Signs of an advanced rider
#21
08-12-2013 | 05:17 PM
I ride with four other guys on road trips. I have just never mastered the curves in the mountains. I slow down and ride to my skill level. Two of the guys are very skilled. When cutting through the curves they hold their lane and speed. They attack the road with what I call smooth grace. I am up and down on speed and have to work on my line through the curves. Just don't have the natural skill that they have.
#22
08-12-2013 | 05:19 PM
Left foot only down at a stop, not giving up the rear brake.
No see sawing of the front wheel as they come to a stop or ride slowly.
When stopped, bike is in left wheel track, right foot on peg or board. Bike is not cockeyed in the lane because they stopped where the bike stopped; they MADE the bike stop exactly where they wanted.
They don't put a foot down in oil, water, coolant or other unstable footing.
Head checks AND signals when changing lanes.
Tires are worn nearly to the edges instead of "Chicken Strips" of brand new tire except in the very middle.
Protective gear, helmet, jacket, gloves & boots that don't just slip on. If they slipped on, they can slip off. Another sign is gear that's worn and sun faded. They do NOT look like they just came from the set of a pirate movie.
Can make full lock U turns and standing start U turns to the left and right. Head and eyes are twisted to see where they want to go, not where they are now.
They negotiate curves outside, inside, outside. Meaning right hand curve entry close to the yellow line, left hand curve entry close to the white line. Reduces angle, increases visibility.
Ground speed in curves is fast but the rider doesn't look dramatic doing it, almost looking slow and deliberate. Never crosses the centerline from running wide.
They are never surprised when they meet another vehicle in a curve coming the other way (in their own lane) and consequently don't jerk the controls or brake for no reason.
Brake before a turn and throttle out. Sometimes they don't even brake for a turn at all because they judged corner speed so accurately that they only needed engine braking.
I could go on and on. The signs are there if you know what to look for. Anybody can buy a guitar and play Smoke On The Water; few can really play, and a small minority can make it cry, moan and sing.
No see sawing of the front wheel as they come to a stop or ride slowly.
When stopped, bike is in left wheel track, right foot on peg or board. Bike is not cockeyed in the lane because they stopped where the bike stopped; they MADE the bike stop exactly where they wanted.
They don't put a foot down in oil, water, coolant or other unstable footing.
Head checks AND signals when changing lanes.
Tires are worn nearly to the edges instead of "Chicken Strips" of brand new tire except in the very middle.
Protective gear, helmet, jacket, gloves & boots that don't just slip on. If they slipped on, they can slip off. Another sign is gear that's worn and sun faded. They do NOT look like they just came from the set of a pirate movie.
Can make full lock U turns and standing start U turns to the left and right. Head and eyes are twisted to see where they want to go, not where they are now.
They negotiate curves outside, inside, outside. Meaning right hand curve entry close to the yellow line, left hand curve entry close to the white line. Reduces angle, increases visibility.
Ground speed in curves is fast but the rider doesn't look dramatic doing it, almost looking slow and deliberate. Never crosses the centerline from running wide.
They are never surprised when they meet another vehicle in a curve coming the other way (in their own lane) and consequently don't jerk the controls or brake for no reason.
Brake before a turn and throttle out. Sometimes they don't even brake for a turn at all because they judged corner speed so accurately that they only needed engine braking.
I could go on and on. The signs are there if you know what to look for. Anybody can buy a guitar and play Smoke On The Water; few can really play, and a small minority can make it cry, moan and sing.
One thing I keep reading and think is complete BS is stopping with only 1 foot on the ground. Not 'giving up the back brake'? Not buying it, and I think it's asking for trouble to give up the balance achieved with 2 feet. The front brake isn't enough when stopped?!?! Right. A good gust of wind from the left and over you go....but not giving up the back brake!
Anyway....my $0.02. Fire away.
