Question:

I just got back on a bike in August after 25 years and borrowed a helmet, German style. It looked cool.

So I go online to buy one for myself and order a cool looking leather DOT rated helmet. When it arrives the thing looks like a giant mushroom on my head, my friend says to send it back but I’m thinking I need a DOT type for safety. It looks big because the padding is about 1″ thick.

Can I get a cool looking helmet that is safe? Should I keep the DOT helmet even if I look like a mushroom?

Bob

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Bob, the short answer to your question is that a helmet DOES require a certain amount of thickness to meet the DOT ratings. Whether this makes it ‘uncool’ visually, is more of a personal opinion.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA, 14 percent of riders use helmets that do not comply with the DOT rating — defined in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218.

These non-conforming helmets are often ‘novelty’ type helmets made for fashion over function.

For me, there’s no way I would ride with a helmet that does not meet the DOT standards. But, many riders choose to ride without a helmet.

In 2006 the NHTSA performed there standard impact test on 9 novelty helmets and zero of them passed. Actually, none were even close. For the impact attenuation portion of the test , the average novelty helmet imparted 989g on the test subject. The minimum allowed to get DOT approval is 400g. In addition, many of the novelty helmet straps broke during the test… under relatively light loads [132 pounds vs. the required 300 pounds].

My point is this:

It’s your decision what type helmet you wear. Just realize that most novelty helmets do very little to protect your head in an accident. So, choose accordingly.

David

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1. Question: Honda Magna good first motorcycle?

I received this question from a rider having problems in turns:

Hello,

I’ve been riding for 2 seasons now. Loving it! My biggest problem that persists is turning. In most cases I am fine. I anticipate the turn, the speed of turn, and the traffic. etc.

Sometimes I find that if I think about it too much I have issues negotiating the turn in question. Worry sets in and I get shaky.

Other times I just flow through… what’s up with that?

Does anyone else experience something like that?

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2. Question: Honda Magna good first motorcycle?

I received this question from a potential beginning rider:

A very close high school friend of mine was just killed by a drunk driver on her bike.

Instead of shying away from riding this has made me want to ride even more.

My question is this, she was built like me 5 foot tall 95 lbs. She was riding a 2009 Ducati Monster when she died. I do not know what size bike would work for someone of my stature.

I have been reading website after website with no luck. Can someone here please help…

Shilo

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Is it a good idea to sell your car and purchase a motorcycle to save money? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What questions need to be answered. Does it make sense?

Here is part of an email from a beginning rider:

I want to sell my car because it’s so much cheaper (vehicle costs, insurance, gas) to ride a motorcycle and I really think I could get into riding a motorcycle without a car.

My lifestyle is just simple and works with a motorcycle so I don’t need to ever carry anything around with me.

My problem is my friends think I am crazy. Am I?

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Question from a potential beginning motorcyclist:

The guy down the road from me is selling his ’87 Honda Magna motorcycle — 4 cylinder, water cooled, shaft-drive, low seat, etc. 31,000 miles for $1,000.

I am very sorely tempted to buy it! I’ve never owned, nor ridden a motorcycle, but I’ve always had a desire to do so…even if only for a year.

I live in Maine in an area w/o heavy traffic. I’m 57 years old, 160
pounds, fit, and retired. My kids are grown and flown the coup.

I’m wondering if this bike is as good as any for me to start with — or
is it too big or ….? I plan to do casual riding for fun… no one in
my circle of friends has a motorcycle so I don’t envision long
treks… at least the first few years. But then, who know?!

Thanks,
John

Hey John,

If you’ve read motorcyclementor.com lately, you’ve probably seen the question from a 46 year old beginning rider, “Am I too old to start riding?” Many people learn to ride when they get a bit older… and 56 years old [by itself] is certainly not too old to start.

You describe yourself as ‘fit and retired’… sounds like a great combination.

Regarding the Honda Magna motorcycle: To my surprise, there are several active forums that focus exclusively on the Magna. Some might say it has a cult-like following — small groups of people LOVE that motorcycle. Not a bad thing by any means.

Is the Magna too big [too small]? Without knowing exactly what your riding goals are, I can only give general advice. I certainly wouldn’t say the Magna is too small for you… considering your weight and size. Nor, would I say it is too large. It isn’t a Hyabusa or liter sportbike. Again, so far so good.

Is the Magna fairly priced at $1000? Instead of looking at bluebook or NADA prices, I prefer to look at what they have sold for on eBay. A quick eBay search for ‘completed items’ shows that several 86-88 Magnas have sold in the last 2 weeks. In the screenshot below, the final prices shown in green represent sold items, and the final prices that are red represent unsold items. Take a look:

As you can see, several motorcycles compare well to your 1986 Honda Magna with 30,000 miles. While 30,000 miles seems a bit high to some, I would rather purchase engines that have been operated. And, 30,000 is not excessive by any means. I currently ride a 1998 Honda VFR with 33,000 miles — and it’s proven to be extremely dependable.

So, is $1,000 a fair price? If the motorcycle is in good condition (things work with no past wrecks that caused structural damage) it sounds like $1,000 is a very fair price. Older motorcycles — like older cars — don’t depreciate much, if any. The thought of buying a good reliable used motorcycle for so little — with the potential to sell it in a couple of years for ‘even’ or possibly a ‘small gain’ — is pretty sweet. Even if you get a scratch or two on her, it won’t lower the value. Could this be the perfect combination? Maybe.

