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2006 (October to December) Tuesday, October 3 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Newbie, You're right, grabbing more throttle in a panic is not working. My best guess as to the reason this is your natural (but trainable) response is that panic tends to freeze us up. Freezing up stiffens up the body and can make us tighten our hands on those handlebar controls even more (often referred to as a deathgrip). When your right hand clamps down, you roll the throttle. So, what to do? First, sit on your motorcycle off the sidestand and lift your arms into position. Look at the angle of your right arm and hand to the control. Now look specifically at your wrist angle. Is it cocked up, level, or angled down? Cocked up means when you panic and grip tighter, your wrist will try to roll down, thus engaging more throttle you don't want. Either consciously position your wrist differently or, on most bikes, the handlebars can be loosened in their clamps and rotated a bit. Take a closer look and see if that might not be something to consider. Next is retrain time. Fire up the bike at home, sit on it, and rev the engine in neutral. Now, pull in the clutch lever (still in neutral) and rev the engine. Now, with the clutch lever pulled in, shift to first, keep the clutch pulled in, and rev the engine. Omigosh, you still aren't going one single tiny hair forward. Lesson learned. The quickest way to remove inappropriate power from the bike (of which panic throttle is definitely a member of) is to pull in the clutch lever. It removes any further power from the rear drive and you can rev all you want and not hurtle with ever gaining speed towards something icky! Train your brain to think PANIC POWER, PULL IN THE CLUTCH (or something like that!). Now let's look at the turn. My guess is that you don't have full control of your friction zone yet. This is the engage/disengage point of the clutch lever. While a full panic might warrant completely pulling in the clutch, you can modify speed also by pulling in the clutch just a portion to where the power disengages and then ease it in and out of that zone. This is called slipping the clutch. Now you can have steady throttle but choose how much of that power you want available to you. This is practice and is best done in a big empty (ditch free!) parking lot. I'm also going to suggest that you get the Ride
Like A Pro DVD. There is nothing like a visual aid and planned practice
sessions to help you map out exactly the steps to take on practicing turns.
Many women report that upon following this DVD they confidently can handle
turns within a number of practice sessions. Give that a thought! –
Mama Friday, October 6 Hi VTwin Mama, We went and watched videos of bike races for a couple of hours. Pointing out that they move their butt (first) and then their body toward the direction of the turn.When they start around the turn the bike leans what it needs to in order to make the turn (you don’t try to lean the bike). She went back out on her bike, and for the first time, by just moving her butt toward the direction of the turn she had no problems turning. A real breakthrough for her. She is 52 and never figured she would even ride on the back of a motorcycle as well as own and drive one regularly. I hope this may help some of your readers. How we found your website is Elizabeth (finally a name) parked her bike out side of our garage in the dirt and it fell off the stand. We’ll, she couldn’t pick it up by herself. She finally got the neighbor to help her. I said I would look on the Internet for the proper way to pick up a motorcycle. I can’t pick one of mine up either. So we both wanted to learn. And I found your terrific site. Thank you, – Steve Dear Steve, I'm equally enthused that a challenge your wife had led
you to research solutions for her benefit, as well as your own. Yahoo to
you and thank you for supporting Elizabeth's entry into the wonderful
adventure in riding. May you have many happy miles together! –
Mama Dear VTwin Mama,
Dear Debby, Wednesday, October 18 Input on that Hwy 33 to Lockwood (CA) video posted: I rode that road with another V-Twin Mama girl -- Gloria -- just a few weeks ago!! We had so much fun. We each got a room in Ojai and had a great time in the little town. They were going through the fires and the Lockwood road was closed but we still hit 33 and the Ojai Deer Lodge Inn where all the bikes go. The ride home was my first in pouring rain. It's about a 3 hour ride depending on stops. Gloria rides to work a lot and laughed at me not being prepared for the rain. It was 90 degrees when we left on Friday and by Sunday the rain came down. But . . . even being scared at first about the ride in the rain, I ended up loving it! We laughed at each other when we ate and left the restaurant with paper towels to dry the seats off -- we were soaked anyway, so it made no sense. I was a lot more aware than I ever thought I would be in rain . . . and no one really driving in it . . . so it was like having a good part of the road to ourselves. Enjoyable! Anyway, it was nice watching it from another persons ride! – Kathy H. in So. California (note from Mama: how wonderful to get your first real rain ride in low traffic conditions! It sounds like a lovely stretch of road!) Monday, October 30 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Mary, First, one can simply let off the throttle. One can also apply gentle brake. One could also downshift. And at the very "lowest end" is use of the friction zone to slip power in and out (the engage/disengage portion of our clutch control). The correct use of brakes is highly important. If we use the front brake while moving more slowly in a curve or turn, it has a tendency to pull us further down. That's where the back brake (light application) comes in handy . . . it has the handling characteristic of keeping the bike (and us) more upright. In a straight line, one used the front brake for maximum braking power and where jamming on the rear brake can cause a rear wheel skid (slide-out to the right). It is my understanding that the MSF BasicRider Course
does not really get in to the use of the rear brake . . . so much already
to learn . . . this is addressed more in the Experienced RiderCourse they
offer. So, work on your basics and as you practice the techniques shown in
Ride Like a Pro, you will begin mastering the combinations available to
you! –
Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, I came around a tight turn not tight enough, shifted into second and was on the wrong side of the road. (as you can see there was NOTHING I did right!). I ended up on the far side of the road heading into a pole. So I laid her down. I didn't really want to see how far my head would bend that pole since this is a road I travel on daily and those are not the memories I'm trying to make right now. To make matters worse I was in walking distance to my house. A very nice man and his wife stopped to see if I was ok, aside from my pride and a broken finger nail (can you imagine) I was fine. Now I had to get the bike up. If you think I looked stupid with a bike sleeping on the wrong side of the road, you should have seen me trying to call my husband with my helmet still on and forgetting I'm not on speaker phone. OY, do the mistakes ever end?? The nice people went around the corner to get him but he was on his way over. Since I only got the bike yesterday, and he told me he never wanted to get THE phone call that I was hurt and I dumped the bike. Well, guess what honey? Who knew in less than 24 hours that he would get that call. When he turned that corner and he saw me standing and yes I had the bike up already (on my own, thank you VTM and adrenaline) this man had tears in his eyes. He pictured me on the corner hurt and crying. But, he walked up to me and smiled, kissed me and then congratulated me. Can you imagine? I wasn't announcing I was pregnant, idiot, I just dumped my brand new bike! He was proud of the fact that I dumped her and my legs weren't underneath her, I wasn't crying :-) and I was sitting on her to get her going again. As I rode away, I told him he has to pay for another manicure. Since I'm addicted to VTM.com, I know what I did wrong, and knew I had to get right back on her! Thank you to VTM and all of the other women who share their good and bad experiences . . . it does help. So if anyone can tell me how to do a "safe" dump and not break a nail, that would be more helpful information for me!!! – Suzy Dear
Suzy, And now, by sharing your first-hand account, you are helping the next person to understand that the oopsies happen and can be overcome, just like previous letters helped you maintain perspective (a word I seem to be using a lot today!). A new manicure is a small price to pay for learning something important about your adventure in riding! – Mama Thursday, January 25 For Suzy who had her first oopsie dump: The best advice I can give to her is, especially if this is a "brand spankin' new bike," she should take it to a nice, big quiet parking lot to get to know the dynamics of the new bike. And if she hasn't taken a safety course, like the BRC or "Gearing Up" in Canada . . . then she should! Those courses are vital and provide a great foundation for all riders to build on. Then she should practice all of her turns, emergency stops and essentials on the new bike that you need on the street to prevent you from having to "lay it down." Something else she may want to work on is "target fixation." It sounded like she felt as if she was in over her head when she made the turn, then fixated on the pole. You need to look where you want to go. Good Luck. – Gracie (note from Mama: yes, incorrect target fixation can be a real problem when things are going wrong. One way to train the brain is when practicing those turns in a parking lot as correct slow turns require that both your head and eyes look through the turn to where you wish to end up. I'll also note that having a friend watch this move will quickly provide correct feedback . . . many times we think we're looking through, but actually we look at a half way point first, or we shift our head back and forth. When done correctly, one chooses a safe, correct spot to finalize the turn at, and why I think it might help to realign the brain to scan for the safest "end" spot when quick, evasive moves are needed.) Friday, January 26 More for Suzy who had her first oopsie dump: I agree with Gracie about the target fixation. However Suzy doesn't say what she was riding before graduating to her new VLX. That's a lotta horsepower, and if she was riding a 600 before, it's a big jump in throttle control. I know, cause I went from a 600 to a 1475 after only 4 months on the 600. Find a big parking lot and practice the throttle control, turns, stops, starts, figure eights, etc. Go to a refresher course if she's already been thru the basic course, and if not, then go to the basic course. Although most basic courses only put you on a 250, they will give you the tricks and tips and techniques to ride ANY size bike. Above all, practice practice practice. Hubby was spectacular for not yelling at her . . . I'm surprised she didn't have someone riding with her if the bike was brand new. There's also the possibility it could be mechanical, something could need adjustment, so she should have her dealer check over the bike just to be sure, and to be sure nothing internal was damaged in her dump. – Claire, riding a 2002 Indian Spirit (note from Mama: good points on taking s step back to assess the situation and consider a revamped approach in order to move ahead with confidence.) From Suzy: Thank you, Gracie for your advice. You probably are right, I was fixated on that pole (and it happened so fast). Although, I did take the MSF course, it's back to the parking lot for me. – Suzy (note from Mama: good for you. Understanding that more learning is needed in order to reach the goal of safe and confident riding is the first step!) Tuesday, January 30 From Suzy to Claire about the target fixation oopsie: The Honda VLX is my first and only bike. I wanted something more than a 250 and not as big as the Sportster 883/1200 a friend was trying to talk me into. I really think that would have turned out badly. Since its extremely cold here (New York) and no one in their right mind is riding, I got a pretty good deal. The next time she comes out, it's back to the dealer for "crash bars." lol At least when I drop her again (God forbid) it will be easier to pick up in that parking lot that I will be spending a lot of time in. Everyday that I can come back to this web site, I read a little more and learn a whole lot more. I'm grateful to each and every one of you (especially you, Mama) for your invaluable advise and "comfortable" place to ask questions. Everyone has something to offer, what a great experience. – Suzy (note from Mama: crash bars do normally make a pick-up easier, and even if you don't need them for another oopsie, I think they offer a margin of protection that so many riders choose to incorporate. You're on the right track!)) Dear
