Has anyone ever just bought a bike, with no experience and taught themselves to ride?

Question

I bought a bilke, never rode one before, but pretty sure I can figure it out, anyone else ever done this...successfully???

Answer 1

Yep. There was about one month between when I bought the bike and when the next MSF course was starting. I was too excited to wait. Had another biker show me how to work the clutch et al. It's not difficult to learn how to operate. Still took the MSF course though in order to learn safety.

Answer 2

Yes, well, sort of.

My dad bought a Honda 50 so my mom could have the car on nice days when he could ride to work.

After he crashed and got a good case of road rash, the bike got stashed in the garage.

When I was 13 I dug it out of the garage and started riding it all over the place. I don't know if the police cared back then or not, but I never got pulled over.

Since then I've had one motorcycle after another until 1991 when I stopped riding because of the helmet law.

So now I have a '62 Triumph, a '55 BMW and a '60 Matchless that I never ride because I refuse to put my head in an oven in order to "enjoy" my sport.

Maybe some day we'll get rid of this nanny-state government and regain some of our liberty so I can ride again.
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Answer 3

Most riders die in the first year. By successfully do you mean surviving for longer than a year after starting to ride? Or do you mean decided they knew what they were doing and then rode almost a year before dying? Can I take out a life insurance policy on you? I hear that is a neat way to become a millionaire, get someone to let you take out a life insurance policy on them and then give them a motorcycle without riding lessons.

Answer 4

Yes. Some people have played Russian Roulette succesfully as well.

Take a safety class. You'll live longer. Better to make your mistakes in a closed off parking lot and learn from the experience of others than gain experience in front of a cement truck on the road.

You might be able to figure it out, but what you're not realizing is that on the road, your first mistake might kill you.

Answer 5

Sure. I've been riding for over 40 years. When I first started to ride, there wasn't a MSF to even give you a class if you wanted one. You got on it, stalled a couple of times, rode it slow until you got the hang of it, and then found out what your limits were, usually dropping it or running off the road, but eventually you get the hang of it.

Answer 6

There is always a first bike for everybody. It is recommended to start with a small one so you are less likely to hurt yourself. Also, be very careful not do get over confident on the road so you stay alive. I recommend taking a starter course as I found it very helpful years ago getting you in the right mind set for riding on the street

Answer 7

I have done it.. I learned on a dirt bike. Just be prepared to hit the ground a few times, we all have done it. And wear a helmet. That guy who wont ride cause of helmet laws has obviously hit his head 1 too many times. Even if it was not a law you would be stupid to not ride with 1 any way. Just remember the ground is harder then your head.

Answer 8

That was the only method in 1965 - fortunately the jap motorcycle business was taking off, and most of the bikes were 125cc and under - plenty easy to handle.

Now anyone with credit can hop on a 'Busa, hit 180, then fly off into oblivion.

Answer 9

Yes,back in 1986,I bought my first bike,pushed it into a parking lot and learned how to go through the gears,then put it on the road,back then we did not have permits or mot.endorsments in my state.

Answer 10

Yes, I bought a 750 cc BSA lightning and crashed a couple times. One of them hurt myself pretty bad. I suggest you take a course for beginners and follow all safety rules before you hit the streets.