Wellesley, MA n00b here ( '~' )y

[luukasama]

Hey guys! I'm Luuka, a kinda, sorta motorcycle n00b. I started riding about 3 months ago, after numerous dropped hints that my boyfriend was lonely being on the road by himself [back when I was just a cager]. I was a little concerned about being on top of metal, rather than inside, but eventually I caved and he got me an '07 Kawasaki Ninja EX500. I haven't looked back since. The Ninja is now my defacto ride, and the only thing preventing me from using it at near 100% is that I don't currently have any luggage for it. Surprisingly to me, I feel a lot safer on a bike than I do in a car. I always ride ATGATT, and more often than not, have a camera attached to the top of my helmet for safety and insurance. Already had several incidences of dickheads not paying attention and endangering my life. I have videos that I've posted on Youtube too, if anyone's interested.


I'm still bad with slow speed turns, and will stick a foot out or just walk a turn every now and then, but I'm getting there. Not yet seasoned, but I've been all the way up in the heart of NH and all the way down to RI. Looking to take a trip down to NJ for a concert, if I can get tickets. Anyway, going to see if I can do the MSF course before the end of fall. Thought I'd say Hi and perhaps even join some of you guys for a ride.

See you guys,
Luuka

[rice_rocket]

Wirelessly posted

Cool...I'm down the road in natick. Videos would be interesting to see! Msf might help with the low speed since you have to practice that figure eight

[Danz19899]

Hey welcome, I also work right down the road in Natick. My girlfriend rides too and is always looking for girls to ride with!! We should definitely all go for a cruise some time.

[JettaJayGLS]

What a great first post. Glad you're enjoying the sport.

Welcome.

[SRTie4k]

Welcome!

[DankDirtyBird]

Welcome to the show! I'm in Newtonish area, so close by as well. Is your BF on the board here?

[luukasama]

Wow, thanks guys! Love the welcome!! I'd love to go on a ride with you guys. Though I'm not sure how many riding days we have left here, since it's gotten so cold so suddenly, but yeah, should be up for it around weekends. Just hit me up and maybe we can plan something. I haven't really met any girl riders either, so that ought to be fun.

As for the videos, let me give you two links here. Just a warning, the mic sucks really bad on the camera I had before, so please turn the volume off so that you don't get noise feedback.

Good old Massholery here :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYU3R3Uj8yc
Almost got hit here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uzcc7Gr8k8&feature=plcp

I've only got two videos so far, but I guess I should consider myself lucky. Funny enough, any crap that happens to me is when I don't have my camera...it's like the whole world knows.

[luukasama]

Hi Dank, no, he's not here yet. I actually just found this forum, I think, through the other forum I frequent, www.ex-500.com, and decided to come here because I'd like to meet close by NE riders. I will definitely let him know about this though

[nhbubba]

What a great first post. Glad you're enjoying the sport.

Welcome.

Agreed.

Those videos are pretty typical, regrettably. Keep your head on a swivel out there! I wish I could say that part got easier.

[Manik]

Welcome! I'm way up in ipswich, but I'm currently working In wellesley.

Get your husband on the board too! lots of couples here.

[Dip Dungles]

Welcome aboard. Holliston native right here.

[SwiftTone]

I'm over in Newton. My gf rides 2-up with me sometimes. She loves it so I'm trying to convince her to get her own bike. If you are looking to ride at a normal pace together, let me know.

And welcome to the forum!

[Jank]

Do you live on the second floor?


More videos please!

[dankatz]

Welcome! My wife is taking a refresher MSF like course since she wants to try again. She has a license from an older MSF course. Down in Newton...

[luukasama]

More videos please!

I don't get to film a lot of assholery because I typically take the back roads to work, and not much happens there. 'Cept maybe a car or two being super impatient and just toeing over the yellow line to peek over the huge line of traffic. When I go home, there's this one intersection where the lines of cars can stretch to 2 miles, and you get this urge to wave at them while laughing, but I try not to be an ass like that. A lot of bullshit seems to happen in the Boston MetroWest area, within the confines of route 95. The closer you get to Boston, the faster the IQ seems to drop. Everybody is so relentless and unforgiving.

