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2005 Dear
VTwin Mama, Is it normal for new riders to do this? And, have you any suggestions for me so that, in future times of bike imbalance, I might spare my ego and keep my bike upright? Ambrosia Blue Dear
Ambrosia Blue, Meanwhile, gather your ego and don't worry about it too much. You might consider getting the Ride Like A Pro for the Ladies video. She's on a big honking bike and shows you techniques for slow speed riding, especially turns! I think you would pick up valuable tips by watching and then doing! Meanwhile, check through my Curves/Turns page for previous postings on the subject! Mama Friday, May 20 For HD Hawk wrote in about trying to master mountain hairpin curves: I too ride an 883 Sportster and I love it! I grew up in Cali and I know that hairpin curves there are really hairpin curves! I live in North Carolina now and these curves ain't nothing compared to what's out there. When riding out there I use my knees a lot! to handle the tight curves. By this I mean when you are taking a curve say a right curve have your right knee out and your left knee hugging the gas tank and vice a versa and most of all LEAN. Go down the same road every day (preferably when there is not much traffic). It is best to maintain or slightly increase speed while taking a curve, this helps stabilize the suspension and improve control over the bike. You don't have to go fast but constant is the key. When riding up a mountain lean forward when riding down lean back a little. Riding down a mountain is a lot easier than riding up, centrifugal force I guess. I use to look at the curve and not through the curve, once you can get your head up to look straight or through the curve you will be able to evaluate each and every curve with a fore thought. It's like buying a brand new dress and you need to buy new shoes to go with the dress. You all ready know what kind and color you want you just have to find the right store that has them. A fore thought. In Cali the curves come faster and are closer together and there isn't much time for thinking because your all ready on the curve. But once you can see a CURVE through than every CURVE will look the same, some you'll just have to take slower than others. Just remember outside inside outside when taking a curve, hug the white line if you have to, if your going over the yellow line on the inside your not leaning hard enough and your not rolling on the throttle enough. It's all about practice, practice, practice! If you don't get out there and do it, the fear will take over and the curves will not be fun. Another thing that might help: riding a bicycle without any hands and making it turn left and right. I hope this helped. ST from NC (note from Mama: thanks for the input!) Dear
VTwin Mama, Dear
Wil, So, what to do? I'm thinking you'll greatly benefit from viewing the Ride Like a Pro for The Ladies video/DVD. Watch a woman on a big beastie do slow maneuvers with control and confidence. Yes, practice is the key . . . but if you don't know the dynamics of what you're trying to practice, your frustration will continue. And we don't want that! You could watch this with your husband, plan practice sessions, go out to an empty parking lot with him watching (or doing the same practice sessions with you on his bike), compare notes, and . . . well, you get the jist of it. Go, go, go . . . solutions are at hand! Mama Tuesday, May 24 For Wil who is learning to handle slow speed maneuvers: Hi Wil, I have a Aero 750 too. It's a great bike but I'm biased . . . it's the only bike I could flat foot. Anyway the Ride Like a Pro video is good, a must get. But what I wanted to say is it sounds like a trust issue with the bike. If you practice, you'll gain that trust. Take it from me you can do it. Just don't try to do it perfect the first time, what I mean is, give yourself more room at first (in a parking lot), If your practicing a turn make it a little wider, then work on getting tighter and tighter. Don't forget some kind of markers like pop cans, paint lines in the parking lot, etc. so you have a defined area to stay in just like in real life. Remember to let the bike do its job and you do yours and in no time you'll be dancing. Jennifer (note from Mama: solid advice on using markers so that Wil can see her progress!) Wednesday, June 8 Dear
VTwin Mama, Recently I went on a riding course in order to improve my skills. It was a little weird, as I turned out to be the only woman in a class of 25!!! (lucky me). At the end of the course, there was a road test, which I aced, of course. But the icing on top was the fact that, not only did I breeze through the slow race using the friction zone as taught in the RLAP DVD, I positively SMOKED the boys through the rest of the test! So many thanks for your great advice and keep riding! Ambrosia Blue Dear
Ambrosia Blue, Dear
VTwin Mama, Just passed the MSF course in March '05 and bought my first bike. I loved riding with my husband so much, I just had to take the course to see if riding was for me. I loved the class, what a blast, I did really well - especially cornering. Much to my husband's chagrin, I jumped to the top and bought an '05 HD 883L - red! I have all the gear, had the bike delivered, and when it arrived, I jumped on and tootled around the neighborhood - NO Problem - like 2nd nature. Next (2nd ride) . . . get on the road . . . not too bad, good with the gears, braking (using both!), etc . . . until, we (my husband riding behind me) get on a more open road . . . get up to about 60mph and I stiffen up! MAN! what is going on . . . tried going around a slight bend in the road and was so stiff, I freaked out (not literally, but in my head) . . . been on the bike two more times on some back roads (not doing any more than 45mph) and I am SO nervous now. How can I overcome my nervousness going around bends and traveling at higher speeds without stiffing up? Sounds weird I know, but I never expected that. Now I am even a little scared to ride. Need to overcome if I am ever going to get anywhere on my new bike!!!!! Any advice MUCH appreciated!. Diana Dear
Diana, Ok, first of all, at higher speeds the realization of how fast you are going, how quickly something can go wrong, and how much you need more practice comes together into one big ball of omigosh. Also, with speed comes the necessity to master techniques that are much more important to have at the ready than at lower speeds. At lower speeds you can still get away from going around a curve by mainly steering the bike. Sure, you may think you're leaning the bike, but you're probably not. Did your instructors go through the concept of countersteering with your class? Now's the time to recall this information, but let's recap. A bike pivots around its center of gravity, and that's at the engine, not the handlebars. That's why steering a bike around the curve at high speeds doesn't work without scaring the crap out of you. Now, get your bike to an empty parking lot or relatively empty roadway. Get up to speed in second gear, remain in a perfectly straight line, and lightly push the handlebar with your palm on the right side. See how the bike wants to move to the right without you steering? Do the same thing, only this time, lightly pull the left side (not a steer, but a pull with the handlebar straight) . . . see how the bike wants to go to the right? This is countersteering. With the bike handlebars still in a straight line, and pushing or pulling, you are transferring the action to the center of gravity and the bike wants to follow the curve. This takes some practice. Also, check the position of your knees . . . if you tend to ride with them "hanging" out, pull them in next to the tank for a curve . . . this keeps your body's center of gravity focused at your hips and centered over the bike. I find it feels more in control. For previous letters on this subject, hop over to my Curves/Turns page and you'll see that you're not alone! Ok, out you go to practice! I predict you'll soon be past your jitters and on the road to happy riding! Mama Monday, June 20 For Diana who is finding curves at higher speeds a new challenge: Hi! I am finally writing in after loving your site for the past year! I took my MSF class last May at the age of 52, and having owned a new 650 Yamaha V-Star Silverado Classic for one month.( I love my bike - "LadyV"). My husband had tried to help me learn, but after one outing (and slowly laying the bike down on a rise in our driveway - he forgot to tell me how to turn!) I said I was waiting for the class. And much to my surprise I passed - and I am loving it! But not without some trials, too. My heart pounded so hard for the first 500 miles, I thought I might never relax, but somewhere around that mark I realized the pounding was gone and I was loving it. I put on about 2500 miles last year, wanting to do more but we had a very cold summer and rainy fall. Have already ridden 1000 miles more this spring and hope to keep going! And even after lots of riding, a few weeks ago I took my bike out of the garage and thought I had the kickstand locked down - well it wasn't and now I have a new turn signal lens and a couple scratches which I covered with new chrome fender tips! It is humbling, but so necessary to realize that you should never get too "comfortable" because that's when mistakes and accidents can happen. My only problem now is that my husband misses me on the back of our 1500 Goldwing as we had helmet to helmet communication so now are thinking of trying out the "chatterbox" system for bike to bike communicating. Any comments or advice greatly welcomed! Anyway the reason I am writing is in your answer to Diana who was having trouble with the curves at higher speeds. When I was taking the class and first learning everyone talked about the push on the handlebars. Well to me a push was a forward motion and that wasn't corresponding with where I wanted the bike to go. It wasn't till I did more riding that I realized the "push" was actually a gentle push down on the handlebar~ right or left. As I got more comfortable riding I was instinctively doing it ~ but wished someone had explained it to me a little better to begin with. Maybe I am the only one that has had this happen but figured it can't hurt to share my experience. Thanks for your site and the awesome job you do with it! Best wishes on your move. sdouth Dakota V-Star Lady (note from Mama: yes, I can see where the push is a more easily understood as a downward motion than an outward direction . . . good observation! It sounds like your own adventure is proceeding fairly smoothly and you're understanding that learning is a continuing experience. Any previous postings on communications systems can be found on my Comm Systems page . . . that might be a good place to start some reading!) And now a message from Diana who tried the counter steering technique: It's Diana again (the gal that had the slap