My skills stink and aren't getting better...
#91
08-29-2012 | 06:07 PM
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Linton,IN
Riding dirt bikes has really made me a better rider as far as looking out in front of you as far as you can. It's crazy but if you see a rock on a trail you fall if you keep looking at it as opposed to looking beyond the rock and just rolling over it. It's almost like magic how it works. I think looking into a turn keeps you loose and not tighten up to much.
#92
08-29-2012 | 06:09 PM
Advanced
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: High desert area in SoCal
Some things to remember, my brother:
*Head and eyes, clutch and throttle. In other words, head up and eyes where you want to go, while feathering the engagement point of the clutch and keeping a fairly consistent throttle setting.
*The Harley is torquey, but it isn't a fragile flower. Go ahead and let the revs come up a bit as you downshift prior to the exit. A little blip of the throttle gets the flywheel moving and meshes with the next lower gear.
*Remember; your motorcycle WANTS to stay upright due to the gyroscopic affect of the rotating wheels (and even the flywheel, which is why suggetion #1 works so well).
*Never panic and turn your head to where you think you might go. Your bike goes where your eyes go. It is very unlikely you are often near the max lean angle of your bike, although you may feel that way. Even if your pegs/floorboards touch down, they will likely just scrape, unless you've just added a stupid amount of lean angle way to quickly.
*Even if you have taking a riders course, take it again. Or take a different course, like the one for touring bikes.
*Find a place where the roads are of the type giving you trouble, but which have little/no visibility issues. Then start slow and gently work your way up, increasing your confidence.
*Sit agressively upright, feet firmly on the pegs/boards. Feel your hips tilt, while keeping your upper body "quiet."
*And most of all; slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Put more miles on the road. I'm lucky enough to live where I have been able to put almost 20,000 miles on my Ultra Limited in two years. The miles have made all the difference.
Rubber side down!
*Head and eyes, clutch and throttle. In other words, head up and eyes where you want to go, while feathering the engagement point of the clutch and keeping a fairly consistent throttle setting.
*The Harley is torquey, but it isn't a fragile flower. Go ahead and let the revs come up a bit as you downshift prior to the exit. A little blip of the throttle gets the flywheel moving and meshes with the next lower gear.
*Remember; your motorcycle WANTS to stay upright due to the gyroscopic affect of the rotating wheels (and even the flywheel, which is why suggetion #1 works so well).
*Never panic and turn your head to where you think you might go. Your bike goes where your eyes go. It is very unlikely you are often near the max lean angle of your bike, although you may feel that way. Even if your pegs/floorboards touch down, they will likely just scrape, unless you've just added a stupid amount of lean angle way to quickly.
*Even if you have taking a riders course, take it again. Or take a different course, like the one for touring bikes.
*Find a place where the roads are of the type giving you trouble, but which have little/no visibility issues. Then start slow and gently work your way up, increasing your confidence.
*Sit agressively upright, feet firmly on the pegs/boards. Feel your hips tilt, while keeping your upper body "quiet."
*And most of all; slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Put more miles on the road. I'm lucky enough to live where I have been able to put almost 20,000 miles on my Ultra Limited in two years. The miles have made all the difference.
Rubber side down!
#94
08-29-2012 | 06:51 PM
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,216
Likes: 219
From: Glendale AZ
We all reach a point in our lives when we determine that it's either best we get more training or we pack it in. I've told my wife more than once, if I act a certain way to let me know if I already am not aware and it will be time for me to stop riding or driving all together. There's no shame in it, it's being responsible and considerate to yourself and your loved one's.
#95
08-29-2012 | 07:42 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 19
From: Cypress, TX
Riding dirt bikes has really made me a better rider as far as looking out in front of you as far as you can. It's crazy but if you see a rock on a trail you fall if you keep looking at it as opposed to looking beyond the rock and just rolling over it. It's almost like magic how it works. I think looking into a turn keeps you loose and not tighten up to much.
#96
08-29-2012 | 10:06 PM
Cruiser
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Florida
School
Penguin Racing School
This class will teach you how to turn and brake and ride like no other.
They have bikes to rent
Street Riders Welcome
We have an all new Track Experience Course designed with street riders in mind. This course has no racers and is run by the #1 ranked rider in New England for the past two seasons. This course is all about track time, riding techniques and simply enjoying the racetrack.
Riding in a parking lot is just going to make you a good parking lot rider!
This class will teach you how to turn and brake and ride like no other.
They have bikes to rent
Street Riders Welcome
We have an all new Track Experience Course designed with street riders in mind. This course has no racers and is run by the #1 ranked rider in New England for the past two seasons. This course is all about track time, riding techniques and simply enjoying the racetrack.
Riding in a parking lot is just going to make you a good parking lot rider!
#98
08-30-2012 | 12:53 AM
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
This is one of those threads that should never die!
Recently realized that I feel much more in control on the turns when I have the RPM's up. I did not see too many people mention this?
I did a long twisty road out here lately and the second time I realized that by downshifting and keeping the the RPM's around 3k the bike was much easier to handle.
Am I correct to do this?
Also, no doubt that my toughest turn's were the ones where I got nervous and tapped the rear break while turning. Brakes mess you up in the turn.
However, practice really helps... as my second time through was markedly better than my first.
Can'y wait to do it again.
Thanks for all the advice in here.
I did a long twisty road out here lately and the second time I realized that by downshifting and keeping the the RPM's around 3k the bike was much easier to handle.
Am I correct to do this?
Also, no doubt that my toughest turn's were the ones where I got nervous and tapped the rear break while turning. Brakes mess you up in the turn.
However, practice really helps... as my second time through was markedly better than my first.
Can'y wait to do it again.
Thanks for all the advice in here.
Certainly.. thats basically text book cornering! When you downshift you are applying rear wheel braking, slowing you in preparation and setup for the turn.. and the lower gear and higher RPMS means that more power is available to the rear wheel to "set" you into the turn and pull you through it. Then when you then throttle into the turn once your speed, line and lean angle are set, the suspension stiffens and stabilizes. The gyroscopic forces generated by the engine have a stabilizing influence on the bike helping stabilize the lean angle. And finally, the increase in engine braking means you can easily and predictably make smooth adjustments to your speed by feathering the throttle.
In my opinion if you are lugging a bike engine in a corner you are out of control atleast by some margin
This is spot on! Once you BELIEVE the technique the whole game changes!
LOL! Yup!
Great tips guys!! Lots of good stuff in this thread too!
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...ide-glide.html
Here looks likes some interesting info on the physics involved
http://motorcyclephysics.com/
Last edited by onemyndseye; 08-30-2012 at 01:06 AM.
#100
08-30-2012 | 07:06 AM
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Don't know if this will help or not, I think your thinking too much about it. Don't look at the road in front of you, look where you want to go. This means, look way beyond the curve or as far as you can. You will be surprised how much easier the curves will be with a little more speed. If it's a 40 mph curve, do 40. After a while you'll be doing them at 60. If you did'nt take a rideing course to get your license, you mite try one of those.
This