Yep, I Too Got Impatient...

[msmith5150]

I have fallen victim to the dreaded Impatience Disease that others waiting on the Elio have in the recent past.

Picked it up this past Wednesday. I am 41 but new to riding, hence the low cost, high mileage, easy maintenance bike. I will be taking a rider safety course at a local community college and purchasing a helmet. My intention is for this to take up the role of daily commuter in place of my truck, weather permitting. I don't plan on long highway drives, though I have seen evidence this little bike is capable of such.

Anyway, happy trails all!

2012 Yamaha V-Star 250
512 miles
has extended factory warranty into 2018

 

[Elio Amazed]

Oh man... I am so proud of you!
Welcome to the 250 V-star club.

There is nothing else out there in it's class that can touch it .
I've consistently gotten 80mpg on mine and I like it better than my 650 V-star.
Be safe and ENJOY.

 

[Ian442]

I am a big man, I am betting that bike would groan under me trying to get my butt down the highway
(motor sounding like this...YOUUUUUUUU, TOOO FATTTTTTT) try to accelerate down the interstate.

We decided to trade in our Escalade for a 2007 Mini Cooper S. Yesterday after all the drama over the timing chain was finally worked out not even having three weeks from the dealer we went out for a ride into the countryside on a covered bridge tour. In all my years of driving I have never had as much fun operating a motor vehicle as I did the Mini.

*gasp* should Elio never come to fruition, I think I might get myself one too.

The missus has a Chili Red with black stripes S (turbo) with automatic. I might go with something similar

 

[Jeff Miller]

I have fallen victim to the dreaded Impatience Disease that others waiting on the Elio have in the recent past.

Picked it up this past Wednesday. I am 41 but new to riding, hence the low cost, high mileage, easy maintenance bike. I will be taking a rider safety course at a local community college and purchasing a helmet. My intention is for this to take up the role of daily commuter in place of my truck, weather permitting. I don't plan on long highway drives, though I have seen evidence this little bike is capable of such.

Anyway, happy trails all!

2012 Yamaha V-Star 250
512 miles
has extended factory warranty into 2018
View attachment 10477

Congratulations on the bike as well as on investing in a rider safety class and helmet.

 

[Maurtis]

Awesome, grats on the bike! A safety course like MSF is very highly recommended, glad you are already planning on taking one. Enjoy! She looks nice and clean and ready to go go go.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Very cool, nicely done!

You are now where I was about 2-3 yrs ago. Some tips as you learn to ride and go thru the safety course:

1) Don't forget to put your foot down as you slow to stop at a stop sign. Not that I ever did that *ahem*
2) When you give passengers a ride, advise them not to lean into a turn. Makes the turn unsafe, you'll do all the turning and leaning needed. This happened to a son-in-law.
3) I'm going to invest in a leather vest. Riding in most shirts or jackets at highway speeds gives a nice "beating you to death" feeling.
4) Become an extremely defensive driver. They'll cover this in your safety course, but once you get out there and you're riding, take the safety course's advice and look for every potential problem at intersections.

Ride safe and enjoy!

 

[Coss]

The Safety course is one of the best things you can do to keep yourself healthy and alive.
I was an instructor for a summer series of classes; and we would teach in in the rain, or the sunshine.
It seemed like I picked up a little something in each class I taught in.
So it is good to go back in a year and take the refresher course; you'll have had the time to use what you learn in real life situations.

 

[Jambe]

Make sure the instructor covers counter (or reverse) steering. It seems like half the MC accidents I read about occur on a curve. In several years of riding it only was needed once. Luckily I was able to brake before going into the ditch--I had not been taught what to do.

 

[Critter]

After the MSF course, remember if driving on a gravel road avoid use of the front brakes. A friend of mine went down in my driveway, instructor told him to always use both brakes together. Riding to citico falls, we wound up on 11 miles of a gravel road. He learned quickly how to slow and stop.

 

[Muzhik]

The Safety course is one of the best things you can do to keep yourself healthy and alive.
I was an instructor for a summer series of classes; and we would teach in in the rain, or the sunshine.
It seemed like I picked up a little something in each class I taught in.
So it is good to go back in a year and take the refresher course; you'll have had the time to use what you learn in real life situations.

In Iowa, it's required to take the motorcycle safety course to get the motorcycle endorsement on your license.