VTwin Mama, Before we left the house I had a bad feeling about going out and went anyway (all the time I kept thinking of you Mama telling us to listen to our guts). I had taken Tylenol PM by mistake in the morning at my bro-in-law's, came home, took a two hour nap, and my husband was dying to go for a ride. I should of stayed in bed. I broke the shifter and could not ride my bike home so I called a neighbor to come get me and my bike. All I can say is this was a lessen well learned, I WILL NEVER GO WHEN I FEEL AT ALL OUT OF CONTROL!!!!! I have a sore shoulder and a broken ego but I will be out there next weekend to finish my ride on the back roads. – Janine Dear
Janine, The second part of the equation is the exact point you have so bravely shared . . . our mental (and physical) state of being affects everything. I am glad to hear that you and your motorcycle sustained only minor injuries. A broken/bruised ego can be the greatest teacher of them all. Riding a motorcycle demands respect . . . for ourselves . . . and for our bikes. Ego busting wakes us up and is an excellent reminder that riders should always be learning, no matter how many years and miles they have on the road. You have done us all a great service today Janine by sharing your story. Thank you. – Mama Monday, April 9 Dear
VTwin Mama, Saturday I went on the back road with my husband and I think I pissed off a few cars going around turns, I probably was going 20 mph around some of them and I am looking where I don't want to go instead of looking where I need to go. I am going to go to a parking lot tomorrow and just practice my turns again till I feel confident about them again. I realize the way I am riding now is very dangerous. So it is back to basics for me and that is circles in a parking lot. – Janine Dear
Janine, Wednesday, April 11 Dear
VTwin Mama, When I first got my Sportster, me and my husband had a few conversations about the weight of the bike and how he believed anything bigger would be to much for me. Needless to say I got the Sportster. He got a 1972 shovelhead . . . he rode my bike the other day just up the block and back and was shocked at how unbalanced he felt on my bike. We have concluded that in a year I get to get the Dyna Lowrider or a Fatboy. These were both my original choices. Everything does happen in baby steps. – Janine Dear
Janine, Tuesday, April 17 Dear
VTwin Mama, I really need some words of advice from you and your lovely readers. About 6 months ago I encouraged a dear friend, who is very new to riding her Virago 250 (is on Learners), to join me on the Pink Ribbon ride to help raise money for Breast Cancer. It was a huge ride -- about 1000 bikes!!! BUT . . . as much as I thought (and had also checked with the ride organizers) that a learner would cope with it . . . on a twisty left/right/left curve (remember we ride on the other side of the road to you grrls) . . . we came across some gravel and an off camber road surface. My friend came down and ended up with 4 broken ribs and some really nasty bruising. Now the physical wounds have healed and she has been going back to riding lessons where her instructor assures her that her skills are all fine BUT she is still feeling really shaky and is getting to the point where as much as she loves it -- she is thinking about selling her bike!! My question is what can I do to help her??? She manages turns, slaloms and circles fine!! But put her on a sweeping corner and she is convinced she is going to straighten the bike up too soon and leave the road -- because of this she is fixating on the shoulder of the road instead of looking out of the sweep!! PLEASE help. I feel so bad cos I encouraged her to join me on the big ride. If only I had been a little more patient she may not be facing this crisis now :-( Love to you all, Ride Often and Stay Safe, – Maxine, aka Max Dear
Maxine, Honestly, I can say that for years after that, I always had problems with left hand sweeps as that is the side I made the mistake on (panicked, looked down at the line, and went straight off). I gritted my teeth for every left sweep I had to take. How did I get over it? I kept riding. I KNEW what mistake I had made and continued to work on correcting the mistake. At first I had to always throttle down a lot and take that sweep slower . . . ok on a solo ride, not so great within a group, so I tended to ride at the back of the pack. Over time, taking left sweeps slower, I was able to loosen up my body again and keep my eyes focused correctly. So what is my advice? Your friend should do as many solo rides that have sweeps, but do them at low traffic times so that she can concentrate on re-training her body for the correct technique. There is no shortcut to this process. She needs to reset her "body clock" for the sweep so it becomes naturally correct again. After all these years (about 12) I will tell her that to this day, although I have no problems with sweeps, I do enter sweeps thinking about my technique and making sure that I'm not overly confident (in other words, I'm not taking for granted that my technique is perfect unless I am thinking of my technique and ensuring that it is perfect). I have come to terms with the mental aspect of this and it no longer bothers me. I have incorporated the mental reality for me into my ride . . . on solo rides I often rethink my exact technique to make sure my body position "clock" is set correctly. This continuous fine-tuning of technique is essential to me. In my estimation, riders should always be periodically reviewing their technique, no matter what the skill is. This ensures that the mind/body are at the ready at all times. What can you do? Encourage her. Print out this letter so that she knows she is not alone. That a rider with 27 years experience understands and that joy CAN be regained. Ride with her. Let her talk out how the sweeps are feeling each time you go out. Some accident survivors don't want to talk about the accident right after it has happened. Some eventually want to review what happened. Remember, let her talk and for your part, keep any observations simple and drama-queen free. Talk in a calm way. Re-share what the joys are and remember good rides and times. If she is willing to do a bit of work, she can reclaim that dream that got her started in the first place. I did and am thankful I put forth the effort to do that. – Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, After reading your page [Ride Technique: Curves] for the past hour I realize I am looking at the road so I don't cross the yellow or the white line. I am not looking where I was going as far as looking into the curves and preparing my self for the SLOW, LOOK, LEAN, and ROLL . . . I was too busy worrying about the line on the road. We have a road here in my small town that has many curves to it, no switch back but at least I am going to practice what I have read. Look at the curve and prepare my looking into the curve not at the line on the road. – Angie Dear
