|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007 Dear
VTwin Mama, I hold on so tight to the grips that my hands and arms ache within about 30 minutes. Even when I stop to take a break, once I have started the aching, I can't go on much longer. I am really concerned about taking the course next month . . . if I can't get through a half hour, how am I going to last for 3 1/2 days? Do you have any suggestions? By the way, I love your site and the message board. I check in daily. Thanks for the wonderful site. – Sharon H. Dear
Sharon, First, a continuous death grip could simply be that the hand controls are not exactly in the right position for you. So, sit on your bike, with the bike centered. Close your eyes and then lift your arms and hands into a comfortable position in front of you . . . your back should be straight, your shoulders relaxed (have someone hold the bike if you're concerned about balance . . . they can do this at the back end). Now, open your eyes. How close are those hand controls? It's possible you just need to loosen the clamps on the handlebar (you'll see them near the center) and rotate that bar down just a nudge. It's also possible that that's ok, but the clutch lever and front brake lever are riding a bit high on the bar. Those can be loosened and twisted just a bit downward as well. If you find you have to reach for the bar (shifting your body position), a pullback riser is the key . . . it'll bring that whole assembly back a bit . . . doesn't have to be much . . . check with your local dealer for those. One other clue is to then put your hands on the controls and look at your wrists. Are your wrists significantly arched up or shoved down? Straight wrists or a slight downward angle is better. Arched high to curve to the levers will almost always tighten up those shoulders and introduce a death grip IMHO. Now, if you feel the set-up is in fact ok for you, then we're on to the mental angle. For some reason you're not trusting yourself and the motorcycle yet. That's ok . . . it means you're in the learning phase of your adventure. Still, what to do?! My suggestion is to take a simple maneuver like a straight line stop/start in your safe practice area. Do it a couple of times, concentrating on how your body feels. Now, continue trying it, working on relaxing your grip. You'll know when you're doing better but I'd simply like to add that the motorcycle will actually ride better when the front end is given it's wiggle room (and is very important when we encounter loose dirt or gravel). If you have a sort of front end/handlebar wobble when you take off in first gear and a more relaxed grip (or even in the death grip), this could be an indication that you're not picking up your feet correctly. Both feet should come off the ground together to the pegs. If you lift and place one and then the other, there is a slight imbalance in the overall body positioning, which translates to the front end/handlebar. Sure, you'll see experienced riders do, but I can guarantee you that is because they know how to compensate in the saddle for the shift. I myself always pick up my feet evenly . . . you really can negotiate a tight turn from a dead stop much more smoothly and in control! Ok, off you go to give my suggestions some thought and continue your practice sessions. YOU CAN DO IT! – Mama Hi
VTwin Mama, Anyway, my question today is why am I dropping the bike? I find that if I can relax and don't have to worry about the bike in front of me going two miles an hour, I can do the exercises well or fairly well depending, including the quick stop. However, when I go to tee up the bike or just a plain-jane straight stop, I frequently drop the bike, again, no reaction from the instructor other than "You might not want to do that again." It's just a little 250. I just got a Virago 535, but it needs to be lowered a bit before I can really practice. My goal is custom chopper by the time I'm 40 (I'm 35). I was going to get the Johnny Pag 250 Spyder to start but my husband thought it wouldn't have enough power. Right now, my confidence is shaken. I feel like I can't even stop a 250. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. – SpiderWoman Dear
SpiderWoman, So, trust that the pavement is still beneath you (you know it's there!) and keep both head AND eyes looking forward, always line your front wheel straight forward (chin level with the horizon), and then the front brake can be used successfully (by itself or in combo with a light application of the rear brake). If you're not sure where your body and bike parts are, have your husband watch your stop/start drills for those specific things. He can easily yell little catch phrases to clue you in, like "head up" or "wheel straight." That will train you out of the small, but cumulative mistakes being made. When doing those slow turns, it's slightly different . . . head and eyes need to fully look through the turn (not just the half way point, or that's where you'll end up), your wheel is turned, but now you only want to use the clutch's friction zone and back brake to control speed and movement. Front brake application on a turn will pull you down (it's just a general handling characteristic of motorcycles and common to them all). Want to go down faster? Look down at the pavement on top of it. These can be difficult little things to straighten out, but it's imperative you do to get those basic skills under control. YOU CAN DO IT . . . you just need a little practice! – Mama Monday, May 14 For SpiderWoman who is dropping her bike at stops: I did the same thing, unfortunately one of those times was when I was taking the test. After talking to the instructor I found that although I was starting the stop straight, as I was pulling the forward brake in I was also pushing to the left, and ending the stop in a very unbalanced manner. He suggested I concentrate only