of reality with speed and bends). However, I took your advice, got up early Saturday AM (nice and cool, no traffic) and rode for about 2hrs. I tell you what, it was like the light bulb suddenly went off. I applied the counter steering technique you suggested and ding, ding, ding . . . it worked! Like magic! All of a sudden I am at ease with taking bends in the road. What I realized I was doing was trying to press "Down" on the handle bars to go either right or left. That doesn't work! The trick (for me anyway and maybe for someone else reading this . . . ) is . . . when going around a bend to the left . . . press "forward" on the left handlebar . . . and it just goes . . . just like you said. Magic! I was so much more at east this morning . . . I was up to 55mph, and I was not so fearful . . . at moments I was really starting to enjoy the ride, not worry so much about. Anyhoo, practice makes perfect, so will be out bright and early again in the morning. Just wanted to say THANK YOU - you made my day! and my ride!!!!! Diana (note from Mama: and now we see that different descriptions of the same "type" of motion make more sense one way for one rider, and sense in a different way for another rider. I'm glad to hear that you're taking those curves now with confidence and more practice will really bring that into even sharper focus. Yahoo is right!) Wednesday, June 22 Hello Mama, I was having a lot of trouble maintaining my speed and smoothness while turning left or right at an intersection. I noticed that when a car was in front of me and I just followed it through the turn I was smoother. All the hints and suggestions on this and other sites have helped me a great deal. I would like to suggest that a very nervous rider follow a friend in a car or bike around town, using the center of the vehicle as a focal point. I feel the mental stress would be lessened knowing that you are not alone. I think when you repeatedly go through the intersections properly, your body will remember the feel and not be braced and anticipating a fall. I used to do something similar when giving horseback riding lessons to timid riders. I had the advantage of riding at 12 and the shifting and braking came back to me pretty well. I learned on a toe shift only and still make a mistake on the heel shifter sometimes. It is a lot to concentrate on while dealing with traffic. (translate-scared shiftless). In my experience with horses, most people hit a fear factor (ability to comprehend danger and mortality) at about age 40 and even things we did as a child are now intimidating. I am so proud of the women bikers, especially us older models who challenge ourselves and ride our own ride. Thank you Mama. Patricia Dear
Patricia, Yes, us "older model" riders comprehend the fear factor in a different way, but I also think we've got more risk assessment tools available to us. As my own Mama reminds me from time to time, it's learning that keeps us young, no matter what our age is! And even after riding for more than 25 years, I am constantly learning something (or relearning something depending on how the brain is functioning!) that makes a difference in my riding experience. Glad to hear your own ride is progressing nicely! Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, I will be 53 next month and don't heal like I did in my twenties. I wonder if I have the right bike. My husband says its not the bike but I am not so sure. This is my second bike. My first was a 185cc and was very low and O only dropped it once. I don't want to stop riding. Should I look at other bikes or is my husband right? Thank you. Judy Dear
Judy, The chief lesson is about using the friction zone of your clutch and feathering the back brake. Very illuminating! I recently went out and practiced on my new bike (the fourth one in my 26 years of riding) using tennis balls cut in half to mark the course and learned the specific handling characteristics of my bike. Voila . . . a better understanding of the dynamics of all of this! If you mention the VTwin Mama site when ordering, you'll get $5 off shipping/handling costs! Please do this . . . it's cheaper than buying a new bike, and once you've really worked on your skills, you can re-evaluate what you would like to do about that! P.S. there is also a section showing how to pick up your bike the right way . . . very useful! Mama Wednesday, August 3 For Judy who is trying to solve the dropsies on u-turn type maneuvers: This is for Judy who dropped her Virago on a tight turn.
Learning slow maneuvers is very important, and challenging, and I'm still
working on that myself, but what I got from her letter was that she may
have taken that turn too fast. She doesn't say why she didn't finish the
safety course, but it might be a good idea to get into another class. Late
in the range riding, they really start to emphasize slowing before curves
and turns. When I first starting learning, I didn't really have a good
point of reference for the speed at which I SHOULD be traveling before
making a turn. Friday, August 5 More for Judy who is trying to solve the dropsies on u-turn type maneuvers: Hi Judy! I can understand how you feel about getting back on that motorcycle after you had that little accident. I also put my bike down and was hurt with a sprained arm and soreness on my back. I am 51 years old and also don't heal like I use too. But after I gave myself time to heal properly, I finally got back on. It took me a month to the day I had that accident. I was really nervous about getting back on but I wasn't about to give up--I wanted to ride, and mostly I was going to ride my own ride and that's actually what I did. I went my own speed, took my time and kept telling myself that I trust my bike and what really helped is that my boyfriend was very helpful and had the patience to wait for me. If you think the bike is too big, get the videos and go some place where you can practice more and take your time and you will know when you are ready!! It's a wonderful feeling to be able to get back on and do what your heart is telling you what too do!! hope everything works out well for you and ride safe!!! Debi (note from Mama: you're a peach for sharing this letter of encouragement! The fact is that our mechanical beasties do have certain handling characteristics that they always follow, so it's up to us to learn what they are. This takes practice. Remember, our bikes follow our "orders" and cannot guess what we really meant to do! That's why, even after 26 years of riding, I took the time, and still work on, mastering the particular nuances to how my newest bikes reacts under all sorts of conditions and circumstances. Just because I got it down pat on one bike, doesn't necessarily follow on another bike. True, some techniques are generic to all bikes, but being a skilled, safe rider means learning and paying attention to the smallest of details specific to our ride. Practice, at any stage of the riding experience, is a good thing!) Thursday, September 15 Dear
VTwin Mama, I took the MSF course in the summer of 2003. I rode a 1983 Yamaha Virago 500 until I dropped it as I started through a stop sign at a "very busy" T-stop to make a really tight left turn. This scared me and it was hard to get back on the bike. Several months went by and in 2004 my husband and I attended the motorcycle show in DC. There I saw a Honda 750 Aero Shadow. In April of that year I bought it (I wanted it, but was still fearful). I was excited when we brought it home and I started riding it. I didn't have it long when I dropped it after two different rides in our gravel driveway. Needless to say I have been afraid to get back on my Shadow for a year. But the year did not go without a motorcycle; my wonderful husband could see my fear of this bike and bought me a used Honda Rebel 250 and I have been practicing on it. Since last Sunday I have graduated back to my Shadow and I have been doing great and getting all kinds of assistance from this website - especially the curves. Today we went out and I even rode on the Interstate, made left and right turns, rode in curves, etc. On the way home I took the lead and decided to make the left turn at that dreaded T-stop. This time I made it through the Stop sign, but ran into a deep ditch. I was not hurt and neither was my bike (just my ego because I was so proud of myself for what I have accomplished in just a week). My husband and a very kind man made sure I was okay and then got the bike out of the ditch (I am definitely not ready to ride solo because I wouldn't have been able to get that darn bike out by myself). I got right back on because I realize from this website that I am not alone out there and mistakes are made. I will get right back on tomorrow morning and face that left hand turn again. This time I will angle the bike towards the lane I want to go in and keep my eyes way ahead of me. I don't remember the entire sequence of events, but I believe what happened was I went too wide and I took my eyes off where I wanted the bike to go so naturally I went into the ditch. I was trying to stop the bike, but instead of putting on the front and back brakes to stop before I hit the gravel shoulder, I was rolling the throttle and by then the gravel and ditch just sucked me in. I know this was a lesson learned and I hope that someone else out there learns something from my mistake. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Hope I haven't been too long winded, but I wanted to share my story. By the way I am 49. BB, aka Little Rosie Dear