Angie, Please understand that I'm not trying to scare you . . . just the opposite . . . enjoy it but respect it! We're wishing you a wonderful trip! – Mama Thursday, April 26 For Angie who is working on correctly handling road curves: Thank you Mama for reminding everyone to ride at their own pace. It just can't be repeated too often. My spouse & I have had stress-free rides since we agreed that if I'm not comfy - for any reason - with his choice of parking spots, I just go find my own. He has the option to join me or not, his call. We never, ever comment on one's personal choice. And since I'm older than, as well as the only female, among the others with whom we ride, doing my own thing is expected! – Jem (note from Mama: I like the viewpoint that riders should respect each other's choices . . . after all, while we might ride together, riding is a solo experience at the core essence of things! If we do not respect ourselves and our motorcycle, then what's it all about?!) Saturday, April 28 Dear
VTwin Mama, Dear
Barb, A good long tight turn is always a concern for riders. It's handled the same way any curve/turn should be done, but it incorporates such a much longer timeframe to hold the position. I find it especially difficult to look fully through the turn . . . a sort of distance "vertigo" sets in . . . and it's really easy to want to look at the ground to gauge things. This is a definite no-no . . . we go were we look. Trusting the countersteer at a steady speed, as well as looking at least 1/2 way through the full turn is the key. If a little bit of speed decrease is needed, it's the gentle tap or application of the back brake that can do this, and it also has the tendency to keep the bike upright from the leaning side (rather a pull down to the leaning side). If this was a heavy traffic time, the added reality of cars in front and behind you comes into play. It's easy to want to keep the flow of traffic going, and someone riding your back bumper can be unnerving. Ride your ride. Now, how is that you see riders take these things at greater speeds? Experience. They have learned to gauge the turn tightness as they approach it (or know that turn well because it's used all the time), choose a gear, work the throttle, clutch and rear brake together for control, and most importantly, look through the turn, trusting they can operate the throttle, clutch and rear brake without having to take their mind off their end point. So, if this was a local exit, I'd choose a light traffic day/time, and work on it. Or choose a local ramp that's good and tight. YOU CAN DO IT . . . it'll just take a bit of practice! – Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, I took the MSF class on a small Honda and felt comfortable in the turns but my legs were so flexed that I had cramps in my hips. I really debated on what bike to get and had little help from my husband. A friend had a Sportster and encouraged me to get one rather that a "big bike." I was afraid of the weight of the bigger bikes so I took her advice. Now I fear that the Sportster feels top heavy and I am having trouble with the turns. I also am having security issues that I think may be related to the forward controls (I am 5'3", 145lb) which I got because of the cramped feeling on the small Honda and at the recommendation of others that rave about the comfort of forward controls. I wonder if my balance would feel more secure if I had the controls moved back so that my legs would be more under me for support. Any ideas? I want this to work but I not an aggressive person and my fears are preventing me from becoming independent on the bike. – Laura Dear
Laura, Yes, there is continued chatter about Sportsters having a high center of gravity (top heavy), but I can assure you that HD has been working on that since 2004 or 2005. All motorcycles have their specific handling characteristics and must be practiced and learned. So, I'm thinking you'll greatly benefit by getting the Ride Like a Pro DVD. This excellent training tool allows you to plan out training sessions, shows you how to handle slow maneuvers, and can be watched again and again as the lessons sink in. So many new and even experienced riders (myself included) picked up lots of tips to polish those skills . . . many women have written in noting that they felt like a different rider altogether upon following the advice given. It's really that good! If possible, watch this with your hubby and both of you head out to an empty parking lot to put up cones or markers . . . then both of you do the drills. If he's the "I don't need this practice" type . . . approach it from a "would love to see you demonstrate the correct technique, so the DVD and your example can assist me" angle. I would do all of this before moving the foot controls, as your legs seem well matched for reach at this point. The skills you'll be working on are precision control of the clutch lever (engage and disenage point, i.e. the friction zone), looking where you are going (with both head and eyes) and using the back brake for correct slow down needs (the front brake will pull you down in a slow turn). Give this a try and I'm betting you'll soon be writing in saying, "WOW, I'm doing it and my confidence is growing with each practice session!" – Mama Wednesday, May 9 For Laura who is working on her confidence in slow turns and forward controls: Hang in there girl friend! You did not say how long you have been riding. You did mention that you took the MSF course and then bought the Harley. So, I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that you have not been riding more than 6 months. I am 5 feet tall and also weigh 145 lbs (lol) and I ride a 2007 HD 1200L. My seat height is the same as the custom, 28 inches-unladen. My foot controls are under me. I did not start on a HD. My second bike was a Yamaha with forward controls. Both are enjoyable. You become familiar with what you have and learn to use them to your advantage. I want to add my voice of encouragement to Mama’s. Though this bike may seem top heavy, it is so because you are comparing it to the smaller bike on which you took MSF. Don’t compare them. They are too dissimilar. Like anything else in life that is new we must learn and practice. Practice truly does improve our skill level and in turn our improved skill levels build confidence which in turn makes practicing easier and more fun….etc. Though men are want to call the Sportster a “girls bike” it is anything but and you have a big machine to get to know. The more one on one time in a parking lot that you spend on it the better you will come to know it and that translates into trusting the bike and yourself on