Can you handle a big bike?
#51
04-01-2014 | 11:57 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 48
From: Northern California
If you have the front and rear bars dropping the bike is no big deal. Wrap old carpet or heater hose on the lower portion and give it a try. Unless you are a totally uncoordinated boob who should not be on a bike anyhow you should be able to get the friction zone concept pretty easily. Your slow speed skills cannot help but improve therefore you become more confident on your machine.
Areas where this comes in real handy is u turns. How many riders cannot perform a u turn on a basic 2 lane street ?? 90 % ?? How often do you have to find someplace to turn around? Always I bet. Practice this stuff a little and you will be able to do it at will loaded with the lady on back. No more duckwalking. !!
What is fun is go to the DMV where the motorcycle test area is on a weekend and ride the course after you practice a little. The course becomes a easy thing.
The cool thing is you can practice just about anywhere, you really do not need an elaborate cone course to learn the basics.
I always thought I could handle my bike good until I saw a Police competition and had to get better.
It works on all bikes, dirtbikes too.
My brother used to ride a hotrod Dyna with some serious tall apes and forward controls, he said no way that his bike could be ridden like that. we swapped and it was quite different but in a minute I was swooping tight figure 8 turns all around.
It is fun, try it.
Areas where this comes in real handy is u turns. How many riders cannot perform a u turn on a basic 2 lane street ?? 90 % ?? How often do you have to find someplace to turn around? Always I bet. Practice this stuff a little and you will be able to do it at will loaded with the lady on back. No more duckwalking. !!
What is fun is go to the DMV where the motorcycle test area is on a weekend and ride the course after you practice a little. The course becomes a easy thing.
The cool thing is you can practice just about anywhere, you really do not need an elaborate cone course to learn the basics.
I always thought I could handle my bike good until I saw a Police competition and had to get better.
It works on all bikes, dirtbikes too.
My brother used to ride a hotrod Dyna with some serious tall apes and forward controls, he said no way that his bike could be ridden like that. we swapped and it was quite different but in a minute I was swooping tight figure 8 turns all around.
It is fun, try it.
#52
04-01-2014 | 12:12 PM
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 283
Likes: 22
From: Grand Prairie, TX
You'd really be amazed at what an 800+ lb bike can do with a little trail braking and lots of friction zone; not to mention lots of practice.
#53
04-01-2014 | 12:14 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,601
Likes: 711
From: Bellevue, NE
#54
04-01-2014 | 12:18 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,601
Likes: 711
From: Bellevue, NE
Not sure if he won that one or not but I think he placed 4th at the 110th Anniversary competition in Milwaukee. He's good, no doubt about it. I'd like to compete against him someday.
#55
04-01-2014 | 12:37 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 48
From: Northern California
Thanks !! I am a good citizen, only speed a little on back roads, 1 ticket in 20 years for window tint that was legal in Arizona but not California. I try to keep my bike quiet so as not to disturb folks, never drink and drive let alone ride but I have been pulled over many times for no real reason other than I ride a Motorcycle.Loud illegal exhaust with a stock system?? Too bright of headlight with DOT Legal Trucklite P-7, speeding when going 5 under, failure to complete stop with both feet down. All BS reasons to hassle. I live in a rural ish area and the local CHP officers are mostly cut from the same cloth.A court system that backs them 100% so if you do get a citation you are paying. Oh I could go on and on.
Even as a concerned citizen with excessive speeders on a 25 mph street approaching them has been nothing but unpleasant.
Yes I am not a fan with great reason.
I understand the nature of the job is dealing with a criminal element but there are also good people too. I think this needs to be remembered by more of our fuzzy friends.
Even as a concerned citizen with excessive speeders on a 25 mph street approaching them has been nothing but unpleasant.
Yes I am not a fan with great reason.
I understand the nature of the job is dealing with a criminal element but there are also good people too. I think this needs to be remembered by more of our fuzzy friends.
#56
04-01-2014 | 01:59 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 14,436
Likes: 2,419
From: Pittsburgh, Pa
Look for a Ride Like a Pro class near you. Just watching his videos and then setting up a practice area in a parking lot will help quite a bit. You'd really be amazed at what an 800+ lb bike can do with a little trail braking and lots of friction zone; not to mention lots of practice.
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#57
04-01-2014 | 03:46 PM
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 496
Likes: 0
From: Plainview, NY
You're not going to be able to do that without some instruction on how to do it, just heading out to a parking lot isn't going to help.
You're literally pulling in the clutch and slamming the bars side to side to do those turns and then gently easing the clutch back in. It's all rear brake, touching the front brake will put you down very quickly. Clutch and throttle control is a must...
You'd be surprised at what a Harley touring bike is capable of!
Yes, I was one of those who got paid to do that, wore the winged wheel with pride as we had more than a 50% failure rate. Where I worked there was no basic or advanced, it was one long course (140 hours) and it was pass/fail and even if you technically passed you could still be failed. Doing 75mph in parade formation through the streets of NYC isn't for everyone....