BB, If you need help planning out your sessions and further understanding the dynamics of how the bike and you need to become one, then get Ride Like a Pro for the Ladies . . . an excellent instructional DVD loved by many women . . . mention you heard it at the VTwin Mama site and you'll get $5 off the shipping/handling cost! I used it to learn the handling characteristics of my newest bike, and by putting myself through the paces, gained a heightened understanding of how my bike handles. Now, out you go to practice! Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, 3 months ago I brought it out of hiding and began the parking lot thing again. I rode it around the parking lot 3 times then hit the road. I loved riding but hated being blown all over the road on a 250, so after 478 miles of riding (woo hoo), I traded it in on a 2006 Suzuki Boulevard C50 (805 cc) brand new, had 2 miles on it............WOW!! Awesome bike, big but felt comfortable. I'm 5'10, 150 lbs and it fits perfectly. I took it to the parking lot, did about an hour of riding then took to the streets. AWESOME, from being blown around on a 250, semi's now passed me on the other side of the road with "barely a puff of wind." I live in Missouri in an area where every where you go, you have to drive to get there, and curvy, curvy, hills. I immediately set to the curves to test my skills. I took two breaks and when my bike was no longer at 2 miles but at 72 miles . . . it happened. I came upon a curve at 60 mph (posted speed is 45), I was going too fast, I dropped down to 50, wasn't enough, didn't lean . . . I kept going. I don't know exactly what happened next, all I know is I hit the ditch, kept it up, came flying out of the ditch, still kept it up (on grass), drove another 20 feet of which I don't know what happened, all I know is I was going down, my foot board caught the ground and there we went, I let go when we were both down (we, meaning me and my buddy the bike). I was sore, down the whole left side, and my left elbow was scrapped and "slightly" bleeding. I made it, my bike lived through it without a scrape. Ok, the purpose to the story, which I'm sure you've heard before . . . I then became scared. I was scared before, but now . . . whew am I scared. I got back on and rode another 72 miles that day before calling it quits, so you can say I definitely "got back into the saddle". But, I'm not riding the same. I was scared of curves before . . . now I go so slow it's ridiculous, nothing to take me out of 5th gear or anything but . . . sloooooow and shaky. My right turns which I was beginning to master, now are wide and ridiculous. Now all of a sudden I don't know how to lean, when to lean, where to take the curve and when, and how to make right turns. I came home that night, parked it, polished it. The next day I went out and polished it again as my tears shed over my buddy that I let down (literally). It's been 3 days and I haven't been back on it again although we have visited. Any advice, suggestions, or just plain thoughts? My Buddy and Me Dear
My Buddy and Me, And now for the lesson. You don't steer a bike around a curve, but it sounds like that's what you tried to do when that ditch curve came up fast and hard. Yes, you and the bike need to lean together, but the "commands" you give the bike so it can do it properly are quite specific. It's officially called counter-steering and is a technique that can be practiced in an empty parking lot to begin with. You ride the bike in a straight line (first gear is fast enough) and then lightly press your left hand/palm into the handlebar end. Notice how the bike wants to go left from your center line? You can achieve the same effect going to the left by lightly "pulling" on the right handlebar end. The harder you press or pull, the quicker and more decidedly the bike wants to follow that pathway. Now try going right off the center line . . . that's right, press with the right hand or pull with the left hand . . . eventually you'll really use a combination of both hands, but start by understanding the reaction with one hand only. That's it . . . that's the secret! Three additional points to mention . . . one, it helps to have your knees tucked in to the bike instead of hanging out in the breeze (more sense of control and you can actually use your knees to help steer a bike around a curve by pressing the right knee into the bike for a left curve, so a counter-kneeing!!). Two, if you start going around a curve and you feel like you're going down on that side, use the back brake (never, ever the front brake) lightly (it's called feathering) as it helps the bike stay upright. This feathering can also be practiced. Try your counter-steering, let the bike follow that path, and lightly press the rear brake to see how it reacts. Three, your body should always stay in line with the center line of the bike . . . you and the bike lean together, but your body stays centered over the bike, not trying to hang over. After you get the basic sense of it all, then it's time to go back to the road, take curves at posted speeds, and specifically use your counter-steering technique, even if it's just a slight movement needed. You need to train your body to do that move on all curves so it's a natural reaction . . . especially useful when a curve comes up quick and you've got speed that you can't bleed off quickly. Ok, out you go to practice . . . you're going to get this down pat and always consciously remember how to command your bike and then ditches will be a thing of the past! You can get a better sense of "I'M NOT ALONE" by reading my Riding Techniques: Curves and Turns page . . . there you'll see previous postings from women who have gone through the same thing and went on to master it! Mama Monday, September 19 For My Buddy and Me who is working on conquering curves at higher speeds: When I started riding I had trouble understanding the counter steering. I could not figure out how to push on the handlebars without turning them. One day I realized in a curve that I could do very well with pushing on the foot peg ( putting more of my weight on it) in the direction of the curve and the bike would go right around. This seems to work very well for me. Hope it helps. God bless. Linda (note from Mama: an interesting alternative and one that also begins the motion of moving the bike into a pivot around the center of gravity, which is how a bike handles curves at higher speeds! Voila!) Wednesday, December 28 Hey Mama, Just had a quick question about a front wheel "wobble" What is that exactly? And if you experience one what should you do? The reason that I'm asking is that lately I have had a "squeaky" front end. I ride an '04 Shadow Aero 750. I had the bike looked at and they couldn't find anything wrong. They said that they just tightened up any loose bolts on the windshield and lubbed whatever should be lubbed. But it still squeaks so I will probably have it looked at by someone else. But in the mean time I can't tell if I feel a slight wobble from the front end or if I imagine it. I usually feel it entering a curve or while in the curve. Am I doing something that could be causing this sensation? It freaks me out because I can see myself flying off the road in a curve and ending up in a heap on the road side! Can you help? Gloria in So. Cal. Dear
Gloria, Front end wheel wobble is basically a feeling that the front tire is moving slightly side-to-side (sort of like chattering teeth in the cold!) all by itself while riding. This is usually most noticeable while riding on gravel or a grated road (like over a bridge), but that's the normal stuff. The bike's front tire can't maintain a perfect straight line, so it veers a little and it's a weird feeling but as long as you don't take a death grip, forcing the bike to maintain a perfect straight line, it will "wobble" it's way through. Just remember to slow down to handle this! A wheel wobble in a curve will fee like that and could be caused by a number of things. First, bikes with a higher center of gravity or higher front fork rake angle are harder to smoothly move as smoothly around a curve, and a slight wobble feeling could be there. Do you feel like the front end is "chattering" as you head around the curve? It could just be part of the bike's handling characteristics, but read on for more ideas. I'd double check the tire inflation, as too high tire pressure means less tire/ground contact and could be affecting the curve handling. It also could be a condition of the front wheel out of balance or an uneven tire wear pattern or the tire not being bolted and balanced in the fork correctly. However, it could be just your riding skills (yikes!). You may be taking a death grip on the handlebar going into a curve and not allowing the bike to lean into the curve more naturally . . . remember, you don't steer a bike into a curve, you lean into it using countersteering, which is lightly pushing on that side of the handlebar, or lightly pulling on the opposite side. Even an experience rider as yourself could inadvertently be taking a death grip (been there and had to practice lots to stop this!). My suggestion is to go to an empty road where you can build up speed and in a straight line, just countersteer to each side and see what's happening. Then go onto curvy roads and do the same at a slower speed and see if happens, then higher speeds, and gauge your grip, countersteering, etc. You need to pinpoint this down. I am a bit concerned about the squeaky noise you're hearing. I'm sure you've ascertained at exactly what point it squeaks (in terms of speed and what maneuvers you're doing) and where it sounds like it's coming from. If it's just at higher speeds, I'd ask the dealer's service department to take it on the road (if they haven't done so already) to verify your experience . . . not all will "jump" to do this and can actually be quite reluctant (fie on them!) . . . that's your clue to find an independent shop in the area to address your concerns. Mama 2006 (January through September) Monday, March 27 Dear
VTwin Mama, Dear
I Hate Hills, It's helpful to understand that the bike wants very much to travel in a straight line. A bike can negotiate a curve by pivoting around its COG (which is where the greatest mass/weight of the bike is, aka, the engine). Proper countersteering is how the bike understands that you wish to pivot around it's COG. This can be practiced of course and there are many letters on my Riding Techniques: Curves/Turns pages. Given that you are riding in too low of a gear and liberally applying brakes, I'm getting the feeling you haven't gotten your countersteer down to a fine art form. I don't know how much time you have before this trip, but I'd advise you read up on countersteering immediately and get yourself onto a parking lot and then low traffic roads and get practice. Yes, even "no incline" curve practice will help you master countersteering so that you become one with the bike. And remember, it is ALWAYS vital that you look where you wish to go, not just with your eyes, but with your head. Good countersteering will be hampered otherwise and the bike can "feel" that your countersteer and head are not doing the same thing. I tend to ride fast downhill curves in one gear below the top one so my throttle is not so ballistic, but the bike can still travel at a good speed. Never use your front brake in a curve . . . it's the very light use of the back brake (called feathering) that helps maintain a feeling the bike is not going down, so if you approach a curve and get that out of control feeling, back off the throttle, apply light back brake (I use a light tap motion) and look where you're going. Ok, I know this all is scary, but practice is the key and you can do it! For future consideration, check into the MSF's Experienced RiderCourse, which goes into more detail about handling cornering, swerves, traction and quick stops. Mama Dear Petra ( VTwin Mama), The
instructors told me they felt I had problems because my handlebars are too
wide (my bike has the wide reach handlebars). Even though I didnt
finish the class, that one poopie exercise gave me some invaluable
information. I have always avoided tight turns, but never thought about
why I was so spooked by them. Now I know why. Whenever I need to really
turn the handlebars, I cant cover the control on the big reach side.
