Signs of an advanced rider
#161
08-14-2013 | 02:48 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
I will consider myself advanced when I know half of what IronAss has forgotten. 
#162
08-14-2013 | 04:36 PM
Well isn't that the point of doing the same thing over again? To make it a knee jerk reaction. Kind of like getting off the bike on the right side. If you keep getting on and off on the left and something happens on the e way what is your natural reaction? To get off on the side of oncoming traffic. Same token if you automatically put your left foot down you should naturally maneuver your bike to where it's safe to put your left foot down, right? Also given the fact you should always be aware of your surroundings which includes road surface. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Perhaps, but I always get off the bike on the left
cheers
#163
08-14-2013 | 04:38 PM
70-100 % of the braking on a motorcycle is done with the front brake. It's because most of the weight of the bike and rider transfers to the front wheel under hard braking and the rear wheel is unloaded. That's why bikes have a large brake rotor or usually 2 on the front wheel and a tiny one on the rear. The rear brake is just for dragging in slow speed maneuvers and to balance the bike under hard braking. With only a rear brake I would be concerned you could stop quickly enough. Try stopping your car with just the hand brake - it only operates the rear brakes. If you topple over the front with application of the front brake, your not doing it right.
You are absolutely correct!!!! I thought you would get challenged on this, lol. road racing your coming off a straight away at about 145ish for a turn you apply front brake only!!! sometimes downshifting can get the backend squirrel y. General rule for mx riders is to ONLY use the back brake if your A} in the air to bring front end down and B} to steer with the rear wheel on a muddy track, sort of point and shoot.
#164
08-14-2013 | 06:50 PM
Grand HDF Member
As Roger Decoster alway said. Anyone can jump. It's corner speed that wins races.
#166
08-14-2013 | 07:36 PM
Grand HDF Member
I'm equally shitty at both.
Last edited by dribble; 08-14-2013 at 07:46 PM.
#167
08-14-2013 | 08:12 PM
Big Kahuna HDF Member
The number one sign of an advanced rider is that person will ask for help when he drops his touring bike. A newbie will try very hard to stand it up before anyone sees that he or she dropped the bike.
#168
08-14-2013 | 08:20 PM
Hey Iron, all these other suggestions are great, but the real way you can tell and advanced rider by looking at his odometer.
#169
08-14-2013 | 09:12 PM
Road Master
When you guys talk about covering the front brake, are you completely letting off the throttle as you cover the brake? If not, try this experiment. While mounted on your started motorcycle, but not moving and in neutral, throttle up to about 2,000 RPM and cover your front brake and clutch as you would if you have sensed the possibility of having to make an emergency stop. Now, imagine a car has just entered your path making a right turn and squeeze the front brake and pull in the clutch with the urgency needed in an emergency stop.
If you can't get off the throttle while squeezing the brake lever, the engine will continue to rev at 2,000 RPM. Now imagine you're actually under power. When you pull in the clutch, the RPM's will climb up quickly. That will cause a whole mess of engine whine and, if you were in an emergency situation probably add to your stress.
Try it and be honest about it since I already gave away the potential problem.
Regarding outside-inside-outside curve negotiation, I think that makes a lot of sense on a nice, even, debris free road. The roads around me have some pretty deep tire tracks. If it hasn't rained in awhile, the middle of the lane gets some pretty nasty crud build-up. So if I go outside-inside-outside in a curve, I pop out of and into tire tracks as well as cross the crud zone in the middle. To me, it seems safer to just adjust my speed so I can stay in my "lane" throughout the entire curve.
Enough of the hijacking of the thread by me. To stay on point I would say that the riders that have always impressed me have "smoothness." They make riding a motorcycle look effortless.
If you can't get off the throttle while squeezing the brake lever, the engine will continue to rev at 2,000 RPM. Now imagine you're actually under power. When you pull in the clutch, the RPM's will climb up quickly. That will cause a whole mess of engine whine and, if you were in an emergency situation probably add to your stress.
Try it and be honest about it since I already gave away the potential problem.
Regarding outside-inside-outside curve negotiation, I think that makes a lot of sense on a nice, even, debris free road. The roads around me have some pretty deep tire tracks. If it hasn't rained in awhile, the middle of the lane gets some pretty nasty crud build-up. So if I go outside-inside-outside in a curve, I pop out of and into tire tracks as well as cross the crud zone in the middle. To me, it seems safer to just adjust my speed so I can stay in my "lane" throughout the entire curve.
Enough of the hijacking of the thread by me. To stay on point I would say that the riders that have always impressed me have "smoothness." They make riding a motorcycle look effortless.
#170
08-14-2013 | 10:05 PM
Some people read way too much into things and seriously over complicate their life with useless dissection of every aspect of a situation. The know-it-alls who have their MSF instructor on speed dial for constant reassurance are annoying.
Don't want to cover your brake? Cool. Duck walk your bike? Cool. Have inch wide chicken strips? Cool. It isn't up to me or anyone else to judge your skills, you know where you are better than anyone and if you're comfortable with that, cool. You ride yours, I'll ride mine.