it. The Sportster engine is a lot bigger than the MSF bike engine. It requires respect. It requires confident hands and feet on those controls and use your body (one with the bike) at all speeds. My Sporty is awesome through the corners. She is like a feisty young horse and you have to ride her, not the other way ‘round. Have you ever watched someone ride a horse? They use their whole body….hunker down into that saddle and ride her like you mean it!! Really, you have to use your whole body on a bike….we don’t just sit on top and hope it all goes well. Take your time during this process, take a small trip on the bike every day if you can if only for a few minutes or miles. The more time you spend in the saddle the faster you will become one with your bike. I would say that you will start to feel good about her when you have about one thousand miles on her. That won’t take long if you get out there every day. Those first few get to know ya rides can be spine tingling, that is for certain. Again just take it easy and try to find time every day in these early days. I ‘ll be thinking about ya’. In Joy, – Tink (note from Mama: what a wonderful message of support, with some added perspectives on not comparing motorcycles too closely . . . they each have their "things" to learn . . . good point!) Hello lady
riders, Dear
Cathy, Of course, a change in turn moves could simple be a different center of gravity of the bike (around which a motorcycle turns) or your overall body position over that COG. Best advice: return to an empty parking lot, set up cones or other markers and slowly work your skill level back up again. It works! – Mama Tuesday, May 22 From Angie, who worked on curve handling before her trip: Well we never made it to the Dragon. Yet we did go to Myrtle Beach for bike week. We did have to go thru the mountains to get there. Well, the individual I was riding with wanted to go 80 in the curves.. I remember what you had said, ride at your own pace. That is what I did. I am glad I listened to you, for I quit paying attention to the road and looked into the curves. After a 2,000 mile to get there and back, I am very tired, yet very glad I did it.. Thanks to you, – Angie (note from Mama: congrats on tackling curvy mountain roads and returning safely home . . . I'm sure the Myrtle Beach Spring Rally was a real eye-opener as well given the sheer number of riders! Keep up the good work . . . you've learned one of the most important lessons . . . at all times, keep your own safety in mind and proceed accordingly!) Tuesday, May 22 For Cathy who is having slow turn challenges on a Shadow Spirit: I too have a Shadow Spirit 750 (2003). I struggle some with the turns as well. My bike has the stock straight across handle bars. I am 5'4" and I have to ride scooted all the way up to the gas tank. My arms are extended all the way out at all times. It is very uncomfortable and my right hand gets tingly and my shoulders get really tight. We just went on a nine hour ride yesterday and I am extremely sore in my arms and shoulders today. I was wondering the same thing you were about my bike. I'm not at all comfortable and I think that might be a part of the struggle with the turns. I'm wanting to look at new handlebars, but I'm not sure how to go about it without it being very expensive. – Rhonda (note from Mama: so, inquire about a pullback riser for your bike at the local dealer, but make sure you check how much cable length you have to the clutch and front brake as it could require longer cables. If the overall expense is a bit out of your range, make a point of saving a bit each week toward the goal . . . we don't want you to lose your love of the adventure when a modification is going to make your motorcycle the dream it could be!) Wednesday, June 6 Hi VTwin Mama, Dear
J., I don't disagree with your many instructor's views that braking action is the first line of defense along with quick downshifting. I think if we talked with these people further they would note that before any potential accident, a rider has only seconds to decide on the best course of action. Newer riders have less experience and therefore their brains don't automatically choose the wisest course . . . they have less skills at their command. This is why I advocate continued education and practice for any level rider . . . your brain has to be trained on handling information quickly and skill building helps one understand exactly how fast one can brake, countersteer around a problem, etc. Perhaps I was remiss in calling it a safe dump as there really is no such animal. Whatever actions lead to the least amount of personal injury is the best course of action. Thank you for questioning the advice . . . it's helpful for everyone to think carefully about this important aspect of riding! – Mama Good Morning VTwin
Mama, Dear
Susan, So, let's review a basic . . . remember that in a slow turn one never uses the front brake as its dynamic force will pull you down, whereas using only the rear brake as the tendency to keep you upright. Then I would head back to an empty parking lot and do big lazy circles (both directions) and then slowly tighten up the circle so that you retrain your brain and body for the exact handling characteristics of this beastie! The tire that came with your Dyna is a 100/90-19 57H. 100 is the width of the tire in millimeters. 90 is the % aspect ratio between width and height and in this case, your tire is 90 millimeters high. 19 is the rim diameter in inches. 57 is a code for loading and H is the speed rating (130mph). So, I looked for a tire that would fit your rim size but have a wider width and still maintain a proper aspect ratio (very important) . . . so far I haven't been able to find anything. I'd query the dealer a bit more on this . . . sometimes stuff for the latest year model won't have options (if any) for a year or so. Still, you want to be careful about getting something approved for your make/model. That VTX most likely had a 110/90-19 on it, so a bit more tread width, but the two bike's weights are the same and the seat height is lower on the Dyna. Still, that doesn't mean that the engine isn't sitting just a bit higher in the frame than the VTX (and we're back to COG, a "number" nobody publishes). I really think that with a bit of practice you'll have that Dyna's handling characteristics nailed down, so head for the practice parking lot and keep at it! – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, I now have a problem that I was hoping that you or your readers could help me with. I have been riding on two lane roads and doing great with the curves. A couple of days ago I went out with a friend on a curvy two lane road that I was