ChronicAnaconda428

i've been thinking about getting my motorcycle license and i'm really interested in learning about beginner bikes. i've heard mixed reviews on the pros and cons of different types of bikes, so i'd love to hear from experienced riders. what are some bikes you'd recommend for a newbie? i've been looking into the honda rebel and the yamaha star venture, but i'm open to other suggestions. also, what are some things i should know before taking the license test?

hey, just got my motorcycle license and i'm in the market for a new bike. i'm a total newbie, so i'm looking for something easy to handle and not too expensive. been eyeing the honda rebel 500 or the yamaha mt-07. anyone have any thoughts on these or other good options for a beginner?

just got back from a trip on my F 850 GS and i'm still trying to process how annoying the handling is at low speeds. i mean, it's a great bike overall, but seriously, who designed the low-speed mechanics on this thing? i've been riding for years and this bike still manages to catch me off guard with its quirks. anyone else have issues with slow-speed maneuvering on the F 850 GS? i feel like i'm just being paranoid or maybe i'm doing something wrong. would love to hear from others and get some feedback on this

so here's my off‑my‑chest moment – I was on a long stretch out of Austin on my mt‑09 (2018, blue pearl) and I thought the clutch was engaged because the lever felt light. turned out I’d actually been riding half‑clutch for the whole 150‑km. the rear wheel was humming weird, a subtle shimmy, and my revs would bounce at 3,200 rpm. i didn’t realize the slip until I pulled into a rest stop and noticed the clutch lever barely moved.

what went wrong?

• i was too focused on gps navigation, ignoring the clutch lever feel.
• my 43mm clutch basket has a slight play that's easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.
• i didn’t check the free‑play adjustment before the ride.

how i fixed it:

1. pulled the clutch cover off (5mm hex on the rear), inspected the push‑rod – it was at the low end of the adjustment range.
2. turned the adjustment nut 2‑3 clicks clockwise to raise the free‑play to ~1.5mm as per the service manual.
3. re‑torqued the bolts to 12 Nm and took a short test ride.

lesson learned – never trust the feel of a lever when you’re zoning out on a map. also, check that free‑play before any long haul. any other riders who've been burned by half‑clutch on the mt‑09? curious what your setup is for the clutch lever feel.

just got back from a long weekend trip on my F 850 GS and I'm still frustrated with how it handles at low speeds. sure, it's great on the highway and can carve up some nice twisties, but try doing a U-turn in a parking lot and it's like trying to wrestle a greased pig. anyone else have this problem? specs say it's got a 14.6 foot turning radius, which sounds decent on paper, but trust me, it's a different story in the real world. anybody have any tips on how to make this thing more flickable at low speeds? suspension mods, tire changes, what?