Orientation

[Scout63]

How long does it take you to feel comfortable on a new to you bike?  It takes me several hundred miles to settle down and be slightly less afraid it’s going to just fall apart at speed.  One of the reasons I very very rarely ride someone else’s bike. Also why I do my own maintenance.   I’m remembering the Harry Hurt studies from the 80’s that had a higher percentage of incidents on bikes owned less than six months or so.  So many variables there though. Just musing.

[JJ]

Interesting question...but for me, it has always been after several, long, overnight trips.

[Beowulf]

How long does it take you to feel comfortable on a new to you bike?  It takes me several hundred miles to settle down and be slightly less afraid it’s going to just fall apart at speed.  One of the reasons I very very rarely ride someone else’s bike. Also why I do my own maintenance.   I’m remembering the Harry Hurt studies from the 80’s that had a higher percentage of incidents on bikes owned less than six months or so.  So many variables there though. Just musing.

Glad I’m not the only one. I’m very hesitant to ride other people’s bikes for similar reasons. I feel comfortable I notice on a bike after the first 1100 miles or so. I feel like the bike starts to meld well and potential issues rear their ugly head or don’t. Excessive maybe but it works so far.

[Bulldog9]

How long does it take you to feel comfortable on a new to you bike?  It takes me several hundred miles to settle down and be slightly less afraid it’s going to just fall apart at speed.  One of the reasons I very very rarely ride someone else’s bike. Also why I do my own maintenance.   I’m remembering the Harry Hurt studies from the 80’s that had a higher percentage of incidents on bikes owned less than six months or so.  So many variables there though. Just musing.

Takes about 100 miles for me to re-adjust when switching between my bikes. I about kill myself every time I switch between the Griso and Stornello or Convert. I can go between the 1200 Sport and Griso with less drama, but the V7 requires so much less input than the Griso, that I find myself over riding it.

On a new to me bike, it takes longer to adjust, usually in the thousands of miles to get stored in muscle memory.

I generally don't like to ride other people's bikes. No particular reason, but I usually defer when offered.

[Moparnut72]

I switch back and forth between my V7lll and my Bonneville. The shifting is quite a bit different between the two bikes. Take a few miles to get used to the I am on. Neither is bad just different.
kk

[Tom]

A little different for me.  I switch off rides enough that I'll check out controls and rethink the last ride on the bike before I take it out.  Test brakes before leaving the driveway.  With-in a mile, lean left lean right.  Same procedure before riding someone else's bike aka demo rides.  I also do the same when I have a passenger on board.  The extra weight load will change the handling.  I think that most of do this without thinking.
Doesn't hurt to slow down the process and really input into your brain before lift-off with your feet.   

Forgot to reset the ecu behind the handlebars once.  I was in a rush, went from my '97 Cal 1100i to my '70 Ambo, shifted to 2nd and it made things exciting.    Almost stuck my face into the windscreen.  I did bounce my helmet off of it.    

The Ambo has the 1 up & 3 down shift and the Cal 1100i 1 down & 4 up.  Lesson learned.  Good thing it wasn't riding my '73 V7 Sport right hand shift with 1 up & 4 down.   

Still getting use to the controls on the MP3 maxi-scooter.  The brake controls are reversed.  Left hand brake is the front brake and left for rear.  Makes wonky handling for diving into curves.    I rarely use the foot brake.

[Stretch]

It takes me at least a few hundred miles to feel really comfortable on a new bike.
Mind you, that doesn't mean that I feel I'm the master of it yet!

I've got 7 bikes in the stable at the moment, and it does take a conscious effort
to re-calibrate between them. Cali 1400 Touring to Rocket III Touring isn't so hard,
but either of them to the KLR650 I just acquired is a bit of a jump. Any of them solo
to 2 up and fully loaded is an adjustment. I need a few miles to slow myself down
and remind myself what I'm on.

Interestingly, the most dangerous time of year for me to ride is the first outing or so
in the spring. Re-calibrating from the truck all winter to a bike takes some adjustment.
Timing is all off. I really have to make an effort to concentrate on what I'm doing. A few
trips and all is well - but the first few journeys on the bike after a winter layoff require
special care. (I know, I know - just ride through the Maine winters and I'll not have that
problem!!   LOL!   )

Moto-geniuses like Hailwood or Agostini had transition periods between bikes, too - their's
were just shorter than the rest of us mortals!

                                                                               -Stretch

[Tom]

I don't have the winter variable but I can see that happening.   

[LowRyter]

I usually like the balance and feel of a bike right away.  I can certainly get a little more confidence on a new bike with additional miles but I'm usually good to go in a few hundred miles.  If I don't like initial feel of the bike, I won't even try to give it another chance.  If it doesn't "feel" right or fit me, I'm not interested.

Just the opposite with a car.   Driving a sporty car, it takes me more than a year to feel comfortable knowing the limits, how much I can get away with on the throttle and steering, where the blind spots are, etc.  Of course, you can always adjust the seat, so it's going to fit and I don't really like to skid on a bike but can chirp tires on a car.  I've never understood these guys that owned a Porsche, 'vette, or some exotic and put a couple thousand miles on it and are ready to trade it.  There's just no way I can get the feel for a 400+HP car with all the so-dads and nannies and the like.  On a bike you have to fit when you get on and can feel the dip in the first corner and the zip on the throttle, there's little mystery to it since it's all "feel".

[s1120]

Its funny you bring this up. I was just talking to my daughter the other day about it. She is just learning to drive a car, and we have two different ones that she drives. One is a small Mazda3, the other a grand caravan, so quite a bit of difference between them. Talking about spending the first few miles, and stops getting dialed into the different feel and size of them. Its pretty much the same with bikes. I try to ride a lot of different bikes in spring when I go to Amerencade. I tell you some fit, and feel so bad that you just want to turn around and bring it back. I know you should take time to adjust, but sometimes its just wrong!  Some times its so right that you just want to go, and head across country right then... 

[larrys]

Getting comfortable operating it, or being able to trust it not to crap out on you?
Took me 1500 miles and a new seat to get comfortable riding my Monster. It is unlike any bike I've ever owned/ridden. I trusted it not to break down after a few rides. YMMV.
Larry