not familiar with (mistake #1). I was watching her (mistake #2) because she kept hugging the center line and I was afraid that she was going to get creamed. A sharp left hand turn snuck up on me that I was not prepared for, I went into the turn too fast, tried to lean, didn't feel like the bike was turning so I looked down at the bike (big mistake #3). It looked like the bike was going straight so I looked to the side of the road to see what I was going to hit (mistake #4) saw the trees and I yanked the handlebars to the left, made it through the turn but I scared myself very badly. I know exactly what I did wrong. I came home, looked up your curves and turns archives, read all the articles to see what I need to do. I used the suggestions to go back to the parking lot to practice turns and circles, and countersteering. I took my bike (250 Rebel) to a big parking lot got to 2nd gear and turned in circles and really leaned the bike. I did this until I was dizzy! I then went on the sidestreets and took every left turn that I could find. I had no problem, but I then took on a two lane road up to a college that has no traffic on it. I took the right hand curves very easily but when I went to go left I again felt like I wasn't leaning enough (I had to force myself not to look down at the bike). I then went over the center line in the curve. So now I am scared of left curves I have this insane urge to look down at the bike to see if it is leaning. I know that I do this because when I looked down in that one curve the bike looked like it was going straight. I don't know how to get past this. I am very disappointed in myself. I have around 350 miles on my bike and I was doing great, now this. I went out for a solo ride yesterday on the side streets, went to get gas even rode in traffic no problem. I was having fun, not nervous at all, really paying attention to the other cars, stopping, taking the turns on and around the side streets easily, I even took one street that I was nervous about taking because it stops on a slight grade then you have to turn to the right sharply and straight up a hill then straight down a very steep hill. I did with no problems didn't stall and I was very proud that I did it. I decided to head out of town on a two lane road that I have rode many times but there is a left hand turn that I had to take and the butterflies started up and I had to turn around. I was wondering if you or any of your readers have any suggestions. I have taken the MSF class, I have no problem with slow maneuvers its just over 40 into a left turn. I also have no problems with countersteering. I know what I did wrong but I don't know what to do to get over the feeling that the bike is not leaning in the left turns. I have no problem at all with right hand curves, I can take them fast and lean the bike into them (actually this is my favorite part of riding). I just have this fear of left turns now. I would be very grateful for any thoughts or suggestions. Thank you so much for this site! – Cathy, new rider in West Virginia Dear
Cathy, My best guess at this point is that you are in the wrong part of the lane upon entering a curve. As Jerry "Motorman" Palladino puts it in his Ride Like a Pro on the Dragon DVD, it's "outside the curve, inside the curve, outside the curve." What this means is that you always enter a curve on the outside portion of the road curve (outside the curve). For a left curve, that's the right portion of the lane. For a right curve, that's the left portion of the curve. Not only does it give you a better view of the road coming up, it gives you more room to negotiate the curve without running out of room or crossing the center line. Then, as you enter the curve, you have the whole lane with which to work with (inside the curve) and then you straighten out in anticipation for the next curve (outside the curve). So, if you've been entering a left curve positioned in the left part of the lane near the center line, you're introducing the least safe position from which to start. Why are you doing it correctly for a right curve? Hard to say, but review this and see if it's not the difference you are looking for. So, how do group riders in a staggered formation handle this? Well, first of all, given that they are staggered, a twisty road section immediately should signal to the group that single formation is not only allowable, but recommended. When the road straightens out again, the "pure" staggered formation can be resumed. So, if you were trying to remain in your "lane portion" staggered with your friend, you were probably in the correct portion of the road for a right curve, but then not for the left. Take the proper line and I think your concern will be solved. – Mama Tuesday, June 26 For Cathy who is struggling with faster left hand curves, but not the right side ones: Sounds like your psyching yourself out. Riding a bike is just like life; where you focus is where you go. I'll bet you all the money in my bank account, (sorry, but that's not a whole lot), that you're looking at all the things that you're afraid of hitting: the center line, the outer edge of the road, etc. Mama's advice is perfect, "...always enter a curve on the outside portion of the road curve (outside the curve). For a left curve, that's the right portion of the lane. For a right curve, that's the left portion of the curve. Not only does it give you a better view of the road coming up, it gives you more room to negotiate the curve without running out of room or crossing the center line." . . . but the second half of that is that you have to focus on the end of the curve where you want to end up. Think about where you want to go and you body and bike will automatically get you there . . . don't over analyze every move or you'll panic and end up on the ground. Also, Mama mentioned Motorman's "Ride Like a Pro" video. GET IT!!! It will teach you much more than your MSF class and will make you WAY more comfortable in just how far you can lean your bike. – Janet (note from Mama: yes, looking through to the end of the curve is a crucial part of this formula . . . thanks for your timely addition!) Thursday, June 28 Salutations