#23
08-12-2013 | 05:28 PM
Great cornering is rarely (in my experience) natural skill. It's something you learn to do and then practice it. There's a right way and lots of wrong ways to enter and exit a curve. look up cornering on youtube. Also, if you're in a flat straight road state like TX or FL, you don't do it that often so you don't get that much practice. I have to go ramping here in FL to keep up my cornering skills. Seriously.
#24
08-12-2013 | 05:33 PM
Grand HDF Member
Left foot only down at a stop, not giving up the rear brake.
No see sawing of the front wheel as they come to a stop or ride slowly.
When stopped, bike is in left wheel track, right foot on peg or board. Bike is not cockeyed in the lane because they stopped where the bike stopped; they MADE the bike stop exactly where they wanted.
They don't put a foot down in oil, water, coolant or other unstable footing.
Head checks AND signals when changing lanes.
Tires are worn nearly to the edges instead of "Chicken Strips" of brand new tire except in the very middle.
Protective gear, helmet, jacket, gloves & boots that don't just slip on. If they slipped on, they can slip off. Another sign is gear that's worn and sun faded. They do NOT look like they just came from the set of a pirate movie.
Can make full lock U turns and standing start U turns to the left and right. Head and eyes are twisted to see where they want to go, not where they are now.
They negotiate curves outside, inside, outside. Meaning right hand curve entry close to the yellow line, left hand curve entry close to the white line. Reduces angle, increases visibility.
Ground speed in curves is fast but the rider doesn't look dramatic doing it, almost looking slow and deliberate. Never crosses the centerline from running wide.
They are never surprised when they meet another vehicle in a curve coming the other way (in their own lane) and consequently don't jerk the controls or brake for no reason.
Brake before a turn and throttle out. Sometimes they don't even brake for a turn at all because they judged corner speed so accurately that they only needed engine braking.
I could go on and on. The signs are there if you know what to look for. Anybody can buy a guitar and play Smoke On The Water; few can really play, and a small minority can make it cry, moan and sing.
No see sawing of the front wheel as they come to a stop or ride slowly.
When stopped, bike is in left wheel track, right foot on peg or board. Bike is not cockeyed in the lane because they stopped where the bike stopped; they MADE the bike stop exactly where they wanted.
They don't put a foot down in oil, water, coolant or other unstable footing.
Head checks AND signals when changing lanes.
Tires are worn nearly to the edges instead of "Chicken Strips" of brand new tire except in the very middle.
Protective gear, helmet, jacket, gloves & boots that don't just slip on. If they slipped on, they can slip off. Another sign is gear that's worn and sun faded. They do NOT look like they just came from the set of a pirate movie.
Can make full lock U turns and standing start U turns to the left and right. Head and eyes are twisted to see where they want to go, not where they are now.
They negotiate curves outside, inside, outside. Meaning right hand curve entry close to the yellow line, left hand curve entry close to the white line. Reduces angle, increases visibility.
Ground speed in curves is fast but the rider doesn't look dramatic doing it, almost looking slow and deliberate. Never crosses the centerline from running wide.
They are never surprised when they meet another vehicle in a curve coming the other way (in their own lane) and consequently don't jerk the controls or brake for no reason.
Brake before a turn and throttle out. Sometimes they don't even brake for a turn at all because they judged corner speed so accurately that they only needed engine braking.
I could go on and on. The signs are there if you know what to look for. Anybody can buy a guitar and play Smoke On The Water; few can really play, and a small minority can make it cry, moan and sing.
#25
08-12-2013 | 05:38 PM
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
I know I'm a new guy and will probably get blasted for responding, but whatever. I think this list describes about 0.01% of riders. And of those that practice all of these things I bet less than half do these things ALL the time. I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I get in streaks where my balance is off for some reason and I wobble to stops or stop crooked. Other streaks of great stops, perfectly balanced and right where I intended.
One thing I keep reading and think is complete BS is stopping with only 1 foot on the ground. Not 'giving up the back brake'? Not buying it, and I think it's asking for trouble to give up the balance achieved with 2 feet. The front brake isn't enough when stopped?!?! Right. A good gust of wind from the left and over you go....but not giving up the back brake!