engaging my hand when using the front brake. I also found, through some advice on this site (which I love), that when I feel a little wobbly in my stops I put a little more pressure on the rear brake and I straighten right out. Stay safe, – Lisa (note from Mama: thank you for sharing your first-hand experience and what you learned!) While I managed to keep my bike up when I took the Intermediate MSF course (my first ever since they didn't exist when I started riding) the curves exercises & stopping on the lines were hideous for me. I know the other riders & the instructors are convinced I'm a menace on the road but that class was the ONLY time that's ever happened to me. Why? Because I was looking at the pavement trying to see where the curve lines were painted. Where the 'stop' line was painted. Real riding isn't like that - looking through a real curve doesn't give you a vision of another exercise's painted lines. Don't misunderstand - I recommend the class for everyone about every 5 years as a 'reminder' but wow, SpiderWoman, I do understand! – Jem (note from Mama: yup, looking down can horrible consequences . . . if you have to . . . do so with your eyes only and then quick glances . . . never move your head!) Dear Mama, When coming to a stop, what is your best opinion regarding down shifting? Let me try to clarify my question a little better. When coming to a stop do you find it better to 1. pull in the clutch and down shift through each gear independently, coordinating the gear with speed. 2. pull in the clutch and downshift quickly through all the gears to 1st or 2nd around 20 mph. or 3. Come to a complete stop and then downshift into 1st. When I do this I seem to have a hard time making it down to 1st gear smoothly; the bike seems to want to get 'stuck' in another gear, even neutral. Okay, time for the 2nd question. Sometimes when I am completely stopped, say just starting out, I have a problem shifting from neutral into 1st. I have to physically roll the bike a few inches ahead in order for the shifter to engage into 1st. Should this be happening or should shifting between 1st and neutral be smoother? Hope everyone has a wonderful summer and happy ridings!!! : p – Cynthia Dear
Cynthia, So, I approach at cruising speed that matches traffic flow and bring my speed down by using gentle brakes, click down to second and use that gear to bring me to the stop and then pull in the clutch lever and brakes for the last few feet, and when stopped or just before, click down to first to be at the ready if I need to pull out quickly . . . this is probably closest to your scenario number 2. I'm not advocate of scenario number 3 as clicking down in gears gives you extra braking power, especially when something in front of you stops in a shorter distance than originally anticipated. Yes, some motorcycles can be a bear to go into first at a dead stop . . . it's not completely unheard of. The rolling motion you note is indeed the correct action to take and if you really see a pack of riders at a stop, you'll see some rocking motion. No one really considers it odd . . . it's just a factor of certain bikes (mine always does it when I first fire up my bike and want to shift to 1st . . . thereafter I don't have the problem). Nothing to jazz about unless it gets worse (harder and harder to do that shift) . . . then it's possible you've got a bent shift lever shaft, which needs to be looked at. – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear
Amy, I did once ride a friend's motorcycle that had a gear indicator and that was a very interesting experience . . . I actually found myself looking more at the indicator than relying on my knowledge of engine sounds. I have to admit it sometimes came in handy though! I'm not sure if such a gizmo can be added to a motorcycle after the fact . . . it seems the "reporting" portion of the gizmo would have to be in the transmission somehow. For a 750cc motorcycle, you might want to consider adding a hypercharger (big air) kit. It will require rejetting the carb so that the correct balance of air and gas are fed through, but what it will do is extend your power range at the top end. It might not alter your 5th gear reach attempt, but it would maybe lessen the desire to seek another gear! – Mama Wednesday, May 23 From Amy who wants to click into another top gear that isn't there: The Aero 750 has 5 gears. And yes in top gear you'll be looking for another, the rpm's do wind up. That's just their nature. But it has plenty of PEP. I've had mine for 3 yrs, and I still catch myself looking for another gear. It won't hurt trying to shift again, sometimes it's the only way to know your in 5th. – Jen (note from Mama: I'm guessing Amy was referring to the four "up" gears, but it could be that older models only had four, but what do I know?!?!?! Meanwhile, thanks for sharing your own observations!) Dear VTwin
Mama, Dear
Bueller, Have you ever noticed that there are some people who, upon taking on any kind of new challenge, always triumph rather easily? Is your husband in that category? That could explain why he is anxious for you to get past the beginning practice sessions. Or, it could be that he simply wants so much for you to achieve your dream of being a confident and safe rider that he agonizes after each oopsie. It could be that he is harboring unspoken thoughts about whether you are really cut out to be a rider (but would never say so because it understands it is your adventure!). My top advice for bringing the two of you in synch on this, so that you can proceed at your own pace, is to take out a sheet of paper and outline practice sessions. What do you wish to practice in each session, what will the next session add, etc. That way the battleplan shows planned progress. Although it sounds silly, there's nothing like a support person placing a gold star on that paper when you've achieved