So, on tight turns to the right, I cant cover the clutch. Looking
back, Ive dropped this bike 4 times. I was amazed to realize that each
and every time I dropped it, I was attempting to execute a tight right
turn! That was a BIG light bulb moment for me, and the additional
input from the other riders and the instructors helped me to understand
why tight turns are such disasters for me. THE DARN HANDLEBARS ARE TOO
WIDE FOR ME!!!! I would NEVER have figured that out on my own; I would
have just gone on, avoided tight turns like they were the plague. The
good news is: the bikes OK. Not even a scratch. The bad news is: my
right knee is very, very unhappy. I just got home from seeing my family
doc and have added a lovely knee brace and a pair of crutches to my
every-day wear. The X-rays were inconclusive so were off to the
orthopedic surgeon on Thursday. Im hoping and praying this is just a
bad sprain and not serious damage, but either way, the doc said Im
gonna be laid up quite a while." Ive learned the hard way that not only do you have to fit the bike, the bike has to fit you, too. Im grateful this happened in a supervised atmosphere (with relatively minimal damage, hopefully . . . ) so I was able to discover the solution at the same time. I know what to do to fix the problem (different handlebars, duh), and I believe I will be a safer rider because of it. Even so, Im still having a giant pity party cause my bike and I will be parked while premo riding weather passes us by . . . Laurie (High Maintenance) Dear Laurie, It's true of course that how a bike is set up impacts the handling characteristics but as you have noted, we are not always immediately aware of that fact. Many times a rider struggles to master a skill not realizing that the bike's set up is working against them the whole time. We end thinking we're just somehow deficient in learning and that's just not the case. So, thank you for sharing your insight as it serves as a wonderful reminder to all riders that being one with a bike is twofold: the bike itself and personal skill level. My prayers, as well as every sister rider out there, are with you that the knee recovery is a matter of time rather than a necessity of surgery and your swiftest return to riding. Mama Thursday, April 1 3 For Laurie who learned something about her bike setup the hard way: Sorry to hear about your troubles and injuries. Hope you can heal naturally and not have any surgery. I sure wish people who sell bikes would take more time to learn about short rider needs. I often go with my students when they are buying their first bike. I like to know that they can be flat footed and also that they can turn the handlebars "lock to lock." I work with new riders going at an idle speed so they learn balance and to feel at one with their bike versus moving at speed which provides a gyroscope effect and essentially the bike will stay up on its own. Once a rider has found their "zero" and is balanced they can then begin to work at extreme steering bit by bit in making tighter and tighter circles and figure eights. This is done in a parking lot and then when riding on streets, making turns and corners is no longer a scary event. Dorathy (note from Mama: I'm going to try to remember to add this handlebar message in future responses to riders seeking a bike . . . at 5'10" I don't always recognize all the short rider challenges and appreciate both your and Laurie's message on this. I'm leaning too!) Friday, April 14 Hi VTwin Mama, Curves are killing me. I read your post saying that doing the posted speed limit on a curve should be fine. I'm glad to know that, cause I didn't before, and could not figure out how to judge the speed with which to enter a curve, if you could not see the conclusion of the curve. My biggest fear now is downhill tight curves that "wind" down a hill. We have several roads here that fit that description. I was told to never use my brakes in a curve, but if your on a downhill curved run with no "straights", how the heck do you slow down? Thanks for taking the time to answer this, I'm gonna to go back and spend a lot more time exploring your site! JoJo Dear JoJo, Brakes in curves: bad. Ok, ok, light rear brake feathering is ok (little taps) help keep the bike upright when you need just a little speed adjustment. Using the engine: good. To get use to what I'm talking about, go down any straight-shot road at 60mph in 5th gear for one minute. Now do the same speed in 4th gear. Do you feel how much more the engine needs to work in 4th and how differently the throttle reacts in these different gears at the same speed? Aha! Ok, same thing on a tight curvy downhill. If you ride it at speed, but in a lower gear, the engine naturally wants to slow you down and you actually have to do more throttle work to keep speed up. Voila! Control! Now, that said, trusting that the bike's wheels will stay in contact with the road on a lean will come with time. Improving your skills through excellent counter-steering handling comes with practice. Add that to engine gear choice and throttle control and you've got the complete picture. All these work together and the only way to learn how far you feel you can push it is by piling the miles on. No substitutes! So, off you go to try. First the straight runs for gear/engine feel. Then light back brake on a curve to see how it pulls the bike up from the lean. Then back to that curvy road downhill on a no- to light-traffic day to try combos. Remember, you'll need less Pepto at the end of the run if you keep your eyes and head trained on where you wish to go . . . if you keep sneaking peeks at where you don't want to go, it'll be ulcer time before you know it! Mama Hi VTwin Mama, I was trying to do low speed turns to the left. I didn't hit the hand brake. In fact, to avoid that, I don't even cover it. Its just as I turn the handle bars and my head, the bike seems to want to fall over. It felt like it just almost stopped and fell over. I was in 1st gear, probably not going over ten when I started the turn. How do I turn? April Dear April, Yup, a bike really wants to go in a straight line and mastering a turn takes practice. And at slow speeds, it gets even trickier. From the Ride Like a Pro video series, there are a number of things to know (mention VTwin Mama and get $5 off shipping/handling if you decide to order this!). First, let's say you want to try that left turn again. You start in a straight line, then actually do a little jog to the right first and then enter the left turn. It's sort of like a dip/sway move. The first jog takes the bike's front wheel out of its straight line and then allows an easier motion into the turn you want. Second, you need control of your clutch's friction zone (the point on the clutch lever where it engages and disengages power) and slip in and out of it while using light throttle. Best to practice this in a straight line first (that's usually called a Slow Race) . . . to go as slowly as possible without stalling or goosing the bike. Third, it's not just your eyes that need to look where you want to end up, your head must be completely turned to that point as well. Don't even look at the intermediate point . . . look all the way through. Fourth, when the slightest feeling of tip over comes, you lightly tap on the rear brake. This actually helps keep the bike upright! Ok, I hope that helps you visualize your next practice sessions! Mama Hi Petra, Dear Laurie, Will this rest time be an opportunity to pursue something else you've always wanted to do, but never had the time because you're always out and about? Find the (insert bike color) lining for yourself so that the six months flies by with a challenge that captures your heart! Mama Wednesday, April 19 For April who is practicing her tight turns and had an oopsie: I have a 2006 VTX 1300 "C" model and I had problems with the right hand turns at first. The "C" model has drag bars, I think that was my problem. With these straight, wide bars, it's hard to get the reach with my throttle hand to keep control on the tight slow turns . . . (it slips off the throttle when I have to turn sharp to the right, therefore I have a tendency to "kill" it). Which by the way I did at a stop sign, when the bike lurched, it just went down so fast. I'm sure I hit the hand brake also which of course pulled it to the ground, of course I wasn't really moving yet. No harm was done to me, a few scratches on the brake lever, pipes, and of course the crash bars (thank goodness for those!). Looking back it happened so fast it was a bit funny. Poor husband about killed himself getting off the Wing and seeing if I was ok. I couldn't do anything but laugh! We were practicing at a local park so there wasn't any traffic, and now that I "dumped it," I'm not so worried about it. (Does that make any sense????) [yup, perfectly!] Anyway, April didn't state the model of her bike, but after about a week in the park practicing, and the video "Ride Like A Pro", I have become ( 6 months later, riding about 3 additional weeks) a bit more comfortable with slow turns on the VTX. The VTX is a pleasure to drive, and I've been on the roads for a couple of weeks now, loving the wind in my face. However, I'm looking into some other bars to see if this will give me a bit more room to actually bend my arms and allow me to comfortably reach the throttle. I cannot really relax my arms since the bars are so wide and very straight... Stick with it April, it will get easier. My husband rides an '05 Goldwing, has tons of experience, and tells me the 1300 is a well balanced cruiser and a good "first" bike even though it's heavy and large, so I am pleased with my choice. I was a dirt bike nut growing up, so this is my first street bike. What a difference, yet sometimes similar world. Keep on practicing, and definitely get that DVD. I borrowed one first, then bought my own copy. LOVE IT! I try to do as much of the exercises as possible whenever possible. Some of the things like countersteering I do every time I get the chance out on the road. Helps me with my balance and leaning (trusting the bike). Good luck, and if you are ever in Southern Mo, stop by! Shakin in Leasburg, Missouri (note from Mama: thanks for sharing your experiences to let April know she is not alone! I'll remind readers that they can $5 off a Ride Like a Pro video/DVD by mentioning you heard it at the VTwin Mama site!) Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Stacy, There are four key elements to this: just enough
throttle, just enough clutch engage, light application or tap of the rear
brake (helps keep the bike upright) and making sure not only your eyes,
but also your head, is looking where you wish to end up (vs. any point in
the middle!). Then practice, practice, practice! YOU CAN DO IT!
