M is for Motorcycle

[MissDosOcho]

There's a new endorsement on my driver's license now!!! :ecstasy:

Thanks to all for your advice and anecdotes so far. I took and passed the MSF, and rAK was right - it was great! There's a large difference in my skills, and I have a new respect for my gear - especially my boots! It took a second to get used to them, but now I can't imagine riding without them!

Now that I have a different perspective on how I should be riding, I also have a couple of new questions and would like input on the experiences of both the experienced and new riders here.

1. How were you able to become comfortable with leaning your bike into turns? As I became more comfortable practicing pressing and rolling through curves, I felt the bike lean a little more as I picked up speed (well, not MUCH speed. The MSF coach wanted me to speed it up a hair.... :D: ) However, as I felt the bike lean, my first reaction was to resist and straighten up (the lean was a little scary), although I know the bike was just doing its job. Did anyone else have a similar beginning experience?

2. How did you figure out how to use the power band on your bike? While I understand that the gears need to be adjusted to match engine and road speed, I am not sure how to figure out what my RPMs should be in varying situations (straights, curves, coming up a hill, etc).

Are my questions clear as mud? :confused2:

[Follow]

:ecstasy: nice going.

[sweptwingnut]

:wootrock:

Congratulations!!

:cheers:

[ridingAK]

Congratulations!!!

Leaning: Do you ride bicycles? If so, take your bike out and make some hard tight turns on it. You will realize that it leans also, you just don't think about it because a bike is so much lighter and slower. Then, visualize taking your motorcycle through those same type of turns. Just as with athletes in training, if you imagine yourself and your bike turning, and how it feels, it will come much easier when you do it for real.

Power band: Easy answer is trial and error, but listen to the bike. If you are in too high a gear for your speed it will sound like it is struggling. Likewise, if you are in too low a gear, it will sound like you are winding it up too far. Knowing how your bike reacts, will allow you to make the adjustments by sound and feel rather than relying on a gauge.

[Queen]

Congrats!!! :thumbsup:

[Gitana]

Buy a copy of Dave Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling". He does a very good job of explaining turns and general effective riding technique. You'd be amazed at how far over a bike can lean before falling over. Just watch motorcycle racing.

rAK is right - listen to the motor. The more you ride, the more you'll be comfortable with the sounds your bike makes. Generally, don't lag the motor. It's better to over-rev than be underpowered.

Oh, and congratulations!

[Astir]

On a motorcycle, centrifugal force is your friend. However I do have a chant when I am in a corner and nervous. It goes like this.... trust your tires, trust your tires... :lol: Honestly looking through your turn will help you with your leaning. it is VERY important to look where you want to go - never where you don't.

If you are going too slow in too high a gear your bike will lug and not be responsive. It will glug until you get to the right RPM.

If you are going too fast in a gear, your bike will get buzzy and jerky when you apply and roll off the throttle. (well, that probably isn't the best explanation, but it is all I can think of right now.)

With practice, you will discover the 'sweet' spot with your bike and listening and feeling will keep you there. Practicing is half the fun of riding. :wootrock:

Congratulations! :party: The adventure is about to begin!

[asymons412]

Congratulations on your endorsement! :pompom:

For me, trusting my bike's lean came when I began to trust physics. :roflmao: My boyfriend is an engineer, it can't be helped--

Essentially, your bike is more stable (ie. not going to fall) when accelerating through a turn, or just at higher speeds in general [within reason]. Remember that! So, if you start to feel uncomfortable in a turn, just BARELY ease on the throttle (in a controlled manner, of course). You should enter your turn slow enough to continuously accelerate through the turn, just like they taught in the MSF course. If you are accelerating, your bike will not fall over-- just keep repeating that to yourself. And when you accelerate, you'll feel the bike pick up underneath you, so you can push in on the handgrip and achieve your turn comfortably. It'll feel right when it happens-- you can almost feel the bike supporting you through the lean.

If you are going pretty slow, don't forget to counteweight your turn by sitting in on your right hip bone in a left turn, or vice versa. But really, this is only needed in slow maneuvers.

As for the power band, my boyfriend is a big proponent of the ~10mph per gear, but I don't find that so much. :): The best thing to do is just what everyone else is saying-- practice practice practice, and learn the feel of your bike. Astir said it perfectly-- the bike "glugs" when it's too slow for the gear, literally! It's this chuggy stop-and-go movement that threatens to stall out at any given moment. If you're pushing the gear too far, you will also notice a sudden rise in pitch associated with your engine straining. It'll sound panicky, and you'll get the point. :lol:

Hope this helps! Everyone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong-- I'm still a rookie! :w2:

[Luna Tique]

:clapping:Congrats Ms28
:yahoo:Now the fun begins .Practice:riding: Practice:riding: Practice :riding:


I have a new respect for my gear - especially my boots! It took a second to get used to them, but now I can't imagine riding without them!



