Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1235205
LEARN HOW TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE P70 Feature the desert floor all by herself, on a motorcycle, with a massive smile on her face. Before long, both Landon and Shawna were shifting through the gears and enjoying their first trail ride away from camp. A DAY TO REMEMBER Okay, so this might not have been the day spent at a chateau in Tuscany Shawna and Landon had planned, but it was a day that will hopefully bring long- lasting memories for both who said they thoroughly enjoyed their first experience riding a motorcycle and want to do it again—soon. "Having been given the opportunity to ride a dirt bike for the first time was exhilarat- ing," said Shawna. "There was a learning curve, but once I learned to trust the bike the way it was built to perform, I quickly realized that it was easier than anticipated, and any nerves that I had about it were quickly replaced with pure joy and excitement. "My favorite part was the feel- ing of being free on the bike," Shawna said. "I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of riding something powerful, feeling the wind on my face and conquering the challenges, and the euphoria that came from discovering I was successful at it. I'm pretty sure I had a giant smile on my face the entire time." (Yes, she did.) "And watching my son's pure joy in navigating the bike and seeing him love every moment was such a special treat. It was a very exhilarating day riding dirt bikes, and I simply cannot wait for the next adventure on them." Landon got straight to the point: "It was cool!" And, like Shawna, he agreed that learning to ride a motorcycle was no big deal and nothing to be afraid of. "It was a lot easier than I thought it would be," Landon said. "I thought shifting gears was the most fun and, well, just going fast!" Welcome to the club, Shaw- na and Landon. Lucky for them, they are friends with someone in the mo- torcycle industry who had the means to help them bring one of their dreams come to fruition, but there are many organiza- tions out there who are far more qualified than my well-meaning brother and me to teach you how to ride a motorcycle. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) quickly comes to mind, and they have training centers all over the country, and if you happen to live in Southern California, the Honda Training Center in Colton, California, is a great choice, as well. Don't wait. If you're thinking about learning how to ride a motorcycle, a good time to do it is, well, now. It's not hard, it doesn't take a lot of time, and you'll be glad you did. Just ask Shawna and Landon. CN S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2020 SUZUKI DR200S ($4649) ENGINE: ....... AIR-COOLED, 4-STROKE, SOHC, 2-VALVE SINGLE DISPLACEMENT: ........................................199CC BORE X STROKE: ..........................66 X 58.2MM COMPRESSION RATIO: ................................. 9.4:1 FUEL SYSTEM: .......................MIKUNI BST31SS CARBURETOR IGNITION: ............................... ELECTRONIC CDI HEADLIGHT: .......................... 12V 60/55W (H4) TAILLIGHT: ......................................... 12V 21/5W STARTING: ...........................................ELECTRIC LUBRICATION: ..................................WET SUMP TRANSMISSION: ................................... 5-SPEED CLUTCH: ............................. WET, MULTI-PLATE FINAL DRIVE: ..................................#520 CHAIN FRONT SUSPENSION: ........TELESCOPIC, COIL- SPRING, OIL-DAMPED, NON-ADJUSTABLE REAR SUSPENSION: ............... SINGLE SHOCK, LINK-TYPE, COIL-SPRING, OIL-DAMPED, PRELOAD-ADJUSTABLE FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: .............................8.1 IN. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: ................................8.1 IN. FRONT BRAKE: ..............................SINGLE DISC REAR BRAKE: .............................. SINGLE DRUM FRONT TIRE: ........70/100-21 IRC TRAIL WING REAR TIRE: ......... 100/90-18 IRC TRAIL WING O/A LENGTH: .......................................... 84.8 IN. O/A WIDTH: .............................................. 31.7 IN. O/A HEIGHT: ............................................ 44.9 IN. WHEELBASE: ........................................... 55.3 IN. GROUND CLEARANCE: ............................... 10 IN. SEAT HEIGHT: ..........................................33.3 IN. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED): .................278 LBS. FUEL CAPACITY: ................................... 3.3 GAL. FUEL ECONOMY (CLAIMED): .................88 MPG COLOR: .............................................. IRON GRAY