Mama Friday, May 5 For Stacy who is just getting started but jazzed about what she's accomplished already: I am so glad to hear from another person my height! Maybe you would like to correspond and share experiences. I just took my MSF training last October so I have about 6 months on you, but we definitely have the same problems. I also was on tip toes through my training weekend, while everyone else was complaining about how short the bikes were. Mine was also a Kawasaki 125! I did pass but dropped the bike twice. I was terrified when I took the driving test, because he told us if we dropped it during the test it was an automatic flunk. But I did pass! We bought a Yamaha VStar 650 for me and had it lowered. It is quite a bit bigger, and took me a while to get used to it, but I did it and now I am driving through traffic and everywhere. Linda (note from Mama: how wonderful of you to let Stacy know SHE IS NOT ALONE!) Tuesday, May 16 Dear VTwin Mama, Once I got off that highway, I felt much better, and in more control. I must admit that I handled my own on my small bike - gusty winds or not . . . and learning better from it than the big 1200 Hayabusa hubby rides on. I am not as intimidated with this small version, and once mastered skills are more confident with me, next year, I will get a 600. But love the riding!! Excellent therapy!! Dianne Dear Dianne, Hey VTwin Mama, I was reading through the Riding Techniques page and all of the posts about U-turns and blind curves. The single most important piece of advice that I can give to your readers is to keep their heads vertical! When the bike leans, your body leans with it. When your body leans, your head naturally tilts in whatever direction your body is leaning. I guarantee that this is what is causing trouble for most of your readers and most beginning motorcyclists in general. The reason why it is causing them problems is simply the way that your inner-ear works to help you establish balance and equilibrium. Motion and a head tilt tells your inner-ear that YOU ARE FALLING! This is the panicky feeling that you get. This is the urge to straighten the bike up. This is what causes you to go wide. Motion and a tilting head, especially if either one of those two things is changing rapidly, will trigger the alarms every time! FALLING! FALLING! STRAIGHTEN UP! And your "fight or flight" mechanisms will kick in resulting in butterflies, jitters, tenseness. Have this happen a few times and your "fight or flight" mechanism will kick in at the ANTICIPATION of a turn. Humans are just animals and we have the instincts of our animal brethren and this is one of them. The solution is simple and requires a little bit of practice and conscious thought until it becomes a habit. When the bike leans, KEEP YOUR HEAD VERTICAL. Bike leans right, tilt your head left; bike leans left, tilt your head right. It's like a cable is attached to the top of your head and it keeps pulling straight up no matter how the bike leans. Keep the invisible line that runs from the middle of the forehead to the point of your chin perfectly straight up and down at all times. The second part of this is turn your head and eyes and look at where you want to be. On a u-turn, look over your left shoulder to the exact line where you want to be. Keep your head up! As the bike turns on to that line, your head slowly comes back to center. Again, bike and body may lean, but the head stays vertical. ALWAYS! Now, if you're already at the point where your "fight or flight" mechanism is already kicking in in anticipation, it'll take a little time and practice to get past it. Remember that the "fight or flight" mechanism is a powerful chemical cocktail of adrenaline, endorphins, and testosterone. Yep, testosterone. Part of the reason why your female readers may seem to have more difficulty than men is that women are not used to having that much testosterone dumped into their system at once. It's a very alien feeling to them and can be quite unsettling. For those in this boat, I'd recommend finding a LARGE parking lot, and practice going five miles per hour in a straight line. Get used to how the bike feels at five miles per hour. Get used to how sluggish the handling is as compared to normal road speeds. Wiggle the handlbars very slightly at five miles per hour. The whole time, look dead ahead. When you're comfortable with that, still at five miles per hour turn the bike in as wide a circle as you can while turning your head slightly to look where you want to be. When you've gone around a few times and are comfortable, turn your head a little further. You'll find that without even trying, your circle will tighten up. When your comfortable with that, turn your head a little more, and voila, your circle will tighten a little more. Keep doing this for as many sessions as needed until you're turning ten foot radius circles. The biggest mistake that people make when turning like this is looking just ahead of or right at the front wheel, so keep your head up! Remember head tilt is BAD! If you get dizzy or if you feel that panicky feeling of your "fight or flight" kicking in, stop the bike, get off, walk slowly while breathing in deeply as if you're trying to fill the bottom of your lungs with more air than your chest. When the buzzing stops, get back on the bike and go back to doing very wide circles and gradually work your way back down to tighter circles. Repeat this whole exercise in the opposite direction. When you've mastered it in both directions at five miles per hour, do it again at ten miles per hour, then at fifteen, then at twenty. Keep bumping the speed until the parking lot can't hold you. (At higher speeds, you may not be able to get it down to a ten foot turning radius). I guarantee that enough sessions of this will CURE the panic of u-turns, blind curves, tight corners, etc. Keep the fear, though. Fear keeps you sharp. Panic causes accidents. I think that you're doing the motorcycle community a great service! [thanks!] Keep it up! Pugs Dear Pugs, I admit that I was skeptical on the testosterone
component of "fight or flight," but upon doing some basic
research, found that studies have been done to show this, although adrenalin
(also called epinephrine) is the main ingredient. While the earliest
studies were done with men, subsequent studies with women show that they
tend towards a "tend and befriend" reaction to stress, which may
be the key to the success of the VTwin Mama site! My "gut"
instinct over five years ago that women motorcycle riders would benefit by
having a safe place to air their concerns was right on target! Who knew it
had a scientific basis?!?!?!
Mama Saturday, May 20 For Pugs who shared curve/turn tips: One of the things Pugs wrote about was head tilt. When I was learning, I was told that some riders prefer to lean their entire bodies, including their head, and some like to tilt their heads back up so that their eyes are level with the horizon (there's that horizon again). I could go on and on citing instances where this was a gray issue, including the first MSF class I attended, but it should not be. I started off using the lean everything routine, probably because I already had enough body parts to keep track of and I thought it would be easier. It's not. Pugs is right. It felt icky. I don't know when or how I started lifting my head back up vertical, but it has made a world of difference. I can lean more and not get disoriented. I guess it's best to keep a level head when you're riding. (I know, that was bad. On the other hand, it's a good way to remember it.). Linda C. (note from Mama: on my last ride I did a mini test and found that yes, I do keep my head level and when I purposely tilted my head I didn't like it as it skewed my view as I looked through the curve . . . my eyes looked through the curve but my head was not pointed in the same direction . . . and it's always best if your head and eyes are doing the same thing!) Monday, June 26 Dear Petra, Dear Carry, Hesitation on corner starts can also be practiced in a
safe zone. Set out cones, drinking cups or tennis balls cut in half or
mark the pavement with chalk to outline an intersection. Left turns are
usually easier than right ones from a stop because you have more room to
get in gear and negotiate the turn. However, when you're riding alone, you
can set yourself in the lane for easier handling. Try different
combinations and you'll have what works best for you!
