I want to buy a street bike.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by speede5

Why do people use the back brake on the street?

Edit: Before I get jumped on, IMO the rear brake is a tricky piece to add into your riding and what I would l consider an advanced control, it can add a lot of balance to your ride, but when it comes to stopping, particularly in a panic scenario, it can do a lot of harm. If all you do is jam on the binders, f/r, you will most assuredly lock the rear. The rear brake is best used for corner entry and corner management, trail braking, and if you are really on top of things, settling the bike before hard braking, but that's a hard habit to learn.

You need to apply at least a little pressure to the rear brake for a couple reasons. The first being that the front brake doesn't engage your brake light so no one behind you will know that you are slowing down. It is also suggested that you apply some pressure or at least tap it a couple times as you gear down for the same reason. The second reason is the rear brake acts as a sort of rutter to keep the bike straight as you stop.

Actually it may be just my old bike that doesn't engage the brake light with the front brake so a habit that I developed over time.

[Josh]

You should get the brake light sensor fixed, on all three of my motorcycles the brake light engages with either the front or rear brake.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by Josh

You should get the brake light sensor fixed, on all three of my motorcycles the brake light engages with either the front or rear brake.

Yeah, it was just my old bike. Doesn't really matter though, through rider training years ago they had us using the rear brake from the very start so I always use it along with the front just out of habbit. I have never locked it either.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

So is there any way to insure/register a bike without having a class 6? Seems counter intuitive. I can see it being tough to get a class 6 without practice, and it's tough to get practice without a bike. Not comfortable borrowing to ride for the first time.

You really should take a rider training course before you start. I just may save your life. That way you get lots of practice and then some of them even offer the road test on the same bikes you ride in class. Years ago I went to Too Cool Motorcycle School. They operate out of the parking lot of McMahon Stadium. Lots of first time riders in the course and they had you on the street in a week. They also allow you to use their bikes for the road test from the same lot.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

You really should take a rider training course before you start.

I am. Already booked in at the very place you mentioned. Just thinking for extra practice outside the road test.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

I am. Already booked in at the very place you mentioned. Just thinking for extra practice outside the road test.

They will give you a card after the course is done and a list of insurance companies that will insure you along with the card. I think the insurance companies will give you a few months before you need to have the class 6, that is what they did for me. In fact I had insurance for a year before I had my class 6.

They are fantastic trainers by the way, it is a great course.

They even allow you to come back after you took the course anytime you want to practise for a few bucks while they are teaching other classes.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Two big clauses there I shouldn't have needed the stability management to kick in on my car last summer, but it did, and quite possibly saved my life. It certainly saved the car. In the case of a noob rider I don't think more safety features are a bad idea.

They will teach you how to properly use the rear brake at Too Cool, you wont need ABS, and they will advise against it unless they have changed that train of thought.

[3 Justin 3]

For those who do their own oil changes (I assume most), where is the best place to buy the oil? I went blackfoot and got bent over a gallon of oil ($60 for synthetic). $80 total with the oil filter.

Also, how in the hell do you remove the oil filter? The thing is literally a cylinder with nothing to grab on to.

[DownhillGoat]

^Get an oil filter wrench that fits onto a socket wrench? Looking at Yamaha R6 filters they're no different than a car (cylindrical, but fluted at the end for a removal tool). If it's a 3rd party (ie K&N) sometimes there's a nut on the end you can put a regular wrench on for easy removal.

I use a rubber strap wrench for odd filter sizes that I can't get a cheap socket style for. There's also a method that involves a hammer and large screwdriver. But that's a last resort. If it doesn't work you're hooped. I've removed one that way once. Don't ever feel like pushing my luck a second time.

What year is it? OEM filter or aftermarket?

[3 Justin 3]

I just found a huge wrench that will work. The bike is inside my house right now, I just wanted to prep everything for tomorrow when I take it outside.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

I just found a huge wrench that will work. The bike is inside my house right now, I just wanted to prep everything for tomorrow when I take it outside.

