Riding technique

[highoctane]

Since I have not ridden in a long time since I bought this bike, I find myself analyzing how ride. As fzer stated in a different thread I have caught myself day dreaming or not paying full attention. I have not had any accidents, but have entered corners wrong or not slowed down quick enough and a few other things.
when I make these mistakes I try to correct them. how do I overcome my mistakes?

 

[BIGpanda]

Focus more on what you are doing, to bad that's easier said than done when riding. 99% of the time I go out to ride so that I can think or just be by myself in my helmet, finding it really hard to focus 100%

I use my bike to get away from everything and reflect on life and deep SHIT like that...... You can't help it though, when you're on the bike and all alone in your helmet you can damn near cure cancer with all the stuff going through your head.

 

[Deleted member 438]

Since I have not ridden in a long time since I bought this bike, I find myself analyzing how ride. As fzer stated in a different thread I have caught myself day dreaming or not paying full attention. I have not had any accidents, but have entered corners wrong or not slowed down quick enough and a few other things.
when I make these mistakes I try to correct them. how do I overcome my mistakes?

Aim high in steering-Just keep your eyes further down the road and you'll always know what's coming up. If you're having a hard time doing just keep repeating it to yourself while you are riding.
Here's the UPS Five Seeing Habits and 10 point commentary---It's all really good stuff for any motorist to use.
1. Aim high in steering
2. Get the big picture
3. Keep your eyes moving
4. Leave yourself an out
5. Make sure they see you

1. Leave one car length in front of you when stopped in traffic
2. Look left right left when going through an intersection
3. Count to 3 before starting up at an intersection
4. 4-6 second following distance when < 30 mph and 6-8 for speeds greater than 30
5. Check your mirrors every 5-8 seconds
6. Scan steering wheels
7. Stale green lights
8. 8-12 second eye lead time
9. Look over your left shoulder when pulling from curb
10. Eye to eye contact

 

[Camo]

Pro tip - Money spent upgrading your bike to go faster is an upgrade that will come and go over time/different bikes.... But money spent on upgrading your skills is an investment for life.
Find some advanced riders courses to do mate.
Until then, get the 'Twist of the Wrist 2" DVD/book. It's a bit corny but the info is top notch.
Keith Code Motorcycle Instructor Leon Camier California Superbike School

 

[Wieb27]

Aim high in steering-Just keep your eyes further down the road and you'll always know what's coming up. If you're having a hard time doing just keep repeating it to yourself while you are riding.
Here's the UPS Five Seeing Habits and 10 point commentary---It's all really good stuff for any motorist to use.
1. Aim high in steering
2. Get the big picture
3. Keep your eyes moving
4. Leave yourself an out
5. Make sure they see you

1. Leave one car length in front of you when stopped in traffic
2. Look left right left when going through an intersection
3. Count to 3 before starting up at an intersection
4. 4-6 second following distance when < 30 mph and 6-8 for speeds greater than 30
5. Check your mirrors every 5-8 seconds
6. Scan steering wheels
7. Stale green lights
8. 8-12 second eye lead time
9. Look over your left shoulder when pulling from curb
10. Eye to eye contact

Great write up. The one thing I would add is to also scan ditches for animals (especially around here it's deer). I guess that sort of falls under "Keep your eyes moving".

 

[hypo]

+1 on the deer watching. :/

I routinely watch my escape paths come and go.

I check my mirrors about every 5 seconds when in traffic to know how far behind me the next bumper is.

On familiar roads its very easy to get complacent, but on strange roads or when I hit the twisties for the first time in a long time (or after a rainstorm) I check it down a notch or two until I've run it once and can familiarize with whats coming around the next corner.

Coming from the military I look at it kind of like doing Inspection Arms with my rifle. you move your eyes to a cadence to check your required site lines every couple of minutes and over time it becomes second nature.

 

[Vapordan]

Here's my experience: I learned to ride in the islands and grew up in a bike mechanic shop. (the roads are only 9 feet wide and there seldom straight passes). These folks would always drill into my head everyday - LEARN TO JUMP! What they meant was, when the accident is upon you, ditch the bike. You just might live to tend to the road rash.

I would always practice lifting off the seat, preparing to jump untill it felt natural (not actually jumping obviously). The reason I'm here today is because I jumped when the 16 year old ran a stop sign. I touched down 40 feet from impact. Imagine the damage if the car had to stop me? In a lot of the motorcycle fatalities I see, I keep wondering what would happen had the rider bailed when the accident was inevitable. Would it make a difference? No one can say for sure, what I can say is I'm ejecting.

 

[ZIA_Zen]

I highly recommend the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Safety Course.

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

I found this course to be invaluable.

 

[highoctane]

I highly recommend the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Safety Course.

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

I found this course to be invaluable.