the goal! I once taught a gal on her Buell Blast and noted that that first gear is a humdinger . . . it REALLY wants to go! And quickly! The clue: give the bike a bit of steady gas, then slowly let the clutch out partially and when the bike begins moving forward, duck walk with it. That helps you learn the control of the clutch, as you can ease it in and out to control the forward motion, given the steady amount of gas. If the bike chatters a bit, that means you simply don't have enough steady throttle applied. Duckwalk, duckwalk, duckwalk. Up and down until you are good and sick of it. If anything will give you a measure of clutch feel, this is it! Then you can do this, but let the clutch out fully and pick up your feet evenly and then do a controlled stop. Etc. Sounds kinda babyish? NOT SO! In the words of every road warrior out there, do what you have to do to learn . . . and never ever judge yourself against what someone else could do, would do, might do, or has done . . . that's just not the point! – Mama Wednesday, June 13 Dear VTwin
Mama, I passed the MSF beginner's coarse 2 years ago and after that purchased a Virago 700. The bike felt big and I was very intimidated especially after I dropped it, so I sold it. I got a Honda Shadow 600 last year and rode it some but after I dropped it once I never really got the nerve to get out and ride it again. This year after some major changes in my life, I decided that I love everything about motorcycle riding, the feel, the smell of the exhaust, and the thrill of it all and I am going to do what it takes to learn to ride so that I can get out and do what I enjoy. I have been practicing on my skills but was a bit discouraged because I felt I was not make progress fast enough until I came across your website. In reading the post here I now realize that I am not alone. I have many cycle sisters who have had the same experiences I have when learning to ride. This has been such an encouragement along with your advice postings. I have taken many of your tips and have started working on them one by one. It has really helped me focus on my area of practice. Last night I noticed that I had a tough time taking off without killing the engine. I had adjusted the clutch handle to make the reach a little closer but believe it made the clutching worse so I have readjusted it back. In the mean time I did do some duckwalking in the driveway to get the feel but I think I need to do more practice on it today. Thanks you so much for the work and dedication you give this site! It has been a great source of help and encouragement to me. One day I will achieve my dream and ride the mountains!! – Mayrie Dear
Mayrie, Good . . . you're going to go back to some beginning practice concepts and master them . . . and then add small challenges each practice session. That's the way to do it, and remember, we all learn at our OWN pace, so honor that! I like the idea of building in rewards for each step mastered . . . even if it's just dancing a private little jig in your living room and grinning hugely! If you haven't found the VTwin Mama Message Board yet, consider taking a look. You can view all the current posts, but will need to register to participate . . . it's truly individual hugs all the way around and another way to celebrate the little things and address concerns. Currently there about 360 registered members standing by to assist and encourage! – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, My story and question: My husband and I have been riding for about 20+yrs now. I’ve always been the back seat. When we first started riding he encouraged me to get my licence, which I did thru the Canadian rider training courses. Then went out and promptly dropped his bike (1983 Honda 750 Nighthawk). Twice! So needless to say that was the end of my driving 17yrs ago. UNTIL NOW! When the weather started to turn nice here in Toronto, the bikes started to come out. I thought to my self . . . I want to do that. Well what’s stopping you was the question. I don’t own a bike. So go get one was the answer! So with my 40th birthday looming on the horizon. That’s what I chose to do. Buy my very fist bike! The hunt was on. I re-took the training course. After trying all the different sizes and makes, reading 100s of reviews on bikes, this is when I found this site. I found a perfect little Cherry red Kawasaki Vulcan 800. It’s the right size and weight for me. No stretching to reach the bars, no worries about touching the ground flat footed. I’m 5’8” & 175lbs. It was also new, so there are no mechanical worries. We picked it up 2 wks ago, nearly 20 miles away from home. I told my hubby, you get it out of the city (big fear of starts and stops and cars) and I will ride it home on the country roads. Just outside the city we switched. Well I tell you, I’ve never been so scared in my life! From running around a closed course on the training program with a bike ½ the size, to running up the highways to home. Every truck, every corner, every wiggle, I was self talking my way thru them. Ya know, it works! I had never driven above 3nd gear before this. I fell right back onto my training. I cannot stress how IMPORTANT those bike courses are! I didn’t have any problems, I shook like a leaf when I got home. But boy was I PROUD! Drove my bike own right up to my own front door! He said he was impressed, wasn’t sure that I would be able to do it, because of my lack of experience. Boy my hat is off to you ladies. I had no idea of the work required to actually drive a bike!!! It always looked so easy! It’s tough, hard work, getting buffeted by the wind, having to make all those decisions about where you are on the road, cornering, traffic. WOW! But it’s rewarding! The next day I told him that I didn’t want to do that again. I would like to practice my turns, braking, starting and low speed maneuvers (all the stuff