Mama Tuesday, June 27 Dear VTwin Mama, We don't have a riding school so I've relied on my husband for all necessary instruction. My comfort level is very good and I love to ride, especially on our limited 50K stretch of Labrador pavement . . . Ha! I've been working very hard on making my U-turns tighter. It's amazing to me that my husband can do them with such ease in just 2 narrow lanes, on a bigger Shadow and I barely make it on mine. I've just purchased another bike, a '86 750SE Shadow. She's beautiful (custom paint job) and should arrive this week from Quebec. In reading your responses from other riders on the U-turn issue, you mentioned a using the "Y" technique. Is that where you turn your bike in the direction you want to go, back up, pushing with your feet and then ahead again? I've ridden my husband's bike, an '88 800 Shadow, and she's quite a bit heavier than mine and the U-turn is more of an issue. I've dropped my bike once already on a U turn and I don't want to drop the 750 with her beautiful paint job. If you could clarify the "Y" technique for me that would be awesome! Thanks and Happy Riding! Bev V. Dear Bev, Tight u-turns are definitely one of the hardest things to learn. You need three things . . . control of your clutch's friction zone (slipping in and out with just a little throttle to keep the proper amount of gas applied), the use of the rear brake (tapping or light application keeps the bike upright and never ever use front brake) and your head and eyes must be looking through the entire turn to the point where you wish to end up. If you are approaching a u-turn with a little bit of speed, then you do a weave into the u-turn. For instance, if the u-turn is to the left, then you swing slightly to the right first, then enter the u-turn. This gets the bike out of it's straight line and positions the rear tire for the turn. What happens also with the tightest of turns is that the handlebar needs to be in its full turn position, often referred to as the lock position. This is scary! If you set up cones or other markers though, you can start by demonstrating your ability to handle a certain width turn, and then bring those markers in a bit and have at it again. One thing your hubby dearest can really help with is to stand a bit back at a point that you'll u-turn around and monitor whether you are really turning your head and eyes all the way through and if you're cheating with quick backward glances. It's easy to kid yourself that you're doing a full head turn! I also find that in this training, as you enter the turn, the helper can be talking loudly to you so you have a "sound aid" as to where your head should be. Something simple like "Head and eyes to me" repeated again and again until you're out of the turn. The "Y" turn is just as you describe it. It can be used for u-turns and is also the way to negotiate backing up into a parking space, but you only do the first two parts! You can also duck walk a bike around a u-turn by slipping the clutch/throttle combo. Kudos to you on your most recent bike purchase and happy
practice! We'd love to see a picture of you, hubby and bikes sometime!
Mama Monday, July 17 Dear VTwin Mama, Another issue that may lead to this problem is that I am a short rider and cannot flat-foot the ground. Overall, I think it's more confidence than anything else. Just one more note. I read about the downhill technique and I handle that pretty well. I have to be careful using brakes because my bike has integrated ABS brakes (BMW RT). Any help will be greatly appreciated. I Hate Hairpins Dear I Hate Hairpins, So, first, you need to separate out the many things you have noted. If you're not flat footed at a stop you'll always have to gauge your stops with more accuracy (road grade slopes, etc.) and that can be tiring. A number of suggestions on altering the bike to be lower can be found on my Motorcycles for Short Riders page. Consider exploring your options! You say you once stalled in a right turn and dropped the bike. My guess is you grabbed the front brake and/or looked down and down you went. Never use the front brake . . . it's the rear brake, used lightly, that will help keep a motorcycle upright in a turn or curve while bleeding off speed. If you need help working on slow speed maneuvers, consider getting the Ride Like a Pro DVD which explains techniques and offers precise drills to practice. You've got to get this under control! As to ABS brakes, the integrated system and sensing is designed to help you should you jam on either brake too hard. Jamming on brakes starts rear wheel skids and tosses people over the handlebar. The system is designed to electronically calculate the most efficient used of the technical braking power installed on the motorcycle. In reading my R1200C owner's manual, it notes that ABS does not function at the lowest speeds or on curves. It's purpose is to help on a fast straight line stop. Read your manual again to see what it says about your model. Now, in my opinion, mountain hairpins take a lot of concentration . . . and then you have to pray that the idiot in the opposing lane isn't going to cross the centerline (which unfortunately they do). On top of that, often mountain passes are narrower lanes, so something coming from the opposite direction feels like they are right there on top of you. The most important thing is that you have got to be looking through the curves and never down at the road, white and yellow lines, or the drop offs. Stay in the center of your lane, choose a gear that has enough power and get your countersteering technique practiced. You can't steer through this stuff, you've got to countersteer, which is leaning the bike around it's center of gravity pivot point by gently pushing your palm on the side of the handlebar in the direction you wish to go. If you are a newer rider, I would suggest you get more time in before doing more hairpin stuff . . . get to an empty parking lot and make sure you understand the exact handling characteristics of your motorcycle . . . skilled riders are not born, they practice! Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jean, Handling slow, tighter turns for a new rider is definitely a challenge, but the basics apply to all bikes. You must look where you wish to end up (head and eyes) because if you look down, you will go down, or if you look only partially through the turn, you will end up where you were looking. This can seem very unnatural to a new rider, as the tendency is to want to keep all body parts facing forward in line with the bike. If you look where you want to end up, your hands will turn the handlebar the amount it needs to make that turn. To control the speed you need to have control over the friction zone of the clutch and work that in combination with the throttle. With a little bit of gas applied (as all bikes need a little gas to keep going), you work the clutch lever into and out of the engage/disengage point, thus controlling the power available more with the clutch than the throttle. Think this through a bit. If you have gas applied, but the clutch lever is pulled in, you are not going even one small smidgen forward! With a little gas, then just enough clutch lever release to begin the "engage," you will start creeping forward. A little bit more clutch lever release (with the same amount of small throttle) will propel you forward faster. This is the speed control that the friction zone gives you. If you have a little bit too much speed to make the turn within the boundaries, and would need to cut tighter, a light application of the rear brake will slow you down and it's the characteristic of a bike that it helps keep the bike upright (rather than the front brake, which will pull you further down). If you feel the need to plant your foot, tilt too far from comfort, or begin wandering past the boundary, these three components are not in synch yet. This is a function of learning and practice. Consider returning to the course for more learning under the watchful eye of an instructor (many new riders take a course several times and you would not be alone on this!), or, if you have a smaller bike available to you, get to a big empty parking lot and work on this, first with no boundaries set, then by setting up markers (big and wide first, then tighter). Mama Thursday, July 20 From Laurie who tore her knee apart in an advanced course and is recouping: Just thought I'd send a quick up-date of my torn ACL adventure. Recap: On April 9, 2006 I tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my right knee during a slow, tight right turn while participating in an Advanced Motorcycle Safety Class. I had reconstructive surgery on April 18th, and have been recovering, in rehab and grounded from my motorcycle ever since . . . HOWEVER . . . As of last Thursday, I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!!!! Woo-hoo! I still go to physical therapy twice a week and have an "on my own program" which I do at a local gym an additional 3 days a week. I also have a lovely red and black tiger-striped knee brace, which I'll have to wear for a year (!), but I have my riding blessing from the Doc, so life is good! I've taken a few easy putts around town and aside from some initial lip-biting and adjusting to braking with the brace on, my confidence is pretty steady and I'm enjoying the heck out of riding again. I've attached a couple pics of my bike and me (and my riding buddy, Fabulous FatBoy Flamingo, on the pillion seat)---- I just can't stop grinning! Thanks to the V-Twin Mama site, I was able to get a vicarious dose of biking while laid up, which helped me more than any pain meds could!!!!! Laurie (note from Mama: what excellent news to hear and good to "see" you! I'm glad the VTwin Mama site was there for you to "live with" while you healed!) Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Rhonda, You are most certainly not alone in your feeling about turns, and yes, a windshield does alter the handling characteristics of a motorcycle. Although I couldn't find an actual "typical" weight of a windshield, I know from experience that a "standard" shield isn't as light as you would think. So, since you have a question in your mind, I'd take it off and practice and see for yourself which you prefer in your beginning stages of learning. Now, a bike does want to "fall around" itself . . . bikes like to go in straight lines, but when commanded to handle a turn or curve, pivot around their center of gravity (the center point of the mass of the object, which for a motorcycle is it's engine). However, you can accidentally add to that front end falling feeling if you are looking at the ground at any point in the turn (you go where your head position is). Also, if you are using the front brake to control speed through a turn, stop it! The front brake has the characteristic of pulling you down, whereas the back brake, used lightly, helps keep a bike upright! You need to use your clutch lever friction zone to control the speed. So, in a straight line, with a little bit of throttle applied, note that with the clutch lever pulled in, you go nowhere. Give it just a little clutch ease out and the bike begins too creep forward (you can duckwalk at this stage), and just a bit more, a more forceful forward movement. So, in a turn, you keep steady throttle and use the clutch to control the power level and pull it in if you've got a bit too much speed, out for a little more if you feel like you're going to tip. Of course, with experience, you can actually work both the friction zone and the throttle and the back brake in combo. This takes practice, practice, practice! So, off with the windshield and more practice! Mama Sunday, July 23 For Rhonda who feels like the front end is falling over when attempting slow turns: I would recommend you check out one of the Jerry Palladino's videos [Ride Like a Pro]. He said something in the video which got me past this fear . . . "as long as there is power to the rear wheel, the bike cannot fall over." If you took the MSF course, they pounded the same principle in the same way: slow down and roll on the throttle through the turn or the curve, don't let off the throttle or hit the brake . . . same principle. I took the MSF course first, but really understood the principle after watching the Palladino video. Diane in Michigan (note from Mama: thanks for sharing!) Monday, July 31 For Yammering and anyone experiencing problems with curves: Not sure
