Hello from Staten Island, NY

[bonehead]

Originally Posted by ecr959

Thank you, everybody. Hey Rookie Rider, maybe we can meet someday. I paid a down payment on the bike today, It will be mine completely in about 3 days. I am going to use it daily, so Rookie Rider, if you have any tips about riding over the bridges or rush hour do's and don'ts , I'm listening.

Let's see... Rush hour New York traffic, + bridges, + snow and ice, I think I'd have a vehicle for primary trans. and the bike to play with. Good luck :cool:

[ecr959]

Hi Water Warrior, I don't know if the Brooklyn bridge or the Williamsburg bridge has steel sections. I'll find out and get back to you. If they do, what should I do ? Still drive slow in a straight line ?

Hi Bonehead , No, I can't have both, only the bike. Well, I'm not crazy, if its too cold, or if I know its frozen ice on the bridges, I'll try to get to work using the subway and bus.

[Rookie Rider]

Take subway and bus in the winter.

[Water Warrior 2]

Steel decked bridges are quite frightening the first few times. The GZ will dance around under you. And no it doesn't want to spit you off, just feels that way. The ticket is to let the bike do it's dance act and for you to stay loose. It won't fall over. Accellerating slightly will help. I doubt you will have the chance to go slower in rush hour traffic without getting pushed. Going uphill is easier but going downhill loads more weight on the front end and the dance is more evident.
I'm not questioning your decision to ride but riding to work and back will leave you stressed out from trying to stay alive. I did try it on different roads years ago and didn't like the competition with cages for a piece of road. I would suggest riding for fun and pleasure first and let your skills develop before venturing out into rush hour where everyone has to be somewhere as soon as possible.

[Way]

Hi there and welcome!

Do get thee to a motorcycle safety course. The city is no place to learn the basics especially if you have steel bridges to contend with. Definitely get used to using rear brakes only on steel, the front brake will be too responsive.

[Water Warrior 2]

You can probably use both brakes but don't temp Fate with hard breaking. Also be careful of a wet steel bridge, it is as good as riding on ice.

[ecr959]

Good advice from all .

Hello Way. The MSS course will be my next step, next tuesday , actually. Already paid for it. I am not riding the bike yet, not until I take the course, then I'll ride it home from the seller. And you are right, I won't jump into the daily commute until I'm comfortable with stop-and-go traffic. But it will be soon.

[Way]

Hi Eddie,

That's great! As a fellow new rider, I highly recommend you get used to the bike at low speeds on regular pavement and especially the front brake. If yours is anything like mine, it's much more sensitive than the rear and it will be much safer to learn how it reacts before you ever get to steel. Been a while since I've driven on a steel bridge but if I remember right sometimes there's a flat spot where the sections join. That is where you really need to be careful. That safety course will be worth its weight in gold I'm sure.

[alanmcorcoran]

I won't even drive a car in Manhattan. Too nerve wracking and I never spend enough time there to get the hang of all the traffic currents. Plus it's a bitch to park. If I knew where I was going and the terrain/traffic flow etc, I might attempt it, but the cabdrivers there are super aggressive and one mistake could cost you big time.

[ecr959]

Hello Alan

I drove my car for 10 months here until just last week when I sold it. Yeah, it is nerve wracking, and yeah, if I didn't know the way very well, (like queens, its crazy driving there) then I'll just check the address on google maps and go by subway. I'm moving away from Staten Island very soon, probably to Williamsburg or Flatbush. Hopefully my job will be close.

Hey, I paid off the bike, waiting for the plates and reg. I'm taking a 1 hr private lesson tomorrow, and the same guy will be my teacher at the MSS course , next week. So in about 7 days, I'll be riding the bike. Its a 2009 GZ250. Only has 412 miles on it. Still in the "breaking in " schedule.