you are taught in the training) at the local factories. That’s when all the troubles began. Riding is easy part, controlling the bike at low speeds is hard ! The first night I stalled it in the middle of a right hand turn. Bikes take naps! I had read you ladies talking about it, but didn’t believe you. I was wrong! I think mine might have factory built in Narcolepsy! It likes to fall down a lot! So I caught it on it’s way down, and luckily didn’t drop it. The next night we were out, I had purchased new boots. They got stuck between the shifter and the peg. I couldn’t get my foot out when I stopped. So I just gracefully fell over. Bike and all. Luckily I was at a dead stop at the time, didn’t even mark up my jacket. Just bruised up an elbow, hip and knee. Only damage to the bike was a scratch on the clutch lever. Got right back up (swore a lot) and kept trying! I came home, read you site, got some comfort from the fact that I’m not alone in this. And just kept persevering! Changed back into my sneakers, I can flatfoot the bike and support it during nap time. Until I find some “proper” footwear, (scared about my ankles, more scared about riding in unsafe footwear). The next night we went to the local town and road around. I felt a lot more confident about starts and stops since all the practice (till not happy on hills, but that will come). I only didn’t make one left hand turn, had to pull over at the edge of the road and re-group. Afterwards, I was mulling it over, I heard your riders words in my head. Watch were you want to be, not where you are. You have to look into the turn, not at the road. Soon as I remembered those words, I realized what I did wrong on that corner. That’s been a MAJOR help to me. Last night we went out for my first “real” ride. There was a gathering at a local diner and some of our friends would be there. So we hopped on the bikes and the first turn onto a main road. I almost blew it! Until I heard those words, turned my head, looked down the road not at it and saved the turn. My husband said I was a star! He was sooo proud when we got there, said I rode like a champ! So did the others. I’m ready to take on the world according to him. But I keep remembering everything I’ve read here, and I’m gonna ride my ride, at my pace. It really makes a difference! I like having him in my mirrors, it keeps the traffic back and I set the pace of the ride, not him. I also like having him along . . . I know he can pick up my bike easily if it decides to take another nap! Ha ha! I only still have one main issue that I’m dealing with. I hope your readers can help me with it. When I start getting my bike up to speed 50+mph it starts to wobble. It’s scary, but not uncontrollable. As my hubby has 100lbs on me, it doesn’t do it for him. It starts to feel “loose” on the road, kinda like riding on the black lines that they make when they repair the cracks in the roads. Everyone is telling me that it’s me getting the jitters, but I’m not sure. I feel it happening without knowing the speed, when I look down, I’m usually starting to push it past 50. I want to make sure it’s not a problem with the bike, everyone I know is bigger and so they will have the same result as my husband. I need to hear from the “lighter” riders, if they have ever experienced that kind of feeling on their bikes. As I have no experience to call upon, I ask for the experience of the riders here. Everyone (all men and seasoned riders) say that it will get better with time, the bike as it gets more miles on it, and the driver too! Tonight were going to the mechanics to get a windshield installed. They tell me that will help with the wobble. It will certainly help stop the bugs that hit you in the head! Honey got a big June bug (a hard, ½” long flying beetle) right in the forehead the other night (you should see the welt). I could hear him cursing from my bike! The mechanic is in the next big town over . . . yikes . . . hills, stoplights, and traffic! If you hear muttering tonight, it’s just me talking my way thru all these new experiences. Wish me luck ! Thanks for all the great advice, and support. We can all learn more from other people experiences. Just trust in yourself, and ride at whatever pace is comfortable to you. It’s not a race, it’s a journey of learning and experiences. Well that’s my beginning 129 miles and counting! – Kawa-Suzie, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada Dear
Kawa-Suzie, Given that the motorcycle is new, and your husband isn't feeling the wobble at 50mph and above, it seems that it's something about your riding. Given that you've just recently gone above 3rd gear, I'm wondering if you have the dreaded "death grip" on the handlebar. This is a natural reaction for new riders who begin riding at higher speeds. They hold onto the handlebar ends so tightly that the front end is virtually "locked" into a straight-on heading. What it also does is keep the motorcycle's front end and wheel from traversing the variations in the road surface naturally. The next time you go out, check if you're tightening up your hands/body as the higher speeds approach. Then relax your grip. The "extra" grip could also be a reaction to more air passing over your body, so a windshield will help that. There are also other weird little subconscious things that can play a role, like riding cloths that are not fitted (if they flap, the noise adds to a feeling of wind and even that you're not as stable because of clothing tugs). Even a slightly loose fitting helmet can add to the drama. I started on a Kawi 750 and was about 150 lbs at the time and I don't recall ever having a wobble feeling at higher speeds. The same with a Honda Shadow 750. I want to add a word of caution about that windshield . . . it does change the feeling of the whole front end, especially in the slow moves, so definitely get back to an empty parking lot