Several weeks ago, me and my boyfriend had a run in with a HUGE ass in a red BMW. He was extremely impatient and riding up on my ass. We usually ride in a staggered formation when close and he leads, so this time we did the role switch tactic. I accelerated forward and he stayed back so that BMW's attention wasn't on me anymore, but on him [he's got a Ducati, so his bike is heavier and more stocky]. The guy just would not give up. He would come up as close as he could to us, even though we motioned to him to back off several times. That was actually the first time I felt really scared for my life because of how he accelerated and then slowed down at the last minute. We couldn't change lanes because the cars to the right of us would not relent to a space.

Eventually, we found a moment at a particular intersection where the cars used to turn left, thus creating a ton of traffic and warranting a sign making left turns now illegal. As luck would have it, the car in the left lane was going to make an illegal left turn, and we got enough space to zip over to the right. The red BM got stuck behind the now left turning cars, machine gunning his hand on the horn to move so that he could catch up to us. Eventually he did, but alas to his chagrin, he had to turn off to the right at the fork. Did you think that stopped him? He rolled his window down halfway, as scared as he was, yelling obscenities at us and telling us to learn how to drive *eyeroll* The tension was finally gone, but man was I tempted to get off my bike and march over to him.

That was one of the few times I didn't have the camera on me. I so wish I did, because then I'd have solid evidence and turn him in, but oh well. We weren't hurt, other than my poor heart, so I was willing to let it go.

[Billy]

Welcome! I'm about 15 mins away from Wellesley center and commute through Wellesley twice a day! Dip Dingles is like 5 mins away from me too. I sense a small group ride in the near future!

[Manik]

I don't get to film a lot of assholery because I typically take the back roads to work, and not much happens there. 'Cept maybe a car or two being super impatient and just toeing over the yellow line to peek over the huge line of traffic. When I go home, there's this one intersection where the lines of cars can stretch to 2 miles, and you get this urge to wave at them while laughing, but I try not to be an ass like that. A lot of bullshit seems to happen in the Boston MetroWest area, within the confines of route 95. The closer you get to Boston, the faster the IQ seems to drop. Everybody is so relentless and unforgiving.

Several weeks ago, me and my boyfriend had a run in with a HUGE ass in a red BMW. He was extremely impatient and riding up on my ass. We usually ride in a staggered formation when close and he leads, so this time we did the role switch tactic. I accelerated forward and he stayed back so that BMW's attention wasn't on me anymore, but on him [he's got a Ducati, so his bike is heavier and more stocky]. The guy just would not give up. He would come up as close as he could to us, even though we motioned to him to back off several times. That was actually the first time I felt really scared for my life because of how he accelerated and then slowed down at the last minute. We couldn't change lanes because the cars to the right of us would not relent to a space.

Eventually, we found a moment at a particular intersection where the cars used to turn left, thus creating a ton of traffic and warranting a sign making left turns now illegal. As luck would have it, the car in the left lane was going to make an illegal left turn, and we got enough space to zip over to the right. The red BM got stuck behind the now left turning cars, machine gunning his hand on the horn to move so that he could catch up to us. Eventually he did, but alas to his chagrin, he had to turn off to the right at the fork. Did you think that stopped him? He rolled his window down halfway, as scared as he was, yelling obscenities at us and telling us to learn how to drive *eyeroll* The tension was finally gone, but man was I tempted to get off my bike and march over to him.

That was one of the few times I didn't have the camera on me. I so wish I did, because then I'd have solid evidence and turn him in, but oh well. We weren't hurt, other than my poor heart, so I was willing to let it go.

As wrong as cage drivers love to be when it comes to road etiquette, ALWAYS FIGHT THE WALK OVER/RIDE OVER TEMPTATION. no matter how big you are.. His car is bigger.

And as a girl, recognize that if he doesn't care enough about your safety when tailgating.. theres a great chance he won't care what gender you are mid road rage.

[luukasama]

Welcome! I'm about 15 mins away from Wellesley center and commute through Wellesley twice a day! Dip Dingles is like 5 mins away from me too. I sense a small group ride in the near future!

