Modern Buddy

Today I fell in love with a 2012 Ivory Stella 4T in N. Hollywood, and had to go back and buy it. The young lady who owned it had dropped it once and couldn't get back to riding since then, so only had 1800 miles on it. I've driven scooters for about 10 years (1987 Honda 150, 2010 SYM Symba), but this is my first time driving a manual transmission bike. Since I live in Silver Lake, I had quite an introductory ride to get it home! I missed the turnoff to Ventura Blvd/Cahuenga and ended up taking a beautiful drive up/down Coldwater Canyon to Beverly Hills and then up Sunset Blvd through Hollywood and Silver Lake. The Stella handled the mountain road remarkably well, and it meant not having to shift into first gear too often. Traffic going up Sunset meant a lot of struggling with the clutch at first, and a couple times pulling off to the curb to get oriented. I really love the feel of this bike after the stiff and underpowered Symba I had previously, and I'm looking forward to some lunchtime rides up into Griffith Park. There's a smooth ease to the way the engine responds and the way the Stella handles.

I find hand shifting to be pretty intuitive after you get the feel for it, but there's a lot of little ergonomic things on the Stella that will take adjusting. The rear brake pedal seems like it's in a really strange spot for how I naturally ride. The turn signal seems awkward next to the throttle grip, and I hit the horn on accident a few times as I prepared for turns. All this seems like stuff that will become muscle memory as I ride more. Almost feels like learning to ride all over again though.

Congrats on getting a Stella. If you have a garage then use it cos the rubber bits aren't the best and will literally crumble to dust. But I love mine and ride it more than my Buddy 170I. You'll get use to the ergonomics the more you ride it.

pixlpa wrote:Almost feels like learning to ride all over again though.

If your two other experiences were a Honda CVT and a Symba, you are learning to ride all over again . Glad you are enjoying your new (old) ride.

Dooglas wrote:

pixlpa wrote:Almost feels like learning to ride all over again though.

If your two other experiences were a Honda CVT and a Symba, you are learning to ride all over again . Glad you are enjoying your new (old) ride.

so true. Each bike has been remarkably different in their own ways. It's hard not to sneak off and drive the Stella up and down the street while I'm at work.

Question, is there a technique you all recommend for braking in normal circumstances? My impulse so far has been to release the clutch and grab for the handbrake, just because my foot has a hard time finding the rear brake. That strikes me as a potentially bad habit though.

I usually keep my right foot half on the spine of the bike, that way I can just slide it over to the brake when needed.

You will want that rear brake, get used to where it is.

Thanks JohnKiniston for the tip about keeping your foot half on the spine. I tried that when I went out riding last night and it helped a great deal. Also spent a lot of time just starting, braking, starting, braking to get the feel for it. Steep uphill starts are super tricky! Glad I don't live in SF anymore.

There are two schools, John's foot on the spine ( which most seem to prefer), and those that let some tension out of the rear brake cable so you can push it down JUST to the floorboard near lock-up. Both work, but you are doing the right thing. Ride, ride, ride. Enjoy it, and it will all become smooth and easier.