Well, JW is from Tennessee, his standards might be....never mind.

 

I said I READ the thread. Can't get nothing here but dial-up, man.... Video! That's fer you rich city slickers. If she rides barefoot, she can pull me over anytime!!!

 

You're on this forum so your internet connection is sufficient to view the link. AND........... I AIN'T NO DAMN CITY SLICKER!

 

Great thread and a great read!! Congrats on passing the course and the top gun award. Awesome job.

 

Stro, Congratulations on a job well done and kudos for presenting your experiences in a well written manner. Stro, You Rock! Some of my friends and I have already learned a bit from your experiences and realize how much more we need to learn. You've been an inspiration. Glad your back is OK. Hope your ankle heals quickly and fully.
Take care. Be safe. Ride safe. Again, Congratulations and many thanks for sharing this with us.

 

Sorry to see this thread coming to an end. It's been a great inspiration to me, so much that I'm hitting the parking lot more than a country ride. I'm fairly confident in my abilities to control the bike in normal U-Turn conditions but my only hurdle are those very tight turns. I just can't seem to get over my fear that I'm going to drop the bike. I'm having a hard time finding the right balance of rpm and friction zone. Too much and I might "take off' and too little I'm going down. I know that I'll get over it eventually.

Congats again Stro... all the best to you!

 

Since it's a Harley, I let torque do the job - just above idle to prevent stalls, and with clutch slipping, I slightly "stab" the rear brake at times when I'm not sure where I am balance-wise, instead of holding steady pressure.
RLAP video hasn't gotten here yet, but I'm open to learn new things, although this method works for me with the ol' lady on the back.
After turning around in wider driveways, the street is just child's play.

 

When you get the feeling that the bike is going to topple over, e-a-s-e out a bit more clutch and that will hold the bike up and allow you to lean it over. Also make sure your engine speed is up and steady. Too many riders try and do it at idle. You need the engine speed up so you can s-l-i-p the clutch gently. Control your speed with the clutch. Don't forget to modulate rear brake pressure as needed. If you start getting frustrated, go back to the slow race and get a feel for the friction zone. Once you are in the FZ, stay in it. Too many riders find it, then pull the clutch all the way in and try and pop it out and find it again. That makes things difficult. Find it and "milk" the clutch lever back and forth in tiny increments working the FZ.

Lastly, head and eyes. I find it easier to fix my sight on something off in the horizon. A tree or some other spot on the other end of the parking lot behind you. This gives the rider a visual reference to ride towards, and will smooth everything out. If the eyes wander, the bike will become unsteady. This is the epitome, or perfect example of the old saying "Where you look is where you will go."

Mark

 

Mark is THE MAN when it comes to this stuff, trust what he says!

 

Excellent story, well told! Great insperation for a new riders such as myself!

Thankyou!