VTwin Mama, What bothered me as we continued was that I didn't think I'd done anything particularly wrong, so what was to stop it happening again, in front of an oncoming car that would not have been at fault had it hit me? As others report, it happens so fast, and in this case without any associated drama. It finally dawned on me that in that moment of clarity of "what will I do" (I was not scared) I looked directly at the front wheel/just over the front of the bike, as though gathering my sphere of focus in on the bike as the center of the problem. My target was now ahead of me, and by logical extension I lifted my head, looked straight across the road and went there. I am sending this in the hope that it helps reinforce the message of target fixation and that you WILL go where you look. My learning: look at the SOLUTION ONLY (which would have been further around the curve). And I'm going to keep on with skills practice so that while I'm looking at that solution, my body is handling the bike the right way. My riding was dramatically improved the rest of the day as I willed and forced myself to fully look around the corners. I thought I'd been turning my head fairly well, but with that slap-in-the-face lesson, I really did it properly. I was actually rather disappointed to realize that I hadn't been doing it anything like properly. I did do mini-scans of the road near me quickly as well, as I can't help wanting to know if the road surface is OK, but very consciously maintained overall focus and head-direction further around the corner (is that abad thing, Mama?) I recommend you compare where you normally look (if you're a learner like me) with consciously looking right around the corner. You may be surprised. Don't learn it my way. Best wishes, – Alexa Dear
Alexa, To my best knowledge I truly look through a curve with both my head and eyes to set the lean angle, and then, keeping my head in that position, "flutter" cast only my eyes quickly ahead to more immediate portions of the upcoming ground road to take in something that doesn't look like road! In most cases, moving one's head and eyes through the curve will be able to take in a sweep of the road condition as the far point is set, but in some tighter turns the sweep is quick and the set point must be fixed immediately and then a gander for road crap taken in. I believe is was in a recent American Motorcyclist magazine issue that I read a tip that one can actually learn to not fixate by going out and actually fixating . So, if you head to an empty parking lot, you can set something on the surface and then practice approaching it with head and eyes up like normal, fixating on it, and then forcing yourself to immediately move your head and eyes to the avoidance pathway. Sounds like a pretty good learning technique drill to me and I'm going to give that a whirl this weekend! I profess that the meaning of top box was eluding me . . . from online research it appears to be the wording used in the UK and Australia for rear luggage carrier. It seems weird that something built for the motorcycle would introduce a rear fishtail, even as slight as you mention. Was it heavily loaded? We'd love to hear more about that! Meanwhile, thank you for strengthening the message that while you think you might be looking through a curve, are you really? It's a good reminder for everyone to devote a review to ensure that they are! – Mama Friday, June 29 More for Cathy who is working on fast left hand curves: One thing I had to pay attention within myself while to learning to ride in the MSF class was how much I trusted the motorcycle to stay up and to lean over without falling over when cornering fast or slow -- I didn't have a lot of trust the first two hours on day one, but I made myself try out and learn to trust that centrifugal force and physics were my friends on the bike. It does take a newbie like me to take a leap of trust to get in a parking lot and push the bars over into a turn and trust it will keep rolling while you focus on where you want to go. My biggest lesson learned was using the centrifugal force when doing the "Box" in the MSF class. If I can trust that the momentum will keep me up in first gear while paying attention only to where I am going and the hands & body do their thing, then I can trust my pushing the bars over in a turn right or left. I still consciously think it through, but I have to trust my bike and body to put me into a curve "outside, inside, outside" and see me through it. I have also learned to use my peripheral vision in the curves and look ahead while still seeing the curve right in front of me -- you can practice this in a car too. I am looking ahead for obstacles and still tracking through to where I want the bike to go, but seeing the close part of the curve peripherally in front. Maybe a little basic, but I forced myself to keep my head up and eyes forward looking at where I was going for the entire MSF class, or I would have spent all my time looking down to see what I was doing. I had to make it a conscious action to keep my head and eyes in the curves in class (our parking lot seemed awfully small and like all one huge curve all the time). Forcing your head up, eyes forward is good for a parking lot to get comfy doing it. It also helps to watch MotoGP racing on the Speed channel on rainy Sunday afternoons and watch how the pros go through curves. What is their head doing in a curve? How do they look through? And it's fun to watch. =) – bik3rbunny (note from Mama: yes, I've watched motorcycle racers as well and it's amazing what you can see when you're looking specifically at their various body position techniques!) Tuesday, July 24 Hi VTwin Mama, I usually just read on these sites but, Cathy's letter (June 25) on left hand turns and your response made me realize what I have been doing wrong. I am also a new rider (49 years young) just got my license in April and ride a VStar 650. Anyways, just thought I would send along my thanks for the help and hope you continue the good work. – Roald in Burlington, Ontario Dear
Roald, 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 Wednesday, August 1 Hey Petra, I had a great weekend of riding. Just short trips locally, but it was the first time I had been out by myself. I felt ready, even though hubby was a little anxious. But he agreed that if I felt ready, then it was time to give it a spin! I went during an off-peak time so traffic was light and I felt pretty good. I'm more of a slow but steady person, so I'm taking my time and working on improving my skills. Further down the road though, I have to hit the highway !! I'm Ok with the speed, but it's those exit ramps with those 'decreasing radius turns' that concern me :/ I'm thinking of trying that early one Sunday morning with hubby behind me. My next question (you know I ALWAYS have a question !!! ) is one that I know everyone has different opinions on: helmets. Short & sweet, I've been riding with a half-helmet and prescription sunglasses. Well, the wind is causing my eyes to water, so I'm thinking of getting either a 3/4 helmet with a shield or a full face helmet. A friend who rides suggested goggles to fit over my glasses (not sure if I like that look ), but I'm thinking that a 3/4 helmet would provide my noggin with more protection. I've seen some 3/4 helmets with shields for as low as $75, but I'm wondering if that's too cheap? Since my funds are limited, I'm thinking maybe I should wait until next season when I can afford to get a better helmet ?? Or is a $75 3/4 helmet Ok ? Should I be investing more???? Maybe wait & get a full face next year?? Sigh, decisions, decisions. Looking forward to hearing from you, – Nancy from Michigan Dear
