u/Seker-Stars

Warning: Long rambling noobie story.

After 2 weeks of loan office shenanigans, multiple 2 hour trips to the bike seller and eventually a uhaul trailer load/unload I am the proud owner of a 2025 Honda Rebel 1100 DCT. Im a brand new rider, never touched a bike in my life, and I made the choice to start on a 1100.

To be honest with you, my day today started with me putting my helmet on, taking it off, repeating this process out of procrastination to avoid facing my fear dozens of times. I've wanted a motorcycle, hell this EXACT motorcycle for over 6 years and I just couldn't do it. Eventually, after my significant other got home and I felt a lot more comfortable someone would be close by if I found myself in a pickle. I eventually pull my bike out of the garage, start it up and find myself doing laps around my apartment complex.

I was so terrified, but on the bike I found myself so focused and dialed in. I've never had so much fun in my life over the course of that hour. The freedom of movement I haven't had since a teenager out of fear related to vehicles as a whole. After about 40 minutes of practicing low speed turns, gentle accelerations, low speed rear brake control I got brave, a little too brave. My short loops around the apartment complex started to feel too small, too restrictive.

Against my better judgement, I found myself down the side roads near the complex, up and down this straight road I went eventually my normal 15 mph limit of the complex to turned to the posted 30-35 speed limit. I fell in love all over again so quickly, I found myself on a long clear straight road with no intersections. Morbid curiosity took over and eventually I pushed to 40-50 and just as quickly retreated to my comfortable speed, I'm no speed demon that much I figured out quickly. Each lap I went further down this street, using a parking lot to loop back around and then it happened. I dropped my brand new bike! Pulling up to the road from this parking lot, I tried to stop due to seeing traffic coming. I was stable, I stopped with my rear break fully and eventually put my foot down transitioning to front break when my mistake took me for a ride.

In my attempt to grab the front break fearing my DCT was somehow going to propel me forward (It wasn't going to) I rip the throttle open with a poor hand motion. Knowing there was incoming traffic and I was too slow to recover the rear break my foot failing to find it I make the judgment call to fall over to the side instead of speeding into the road, making a total fool of myself the throttle still being gripped trying to stabilize myself I spin the bike in place pivoting off the left foot peg mount totally dumping the bike and striking the ground with my knee. After leaving a story telling scrape across the ground with my bikes foot peg, I stand up eventually reassuring cars trying to stop and check on me I wave my hands that im okay with the biggest grin on my face spouting im new and im okay. I did it, the worst I could do at the moment I did it, I dropped my brand new bike. The bike is totally fine, and most importantly I didn't hurt anyone else or myself.

After the nice motorists check on me, and I lift my 550 Lb. back up by myself (terrified I wasn't going to be able to) I waddle my bike to a parking spot at the park I was pulling out of. Having to have a gentleman help me with my helmet straps due to my hands shaking too bad and unable to figure out what I was doing wrong. (I forgot to unfasten the strap clasp before trying to loosen it). I call my significant other, tell her the details, tell her I'm fine after a short break at the park bench collecting my nerves. I drive it back home, park, retreat to my apartment to inspect my leg and bandage my ego, my first day of riding had concluded.

The first ride, the first drop, my first scare moment. I loved every second of it, because I know I'm going to get better and learn from my mistakes. I'm so excited to finally have started this journey, even if I stick to parking lots/my apartment streets for another few weeks.

I cant wait to get on it tomorrow.

Edit: I did shortly after todays events schedule a MSF course. I realized today that all my online guides, simple tutorials, and "How to ride a bike in X easy steps" isnt going to cut it when actually on the bike.

In regards to why I started on a 1100, its entirely for the DCT. I have nerve damage due to a childhood injury so operating a clutch for any extended period of time is near impossible, the DCT is pretty much the main reason Im even able to take on this opportunity.

Edit 2: u/Electrical-tentacle put it best. "First hand examples like this help other new riders," Don't do what I did, learn from my mistakes.