An open end wrench? Careful that you don't wreck the filter trying to take it off that way. For the $10-20 a filter wrench would run you, I'd go that route, but your call. When you go to reinstall, don't forget to put some fresh oil on the o-ring of the new filter. Put it on by hand. Some people use a torque wrench to torque them to spec after (usually around 10-15 ft lbs IIRC, dependent on the vehicle). I just put them on hand tight then a slight cinch with a strap wrench. Don't torque the hell out of it when you put it on or you'll never get it off again.

[RogerWilco]

Also Kunkstyle, the road test through Too Cool is tough. They will tell you that. If you want an easy test go to southland or something like that. I have friends that went to southland and the road test was way easier than the one through too cool. They drive around for 20 minutes, the hill start is a slight slope and you are done.
The one through too cool they will give you the full 45mins. They will take you through communities with multiple school, and playground zones and the hill start is a really steep hill. It will finish merging onto Crowchild into lots of traffic. They will tell you the test is more difficult but if you pass it you are really ready to ride. They are very open about how much more difficult the test is through them. If you want to make it easy on yourself go somewhere else. But I enjoyed the challenge doing their test. Passed the first time after the guy before me failed and the lady after me failed.
I almost failed, if I just didn't signal as I turned back into the parking lot I would have. I was 2 points from failing the test. I lost some points for not shoulder checking on a merge one time. I am pretty sure I did shoulder check but you need to really animate it during the test. Turn your head right around so they really see it. The other point I lost was that I failed to turn the turn signal off after a turn.
On the hill start when I stopped at the curb I forgot to gear down to first gear and tried to start in second I think and stalled. I realized what I did and geared down to first before my second attempt and took off. They give you three times on the hill start. You can’t wobble at all as you go or touch the ground with your foot.

[burn_this_city]

I used a set of channel locks to remove my R6's oil filter, just crushed the end of the filter a bit.

I did my road test at southland, it was easy, we drove around Haysboro a bit then merged on to 14th, took a right on heritage and headed back to the registry on horton road. The entire thing took about 30 minutes and I only lost 10 points for a stall.

[3 Justin 3]

My roadtest was out by Cross Iron Mills mall (register through Beddington, that's where the test is), and was easy as hell. No traffic, though the hill they used for the hill start was extremely steep.

[RogerWilco]

The written test will be a breeze for you after taking the the too cool course. You wont even need to study at all for it if you take the written part right away.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

Also Kunkstyle, the road test through Too Cool is tough. They will tell you that. If you want an easy test go to southland or something like that.

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

The written test will be a breeze for you after taking the the too cool course.

Not worried about the written. Just the road with only 20 odd hours of course time. As far as the test being tough, I'd rather go that route and be prepped than get handed a license and wind up in a coma. (being a complete noob with no dirtbike experience or anything of the sort)

[RogerWilco]

After taking the on bike course, you wont believe how comfortable you will feel at the end of the week. They are really good at what they do and how methodical they do it. It is like a one week boot camp. It is fun and very challenging at the same time.

By methodical you will know what i mean at the end of the week

[Fozzie_DeBear]

yeah on my Honda I could find everything I needed at Canadian Tire.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

+1 for TooCool...and for not going the easy way with basic motorcycle training...its just to dangerous to cheap out on good education..

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Not worried about the written. Just the road with only 20 odd hours of course time. As far as the test being tough, I'd rather go that route and be prepped than get handed a license and wind up in a coma. (being a complete noob with no dirtbike experience or anything of the sort)

I took my course through Too Cool last year around the end of September. I had never been on a motorcycle or dirt bike before. But I grew up on bicycles. I also took the road test through Too Cool as well which was about 2 weeks after I had taken the course. I ended up passing the road test my first time, and I didn't practice between the end of my course and test.

So don't worry about the road test with only 20hrs on bike. They teach you in a way that will remain with you for quite awhile.