Anyway....my $0.02. Fire away.
One thing I keep reading and think is complete BS is stopping with only 1 foot on the ground. Not 'giving up the back brake'? Not buying it, and I think it's asking for trouble to give up the balance achieved with 2 feet. The front brake isn't enough when stopped?!?! Right. A good gust of wind from the left and over you go....but not giving up the back brake!
Anyway....my $0.02. Fire away.
As you have stated most riders are not advanced riders. Most don't have or want to learn what it takes to excel. It's your life you take in your hands riding a motorcycle. There are many riders that have 10+ years of riding, still riding the 1st year over and over.
Last edited by Markk9; 08-30-2013 at 03:41 AM.
#26
08-12-2013 | 05:54 PM
this theory of a person who duck walks at times is bs. im sorry but if your on a moped (sportster) yea maybe. try pulling up to a gas pump every single time with out put your feet out on a bagger. I have seen old timers doing this I cant count how many times. ill admit it I have done it. I do it every single time I pull into my garage too. I feel its a safety thing when your are just creeping along in tight areas. I can also stop at a stop sign without putting my feet down at all for a short time. does either one make me a good or bad rider I don't think so. I also do not think this is an automatic sign someone is not a good or experience rider. and I am not the motorman paladino. and someone making a comments about this specific item who does not ride a bagger and is not the same height as some people really shouldn't judge not all bikes are the same. not all people ride bikes made for women. infact I really think people who ride mopeds(sportster) really have no idea when it comes to this item since there really on an entry level bike and about what 400 lbs lighter.
#27
08-12-2013 | 05:57 PM
Banned
You can probably learn it, but really... it is probably a risk tolerance thing. I take corners slow most of the time, not because I can't take them fast, but because I am not real interested in meeting something in the road that isn't supposed to be there. Then, my FLHTC is no sport bike either. Hard parts scrape, suspension is unstable, and when the tires are worn... it gets pretty scary in those high speed sweepers. So, I slow down. That to me is the sign of an advanced rider; not how fast you can take a curve or how technically precise you take the curve, it's how safely.
#29
08-12-2013 | 06:11 PM
Banned
Everyone duck walks at some point though.
#30
08-12-2013 | 06:12 PM
Stellar HDF Member
this theory of a person who duck walks at times is bs. im sorry but if your on a moped (sportster) yea maybe. try pulling up to a gas pump every single time with out put your feet out on a bagger. I have seen old timers doing this I cant count how many times. ill admit it I have done it. I do it every single time I pull into my garage too. I feel its a safety thing when your are just creeping along in tight areas. I can also stop at a stop sign without putting my feet down at all for a short time. does either one make me a good or bad rider I don't think so. I also do not think this is an automatic sign someone is not a good or experience rider. and I am not the motorman paladino. and someone making a comments about this specific item who does not ride a bagger and is not the same height as some people really shouldn't judge not all bikes are the same. not all people ride bikes made for women. infact I really think people who ride mopeds(sportster) really have no idea when it comes to this item since there really on an entry level bike and about what 400 lbs lighter.
It amazes me how many people (whom happen to have a larger bike )
knock the sportster..
Well Sir I have owned /ridden both and matter of fact still have three sizes of bikes ..
the bike has nothing to do about skill, the rider does .
The bagger is ok , so are the softie's ..and the sportie is a real motorcycle too...
actually the bigger bikes are easier to ride , and spout a opinion from because they are heavy , and it takes a real idiot to fall over .
and btw you cant hold that heavy bike up with a foot down (if you screw up ) anyway...its about control ,not the size of motorcycle
so with their spare time , they knock another form of motorcycling ..
do you believe I still have a YZ250 dirt bike , that I ride every once in a while ??
well I do , and I am 72 years old , but I never have knocked another riders bike ..I love all of those dag-gum two wheelers
Last edited by heybaylor; 08-12-2013 at 06:18 PM.