I learned I'm getting ****y!

I was buzzing my way home tonight and I ignored the universe's way of telling me to slow down, again. Coming around a corner into a straight I was narrowly able to navigate around a fallen bush. Nothing too terrible to write home about that, but yes, one of those subliminal messages. Slow down.

Nearing the end of the road my dad lives on, I nearly pressed my luck too much and lowsided my baby. A downhill into a sweeping left hander which leads into a sweeping right hander which climbs to the apex and then downhill again into a nearly 90 degree left hand turn. I was having a lil too much fun through the sweepers and as I came to the 90 degree left, I proceeded to shift down for the corner, as usual. I didn't tap the shifter hard enough, and wee, I'm in Neutral! (Clutching and panic breaking without downshifting on my first bike is how I laid her down.) Here I go again! I thought.

Applying the front brake and the rear I tried to slow enough to shift on into 1st w/out fear of locking the rear tire (tsk tsk, slow down!) :spank: Before I could shift I had fished the rear tire 3 times, fairly sure I pulled something in my back, but I managed to keep her up, get shifted, and avoid a nasty ditch.

I learned I gotta keep my head about me no matter how many times I've traveled a road. I really don't want to test my sliders, or my ability to heal.

Be safe out there.

i am glad that you recognize it now, and am glad that you will now hopefully heed the warnings. But to go into Keith Code's theory, don't think of what you did wrong to almost crash, just think of what you can do differently next time. His main theory is that is you focus on the wrong then you will always be taking things from your riding and if you add changes then your riding will grow and mature.

Hmm...yes, addition rather than pulling back to prevent. I like that. Gotta keep myself fundamentally sound, or improve my fundamentals Depends on how you want to view it. Hell, Both!

Don't be shy with that shifter, ESPECIALLY when you are in the 1st/2nd spot! Bang that thing hard every time. IT's a Yammie... it can take it! :thumbup:

Rob said the rest of it best! Read the book he referenced. You will not regret it!

paulinus said:

I was buzzing my way home tonight

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hopefully by buzzing you mean speed wise not alcohol wise

Stay off the rear brake. By using the front only you can steer while braking hard.

Learned this from Reg Pridmore while attending his Class at Infineon Raceway.

Sure wish we had ABS on the 6 in the US.

Actually, front braking should be done in a straight line as much as possible. I'm surprised he gave that advice....
The rear brake can actually set you up for a turn really nice. You just have to be VERY careful with it and make sure you don't step too hard on it in panic.
Using the front brake in a turn can be quite dangerous as it will tranfer weight onto the very small contact patch of the front tire, and can lead to a lowside from the front wheel tucking under.
The best line is the one that will let you brake in a straight line, lightly drag the rear brake to get the 40/60 ideal weight transfer, roll on the throttle through the turn to keep the 40/60 split, and pick up the bike as soon as possible.
If you get in too hot, do not brake. Rather the best approach is to look at your exit (not where you think you might run-off), move your butt off the bike more, and push those bars to get the bike leaned in more. Keep on the throttle! Once you weight the front, you WILL run wide!

This is a very simplified summary of ideal lines in turns. For more detailed info get "Twist of the Wrist 2." Read it, know it, obey it!

Well, first of all, I was just mentioning speed with the buzzing comment. I totally didn't think of that connotation when I typed it out. My sister's boyfriend has loaned me two books I am starting to delve into. The roads were rather damp on the way home this evening, so I behaved myself.

Thank you guys for all the good input

abacall said:

Actually, front braking should be done in a straight line as much as possible. I'm surprised he gave that advice....
The rear brake can actually set you up for a turn really nice. You just have to be VERY careful with it and make sure you don't step too hard on it in panic.
Using the front brake in a turn can be quite dangerous as it will tranfer weight onto the very small contact patch of the front tire, and can lead to a lowside from the front wheel tucking under.
The best line is the one that will let you brake in a straight line, lightly drag the rear brake to get the 40/60 ideal weight transfer, roll on the throttle through the turn to keep the 40/60 split, and pick up the bike as soon as possible.
If you get in too hot, do not brake. Rather the best approach is to look at your exit (not where you think you might run-off), move your butt off the bike more, and push those bars to get the bike leaned in more. Keep on the throttle! Once you weight the front, you WILL run wide!

This is a very simplified summary of ideal lines in turns. For more detailed info get "Twist of the Wrist 2." Read it, know it, obey it!

Click to expand...

This reminds me of what Freddie Spencer said. He was talking about losing the front wheel under braking for a turn on his Honda GP 500 racer and he tried wicking open the throttle which UN-weighted the front tire and allowed him to negotiate the turn instead of losing the front tire and crashing. Imagine the balls to wick the gas on a 500cc Grand Prix bike thats into a crash sequence......

RZ350 Rider