Hardest technique to master

[meggi46]

The next step is to start lifting your eyes up a little bit further each time you ride. If you are looking 5 feet in front of the bike, next time try to look 10 feet ahead and see if you notice a difference with your riding and how the bike responds, also see what it does for your confidence.


Misti

 

[meggi46]

problem with hill starts? when I began to ride, I rode to hill and practise for several days. It works. I also practise other skills... It was necessary at first. I also talked with my friends and ask about riding technique and any possible danger at road. It helps

 

[meggi46]

Prior to corner:

1) Assess corner sharpness and set entry speed (and gear) accordingly. All braking should be done prior to entering the corner. You should be holding or ideally increasing your speed from this point onwards. Any further decrease means you entered too fast.

Braking and shifting *before* the corner is more effective and safer since all the traction is available for braking (none wasted on cornering). This approach also frees your mind to concentrate on TURNING while in the corner.

Learn to brake HARD (see Braking). This isn't necessary for normal riding but will give you the confidence to handle the unexpected corner or obstacle.

2) Select your cornering line to "flatten" the curve as much as possible. This means starting on the outside of the curve, swooping across the inside at the curve apex and finishing back on the outside.

If the corners are connected (ie esses) think "straighten" rather than "flatten" and choose your line accordingly. Be particularly careful that your initial line doesn't box you in for a later curve. Generally you pick the line that sets you up best for the *next* corner.

3) Identify your "turn in" point. This is the point where you will actually start making the turn.

Don't start your turn too soon -- Most people panic when they see a tight corner ahead. They know they're going to have to turn faster than their comfort zone allows so begin turning far too soon in order to get a "head start". This moves them to the inside of the turn resulting in a very sharp radius turn at the apex of the corner that they fail to negotiate.

Don't fixate your vision on the "turn in" point. Once you've identified your turn in point relax and look through the corner. Looking through the corner significantly reduces the sensation of speed.

4) Anticipate the "lean angle" you'll need to make the corner.

Make a single turn (minimize changes within the curve). Confident cornering requires the learned ability to predict where your bike will go once you've set the desired lean-angle. Misjudge and you'll have to make a correction. Changes consume traction, suspension and lean-angle. Learn to make one steering input, at the right place, to get through the curve.

8) Keep your eyes on the exit (ie vanishing point) to avoid "target fixation" in the corner and provide maximum time to identify potential changes or hazards developing in the corner.

You go where you're looking. It's been proven time and time again. And the more panic stricken you become the more this is true. Look at the guard rail (or ditch, or oncoming car) and that's what you'll hit !!!

If you get in trouble force yourself to look at the exit of the turn...it's your best chance. You won't know how but you'll probably make it.



Personal Tips and Techniques

 

[deeptekkie]

Hey Ladies,

Just wondering what you each find is the hardest motorcycle riding technique, or part of riding, to master? Does it have to do with cornering, shifting, throttle control, body position? What do you find is a hard technique to get right?

Misti

"Throttle Control", definitely! I canNOT stay anywhere near the posted speed limits! (Never could!)

 

[meggi46]

"Throttle Control", definitely! I canNOT stay anywhere near the posted speed limits! (Never could!)

You wanted to say that You ride too fast?

 

[Misti]

4) Anticipate the "lean angle" you'll need to make the corner.

Make a single turn (minimize changes within the curve). Confident cornering requires the learned ability to predict where your bike will go once you've set the desired lean-angle. Misjudge and you'll have to make a correction. Changes consume traction, suspension and lean-angle. Learn to make one steering input, at the right place, to get through the curve.

This is all good stuff. You make a point here about making a single turn and minimizing corrections mid corner. I absolutely agree with this, however, a lot of riders have difficulty doing so. HOW do you actually get the bike turned confidently enough so that you get to the desired lean angle?

Most of the time riders turn the bike too slowly and have to turn it more and more throughout the remainder of the turn. What prevents them from turning it quickly in the first place? How would you teach a newer rider to turn their bikes quicker?

Cheers!

Misti

 

[meggi46]

I am also beginners with riding. I practise on small bike.
Talking with experienced riders, reading and riding ridnig riding
Maybe if You have a chance join some school to improve Your skills or try to find treners during track days. It is expensive but You are under experienced riders and You are safe away from roads.
Practise makes perfect
I have learnt on my own, because I haven't got my driving licence on bikes already.
I am allowed to ride my Romet without driving licence beacuse it is 50 ccm.
Sometimes I was riding on FZ6 and other bikes which lent me my friend.
I am a passenger on ZX10. My rider is riding on trackday in Brno Circuit. He is very skilled one.
He is turning veeeery quickly. I will aks him to advise the beginners how to do it.
I really enjoy to ride with him... when he takes a turn on the knee and doing wheelie...

 

[Misti]

This is all good stuff. You make a point here about making a single turn and minimizing corrections mid corner. I absolutely agree with this, however, a lot of riders have difficulty doing so. HOW do you actually get the bike turned confidently enough so that you get to the desired lean angle?