Thanks, it's all good advise. I have taken this course last year and it was great.
worth every penny. I am confidant in my abilities allthough I feel I make mistakes
such as having traffic slow to halt on the interstate and I didnt react as quickly as I should have, or saying to myself You didnt enter that turn correctly or even not know a car was there. stuff like this drives me nuts.

 

[Vapordan]

It gets better the more you ride. The feeling will come back and the old skills you thought had died will come roaring to life and all the other stuff with it. Takes time to get back in the saddle. I'm finding that out myself. Just came back from riding the twisties, the feel is coming back - not right there yet, but it's coming. Less and less mistakes, smoother changes, better corner lines etc

 

[Hereward]

Thanks, it's all good advise. I have taken this course last year and it was great.
worth every penny. I am confidant in my abilities allthough I feel I make mistakes
such as having traffic slow to halt on the interstate and I didnt react as quickly as I should have, or saying to myself You didnt enter that turn correctly or even not know a car was there. stuff like this drives me nuts.

Personaly if your constantly looking at how you can improve and where your going wrong then thats ideal, it's when you get complacent and over confident that you find yourself in trouble.

 

[DLSGAP]

you'll only learn so much from the MSF courses. more advanced braking, and cornering are best learned at the track.

You're in Utah, look up track days in your area. I know they have them at MMP (miller motorsports park) and if you wanted to spend the cash, the yamaha champions riding school holds class there. But regular track days are more affordable and you'll get the instruction and guidance to make you a more confident rider.

 

[mckshred]

Pro tip - Money spent upgrading your bike to go faster is an upgrade that will come and go over time/different bikes.... But money spent on upgrading your skills is an investment for life.
Find some advanced riders courses to do mate.
Until then, get the 'Twist of the Wrist 2" DVD/book. It's a bit corny but the info is top notch.
Keith Code Motorcycle Instructor Leon Camier California Superbike School

Good call. I agree on the skills improvement approach. If you can't make it to California Super Bike school, check your local MSF for classes, skills improvement articles or social gatherings.

When I started riding street in '81 - I bought my helmet, jacket and the original Twist Of The Wrist book six months before I got my Seca 750.
When I jumped back into motorcycles and got the FZ8 the first thing I did was take an MSF course, second thing I did was order the Twist II dvd.

- another tip to add to the other post -
Instead of watch the steering wheel of other drivers - I do use my 'spidey-sense' to see if the front rims of the vehicles around me change angle. If I see/feel those change I know someone is coming my way pronto!

 

[highoctane]

you'll only learn so much from the MSF courses. more advanced braking, and cornering are best learned at the track.

You're in Utah, look up track days in your area. I know they have them at MMP (miller motorsports park) and if you wanted to spend the cash, the yamaha champions riding school holds class there. But regular track days are more affordable and you'll get the instruction and guidance to make you a more confident rider.

Your Right, Miller motorsports park is world class. been there many times for races. I just cant part with 2500-3000 for a 2-3 day course. track days are
150-200 also a little too steep for me. I didnt know they give you instruction and guidance though. might be worth it.

 

[BunGhoLeo]

The best practise you can do, is figure 8's in a parking lot. Start slow, and big, work your way up to a tight 8 leaning all the way. It's a huge confidence builder, without much risk, and it's free.

It helps to have an experienced rider watching you, making sure your posture is inline with the bike, or shoulders leaned in. Unless your searching for that last 5% there's no need to move your ass off the seat.

A parking lot, if it's clean, is also a good place to practise your panic stops. Be aware, most aren't clean and locking up the front wheel is possible.

 

[DLSGAP]

Your Right, Miller motorsports park is world class. been there many times for races. I just cant part with 2500-3000 for a 2-3 day course. track days are
150-200 also a little too steep for me. I didnt know they give you instruction and guidance though. might be worth it.

Yeah any track day worth going to will offer instructors to help you with body position, braking points, turn in, entry lines, acceleration points, apexes, exit lines etc...IMHO, 150 bucks isn't bad considering you get alternating track time and class room time (usually 20min on track, 40mins in class) from 8am til 5 or 6pm.... times will vary obviously.

Groups will be split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Most require riders to start in the beginner levels and progress up to the others. And often, codura suits are allowed in group 1 so you can avoid the cost of leathers...but most also offer leather rentals as well ... I can recommend a great school if you're ever in Texas, but you should be able to find some in your area on local message boards or get info from dealers near you.

 

[DLSGAP]

Unless your searching for that last 5% there's no need to move your ass off the seat.

I agree but only to an extent.

Moving off of the seat a little and weighting the pegs can help the suspension in a corner because it allows the bike to move more freely underneath the rider. It also alters the center of gravity, allowing the bike to make the same turn with less lean angle ....which keeps you from getting as close to the edge of the tires. "Chicken strips " aren't always a bad thing. Especially in lower traction situations such as wet roads, grooved pavement etc. .. it can help keep a larger, more stable contact patch with the road