and do drills again! – Mama From Kawi-Suzie who is new and has a front end wobble happening at higher speeds: WOW! Thanks for the mighty fine advice, I think you might have hit the nail on the head. I do get buffeted by the wind pretty hard, so I do feel as if I have to hang on tighter. I had heard another rider refer to it as being a giant sail, I do have that feeling. Sounds like I have some homework to do the next time I'm out. I also have a "slightly" large helmet, anything smaller seems to 'swish' my brain. I can't seem to find one small enough to fit properly. It wasn't an issue as a passenger, but I do feel it getting tugged at by the wind. Any suggestions? I've tried several places up here to get one to fit. They have even ordered me in some, they were too big. The best fit so far has been the one that I own. As for clothes, plain old Jeans and a leather riding jacket -done up - Not a lot of excess there, just flap at the bottom of my pants (shin area). How do you stop that? I told hubby & mechanic what you answers were, they were impressed and would have never thought of it was their answer. Again, I must say. You're amazing. I think you have solved all my problems in one single bound! I love this site, there's so much experience to draw from. – Kawi-Suzie (note from Mama: I'm glad I was able to lend some insights! I wouldn't worry about flapping at the pants ends unless it's bothering you. Some people like to use boot clips . . . you clip one end on the jeans, it goes under your boot heel and then clips to the other side. As to the helmet, yes, it's true, they all fit differently. Since your current helmet is very close to a perfect fit, you might simply want to add a headscarf or sweatband if air is entering at the top of the helmet . . . it will "seal" this area better! The versatile Buff is a choice many love for its versatility.) Friday, July 27 Hey Petra, Right now I usually hold in the clutch and downshift 1 gear at a time until I reach the stop sign. I've been told that this is hard on the transmission. But I just feel it's a lot of work to downshift, while letting the clutch out 1 gear at a time. Plus sometimes you don't have the space or time to click through 3 or 4 gears a time . Would the same procedures make sense in a curve as well? For example, when I approach a curve, I do all of my braking before the curve. Then I downshift before the curve and usually hold the clutch in and then SLOWLY release the clutch as I roll on the throttle through the curve. Am I doing the right thing ? Any suggestions would be great ! Being a Newbie, I don't want to start out developing a lot of bad habits.. Thanks again, as always – Nancy from Michigan Dear
Nancy, When there is no traffic in front of me in a straight line, I usually front brake my speed down, click into 3rd, let the clutch out in the speed proper range and leg it in on 3rd until I'm close and then coast in, making the final click to 1st gear so I stop in 1st gear ready to go "just in case." If you click and engine brake down in each gear it's not only extra work on the bike, it's a lot of work for you and really not necessary! But it does take practice for that smooth look and proper control at all times. If there is traffic I'm moving with, that usually means I'm bleeding off speed by downshifting a gear at a time with a bit of front brake for the proper speed range and leg it in on 2nd gear (just in case I need to power up) and then coast in and click into 1st at the stop. Do not completely dismiss the engine braking power however. Should something catch you unawares or require quick action, engine braking is a powerful tool to quickly bleeding off speed. My thought is that if you feel you would need to grab maximum front and rear brake, and even then, it might not be enough, or you might be jamming hard on the brakes, immediately use engine braking with light brake application (front if you're in a straight line, rear if you're in any kind of a curve). In a bad situation, each downshift and clutch release can be done in rapid succession. You don't even need to fully let that clutch lever out, just enough to engage the tranny for the braking power, then pull the lever in, gear down, let out, etc. One should always "set" the motorcycle up properly for entering a curve. You've described it correctly. I'll simply add that should you find yourself with a bit of extra speed, it's ok to bump it down but only by using the rear brake and then very lightly (a tapping action). Downshifting while in a curve is really not a great idea, although I find upshifting proves to be just fine. My thought is that downshifting may accidentally jerk the bike when the clutch lever is released (engaged) and could cause a rear slide out. And remember our recent discussion about entering a curve in the correct portion of the lane. You should start your curve in the outer side of the curve (so left side of the lane for a right curve, right side of the lane for a left curve). Middle portion is better than the total wrong side. That gives you wiggle room as you negotiate the curve, remembering to look through the curve to where you want to end up! You're doing fine but I'm glad you asked as this is how we learn! – Mama Tuesday, July 31 For Trying To Live The Dream and touchy throttle issues: I, too, had major throttle issues when I was first learning to ride. That darn bike was always taking off on me, particularly as I was reaching for the front brake to make a stop. My bike would shoot off like it had a mind of its own. I'd panic and forget to pull in the clutch, and then end up having to do this really sloppy, quick clutch-brake thing at the last second. Fortunately, I did most of this in my course – one time, right into a curb in the parking lot – but it led to my having overall fears of the throttle even when I got out on the road. By then, I found myself constantly