I am glad to hear you are ATGATT and delighted to read you have adjusted to your riding boots.:pompom: :thumbsup::wootrock:

Buy a copy of Dave Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling". He does a very good job of explaining turns and general effective riding technique.

:pompom:Excellent suggestion Gitana.;):

She has asked to borrow it from our "TWF lending library" it is on it's way to her now.

Another EXCELLENT tool which also is in our lending library is "Ride like a Pro" If my memory is correct I think rAK has it at this time.

Cruisers don't have near the cornering clearance that sportbikes or even standard bikes do So depending on your choice of bike will determine the amount of lean.A Cruiser will be scrapping pegs while the sportbike rider will be dragging a knee.:slaphead:Which is why they race them. :lol:


Power band will also be different on different bikes.
My 250 Ninja's runs best in a higher RPM compared to my KLR which is more mid range.

You will get (as everyone has suggest ) a "feel" for the bike and its engine. Your manual should have guide lines to start with.

When you understand that "Feel" and becoming one with the machine.
It will be exhilerating. :ecstasy:and why we all talk about racking up :riding:(S)miles :D:

[LittleRedRider]

Congratulations! :pompom:

I read everything I can on cornering then try to remember it and apply it when I ride.
I "know" my bike won't fall over, but convincing myself that I'm not about to go splat isn't always easy. :lol:

Remembering to look through the corners to where I want to go has helped tremendously. Two pieces of shared knowledge from members here that I always remind myself of: Look where you want to go. The 10-12 feet in front of you don't make any difference, you're already over them. (Thanks LT!) When you're driving your car, imagine you're making the turn on your bike - look ahead, find your visual reference and make the turn. (Thanks Astir!) Combining those two has really helped me on the bike and in the cage.

Most of all, practice, practice, practice. And, relax, don't over think it. It will come to you.

[Follow]

Alot of great advice. After you gain experience/practice, it will all come naturally you won't even think about it. Personal opinion here: the less you worry about it while riding the more comfortable you will get.:):

[motochica]

Congrats!! :pompom:

Also being a new rider I have the same questions. Thanks everyone for the great info on leaning. I "know" the bike can handle more than I can, but I'm not "feelining" it yet. I have asked, and read, and gone back over the MSF class and came away with the following:

1) turn your head when turning. I found just yesterday that if I turn my head, way over exaggerate, I go much better at the leaning thing and I don't panic as much. It really does just finally click.

2) downshift enough BEFORE the turn so I can accelerate thru the turn. this is a problem when I'm already in 1st gear and feeling like I'm going to fast. So...

3) trust the tires (if you know they are good) and refer back to (1). Astir, I like your chant. I'm going to have to use it next spring.

I'm still not quite there, and I'm hoping that more practice in the spring will help out. And I'm going to find a different route to work that forces me to practice the leans in a turn a lot more.

Anyway...Congrats again and enjoy!

[LiLiBug]

I there is so much great advice already that there is nothing left to say other than CONGRATS and KEEP PRACTICING!

I LOVE NEW RIDERS :ecstasy:

[msyzf2u]

:yahoo::thumbsup::pompom:

[MissDosOcho]

:worthy: You guys are awesome!
Thank you for al of your replies - I appreciate them. :thankyou:

And thanks Motochica and asymons412 for sharing the newbie perspective.:thumbsup: Now I get to work on catching up to yall. :cheers:



3) trust the tires (if you know they are good) and refer back to (1). Astir, I like your chant. I'm going to have to use it next spring.


I love Astir's chant too! I'm going to use it on Saturday. :yahoo:


Leaning: Do you ride bicycles? If so, take your bike out and make some hard tight turns on it. You will realize that it leans also, you just don't think about it because a bike is so much lighter and slower. Then, visualize taking your motorcycle through those same type of turns. Just as with athletes in training, if you imagine yourself and your bike turning, and how it feels, it will come much easier when you do it for real.


rAK - this is awesome advice that I hadn't thought of. I'll be practicing this way before I get on my bike this weekend.




Your manual should have guide lines to start with.

:slaphead: Duhhhhh! I'll take a look at at that. Silly me :D:

[quote=asymons412;97541]
For me, trusting my bike's lean came when I began to trust physics.


Very helpful! I will combine this with Astir's chant! Accelerate properly = shiny side stays up. :smiley:

[kari-star]

congratulations!

about the leaning - it took me a few hundred miles of "seat time" before I really started to get it. I passed the MSF course and really started to ride frequently in June, and it wasn't until a longer trip through some mountains in July (and probably about a thousand miles later) that I really figured it out! it really CLICKED. So don't rush yourself, just get out there and practice as much as you can!

[PattiS]

That looking-where-you-want-to-go thing is AMAZING - it makes all the difference. I had questions, too, about how far you can lean and be safe. Some really great answers here.