if you will take some words from a papa rider, but here goes:
turns on 2 wheels feel strange because our brain tells us that anything
balanced on two wheels must fall over when leaned to one side that
feeling will only diminish with distance traveled, so dont give up
riding just yet!!! The
physics of the turn itself are interesting: in a car you turn the wheel to
the left to turn the car to the left thats easy! On a bike if
you want to turn left, you actually need to push the handle bar with your
left hand, yes, push the left hand. Again this defies logic, but allow me
to explain: by pushing the handle bar on the left the bikes center
of gravity is over balanced to the left. The result is that the bike will
naturally lean to the left, and so you turn to the left. Try this on
a straight road: ride straight and then gently push the handle bar
forward with your left hand. Then try it again by pushing forward with
your right hand. You will immediately feel at one with the bike. Do
this gently, and feel the bike respond!! Good
luck becoming one with your bike!!! Dear VTwin Mama, I started learning to ride in May of this year and am a 48 year old divorced empty nester. I've had a fantasy of riding a motorcycle since childhood and it wasn't until I met my boyfriend last year that I finally got the experience as a passenger. Just a couple of days before he'd bought a Harley Dynawide. Four months later he bought me a Sportster and had to modify it for a shorter rider, I'm 5" 1'. I finally got to ride it around his yard and experienced my first fall. I forgot to put my feet out when I stopped. I absolutely love to ride the bike and get a thrill out of seeing his chest swell with pride after a particularly good ride together. As I stated, blind curves have been my greatest fear and he's told me repeatedly that I would get better control if I maintained my speed AND leaned the bike. Your explanation of the technique of leaning made things clear to me. I now see that instead of leaning with the bike I have been fighting against it. This is a great site. I found it quite by accident and out of desperation. Sportster Novice Dear Sportster Novice, One thing not really noted in the earliest letters posted in the Riding Techniques: Curves and Turns is the countersteering technique. Besides body position is this technique, which is basically lightly pressing your hand on the handlebar on the side you wish to lean into the curve. This will set the bike into the center of gravity pivoting motion for the curve. You can practice this in any empty parking lot or road with no traffic . . . ride in a straight line, press your hand and note how quickly the motorcycle wants to go in that direction. That's exactly what you need for curves at higher speeds! Happy learning! Mama Wednesday, August 9 Dear VTwin Mama, Using that and exactly what you said about leaning Petra, now am feeling more confident with myself and the bike. I'm practicing to get that "one with the bike" thing to be second nature. Petra, thanks again for a great forum and helping all of us have a place to find answers and share experiences. I'm looking forward to venturing a little further outside of my current "practice and comfort travel zone" after more practice and a few less butterflies. I've taken the Deluxe to work in traffic once and managed to get there and back alive. AND I did the speed limit with a smile and a "queens" wave to the drivers in too much of a hurry. Got mostly smiles and understanding nods. Hey, gotta learn somehow right? Sharon in Knoxville ;0) Dear Sharon, Sunday, August 13 An update from Sportster Novice who was having problems with blind road curves: I practiced your "being one with the bike" technique for leaning when turning and put it to actual use on the road yesterday. WOW what a difference! I had no fear of turns, blind or not, and taking corners . . . I LOVE riding! Your site is the answer to my prayers. Sportster Novice (note from Mama: well done! Congrats on working on the challenge and incorporating techniques that made a difference to your overall riding experience! Glad we were able to help!) Dear VTwin Mama, I have an experienced riding friend who said that because of the shape of my handlebars, he found that he needed to pull on the opposite side as opposed to pushing on the turning side . . . does that make sense? I've tried pushing on the turning side, but don't seem to get much response. Can you help??? Sleepless in Seattle Dear Sleepless in Seattle, Yes, many women have reported that the Ride Like a Pro DVD made a huge difference in their ability to handle slower maneuvers. I think you're going to love the drills and the building of skills. Have hubby do them with you! At higher speeds, to handle curves, we countersteer. But what does this term really mean? To get a motorcycle around a curve, we need the front tire to move off it's center tread onto the side of the tread (this starts the process of the whole bike pivoting around its center of gravity). We need right tread if we want to go right and left tread if we want to go left. But to get a motorcycle onto right tread, for example, we actually need to "turn" the handlebar to the left (take a moment to visualize that). We do this by pushing on the right side of the handlebar. We may not realize that in pushing we are actually ever so slightly turning the handlebar in the opposite direction . . . it's such a small amount! Alternatively, yes, it is a pull from the left side! The push or pull choice is up to the rider. I was out on Sunday and decided to pay attention to the exact countersteer moves I make. I found that when I needed just a small amount of lean, usually to move within my lane position, I tended to pull the handlebar from the opposite side. In a curve at higher speeds, I used the push method. At my skill level, I can also set up the curve by just pressing into the bike body with my knees! Hence, when faced with a high speed blind curve, my knees are drawn in (so my entire body is in perfect "oneness" with the bike), I push the handlebar on the side I wish to go and I lightly hold the opposite end of the handlebar . . . at the ready if I wish to make a correction to the depth of lean I've chosen. With my knees drawn in, I can "feel" the bike's movements better . . . it's like clues from the bike flowing through my knees to my hips (the center of gravity of our body), to my brain! So, every motorcycle has specific handling characteristics, and yes, the set-up of the bike plays into that. If a push doesn't easily set the motorcycle into the curve, then try the pull method. Easy does it . . . but practice is the key. In a distraction free zone, in a straight line with a bit of speed, you can push and pull and see how quickly the bike wants to move from it's center line of movement. Practice, practice, practice! Ok, off you go to work on skills and confidence. YOU CAN
DO IT!
Mama Wednesday, August 16 For Sleepless in Seattle who passed her course but is struggling with her first bike: I feel the same way. Have only had my bike (Honda Shadow 600) for about 3 weeks. Passed the MSF course in July using a Suzuki 250. The instructors were tough. Kept stalling the engine on the first day and did not want to go back the second day of class, but I did. Got the clutch problem under control by the second day. Am still practicing in the parking lot across from my house. Some days, I feel comfortable with the bike. Some days, I feel as though I am riding it for the first time. I am sure that this will pass with time and lots of practice and patience. I have enjoyed reading the e-mails on this site. It has given me a lot of tips and encouragement. Have fun on your bike!! Happy Honda Rider (note from Mama: thanks for letting Sleepless know there are others working through the challenges!) Thursday, August 17 More for Sleepless in Seattle who passed her course but is struggling with her first bike: I felt exactly the same way after my MSF training. My daughter told her husband 'why would they give her the license if she cannot ride on the street?' He told her (quite rightly) that rider skills have to be practiced and honed before a person has have enough confidence for riding in traffic. Every time I went out to practice, I got butterflies in my stomach. Then I rode around the neighborhood for probably a month before I would go through a traffic light. Then I found I could get out into the country on a 2-lane asphalt road traffic lights. Woo hoo! I could ride 40 - 45 mph! And then it started to become fun. Remember that those baby steps are what it takes to get your confidence up. You will get there. Keep practicing. Do not give up. Linda in Oklahoma (note from Mama: lots of good things come to those who practice!) Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Road Princess, I want you to read my response to Sleepless in Seattle . . . although this was about higher speed curves, countersteering is countersteering and I think if you read about why it does what it does, it may help you visualize what you and the motorcycle are actually accomplishing together! There is also a note about knee position that may help! If I recall correctly, the MSF doesn't go into using the rear brake in the BRC . . . the teaching concentrates on using the friction zone of the clutch and the countersteer. You learned the hard way that front brake use in a turn is a no-no . . . you can apply very, very light pressure to the rear brake if you feel yourself charging towards the edge of the course. But ultimately, if you're not countersteering and using the friction zone to control the speed, rear brake can only do so much. I also want you think about your head and eye position. I know they stress this over and over . . . for a good reason. If at ANY TIME you look away from where you wish to go (around the turn) . . . and I do mean for even a SPLIT SECOND, it will throw off your countersteer. You've got plenty of room at the course, there's no curb or ditch near you and the pavement is smooth so there is no reason to look down, so if you think you might have been sneaking looks, even with your eyes only (yes, it counts!), bite back the urge. It makes a HUGE difference! I don't know if this will help . . . it's kind of a weird idea. Stand up and bring your arms and hands into riding position and turn your head all the way to one side like you're looking through the turn. Now dip just your shoulder as if you're going into the turn. It feels kind of stiff, doesn't it?! Now do it with a sway motion of your whole body, from feet, through the knees and hips, to your shoulders. You're looking for a feeling like you're slightly swaying to music. This is the dance we do with a motorcycle when we are truly one with a bike. We don't just feel like a body on a bike, we feel the movement clues of the bike through our whole body. When a rider is stiff, the bike is not as free to respond to the commands its given. Well, I hope that gives you more to work with! Good luck
on the final portions of your course! YOU CAN DO IT!