stalling as I was taking off from stops. I would panic about the bike just taking off if I gave it too much throttle (particularly if there were cars ahead of me) and would pop the clutch. One thing that helped me to stop rolling on the throttle when I was coming to a stop was to correct my hand position. What was happening was that my wrist would come up too high as I was reaching for the front brake. Then, as I squeezed the brake, my hand would roll back, grazing over the throttle at the same time. Once I learned to keep my wrist lower, I stopped having that problem. I conquered the second part (popping the clutch when taking off from stops) by really focusing on my clutch control and working with the friction zone. My husband really worked with me to not worry about giving it too much throttle – in fact, he said I often wasn't giving it enough – because I could always pull in the clutch if I started shooting off too fast. It's just a matter of practice until it becomes smoother. You'll get the hang of it soon enough! – Vikki (note from Mama: oops, I forgot how to mention that possible wrist position affect; thanks for sharing how it made a difference for you!) Dear VTwin Mama, He is now riding all over and I am still having to battle with trying to control it. Just when I am beginning to feel comfortable starting and stopping, the bike acts like it is possessed and wants to take off on me and when I try to slow it down it stalls. I am becoming very frustrated because I never drove stick before and I feel like I will break the bike because I am doing something wrong. Help!!!! – Sandy P. Dear
Sandy, There's no doubt that coordinating the five controls (clutch, shift, throttle, front brake, and back brake) takes practice. Stalling and throttle rocketing is not going to break the bike, but it's slowly eroding your confidence. Time to take a step back! If you're doing ok at some moments and then going out of control at others, some basic concepts are not yet fully settled in your brain of how they work. Let's review and practice together! Start up the bike in neutral. Once its warmed up, rev that throttle a bit and get a feel for how quickly it reacts and the "noise" of it all. Notice that no matter how much you rev the throttle you are not going anywhere. The clutch lever is your friend! It engages power (letting out the lever) and disengages power (pulling in the lever). No matter what gear you are in and no matter how much you are accidentally gunning the throttle, if you pull in the clutch lever, you disengage the power. So, with the bike running, pull in the clutch lever and rev the throttle. Are you going anywhere? No! Now, with the clutch lever pulled in, shift into first but keep the clutch lever pulled in and rev the throttle. Are you going anywhere? No! What have we learned? That if the bike is in neutral or the clutch lever is pulled in, the bike is not going anywhere. So if you find yourself giving too much gas and you panic, the first thing you can do is to PULL IN THE CLUTCH LEVER. Between the fully engaged and fully disengaged position of the clutch lever is the friction zone. This is the exact point of engagement/disengagement. It's a small sector of the lever control, but with very small movements, you can "slip" into and out of the engagement point. Drill: pull in the clutch lever, shift into first. Give the bike a bit of steady gas and then slowly let out the clutch lever, just to the point where you feel that forward movement. Then practice the fine art of slipping between engage and disengage. If the bike chatters, shudders, or wants to stall .... you do not have enough steady gas (throttle) applied. Practice this balance between friction zone clutch and throttle until you are really good and sick of it! I consider 2 hours of practice (not all at once!) a minimum. Get to the know the friction zone and how the throttle works with it and make it your friend! Now, print out this response, get that trike to a big empty parking lot, and step by step, as outlined here, practice these very basic concepts until your brain gets it; that's the key ... you are not only training your physical coordination, but you are training your brain! In these slow move drills, I'm not worried about brake control because you've given yourself plenty of room (right?!) and the weight of the beastie will stop you quick enough. Practice, practice, practice. These are NOT baby steps, these are drills designed to give you a chance to fully understand the controls on your trike. To ride with confidence is to learn every nuance of the controls. Now get out there and do it! I'm betting I'll get a letter from you in the next few weeks saying, "I DID IT, I'VE GOT IT, I GET IT, I CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH MY PRACTICE." A picture with the trike and you and hubby dearest smiling from ear to ear would be nice! – Mama Monday, September 3 Hello again, On my Ninja, if I'm riding it hard, the tachometer seems to do weird things. The tach goes up to 15,000; redline starts at 13,000. As soon as the needle passes 14,000rpm, it suddenly jumps down to about 6 or 7,000rpm. Why does it do this? At first I thought that maybe there was some sort of system in place to limit the revs when it starts getting dangerous to the engine, but then I realized that if the engine really had jumped to have the speed in less than a second, I definitely would not have still been on top of it without a slipper clutch or something. So, I figure it's just the tachometer that's faulty, but then I notice a funny noise happens as it jumps down. Obviously, this isn't something I do every often, as I try to shift before or at redline, but in the few times I've waited that extra second or so to shift (when it's your ONLY chance to overtake that farm tractor doing 15mph), this has troubled me. Any ideas? – Skippii Dear
