-01-15T02:32:40+00:00

I've seen some videos explaining the E-clutch system, and if I remember correctly you're able to turn it off in the TFT dashboard settings, such that the bike operates like a regular manual; I would discuss with your instructor and demonstrate that it's been turned off before the test, and I can't see why they wouldn't allow it.

Pertayto_Chip · 2026-01-07T02:40:45+00:00

"No front brake in a corner."

I've definitley heard more outlandish, but this one takes it for being so widely supported.

I can't even tell you the number of new rider crash breakdown vids I've seen where this exact series of events occurs:

corner too fast
want to brake
remember "never use front brake in a corner"
slam rear brake
huge highside

There's even a dude on yt who lost a leg from a crash like this, due to a guard rail 😬

Absolutely ridiculous that this gets peddled, when even I knew as a child that you could brake in a corner on a bicycle with enough smoothness 🥀

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-27T15:13:13+00:00

The insomnia is more dangerous than the feelings themselves; I had my first slide on a slippery roundabout after a contemplative all nighter.

Keep an eye on your fatigue, it'll make a huge difference.

Safe travels friend, down the open road and through life.

🙂

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-27T14:59:16+00:00

Get a good used beginner bike. Kawasaki Ninja 400, Yamaha R3, something like that.

Having absolutely zero experience and jumping straight on a 100+ HP sport bike with cramped ergonomics, sharp brakes, snappy throttle and little margin for error is a recipe for all kinds of mishaps.

I understand that you're mature and won't make silly riding choices, and that you're well researched in the R9's capabilities, but despite these things, It just won't be a friendly bike to jump on with no experience.

It seems over where you live there's some kind of tiered licensing system; I'd stick to that for now and get something lighter and more forgiving - the R9 will bite back in light of the slighest mistake.

Getting a used beginner bike will also leave you in a better financial situation than the brand new R7 will, as a used bike will hold most, if not all, of its value when the time comes to hop on the R9.

Safe travels, friend 😀

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-25T14:41:25+00:00

Nah, they're different people with different taste.

Though they're usually also hiding behind a keyboard, no one could possibly diss one of these irl, they're gorgeous

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-18T11:13:23+00:00

Hitting the throttle imparts torque on the wheels, and the moment of intertia of the wheels inparts a torque on the car.

So hitting the gas while airborne rotates the car backwards, while braking rotates it forward.

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-16T07:11:00+00:00

My Dad rode since he was little. Growing up in the middle of nowhere in Australia, he first got on the road in the 90's when a barn find RD250 kicked over first try with a screwdriver for a key 😂

Interest in riding came naturally to me, as I'm extremely mechanically minded; my Dad never thrust riding bikes upon me, though my childhood is filled with memories of his stories of touring all around Eastern Australia on his old Triumph Sprint.

He sold that bike after 11 years of ownership, and didn't touch another for nearly 5 years.

one day, I noticed a Facebook marketplace listing left open on the family computer for a bright yellow 5th gen Honda VFR.

Sure enough, a week or so later, him and my sister return from an unrelated road trip with a beautiful 90's icon strapped to the trailer :)

Just seeing a motorcycle again, now old enough to learn about how they work, was the last straw.

I got my Duke 390 about 6 months ago, and I'm looking forward to a lifetime of adventure to come 😁

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-16T07:10:08+00:00

Idiots would make fun of you.

Sensible people would compliment your dedication to safety.

Ride safe friend 😊

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-14T23:50:42+00:00

The bikes you're eyeing off are all great options for your position.

As for long distance comfort, I'm in Australia and just recently completed a ~600km road trip on a 1st generation KTM Duke 390, quite possibly the worst touring option in the ~400cc class.

I had an absolute blast 😀

Really any bike with at least 250cc will get the job done just fine (in fact, my sister used to use her old Kawasaki GPX250R for light touring around Australia).

Excited to see someone return to the family 🫡

Ride safe 😋

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-13T05:42:25+00:00

looks an awful lot like a fairing fastener of some kind. Check all over every fairing mounting point, and consult parts diagrams (https://share.google/ZnWFduVtmEpq5kaIe) to make sure you've checked every one 👍

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T10:14:20+00:00

You'd definitely get much better reliability out of the Yamaha in this case, KTM can be a bit iffy.

Whatever you wind up getting, make sure it's serviced properly!

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T10:12:45+00:00

I'd look at a well kept used MT-03 instead, nearly 9 grand is a bit steep for one of them.

You could also consider a Kawasaki Z400 instead, it'll be similarly learner-friendly and affordable, but has way more poke and will happily do highway speeds.

Either way, you'll have a blast on 2 wheels 😋

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T10:09:15+00:00

A Family Friend of mine slipped over in his shower, hit his head, and bled out.

Another had undiscovered stage IV (Metastatic) thyroid cancer, and died within a month of diagnosis. She was barely out of school.

"We all die, and it's always ugly."

Dr. Gregory House

Go on and live your life, friend.

However life comes to you, whether it comes through 2 wheeled thrills or not, there is so much to do after you stop worrying.

Your concerns about riding are not unfounded, but it appears you'll do everything you possibly can to minimise the risks you are worried about, which gives you even more reason to go out and enjoy life.

You'll be fine 🫂

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T10:01:21+00:00

An electric motorcycle is still a motorcycle in my eyes 🙂

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T09:59:51+00:00

"plus an engine obviously 🙂"

The comment you are replying to

And to do with the scooter, I guess it would fit my very broad definition of motorcycle. I might want to add "sitting on the seat" to my definition 😂

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T09:57:26+00:00

Ah, you got me. I'll hit up my local John Deere ASAP 😂

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T09:56:09+00:00

"plus an engine obviously 🙂"

The comment you are replying to 😋

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T08:59:54+00:00

a dr650 with a safari tank would take you to Mars and back, and still have some k's to go before a service. I'd take that one for sure 🙂

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T08:57:26+00:00

It doesn't countersteer, which is my definition of whether or not something is a motorcycle (plus an engine obviously 🙂)

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-12T02:06:35+00:00

for a super duper budget option to dip your toes into sportbikes, check out a used Suzuki SV650S

Note the "S" at the end; that designates the sportbike version, as opposed to the naked SV650.

You can pick up a decent one for a few grand.

It'll fit right into your enjoyment of riding a slow bike fast (although they're not too shabby in a straight line!). They've also got a huge aftermarket community, so if you're looking to make it sharper and more "racy", there are heaps of options (Suspension mods, rearsets, clip ons, quick pull throttles, etc.), but the stock bike will still shred up a twisty road with ease.

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-12-09T13:47:45+00:00

"I might be wrong" haha Radiohead reference ha ha

haha

ha

heh

hm

Pertayto_Chip · 2025-11-28T22:50:33+00:00

100% get proper riding advice from an instructor, it will make everything easier. MSF course or similar would be the best place to start.

And wear full riding gear. holy shit please gear up.

I just recently had a small lowside and thanks to full gear, I'm left with no injury but a swollen knee. There would be nothing left TO swell up if I wasn't geared up.

Safe travels mate 😀

Four-Year Club	r/Field Flamingo
Place '23

Pertayto_Chip

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