[owace]

a noob crashes into you...

tru story.

[grumpyoldgit]

I think dropping it in the driveway usually happens because newbs aren't used to the weight of the bike, or the bike is not set up to the correct height for them and they are on their tip-toes. Oh, there is also the side-stand in the grass or gravel!

x 2

[motorbiker]

I think dropping it in the driveway usually happens because newbs aren't used to the weight of the bike, or the bike is not set up to the correct height for them and they are on their tip-toes. Oh, there is also the side-stand in the grass or gravel!

x 2

+1 (not used to the weight of the bike)

I dropped it when I was trying to pick up my helmet which fell from the side mirror.
Once almost dropped the bike because the side stand was not fully extended.
Then there was once my scooter's foot peg hit the ground while I was cornering. Off course I did not complete that bend in one shot and then took home a couple bruises.

[Santiago]

I've dropped the Kat a few times, all on slow/sharp turning while on an incline coming out of a stop.

Once I was at the top of the hill at a stop sign. Checked, good to go and started my slow/sharp turn and I guess I had the clutch out too much and not enough throttle cause she stalled out. Okay, started her up, again started the slow/sharp turn, she stalls out again, but between the road dipping down toward the sidewalk and already being at a slight angle from the turn, I lost all centrifical force and boom! She's on her side.

Other time was pretty much the same thing except I wasn't at the top of the hill, I was pulling into a drive way halfway up the hill.

-When you take off from a light or stop, do it while keeping a little pressure on the rear brake to control the speed, it maneuvers better than trying to do it with only the clutch or throttle... and if you drop the cluch for any reason, wet hands or whatever, you'll still control the bike. From a stop, this will make you do very steady slow speed turns at very constant speed.

Of late, I've been careful to not "hold on" to the handlebars and use my stomach to hold myself up. The lighter front end has been a help with both slow turning and fatigue on my hands.

The reason why I make "slow/sharp" turns is because I'm still practicing for any strange events/situations while on the road. In most cases, I didn't have to take them as sharp as I did. The incident at the stop sign happened two days ago and what I was going to do was try is to make my turn a little wider (I've been a little cautious about accidentily giving it too much throttle and making my turn too wide) and give her a little more throttle (while controlling with the clutch) so she won't cut out while I'm in the middle of a turn. After reading the above quote, I considered maybe trying this as well (rear brake), but the only problem is I never have a chance to peg up in these situations because I'm just coming out of the stop and going right into a turn. Maybe the above doesn't apply when on an incline?

So, if you're about to make a slow turn, on an incline, coming out of a stop, are most of you guys pegging up before, during or after the turn is complete?

Other than what I mentioned above, I've got everything down to a science and enjoying the ride. Any advice/instruction would be great as I'd like to get this down as well.

[River]

So, if you're about to make a slow turn, on an incline, coming out of a stop, are most of you guys pegging up before, during or after the turn is complete?

I peg up at the start, ease a little on the middle and kick her up at the end and continue.

[eortizr]

what is the best way to take a slow turn on a hill? I have drop my bike twice trying to do it..

thanks

[grumpyoldgit]

what is the best way to take a slow turn on a hill? I have drop my bike twice trying to do it..

thanks

Don't?

Was on a rideout and we took a wrong turn up a very steep hill, all of a sudden the guy infront decides to turn his bike round halfway up the hill, instant fall. Luckily it was a Hornet so no fairing to damage and he had crash bungs, so only his pride was dented.

The rest of us (after picking him up) rode to the top of the hill and turned around on the flat

[River]

I would either just go to the top of the hill and just go back down, or do a reverse u-turn, safely.

[slamcool]

So, if you're about to make a slow turn, on an incline, coming out of a stop, are most of you guys pegging up before, during or after the turn is complete?

Other than what I mentioned above, I've got everything down to a science and enjoying the ride. Any advice/instruction would be great as I'd like to get this down as well.

Sorry I forgot to mention your very good point here, the actual way to start it...

Yes this will work on incline or not given you follow this procedure:

When youre at the stop and ready to go, you first peg up your right leg and push the rear break and then release the front break in way that will keep your brake light always on. That makes sure your bike will stay still even if youre in an incline situation as well as making sure you dont send the wrong signal to the guy behind you... Right then, you reach your clutch friction point (then engine changes it's tone a bit) and start to release the rear brake a bit. The clutch friction point will keep your bike steady and you wont go backward so don't worry. NO THROTTLE is involved here, don't worry you can keep your bike totally still with just the clutch alone if you wanted to... Let's get back to it. So you are holding a rear brake pressure and at the clutch friction point: Then you do the usual clutch/throttle move and the forward motion will start. During the whole procedure of your sharp/slow turn, you keep the rear break on so that it offers constant resistance. You release it completely only when you completed your maneuver.