Skippii, Dear VTwin Mama, Everything was going great until one day when I was riding home from work, I was approaching an intersection. I was driving approx. 40mph and was approx. 15' away from the intersection when the lights turned yellow. There was a car that was sitting in the middle of the intersection getting ready to turn and I got scared so I jammed on the front and the back brake, as you can guess I fishtailed pretty bad, but thankfully did not spill the bike. I guess my question to you, is what is the best way to approach an intersection and if I need to brake, what is the best procedure to do so to avoid a highside or fishtailing? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your help and I love the site!! : ) – Sally Dear
Sally, However, you judged it differently on the motorcycle and I think it has to do with the fact that as riders we are more vulnerable. In that second where you made the decision to brake instead, I'm pretty sure you registered that it was possible that the car waiting to turn may or may not see you (you've heard many stories about cars that don't see us even when we are right in their straight line view). In scanning one's environment, subtle clues come into play. I would have noted that car in the turning lane and registered whether they appeared impatient. You know the type, then keep inching forward and brake, brake, brake .... waiting for when they can gun it across. If I don't see them doing it, I have more confidence that they have seen me and won't try to cross my path. If I see the impatient moving, I might cross the intersection, but if I was in the left portion of my lane, I would have moved right (the driver would hopefully register my added movement) and taken the crossing in the furthest point away from that possible cross. I would have also gauged whether I had an "out" beyond the intersection and/or to the right in case that driver did in fact do something to put me in a bad position. All of this plus scanning for any other vehicles that could cause me problems. It's a lot to take in! So you reacted by deciding that not crossing was the better option, but even stopping a motorcycle in 15 feet is dicey, as you found out. You hit your brakes like you would in a car, but jamming on bike brakes can set up the fishtail. Still, you kept it upright, so that's good! Now it's time to go back to an empty parking lot, set up some markers, and practice approaching that "stop distance limit" at different speeds and seeing what braking power you have without causing more of a problem. For instance, measure off 20 feet, approach at 20mph and see how much room you need to do a controlled stop with just the front brake. How about both brakes? Did you need 30 feet? 20 feet? Get a feel for your distance on this Fat Boy! Better intersection judgment will come with more miles on the road, but no matter how many miles you have, intersections are never a given. You're looking to train your brain in quickly scan ALL the possibilities and choose your best option. – Mama Thursday, September 13 For Sally who is learning about handling intersections correctly: Dang, I just had a flash back. On July 25th, 2007, the same incident happened to me that happened to Sally. Only this 90-year old guy appeared as if he was moving towards me and was going to cut me off, so I overcompensated on the brakes, fishtailed and landed some pretty nasty road rash in 110-degree Arizona heat. $1000 in med bills (I'm currently medically uninsured & unemployed) and a $500 car insurance deductible later, I've decided to go back and do my refresher course at the MSF. That is my suggestion for Sally & everyone else as well. Kudos, Sally for keeping 'er upright! R.S. – Tammi (note from Mama: I'm glad to hear that your ouch has propelled you to consider more learning! Sometimes we only find out that our skills could use some polishing when we find ourselves in a nasty situation. The MSF offers its Experienced RiderCourse, which is open to anyone with a bike and ready to challenge themselves, is an excellent suggestion!) Monday, September 24 Dear VTwin Mama, I am totally new at riding, passed my safety tests and got my license on a Rebel 250, did very well and better yet, really enjoyed the challenge…got a bike…a new and gorgeous Honda Shadow 750 (my husband has a HD Softail, and we’ve been thinking about riding together in the future-similar gas tank at least). Typically…two days later, a block from home, I missed a curb by not leaning enough…I froze, went down. So I was going to go back on it, but I had hurt my knee in the process (bike fell on my left knee, not broken but badly twisted). My first injury ever (I am turning 40 in 2 weeks, it’s about time!). It’s been one month. I can walk now! My knee can now support my weight, but I am not walking properly yet. I can’t wait to go back to it though. On Tuesday I will see an orthopedist, to make sure my knee is healing properly and can (soon) be totally with me when I get on the bike again. I have been totally at ease with the idea of the fall(s), surprisingly. It’s been a revelation, truly. Your comments on the web have really been the psychological help I was looking for to move forward. So the plan is to get the video first and go practice once my knee feels strong enough. I’ll start there. Down the road, I may need to get a private lesson or 2 to help with the confidence, but I would not know where to find an instructor. Because I am not there yet, I will look through your site and may find the answer. Oh yes, one
question, where can I find tips about maneuvering the bike at no speed:
taking it out of the garage, backing up, before a start…that’s when I
feel the most the lack of control (because of the weight). Let me
know. Again, many thanks. Dear