You're literally pulling in the clutch and slamming the bars side to side to do those turns and then gently easing the clutch back in. It's all rear brake, touching the front brake will put you down very quickly. Clutch and throttle control is a must...
You'd be surprised at what a Harley touring bike is capable of!
Yes, I was one of those who got paid to do that, wore the winged wheel with pride as we had more than a 50% failure rate. Where I worked there was no basic or advanced, it was one long course (140 hours) and it was pass/fail and even if you technically passed you could still be failed. Doing 75mph in parade formation through the streets of NYC isn't for everyone....
#58
04-01-2014 | 04:38 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 17
From: Ontario Canada
If you have the front and rear bars dropping the bike is no big deal. Wrap old carpet or heater hose on the lower portion and give it a try. Unless you are a totally uncoordinated boob who should not be on a bike anyhow you should be able to get the friction zone concept pretty easily. Your slow speed skills cannot help but improve therefore you become more confident on your machine.
Areas where this comes in real handy is u turns. How many riders cannot perform a u turn on a basic 2 lane street ?? 90 % ?? How often do you have to find someplace to turn around? Always I bet. Practice this stuff a little and you will be able to do it at will loaded with the lady on back. No more duckwalking. !!
What is fun is go to the DMV where the motorcycle test area is on a weekend and ride the course after you practice a little. The course becomes a easy thing.
The cool thing is you can practice just about anywhere, you really do not need an elaborate cone course to learn the basics.
I always thought I could handle my bike good until I saw a Police competition and had to get better.
It works on all bikes, dirtbikes too.
My brother used to ride a hotrod Dyna with some serious tall apes and forward controls, he said no way that his bike could be ridden like that. we swapped and it was quite different but in a minute I was swooping tight figure 8 turns all around.
It is fun, try it.
Areas where this comes in real handy is u turns. How many riders cannot perform a u turn on a basic 2 lane street ?? 90 % ?? How often do you have to find someplace to turn around? Always I bet. Practice this stuff a little and you will be able to do it at will loaded with the lady on back. No more duckwalking. !!
What is fun is go to the DMV where the motorcycle test area is on a weekend and ride the course after you practice a little. The course becomes a easy thing.
The cool thing is you can practice just about anywhere, you really do not need an elaborate cone course to learn the basics.
I always thought I could handle my bike good until I saw a Police competition and had to get better.
It works on all bikes, dirtbikes too.
My brother used to ride a hotrod Dyna with some serious tall apes and forward controls, he said no way that his bike could be ridden like that. we swapped and it was quite different but in a minute I was swooping tight figure 8 turns all around.
It is fun, try it.
Dropping the bike no big deal ..Not quite
Ride like a pro will tell you that Harley's can and do tip further than the boards. They will sometime tip and hit the outside of the fairing. You may want padding in that area with foam and duct tape. Another way is to reverse the highway pegs for practice so they help the bike from completely going on its side. I never did drop my bike but I certainly came close to doing so.
#59
04-01-2014 | 05:06 PM
Advanced
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: NY State
Also check out Ride Like a Pro dvd's with Motorman Jerry Palladino. He has both low-speed handling like that, and also Mean Streets "defensive driving" dvd, and a really fun, how to ride the twisties vid for the famous Deals Gap run down in TN (?). www.ridelikeapro.com
Jerry also a really nice guy, and on Facebook. Super guy. Ex-NYer.
Jerry also a really nice guy, and on Facebook. Super guy. Ex-NYer.
#60
04-01-2014 | 05:46 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 17
From: Ontario Canada
You're not going to be able to do that without some instruction on how to do it, just heading out to a parking lot isn't going to help.
You're literally pulling in the clutch and slamming the bars side to side to do those turns and then gently easing the clutch back in. It's all rear brake, touching the front brake will put you down very quickly. Clutch and throttle control is a must...
You'd be surprised at what a Harley touring bike is capable of!
Yes, I was one of those who got paid to do that, wore the winged wheel with pride as we had more than a 50% failure rate. Where I worked there was no basic or advanced, it was one long course (140 hours) and it was pass/fail and even if you technically passed you could still be failed. Doing 75mph in parade formation through the streets of NYC isn't for everyone....
You're literally pulling in the clutch and slamming the bars side to side to do those turns and then gently easing the clutch back in. It's all rear brake, touching the front brake will put you down very quickly. Clutch and throttle control is a must...
You'd be surprised at what a Harley touring bike is capable of!
Yes, I was one of those who got paid to do that, wore the winged wheel with pride as we had more than a 50% failure rate. Where I worked there was no basic or advanced, it was one long course (140 hours) and it was pass/fail and even if you technically passed you could still be failed. Doing 75mph in parade formation through the streets of NYC isn't for everyone....