My teacher was really good and I thank him for his training... It was worth my money. I show this to my friends that did not take the class and they really saw the difference too.

With this, you can turnaround in a very short radius very slowly and at constant speed. Keep your body upright the whole time to help counter balance because you do lack of centrifugal force at very slow speed. Only the bike leans a bit, not you. If you lean with the bike like you were at higher speed, you will both fall on that side...

Never use the front brake at anytime, front brake and slow speed turning are not compatible.

Practice this and you will be able to do whatever you want at very slow speed. I have done my share of pratice with that to the point when I did my test for my license, the evaluator as given me 10/10 for that control point.

I could turn around 360 on both sides in a fully constant speed and do the other slow speed stuff very easily.

This will give you a lot of control.

Oh, and peg up your other leg when you began moving forward, it's way more helpfull when squeezing your tank between your legs to help control it's leaning angle than to have a leg just hanging nowere... Don't worry if you lean too far, you leg will peg down on it's own before you can order your brain to do it... you body will naturally do the right thing.

So yes, you peg up before turning and maneuvering your bike.

I hope you will appreciate this fully and feel a total improvement.
Cheers

[Santiago]

Slamcool - Thanks for the tip - much appreciated. I should be able to get some riding in today so I'll give that a try.

Thanks to all who wrote in.

[katana28]

1st time i dropped my bike, i didnt set my feet flat on the ground, bike went down....2nd time, tried to park my bike outside my garage and stand wasnt all the way out, when i tried to put bike on the stand it went back in and the bike down...both times i had a hold of my bike and just put it down gently, no big damage was done to the bike....

[River]

I had a near miss last week. I was making a quick exit to beat the traffic because I just wanted to get home.

Was braking, making a right turn and the bike just locked up - the right side was going down and 1/2 way down, I was just screaming in my helmet "Noooooooo, you're NOT going down!" and by sheer terror and brute force, just righted the bike back up while still standing astride.

[katana28]

I had a near miss last week. I was making a quick exit to beat the traffic because I just wanted to get home.

Was braking, making a right turn and the bike just locked up - the right side was going down and 1/2 way down, I was just screaming in my helmet "Noooooooo, you're NOT going down!" and by sheer terror and brute force, just righted the bike back up while still standing astride.

LOL...lucky you...if people could only hear what we all say while wearing the helmet...i've cursed people out, i sing, and talk to myself...i might be going crazy, but its fun!!

[Imagin]

Both of my drops happened when i was going about 5mph and i looked down or down and back. Went exactly where i looked. First time happened cuz i got pissed at a turn and looked down (i was still new to riding) second one i had to look down and back at the group cuz everyone missed the turn but 1 guy, and i was just offbalance. Both times it was a light drop, both times it was too far off balance to pull it back by strenght alone....

A majority drop them because of inexperiance. They either react in the wrong manner, or try to bite off more than they can chew to impress friends.

MANY squids are overly cocky about their abilities. They get lucky a few times and think they can ride hard, when they cant.

Theres the sometimes you hit the gravel and loose it or some other mistep happens and the bike reacts crazy. Happens to even the most experianced guys. But push come to shove, most noobs crash because they simply push to hard, too soon.

Also most new riders dont take the MSF. They just listen to friends or get on the bike and learn on the way.

[katana28]

i still havent taken the course myself yet (im scheduled for september 20th, and i've been riding for a while now), but the course that i was going to take last month, i cancelled cause i heard that in that particular school, the riding classes werent that good, sometimes riders wouldnt be able to go past 2nd gear because of the space they were taken to when taking that part of the course....i do believe that the course does help, but in like any other activity (like learning how to drive a car), experience and time is the best way to learn...i now look back to when i was learning to drive a car, and i cant believe the things that i used to do...12 years later i feel comfortable with what i know driving my car, but im sure that 10 years down the road i'll look back and think the same thing, what the hell was i thinking then...im not saying dont take the course, DO TAKE IT, but the course will NOT prevent you from dropping your bike, or having an accident, if anything, it will make you aware of the things that may happen while riding...lets just keep riding safe and lets be careful with the crazy people out there...[/quote]