U-turn technique

[sharky]

Hello!

Let me tell you about a problem that i have with my kat.
It is not a mechanic problem but a riding one.
Yesterday i was practicing some U-turns with my 93 gsx 600 f.
When i made a right U-turn unfortunetlly i dropt the bike.
I dont know why but when i make the turn on the left side the things are much better and i don't have any problem with the weight of the bike.

Can anybody please tell me if there is a technique when you make a turn on a heavy bike?

[jordanlreese]

I was taught to look where you want to go (and the bike will go there), and to lean the bike into the turn (but not so far that you loose complete balance) and keeb your body staright up. Works for me eveytime, but it takes some practcing. So, practice, practice, practice.

[AKA AllyKat]

Let me tell ya I make at least 4 U turns a day unless I go the long way coming and going I have to to get into my apartments and I still dont like making them. The only good thing on the west end of the island the is a lane wide with a light the east end the island is about a foot with heavy traffic and as soon as I make the u turn ten feet latter i have to make a right.

I agree with jordan lean the bike into the turn keeping your boy weight to the outside to counter the weight of the bike due to slower movement. 2nd gear moving slowly will keep you from having a snappy throttle. use the clutch friction point and throttle to use the engine to your advantage. I think its called gyroscopic forces.

[Skeezix]

Look at pages 11 and 12 of this brochure...

http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/Library_Motorcycle_Operator_Manual.pdf

[AKA AllyKat]

Thanks for the link, I lent out my hardcopy and never got it back.

[KatanaSoldier]

The MSF course will teach this hands on.

[jordanlreese]

Thats where i learned from

[KatanaSoldier]

Thats where i learned from

Boom, me too bro! Sharky, I suggest you grab that course. Usually, you can use their bikes too so you don't have to worry about bruising the Kat!

[reconstyle]

I have to say, I'm a huge fan of the MSF course, but when they stick you on a 150lb yamaha 125 dirt bike to make figure 8's with, it's a little different than the kat...

Same technique, different execution.

Looking with your head AND eyes will help you a lot, and from what I have gathered, for most right handed riders they find making left hand turns more comfortable.

And where are you making right handed U-turns at?

Yea, it's good to practice in case you need to somewhere, but I can't re-call having to make right hand u-turns very often...

[philwecksr]

shift your weight to the outside footpeg and look where you want to go, the weight shift makes a HUGE difference

[AKA AllyKat]

I have to say, I'm a huge fan of the MSF course, but when they stick you on a 150lb yamaha 125 dirt bike to make figure 8's with, it's a little different than the kat...

+1

[KatanaSoldier]

I have to say, I'm a huge fan of the MSF course, but when they stick you on a 150lb yamaha 125 dirt bike to make figure 8's with, it's a little different than the kat...

Same technique, different execution.

Looking with your head AND eyes will help you a lot, and from what I have gathered, for most right handed riders they find making left hand turns more comfortable.

And where are you making right handed U-turns at?

Yea, it's good to practice in case you need to somewhere, but I can't re-call having to make right hand u-turns very often...

True, but think of that bike as training wheels to get you ready for the real deal.

[sharky]

Thank you all for the useful informations

The idea is that I don't refer especially to the U-turns that you need to make on the road and witch you make always on the left.

I mean the situation when you are parked somewhere and you need to turn the bike. In this situation you are on the bike with your legs down not on the pegs.

We can do that maneuver with the engine on or off. When i try to turn the bike using my legs I don't know why but all the weight of the bike seems to go on the side and making me to drop it.

I've read the brochure from Skeezix (witch I thank) and I found that you need to adopt a straight position during that maneuver.

What thing do you think that I should pay more attention when I’ll practice this maneuver?

[sharky]

I've found an article about this maneuver:

U-turns

“If you’re paranoid about slow speed u-turns, you’re not alone. Heavyweight machines can be handful at slow speeds and in tight quarters. The novice technique is to drag the foot-skids, turn the bars to the stop, feather the clutch to creep around, and finally discover that the bike has a larger turning diameter than the width of the road ( usually discovered just as the front tire threatens to bounce off the pavement onto a loose gravel shoulder).

The trick for tight u-turns is being aware that as the bike leans over further, the turn becomes tighter. So, rather than drag your boots on the ground with the bike vertical, what’s needed is for you to lean the bike into a steep angle. The technique is to lift your butt off the saddle, place most of your weight on the outside foot peg, lean the bike w-a-a-a-y over, and keep the engine pulling. It’s okay to slip the clutch if needed to keep the engine from stalling, but squeezing the clutch in a tight turn is usually followed by the sound of a bike hitting the ground. Don’t try to coast around tight turn; you need to keep the engine pulling to balance centrifugal force against gravity. In tight turns, it helps to swivel you head around like a barn owl and look where you want to go.

Staring at the ground three feet ahead of the bike may result in finding yourself on the ground right where you were looking.
If the bike seems to go wider than you want it to, you need to lean over further. Grab those grips and push over. To avoid any confusion over whether you are pulling or pushing on the low grip, imagine pushing both grips towards the turn to lean the bike over further, and pushing both grips away from the turn to keep it from falling over, or straighten it up.

By now, we know this is really counter steering, but at slow speeds you particular machine may give you some strange feedback”

Have you applied this technique?

[Nero]

Practice in a parking lot where you've plenty of room and gradually tighten the turn as you get more comfortable with the maneuver.