I’ll bet you’re calling your neighbor ‘Bill’ right now, “I’ll take it.”

Probably a good move, but what next? Since you’re wise, I’d bet you’re going to park it until you’ve completed some basic motorcycle rider training. Right? Good idea.

David

PS. I’ll post your question on the site in the next week or so, for others to comment.

PSS. You might want to prepare yourself for your close friends and family members telling you “YOU ARE CRAZY!”

Hi David and thanks very much for your sleuthing around about values and sharing that information as well as your thoughts and advice. It certainly is helpful having access to experts like you!

Taking a course seems like a very sane thing to do, especially since, as you so accurately predict, people really do think I’m crazy buying a motorcycle! But then, people think that no matter what one’s age is, and not without reason…. it’s dangerous enough on the road in an automobile.

I took your suggestion and checked out ’87 Honda Magna and you’re right!… lots of hits. One interesting thing is that for some reason the Magnas from 1987 and 1988 (the one I’m looking at is 87) are sometimes referred to as “Super Magnas”

I really hadn’t researched values…a thousand bucks just seemed reasonable to me… even for a 20+ year old bike.

Thanks,
John

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A beginning rider sent me this question:

Hi, I just bought my first motorcycle today. Its a Kawasaki Ninja 500.
I have taken the MSF course but I still have some problems shifting
smoothly.

Any advice for Josh?

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Question from beginning rider…

David,

Karen
__________________________________________________________

Hey Karen,

Re: Is 46 too old to ride a motorcycle?

Just recently, several riders over 60 (who ‘just started riding) have contacted me. Their thoughts, “Why did I wait so long?” Age [by itself] is a rather poor indicator of whether you should ride. While muscle strength and other mental factors DO deteriorate as we get older, other factors actually make older riders better suited. Let’s face it, a 50 year old male is less likely to wreck a Ford Mustang GTO than an 18 year male. With age comes maturity.

No… 46 is NOT too old to start riding.

Having said that, I started riding seriously ‘again’ at age 40. (I know, ha-ha mid-life?… maybe). I vividly recall my first 4-lane ride. Wow, there wasn’t anything about that ride that felt ‘right’. After that ride I made this promise to myself:

“I will ONLY continue riding if these fears (and uncomfortable feelings) go away.”

For me, they did. But only after practice, self-evaluations, improvements, and training. My riding mentor once told me that after decades of riding, he felt more fluid on a motorbike than he did walking around. I admit, when I first heard this it sounded foreign. But now, after riding for years, I understand his point.

The fear you describe is real and typical for a beginning rider. In fact, fear is not necessarily a bad thing. If a rider doesn’t have ANY fear, they don’t fully understand the real risks of riding.

Re: Seeing things you’ve never seen before on the open road…

All riders understand your statement! Even with a full-face helmet, the sites and smells of mother nature seem so different on a motorcycle.

You’re asking good questions. The Kawasaki 250 is a good motorcycle. Better yet, it sounds like you’re comfortable with it. Make sure to enroll in a formal training course — if you haven’t already.

David

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2. Overcoming Fear when Learning to Ride a Motorcycle

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Training course is a must for beginning motorcycle riders. It combines classroom instructions with hands-on motorcycle training.

For the basic MSF riding course, motorcycle ownership isn’t required. They provide the motorcycle (usually in the 250cc class) for the hands-on riding portion of the training. No worries, all riding is done on a closed course, often a roped-off parking lot.

Want to get the most out or your motorcycle training?

Here are 3 tips that helped me.

One: Take the MSF Motorcycle Training Seriously.

In many states, formal motorcycle training is a part of getting your motorcycle license. In other words, no training … no license.

Because of this, many riders approach the training with the wrong attitude. While it may be a ‘check-the-box’ requirement, it is also instruction that WILL make you a better motorcycle rider. Approaching the training with the right attitude can make a huge impact on how much you learn.

Pay attention, ask questions, and concentrate on improving your riding skills.

Two: Find an MSF Class with Only a Few Students for Each Instructor.

To increase the amount of personal instruction, consider joining a class with a low number of students per instructor.

When I took the MSF training course years ago, a riding buddy and I contacted the instructor and inquired about ‘small classes’. For a slightly higher fee (approximately $100 each), one of the senior instructors conducted a class ‘just for the two of us’.

According to our instructor, we were able to perform each riding exercise many more times than the typical student. Another advantage… we felt comfortable asking ‘less than brilliant’ questions. We also took the class during the winter, which helped us find a ‘willing’ instructor.

Three: Take the MSF Training Class in Another City.

If your finances allow it, consider taking the MSF training class in a nearby city… close enough to be an easy drive, but far enough away to ‘stay the night’.

This is exactly what we did.

Instead of focusing on rushing home to face the responsibilities of ‘life’, we concentrated on the task at hand — learning how to more proficiently ride a motorcycle. For an extra $50 each, we stayed at a hotel near the training facility.

Another bonus: our discussions at dinner focused on the riding lessons that day, and on a list of questions for the next.

In summary: Approach the MSF training with the right attitude. Concentrate on becoming a better rider, and ask lots of questions. In addition, try to find a class with a small number of students… in a nearby city.

The most experienced, skilled motorcycle riders I know all have one thing in common. They take improving their riding skills seriously, and are constantly seeking ways to improve them.

Let’s follow the leaders.

MSF training is conducted at over 1500 locations across the United States. A quick search on their website will highlight a location — with contact information — near you.

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