Nathalie, I know of no directory of private instructors, so my advice to date has been to call up the local courses and inquire whether one of the instructors offers private sessions. I know buried somewhere on the site are letters that address some basics on moving a bike out of a garage and backing up, but I'll summarize here: 1) Take it slow
and if the bike is running, take the time to pop it into neutral so you
don't have to hold the clutch lever in. An empty parking lot is an excellent place to practice all of this. You can place cones or other visible markers and then practice your moves. Then you can practice more advanced ... pulling up to the parking position as illustrated below. (A) you approach slowly and then do a slight turn to (B). Pop into neutral, straighten out the front wheel and back into (C). Learning that point between A and B so that you can straighten out and back in is the real key ... and is individual to each bike's turning radius and your skill. A bit of work here will really pay off! – Mama
Hey Petra, I really suck at the ‘blipping thing. To paraphrase another member of the forum, "I feel like a Freak without a brain"! The engine seems to be way loud and roaring when I attempt to do the 'blipping" thing. I guess I just need lots of practice. Just want to be sure I know the correct technique. Thanks again, – Nancy from Michigan Dear
Nancy, So let's start with a starting situation. I counsel new riders to give it a bit of steady gas and then let out the clutch. Not enough steady gas is indicated by that jumpy/choppy forward movement or a stall. With practice, then one can shift to first letting out that clutch just to the engagement point and then giving it the bit of gas for proper forward movement (practice brings a coordinated understanding of how much gas is needed for how much clutch!). Now let's turn our eye to downshifting. I pull in the clutch lever while letting go of all throttle. Click down one gear, release the clutch to just the engagement point so I can hear/feel I'm in the right speed zone of the gear, then add some gas, and fully release the clutch. It's a slower action. So, what's up with the "blipping" or quicker throttle flick? I know I do it some times. In my mind, it's a test of my throttle responsiveness. I shift down, blip the throttle before the clutch engagement point to get a feel for the throttle action, then engage in the friction zone, check my gear/speed, then do a balance between gas and the rest of the clutch release. Somehow the quick flick of the throttle assures me that I've got the twist of the throttle in proper control. Blipping at any time you're downshifting and moving into the engagement friction zone could cause a leap forward, which not only looks silly but could accidentally throw off your balance or surge you ahead further than you wish. Another way to look at it is this: when you're sitting at a stoplight in first gear with the clutch pulled in, do you ever gun your throttle (even slightly) when you know the light is about to change? That's just testing your throttle action/responsiveness (or in some cases, just making noise for noise sake!). But unless you're looking to move out 0-60mph in 5 seconds, with aggressive upshifting, a slower action is really the thing to do! – Mama Tuesday, October 23 For Nancy who brought up a question about throttle control and "blipping": What
an excellent question that
Nancy has put out there!! I often wondered about that myself!! Even
though I have had the same question in my mind from time to time that
Nancy had, I find myself doing exactly what you (Mama) have described! So,
I hope that it’s not too pushy to say … I am proud of myself!! (thanks
in GREAT part to
your website) … and all of the wonderful people who post on it!!!!! Keep
up the GREAT work, and thanks again for all that you do!!!!! Tuesday, November 13 For Canadian Newbie Rider who oopsied on her bigger Intruder: I want to add my encouragement to you newbie Ontario rider. I agree with everything Petra said ... practice on your current bike before going to a smaller one ... practice, practice, and practice ... parking lot time is good time for us newbies! Definitely get Jerry Palladino's videos ... at least "Learn To Ride The Easy Way" and "Ride Like Pro." They helped me immensely. I am also looking at an Intruder and it does have some specific steering difficulties so maybe that and the gravel combined to dump you and your machine. The Intruder is however a very lightweight bike with a very low centre of gravity, relative to other cruisers and I am sure that you can learn how to handle it with practice. Apparently for Intruder cornering, the key is to be on and off the throttle in the corner. "Wrenching" I think they called it ....giving it a little throttle off and on keeps raising the bike up slightly so keeps it from scraping and levering the wheel up, while also using the back brake if necessary to control speed; not going off the throttle into the corner and then throttling up coming out of the corner as is more usual. The old school bikers here all say you shouldn't ride if you can't pick up your bike, but I think that's just not true. Some of us will never be able to pick up our bikes ... my knees will not allow it, even using the easy method that Petra mentions .... so ... we get help! We don't ride alone in places where no one will be around to help! Hopefully your excitement will over come your fear. Best of luck to you. – Powderaven, another Ontario newbie rider (note from Mama: an interesting note on handling the throttle through a curve on the Intruder; I'll simply note that staying off the front brake and using the back one is a big point about controlling speed through a curve and I often use clutch/throttle control in a very tight curve, but in a more relaxed curve I opt to maintain my best steady level of correct throttle in the right gear. So many combinations, but this is the thing about the learning process!) |
| © 2007 VTwin Mama | Disclaimer |