Nancy, My thought on helmets and your eyes is get that 3/4 helmet with face shield now. Make sure it's DOT approved. You've got to solve the watering eyes thing. This is happening because you don't have a good seal between your check bones and side of the nose. Since I wear contacts when I ride, I look for sunglasses that sit tight on that lower/side area, which does the trick for me. I too normally wear eyeglasses, but don't like the goggle over glasses look/concept. We've had chatter that there are motorcycle-specific shades/goggles with prescription lenses … check the 2007 postings on my Ride Gear: Helmets, Googles, Hair Smuch page! As to your upcoming highway time, yes those ramps can feel really tight and nauseating! I still pay strict attention to every detail of my riding when exiting and entering on ramps. The basics are like any curve: start out on the outside of the curved road portion (don't hug the inner curve line) so that you have room to lean through and use the whole lane on the lean amount. In most cases you can quickly scan to get a sense of the tightness of the curve and if there is crap on the road and then make yourself look at least 3/4 of the way through (fixate on that end point). If you want some pre-practice, set up a lazy but spiral curve in that empty parking lot … you just need some highly visible markers to see without having to really look … even piles of bright orange cheese snack crackers will do the trick! Then start spiraling . . . your hubby can stand at the end point and watch to see if you're really focused on him the whole time or not. I have found in doing some personal training with new riders, that if I also shouted "Look At Me, Look At Me" the whole time, it helped the rider focus on the end point better because you've got both the visual and audible command going! Remember that you keep your head/eyes level, not tucked down or strained up, and both head and eyes turned (but level) on the target. Your husband may want to shout "Whoa Nelly" if you're barreling down on him (ok, that's just a funny!). Many more happy practice miles to you! – Mama Wednesday, August 29 For 7by9rd who wondered if left- and right-handed people had different turn problems: This is interesting because I am both left and right handed but I HATE right turns. I am new to riding myself. I've had my Honda Shadow VLX for a year now and I am still having lots of trouble with turns. I love to ride and I love my bike, so, this female Marine will not give up. Thanks VTwin Mama for an awesome site for us chicks! : ) – Tonya (note from Mama: there have been lots of theories of why right turns are generally considered more troublesome, but as always, practice is the key! Check out the Ride Like a Pro DVD ... it's all about the slow maneuver stuff and lots of women swear they wouldn't have mastered this otherwise! On a personal note, it's wonderful to hear from a women in our U.S. Marine Corp. Thank you for your contribution to keeping us all safe!) Monday, September 10 Dear VTwin Mama, And
what about "scrubbing off" speed in a curve?? Back brake,
downshift, what is best, do ya think?? Dear
Kat, So, if you've in 4th gear, gliding in, having come down to 20mph, if you needed to speed up, you would have a sluggish throttle to work with, or would need precious seconds to downshift to the correct gear to get that oomph you want. For the same reason, most people advocate staying in 1st gear at the stop. If something behind you started going wrong (car coming in too hot, lost brakes, etc.) you could get out and around faster. Speed into a curve should be handled in the straightaway before entering the curve. It's useful to decide the gear and speed one wants, get there, and then enter the curve. The throttle will be responsive if a bit extra is needed or the back brake can be tapped lightly to bleed off a bit. Judgment of proper gear and speed is a combination of the posted speed, your experience level, and road conditions, and is honed through practice and more and more miles on the road. – Mama Wednesday, September 26 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear
Barbara, Yes, I suppose there is a point where entering a curve too fast could cause a problem, but it's the too wide notation that grabbed my interest. To me this means you are not taking the correct lane position at all times. For example, if the upcoming curve is to the right, and you are in the right hand portion of the lane, two things happen. Your eyes are trapped into looking at that white line marking the edge of the curve, and if you try to correct, your only option is to drift outwards towards the left, propelling you to the center line and possible oncoming traffic. That's an immediate feeling of "going wide." Now, if you are taking a right curve and start in the left hand portion of the lane, it's a whole different world! First, you have a naturally better view of the road curve ahead of you. Second, if you're coming in a bit hot, you can countersteer (lean) a bit more into the curve because you have the whole lane position at your disposal! I think the hardest thing can be in believing that you do actually go where you look. It can be difficult to trust this concept unless you really work at it through practice. It requires that both your head and eyes look past the immediate road coming up. Heck, you know it's there, so there is no need to confirm it! Head level, eyes looking 1/2 to full way through the curve, correct lane positioning. And yes, entering a curve in the correct gear and speed does help! You want a gear that will allow you to maintain steady throttle. If you're throttling up and down through the curve, you are constantly "moving" your countersteer lean needs. A constant speed serves you better. If you need to slow it down a tad, instead of backing off the throttle, tap that back brake lightly. The physics of this action does cause the bike to upright itself a bit, but a slight correction to the lean angle will take care of it. Remember, if you're in the correct lane position, you've got room! Ok, noodle on that and go out and give it a try. See if that doesn't correct your too fast, too wide feelings. – Mama |
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