Most of the time riders turn the bike too slowly and have to turn it more and more throughout the remainder of the turn. What prevents them from turning it quickly in the first place? How would you teach a newer rider to turn their bikes quicker?

Cheers!

Misti

One thing that I notice a lot of our students do when they turn the bike is they countersteer by pressing down on the bar instead of forward. Because their arms are a bit stiff and straight they end up pressing DOWN (on the right bar to go right) and exerting more force and energy than they needed too. By bending the elbow a little bit and focussing on pressing FORWARD on the bar, the bike will turn a lot quicker with less effort.

Misti

 

[Slater]

cornering is my prob i always feel like i' am slipping i know the bike can take the corner faster dont know if its me or something i need to adjust on the bike
my knowledge of street bikes is small 4k miles in 2 years so would love some tips!

 

[Misti]

cornering is my prob i always feel like i' am slipping i know the bike can take the corner faster dont know if its me or something i need to adjust on the bike
my knowledge of street bikes is small 4k miles in 2 years so would love some tips!

The first thing I think of when you say you feel like you are slipping in the corner is your body position. A lot of newer riders tend to lean their body away from the turn because they are afraid of leaning the bike over too far but this actually makes the situation worse and causes you to use more lean angle than necessary. Using too much lean angle could certainly cause the tires to slip and you to feel like you are sliding around a little bit.

Can you give us some more information about what you are doing EXACTLY with things like the throttle and your body position while cornering?

Cheers,
Misti

 

[Slater]

i think my body position is ok i lean into the corner went for a ride yesterday and a friend was with me he said my shocks are to soft will try to fix this when the rain stops, he said he thinks the slipping i feel is preload of the suspension

 

[msfitnetz]

Sadly, I am working through all the things except being short on my bike.
My biggest problem is putting down the stupid, center stand! I either rock until I almost tip over or cannot get it to go at all. I have watched my son get it on one shot & watched a few online videos but still haven't been able to master this at all.

 

[Coco]

Definitely cornering, although, I have found that with practise, your confidence grows and it gets easier!! :thumbup:

 

[Misti]

i think my body position is ok i lean into the corner went for a ride yesterday and a friend was with me he said my shocks are to soft will try to fix this when the rain stops, he said he thinks the slipping i feel is preload of the suspension

Are you feeling slipping in the front tire or the rear? How can something like your throttle control (how and when you are rolling on the gas) influence the suspension on your bike? Can making adjustments with your throttle control change how stable or unstable your bike feels?

Misti

 

[spine]

I'd like to be able to ride with pillion passenger, but not being able to touch the ground properly with just me on is a problem. God forbid if i had a passenger. i tried when i had my 125cc and we nearly went into the wall. Mind you, it didn't have the power to shift. This does. But i'm afraid i'll drop it.

 

[paper]

This bike has forced me to learn something new (or at least forgotten)..
I'm used to riding bikes with plenty of torque right off of idle.. The FZ isn't that bike.:tard:

This weekend I was out "playing" and I got into a section of road with some pretty tight corners (10mph) and they were also uphill, with reducing radius.

2 times, I got into the middle of the corner, looking way ahead and ready for the bike to follow where I was looking, only to have the bike just go bwaaaaaaaaaaaaa.. I was in a gear too high, and around 3K rpm.. I stomped on the shifter, and the bike rewarded me with acceleration, but my timing had been screwed up and the guy behind me was riding a FJR1300 with no shortage of low end torque..

My other bikes would have all just gone around the corner, gaining controllable speed while doing so.. Not the little Fz'r..

Of course, this just means I'll have to practice more!!:steve:

Too many bikes over too many years with redlines well under 10K will do that..

 

[Kirsty]

I think the VP is the last point you can see in the road ahead/around a corner. You keep looking there when riding. You naturally start riding towards this point. If you look down at the pavement, you end up riding into it. You have to look right through the corners, head up.

I hope I've explained myself properly..

Crystal cleasr to me, and thank you karen, This has been a major "issue" for me, hopefully, I will put your tips into practise tomorrow.

BTW Hi!! I´m Kirsty.. the new girl ;P

 

[cjbrewer]

Stopping and going on inclines and u-turns with out putting my foot down took me forever to master. Just took practice and seat time to master them

 

[Susan]

For me, it's the dumbest thing: sitting straight on my bike. Dh says my rear hangs over the left side of the seat, and my bike leans to the right (a little, not a lot). I can correct it, but then it feels like I'm sitting ****eyed. It doesn't affect my riding as far as I can tell, though.

I wonder if it's from years of carrying kids on my hip. Does anyone else sit funny?

 

[Bren]

Most of the time it looks like I'm holding the bike a little bit off balance. But I haven't checked it from my friends if I'm sitting straight or not and imho it doesn't affect my riding. I should check it next summer though. (Or maybe my mirrors just aren't in line with each other... LOL.)