New female rider seeking advice

I have had my license since '03. I just got a Ninja 500 a few days ago. I was already told to turn on my high beams during the day to be more visible. And I was told to get louder pipes so they can hear me. Please give any helpful tips so I can become a veteran one day.  

Congrats on your purchase!!  You have a couple things right.  Get some good riding gear that is bright in color and comfortable.  Also, just be on your guard and expect that on one ever sees you.  If you ride within your limits and expect the unexpected, than you should do alright.

I'm also not the only one that will mention this, but read lots of info.  The Rider Skills series on this site is very helpful as well as many motorcycling books.  You can never have too much knowledge!  

Good luck, ride safe and have fun!  

Hi there!  Congrats on the new bike.  As everyone has probably told you already, assume that no one sees or hears you, regardless of how brightly dressed you are or how loud your bike is.  Always be alert.

Next thing you need to know is do not ride with high beams on.  I do not know where you reside, but here in Ontario Canada, it is actually illegal to do so therefore you can be fined.  Plus, in broad day light, an extra light bulb is still not as bright as the sun so it makes no real difference.  At night, if you can't see, ride slower.  High beams are still not legal here at night unless there are no other vehicles for approx 100 meters (approx 330 feet).

Louder pipes.  Sure why not.  As long as they are legal.  There are sound level restrictions here as well.  Not sure about your local laws.  All exhausts here have to have baffles.

Have a great time and just ride safe. =)  

The only advice I have 4 u, is ride like you're invisible. They really don't see you.  

For pipes a good sounding set would be the muzzy full two into one system but you will need to get a jet kit and K&N filter so you don't run to lean, but this will require u to remove the center stand as well. But it really wakes up the bike and sound.  I put this same set up on my wifes 2004 EX500  It exits on the right side. Also bright colored jackets help with the visibility part as well there are several brands out there that also incorporate reflective material in the jackets as well for night time visibility another good idea for night time would be a helmet halo it's a reflective band that goes around the base of your helmet... Hope this helps  

Way cool! Congratulations.
I'm seeing more and more gals riding!

A few tips.
Ride like you're invisible. They ARE out to get you. ATGATT... All the gear, all the time. Pain hurts! Get good gear. Bright colors are seem more easily, as long as the cagers are actually looking where they're going and not texting or have their phones glued to their ears.

No need for high beams, make sure your headlight is adjusted properly. Watch out for forest rats (deer) if you live anywhere where there are deer. Slow down at night in deer areas, they can mess up a bike and rider very quickly.

Loud pipes are annoying, especially  high pitches sport bikes (ok, and Harleys, I can say that, I have had both.) When you buy yourself a Busa and go to the track, then it's another story!

Ride smart. Let guys do the stupid stuff. <BG> If you feel a situation is unsafe, either drop back or accelerate and get out of the way, whichever is safest.

Practice smooth take offs, panic braking, swerving, and all those other skills you were taught in your MSF class. You did take that, didn't you? You want to be able to control the bike without thinking about which is the brake and which is the clutch, etc. And dont' worry if you do something like forget to put down the sidestand and drop the bike. Everyone eventually does something stupid like that. Oh well.... <G>

Oh yeah.... HAVE FUN!
Mary aka Krashdragon  

Way cool! Congratulations.
I'm seeing more and more gals riding!

A few tips.
Ride like you're invisible. They ARE out to get you. ATGATT. All the gear, all the time. Pain hurts! Get good gear. Bright colors are seem more easily, as long as the cagers are actually looking where they're going and not texting or have their phones glued to their ears.

No need for high beams, make sure your headlight is adjusted properly. Watch out for forest rats (deer) if you live anywhere where there are deer. Slow down at night in deer areas, they can mess up a bike and rider very quickly.

Loud pipes are annoying, especially  high pitches sport bikes Ok, and Harleys, I can say that, I have had both. When you buy yourself a Busa and go to the track, then it's another story!

Ride smart. Let guys do the stupid stuff.  If you feel a situation is unsafe, either drop back or accelerate and get out of the way, whichever is safest.

Practice smooth take offs, panic braking, swerving, and all those other skills you were taught in your MSF class. You did take that, didn't you? You want to be able to control the bike without thinking about which is the brake and which is the clutch, etc. And don't worry if you do something like forget to put down the sidestand and drop the bike. Everyone eventually does something stupid like that. Oh well....

Oh yeah,  HAVE FUN!  
Mary aka Krashdragon  

Depends where you are at but most of the 50 states this signal Dynamics Diamond Star Headlight Modulator is leagal and it makes you head light pulsate during daylight hours and it's 79 dollars thru dennis kirk, several of my friemds have installed it on their bikes and seeing them ride beside some of my friends that don't is a big difference during the day.  

Depends where you are at but most of the 50 states this signal Dynamics Diamond Star Headlight Modulator is leagal and it makes you head light pulsate during daylight hours and it's about 79 dollars thru dennis kirk, several of my friemds have installed it on their bikes and seeing them ride beside some of my friends that don't is a big difference during the day.  

I just want to thank everyone for all their advice. To ease everyone, yes I did take the course in '03. Since last week I bought two reflective jackets. I am looking into pipes still. Don't know what to get yet. I did lay my bike down last week. The most important thing is i'm absolutely fine. The bike just needs cosmetic repairs. I'll fix those in time. I will look for a 'halo' I think I read in someone's reply. Thanks. Anyway, I have been riding around my neighborhood,  back and forth to some places not far, and on a parking lot (working on my turns). So, I thank everyone for their support and just know that I am in this for the long haul.      

I just want to thank everyone for all their advice. To ease everyone, yes I did take the course in '03. Since last week I bought two reflective jackets. I am looking into pipes still. Don't know what to get yet. I did lay my bike down last week. The most important thing is i'm absolutely fine. The bike just needs cosmetic repairs. I'll fix those in time. I will look for a 'halo' I think I read in someone's reply. Thanks. Anyway, I have been riding around my neighborhood,  back and forth to some places not far, and on a parking lot (working on my turns). So, I thank everyone for their support and just know that I am in this for the long haul.  

I have really mixed emotions about louder pipes.  My friend had the SV650 and put the pipes on and it was just almost destructively loud...set off car alarms...woke all of the neighbors...

The cops also hear the loud pipes.  I also never undersood why Harley guys sit there at stoplights and just repeatedly blip the throttle...we all know what the big Evo sounds like...just RIDE the darn thing...we'll hear it then!

You'll ride long enough and you'll see the soccer moms on the cell phones...the guy shaving in his rearview...and eventually you will just KNOW when some knothead in a cage is going to do a "no look" (and no signal) lane change...right into you...and you'll just unconsciously shift your weight on the pegs and slide right out of the way.  It WILL come to you as easy as breathing.  It will happen...someone will do some stupid stuff around you...and it will be a valuable lesson for you when it happens.

Don't ride with fear, but ride hyper-aware!  Driveways, blind alleys...they come from everywhere.  

Learn your route(s) well enough and eventually you'll be waving at the same cop with the radar gun every day...eventually he might even wave back.

If you really want to rail it through the twisties...find another rider who is BETTER than you AND already KNOWS the road.  Follow him/her at a safe distance amd mirror their lines.

A lowside is INFINITELY better than a highside...ALWAYS!!!  It is ALWAYS better to have the bike slide from under you than to flip up over the bars and have the bike land on you or something.  Knowing this--you can never really lean the thing over too far if you find yourself too hot in a corner.

That's my 2 cents!