Wanna buy » Total Control

[bradvincent]

I am a new rider - less than 1 year experience, and ride a Suzuki s50 - a 805cc cruiser. I learned by taking an MSF course, and the same people who taught it offer a "Total Control" course. I want to upgrade my bike and my riding abilities, and probably will buy a Multistrada. Do you think I should take the "Total Control" course on the s50 or the Multistrada? Some riding ability might not carry over to a new bike, but I don't want to drop the Multistrada. If I buy the Multistrada first, how much experience should I get before taking the "Total Control" course?

[hudlab 2010 1200S (Black)]

Hi Brad, no one can answer your question better than you can. are you done dropping your s50?? If it hasn't been that long since a "WTF" i'd wait on the multi. If you ride a lot and are ready to move up then don't wait. Take the total control course on either bike asap and ride as often as you can. Nothing takes the place of experience. Life is short,don't doddle. I decided at the last minute to drive my car instead of the bike yesterday. Two minutes down the rode a HUGE deer jumped off a hillside and hit me headon, over the hood and across the windshield. Guess i'll ride today........

[Android 2004 1000 DS (Gray)]

Hi Brad
the multi is a tall bike and can be a handfull if you are unsure.....but there are guys who have gone for it and still here to tell the tale.

The clutch can be quite fierce too so feathering (letting the clutch lever out slowly) is something you will need to master.

Well done for taking the plunge into bikes

[mts.1000 2014 1200ST (Red)]

Which Multistrada the 620, 1000/1100, or the 1200?

I'd say the 620 would be a pretty nice step from the s50, but the 1000 or the 1100 would all be a pretty big step and the 1200 is not a good idea for a newer rider.

Have fun!
Chris

[ducdoug 2011 1200S (White)]

I'll have to agree with my fellow riders/posters on this one. The smaller Multi would be OK, but the larger bikes, especially the 1200, is not the right next step with only a year or so under your belt. Take the time to grow into a larger, more challenging bike. As an instructor, I advise new students all the time to progress slowly, gain experience and then take the next step(s). Trust us..we've all learned the hard way!

[Mattel 2012 1200S (Matte Chrome)]

Take the course on whatever is your favorite ride. Read books about riding, and practice drills. No matter how good you are you can always learn more and be a safer rider. Good job taking the courses, you are off to a safe head start!

[cbarcala 2006 620 Dark (Flat black)]

I took the course using my Multi 620 as my first and only bike and it was great. I actually dragged knee finally doing the Total Control Skills Day

Great course to take to improve skills.

[lotus54 - Moderator]

I'm not familiar with that course, but I do have another recommendation for courses.
American Supercamp.

This is a dirt only class, done on small bikes.
Many things will carry over and it is a lot cheaper (and much less chance of getting hurt) to learn these things on a little dirt bike going fairly slowly. Especially when it isn't your bike!

That was the first training I ever took in some 42 years of riding- I started in dirt, was a solid top 5 'B' motocrosser and did some flat track.
Learned a lot of stuff! (some were things I was doing, but didn't know what the heck I was doing or recognize them).
(doing the Shane Watts school this fall)

Mark

[archkevinbrown]

When it comes to manoeuverability, I'd imagine the Multi would be the preferred bike for the class. I had maybe 3000 miles under my belt when I took it - also on a Multi 620 - and it was fine. However, I don't know whether you'd be more comfortable with the way your current bike responds to the controls.

Whatever you do, I'd recommend taking the class on a bike you're already familiar with - either your current bike or the Multi after you've ridden it a little while.

[bradvincent]

I am looking at a 1200.

As far as "moving up", I am not going to another bike between the s50 and Multistrada. I may keep the s50 longer to get more experience or $$$, or I may buy something else entirely. My girlfriend doesn't like riding the s50. If she likes the Multistrada, I will buy one. If she doesn't like it, but likes a Goldwing or Harley, I will probably get one instead. If I can't get her on anything, I am back to buying the Multistrada. But if I wait, I may get attached to a new bike or end up with another girl. Neither were in the picture 1 year ago.

