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New member from Iowa, first motorcycle, just purchased.

420 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Hvstle
Hey all! My name is Justin. I'm from Iowa and I just purchased a 2023 GS. I'm 34 and I just took the motorcycle class last weekend and I take my written DOT test tomorrow early afternoon.

My helmet and jacket aren't coming in until next Wednesday so I will be waiting to pick it up until then, but I am jazzed!

I have wanted a bike for ever. A lot of my friends have one, and my dad owns a GS 750 (I think). I was initially looking at the Ninja 400 but the more research I did (and a little nudging from the ol man) got me researching the 310 more and more and I cannot wait to pick it up.

A couple of things I was hoping for recommendations on was a phone mount (I am directionally challenged a bit, so I want to be able to have GPS up) and if you all use/have recommendations for dash cams. I have a gopro, but would almost rather have something always there.

Thanks all! Looking forward to being a part of the community!

Hvstle
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Phone mount? Quadlock with their Vibration Mount.
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Phone mount? Quadlock with their Vibration Mount.
Yep, highly recommended, and you can get other mounts for cars, boats, desks etc...
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Hey all! My name is Justin. I'm from Iowa and I just purchased a 2023 GS. I'm 34 and I just took the motorcycle class last weekend and I take my written DOT test tomorrow early afternoon.

My helmet and jacket aren't coming in until next Wednesday so I will be waiting to pick it up until then, but I am jazzed!

I have wanted a bike for ever. A lot of my friends have one, and my dad owns a GS 750 (I think). I was initially looking at the Ninja 400 but the more research I did (and a little nudging from the ol man) got me researching the 310 more and more and I cannot wait to pick it up.

A couple of things I was hoping for recommendations on was a phone mount (I am directionally challenged a bit, so I want to be able to have GPS up) and if you all use/have recommendations for dash cams. I have a gopro, but would almost rather have something always there.

Thanks all! Looking forward to being a part of the community!

Hvstle
Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you'll enjoy your bike.

Quadlock as mentioned previously for your phone, the 310 is a phone camera killer (for image stabilization phone cameras), so get the vibration dampener. For a dash cam I use a gopro session mounted to the brake fluid reservoir. Another thing you'd want to get is a usb charger, search the forum for different solutions.
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Hi Justin, hello and welcome. I really like to see this group growing. My brother in Germany is in a R18 group and they have a lot of fun. What the big boys can do, we can do. I also like to recommend we should have a way to get better connected. If someone travels and is in an area where other members live, we should have a way to get connected. We live in the Okanagen B.C. and would not have a problem to invite an other biker who is travelling thru the area.
What you guys thinking?
Harald
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Thanks all! Just ordered!

Is Stomp Pad the tank pads most people go with? I don't see many options with the 310 GS.
You're going to love this bike. I too just picked up a used G310R for my son as his first MC. I rode it home from the private sale, had a smile on my face all the way back. It does a fine job up to 80ish mph. I still ride my 2010 BMW R1200RT.
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Alrighty, getting closer to picking up my bike. I am open to any suggestions on other things you all think I need, but here is my accessory list so far:

Gear -
  • Reax Superfly Mesh Gloves
  • Reax Fulton Waterproof Riding Shoes
  • Klim Induction Jacket (Grey)
  • Shoei GT Air II Emblem
Accessories -
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Cheers from Bulgaria, Justin. I bought the Givi phone mount (mounts in the center, just above the cluster) and I LOVE IT!!!
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Cheers from Bulgaria, Justin. I bought the Givi phone mount (mounts in the center, just above the cluster) and I LOVE IT!!!
Very nice! After spending what I did on the quad lock tho I don't think I'll swap. I appreciate the recommendation though!

I can't wait to get my bike. Painful owning it but not being able to pick it up and ride. The only saving grace is it's storming here all weekend.
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Welcome Justin. A couple of us have picked up an old phone just to use for map/navigation use. Eliminates the worry about vibration damage previously mentioned as well as physical damage or theft. I grabbed a Samsung S7 for $30 that works great with Kurviger and Google Maps.

Might want to give some thought to a Helite airbag jacket or vest. Not sure what the drivers and traffic are like there in Iowa, but around here it is pretty bad.
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Welcome Justin. A couple of us have picked up an old phone just to use for map/navigation use. Eliminates the worry about vibration damage previously mentioned as well as physical damage or theft. I grabbed a Samsung S7 for $30 that works great with Kurviger and Google Maps.

Might want to give some thought to a Helite airbag jacket or vest. Not sure what the drivers and traffic are like there in Iowa, but around here it is pretty bad.
I have been using my Pixel 5 and a fancy "chinese" 5G phone (both at the same time) with the Givi mount (+ a cheap $5 handlebar mount) for 2 years and it's been super perfect...zero issues. The big phone on the Givi runs Waze, the Pixel runs Google Maps. Works really well for my use case (I just cruise the Bulgarian farm/village/seaside backroads).

I have a cheap knockoff Aliexpress charger in my tank bag that can easily charge the 2 phones for 2+ days...both phones have 5g eSIM cards that cost nothing here in BG (we get 600Mbps speeds here...crazyiness..for about 6$/month).
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That's crazy, I didn't comprehend that right initially. I didn't realize that the motorcycle vibrations literally damage the phone. Hmmm.
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Update - picked up the bike Wednesday after work. I had mapped out a ride using Kurviger to take me a long way and avoid busy intersections, highways, and general potential first ride stressful situation. However, I made a pretty critical mistake and didn't look at said route on satellite. The route took me down two pretty long gravel roads I was not prepared for. After the initial anxiety, man am I glad I went with the 310 and not the Ninja 400. The route home took me about 40 minutes with a quick pit stop at a friends house who lives a few blocks away to show him.

Yesterday I had my first "longer" ride. Went 40 miles to the next town and met up with a buddy and we rode around for a couple of hours and then ended our group ride at a bar (we didn't go in) that was about equal distance for each of us to get home. He looked at my dash and giggled, said I had to snag a pic as the timing was too perfect.

Measuring instrument Font Temperature Automotive exterior Auto part


Made it home and was beaming. I felt high, in the best way. I loved it, I love every minute of it. I can't wait to get more comfortable so a bit of the pre ride anxiety goes away.

Tire Wheel Fuel tank Vehicle Automotive tire

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(Disclaimer, not my nasty mattress in our shared underground garage. I coast as far as I can with the engine off so I am not upsetting the people that live above the garage.)

Another side note - the Brake Free helmet light was a solid hit. It's very bright, it engages when you engine brake, and my buddy told me it's brighter than my bike brake light. I would 100% recommend it if you're conscious about being seen at all.
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