We should totally have a group ride! That's so awesome. I see a few bikers pass by every day on route 9, maybe one of them's you guys

[luukasama]

As wrong as cage drivers love to be when it comes to road etiquette, ALWAYS FIGHT THE WALK OVER/RIDE OVER TEMPTATION. no matter how big you are.. His car is bigger.

And as a girl, recognize that if he doesn't care enough about your safety when tailgating.. theres a great chance he won't care what gender you are mid road rage.

I suppose you're right about that. I just can't stand not doing something when these assholes are driving.

[Billy]

There's a ton of good country like backroads in Sherborn and Dover however the cops have nothing better to do in those towns so I highly recommend sticking close to the speed limit. Whenever I go out for a "local rip" i'm usually in those towns riding around.

[Garandman]

/Several weeks ago, me and my boyfriend had a run in with a HUGE ass in a red BMW. He was extremely impatient and riding up on my ass. We usually ride in a staggered formation when close and he leads, so this time we did the role switch tactic. I accelerated forward and he stayed back so that BMW's attention wasn't on me anymore, but on him [he's got a Ducati, so his bike is heavier and more stocky]. The guy just would not give up. He would come up as close as he could to us, even though we motioned to him to back off several times. That was actually the first time I felt really scared for my life because of how he accelerated and then slowed down at the last minute. We couldn't change lanes because the cars to the right of us would not relent to a space.//

Next time this happens, assume the guy is drunk or on drugs, put on the signals, pull over, and let him by. It's absolutely guaranteed he'll be up the butt of the next vehicle but he'll be out of your lives.

[SRTie4k]

I've actually pulled over for a guy in a huge truck who flew up on my ass and was flashing the lights. I met him at the next red light and was very surprised to hear a "thank you" come from the guy as I sat in the turning lane. Not sure what he was in such a hurry for, but at least he was somewhat polite about it.

[luukasama]

LOL, he got stopped at a light anyway. What a douchenozzle.

You know if there's a brand of cars that I totally dislike and had the displeasure of meeting on a road, is a BMW. No offense, but a lot of people that own a BMW are dicks until proven otherwise. No joke. Every single BMW driver that I've met on the road has been an impatient prick in one way or another. Whether sitting on my ass and riding up, or sitting on someone else's ass and riding up, I have seen a consistent pattern in their behavior. Soon as I spot one, I can be quite accurately predict that they will attempt something. And they do. It's like because their engines are better or something that they always race from place to place. I used to never bother trying to catch up to them in my scion, but can so easily do in my bike - which I don't really, but sometimes the rage inside just kicks in.

[dankatz]

LOL, he got stopped at a light anyway. What a douchenozzle.

You know if there's a brand of cars that I totally dislike and had the displeasure of meeting on a road, is a BMW. No offense, but a lot of people that own a BMW are dicks until proven otherwise. No joke. Every single BMW driver that I've met on the road has been an impatient prick in one way or another. Whether sitting on my ass and riding up, or sitting on someone else's ass and riding up, I have seen a consistent pattern in their behavior. Soon as I spot one, I can be quite accurately predict that they will attempt something. And they do. It's like because their engines are better or something that they always race from place to place. I used to never bother trying to catch up to them in my scion, but can so easily do in my bike - which I don't really, but sometimes the rage inside just kicks in.

I own a 335xi and my wife drives it. I ride to work every day. I totally agree with you. In fact, my wife noticed that as well - most offensive behavior comes from BMW drivers! This is unfortunate as I do think BMW builds terrific driving machines. The manual transmission is impeccable. The balance of compliant suspension and handling is spot on. Oh, and the heft and precision to the steering wheel....Too bad not all the drivers appreciate it and some buy it for the status symbol. My first BMW, a 1993 318is was manual transmission as well. It did not have a single cup holder at a time where others had 6!. The reason you ask? The car was built for driving! Not for sipping on your chai-latte-shmate crap while texting!

Good luck as you gain experience riding. Remember - you are invisible and assume no one can see you.

[rice_rocket]

Wirelessly posted

I like bmw less every year with their model changes. The cars themselves are very nice, but customer service, parts and warranty have left a bit of a bad taste with me. I switched to audi for a while with less complaints. Now I've gone full circle back to honda and minivans..lol (and a fireblade!)