As for experience, I am going on 4000 miles. I don't have a problem with people saying I should have 40,000 miles or even 400,000 miles before buying a bike like this. What I have a problem with are people who brag about their "10 years experience", have no MSF course, no training, no reading and probably less than 4000 miles total over those 10 years. 10 years just means I will be another decade older - having experience means experiencing things.

I do know how far I can lean without grinding (and lean that far, at least for practice, almost never in real driving), have opened the throttle all the way (and do often), and how to control myself at 80+MPH (and do often). I won't ride this aggressively on the Multistrada, at least not for a while. I still occasionally do something "not smooth" but generally have good control, and feel safer on the s50 than I did in the Honda Civic that was my previous main vehicle.

As far as height, I am 6' tall, and hate the low seat height of the s50. I have lots of experience on bicycles, which sounds lame, but a lot of the steering issues are the same. On a good bicycle and a twisty enough downhill, I bet I can outrace half the motorcycle on the road.

As far as drops, both were unusual situations - they won't happen again, but only because I experienced them. The first was when I first got the bike, drove home after a hard workout, and went to get off the bike. My leg cramped up as I set my foot down, and I collapsed in pain pulling the bike on top of me. I wasn't moving at the time, the engine was off, nothing was damaged, and I doubt even the most delicate bike could have been damaged.

The 2nd was in the winter in a parking lot. I saw a patch of ice, straightened up, slowed down - and then fell as soon as I hit it. I leaped and landed on my feet, ran and hit the emergency shut-off. The bike slid on the ground a ways because the engine was still running, but wasn't damaged. I won't try to do that again, and I doubt I would have tried it on a $12,000 bike.

As far as the total control course goes, I haven't taken it, so I don't know what is involved. I do know they require a certain amount of protective gear during riding, meaning they anticipate some people will fall. I also bought the book, but haven't gone through many of the exercises yet.

[lotus54 - Moderator]

I looked up what the Suzuki is- you will have much more lean angle on the Multi before grinding anything and I think you will like it around corners a LOT more.
The front brake is quite a bit more powerful, just go out on a deserted road and get the feel of it. I still practice 'panic stops' all the time.

Personally, I'd take the course on the Multi. I think you will get a lot more out of it.
But I also don't care for the 'feet forward' position of the cruisers. I like my feet under me.
I thought the Diavel had the pegs too far forward (even though much farther back than the Suzuki) and bars too far forward.
So with that in mind- I'd take the Multi for the course.
(Just my personal opinion of course).

Sounds like you'll do just fine, the bicycle experience should directly cross over, except for added weight, engine braking and dynamics of the engine.

Mark

[46vale46 2010 1200S (Black)]

Bradvincent, what age are you, are you able to get cover for a 1200 with only 1 yr riding? I don't know how it works where you are, but here in the UK I doubt you would find any company willing to take the risk.
I'm not going to say don't do it, that's your decision to make. What I will say is the 1200 is a bit of an animal, the 1100 is no slouch and a great bike, 98bhp is plenty for most, 150bhp is too much for many.
Whatever you decide, ride safe.

[bradvincent]

By "get cover", I assume you mean insurance, and not something to keep off snow and rain. Here in the States, I haven't heard of anyone being denied insurance altogether, rates just go up.

Insurance for motorcycles is not too high for anything specific bike, but it is universally too high, and makes no sense whatsoever.

Trading the s50 for a Multistrada raises my rate $144 per year. A Goldwing raises it $132 per year. A shiny new Kawasaki 125 Eliminator raises it an incredible $276 per year!

These quotes are based on GEICO, with my driving record, age (33), demographics, discounts, and paying for separate GEICO auto insurance on a Dodge Ram. Your mileage may vary.

These are only for insurance against injury to another person or property damage - they don't cover hurting myself or my own property in an accident I cause, or anything in an accident caused by someone else. They cover at most $25,000.

How many motorcyclists do $25,000 in property damage? I am sure it happens, but I'd love to collect even $100/year/rider insuring against it. I don't see how what you drive matters if you hit a person - yes a Multistrada is more likely to kill a pedestrian than a 125 Eliminator, but a MRI and knee surgery can go over $25,000.