Mama Tuesday, September 5 Hi VTwin Mama, Me on the other hand, well it is taking awhile to get my confidence up but I know it will get there once I learn and practice everything. I got the basics from the coarse but having some trouble in the real world situations. I have little confidence in leaning in curves still so I take it slow but I'm getting better, until this moment: came up a hill and I knew at the top of it that it went back down on the other side a little steeper . . . so I geared down to 3rd when I got to the top, then I was going down the hill and it has a sharp turn waiting at the bottom. I got a little worried about picking up speed so I pulled the clutch in, downshifted to 2nd, and used a bit of back brake. Once I got around the curve I took my foot off the brake and released the clutch and my back tire begun to skid. Freaked me out so I pulled over to the side of the road and put in neutral to let some cars pass while I caught my breath. My husband tried to explain to me that I was in the wrong gear and should have stayed in 3rd. I'm having a hard time understanding the whole gear ratio thing especially going down a incline where you need to slow down (not stop) at the bottom. In my brain, I think if I release the throttle and I only use the brakes to slow my bike it will just stall or that it still would have made my back tire skid. Can you explain to me what I should have done? And any suggestions on videos or books on learning to ride in the real world for newbies. I can't seen to find a lot of newbie learning in Ontario, Canada. Thanks, Susan, Lacking Confidence Dear Susan, I'll start with the correct technique. You see a sharp turn, you slow down, click down and fully engage your chosen gear, choosing a comfortable speed within that gear range with your throttle. Then you counter steer the handlebar to pivot the bike around the turn, use a bit of throttle and/or back brake as needed, straighten out the bike, then smoothly throttle up again. Rear tires skid out for several reasons. One, the rider jams on the rear brake in a desperate attempt to slow the bike down. Two, the power transfer to the rear drive is suddenly changed and is not smooth . . . i.e. if you're cruising in third gear and just click into second without slowing down first, your engine will immediately slow down the bike, but the sudden change in power can kick the rear tire out. From your description, you clicked down to the gear you wanted but then elected not to engage that gear before entering the curve. So, effectively, you glided through the curve with no power to the rear drive and no idea of the power that would be engaged once again when you let the clutch out. I would like you to go back to a big empty parking lot with a good straight run section for more practice. First, get up into second gear and then, letting off the throttle completely, let the bike slow down naturally so you can see how slow the bike will go before you feel the imminent stall. As you feel the stall coming on, give that bike some smooth throttle to see how much responsive power you actually have. Now, do the same in third gear. You'll find the bike will be more responsive in second, while in third, that throttle-up will feel more mushy. This is why we start in 1st gear from a stop. The gears, in succession, bring us into a range of speed as needed. So, if we click up in gear too soon, or throttle the wrong gear for the speed, we get mushy response; if we click down in gear without bleeding off speed, the engine does it for you but jolts the bike, setting up a moment of jitter. Your husband is right that you should have been in gear when you negotiated the turn . . . perhaps third gear would have been fine, but as a newer rider, it was ok to want to slow down to second, but engage the gear next time so you are powering through the curve. Because this was essentially a slower maneuver, I think you might like the Ride Like a Pro DVD . . . this series of drills and lessons helps a rider correlate the throttle, brakes, clutch feathering techniques, and countersteer for smooth handling of turns, weaves and curves. If you would like to read a book, you'll find them also on my Education Center page, with links to reviews by other readers! Take heart . . . smooth gearing up and down, especially
in turns and curves, does take practice, but if you keep at it, you'll
learn the handling characteristics of your motorcycle and gain the
confidence you seek!
Mama Thursday, September 14 Dear VTwin Mama, My "challenge" right now is circles. I live in Germany (we are military) and in order for me to be able to ride over here I have to take a riding proficiency test. The test wouldn't be a big deal for an experienced rider - alas, I am very new. We have to perform (3) 24 feet circles in each direction. I can perform going to the left okay, but I am having ISSUES trying to do tight circles to the right! I have already purchased the Ride Like A Pro IV video which does help. Do you have any other tips that might help? I am beginning to believe that it's all in my head! Also - thanks for creating this site - it is an ENORMOUS comfort! Lisa Dear Lisa, Honestly though, I also think it has to do with the throttle and rear brake location. When we turn left, those controls are on the "outside" of our turn action, keeping our hand and foot at the widest point of the arc motion and nicely "uncramped." When we turn right, that right elbow tucks in with the turn of the handlebar, and the wrist is in a different position to the throttle, and as tight turns are a lot about the subtle control of gas, this could be it. One solution is to enter the turn with the steady gas needed and really use the clutch friction zone to control how much motion you have. Do you have a video tape recorder? If so, I would have hubby dearest tape you doing both turns. Then view that on a bigger TV screen if possible and look for the subtle clues . . . you may find that your "look" through the turn is not as complete or that you may be angling your chin down instead of level and around. Or any other number of things that are slightly different in your body position. Even without that recording device, hubby can watch and check. First your head position, then your overall body position, etc. Also, I want you to check your knee position . . . a lot of riders tend to ride with knees loosely out from the bike . . . snug your knees and thighs against the bike and you'll instantly be able to "feel" the center of gravity of the bike better (as ALL of your body is now centered over the bike). It's subtle, but highly useful! I'm glad that the VTwin Mama site is providing a
sharing, caring community you can visit any time you want! Good luck on
your next practice sessions!
Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kat, More on looking where we wish to go: most riders have an
easier time with an up slope. I think this is because the slope more
naturally positions our head and eyes level. On a down slope, it's easy to
get sloppy with our head position, and especially our eyes, which are
naturally drawn to the road slope right in front of us. Fight it! Look
through the curve. And remember, I always say that knees snugged into a
bike's body offers true "oneness" that makes the whole feel of
the countersteer more in control!
Mama Monday, September 18 For Kat who is tackling deep curves on highway entrance ramps: The only thing I would add to Mama
Ps advice is this: Dont forget to practice it during a low traffic
time. Hi Petra, Also, how would you slow down when going down a steep hill? Both brakes? Rear brakes? I would think with gears you would downshift, but can't do that with an automatic. It's a little hard to learn from others when you are the only one with the auto-tranny. Thanks for all of your inspiration! By the way, we are taking our motor home to Hatteras the first week of October and trailering our bikes. So that will be my only mode of transportation for a week. Wish me luck! I'm still a timid scaredy cat, but determined! This trip will be to celebrate my 58th birthday and our 9th wedding anniversary. Joan Dear Joan, So, what Brooke and I worked on was sequential. We headed to a big empty parking lot. First I set up a wide-open box end with tennis balls cut in half and we really worked on her head/eyes position. In the beginning, on wide open turns, Brooke really wasn't looking all the way through the turn, but with about 20 runs, she was doing much better. It helps to have someone watch you do a turn, observe what you're really doing with your head, and stand in the center of a turn, about 20 feet back, and yell "where am I am, look at me" so that your head can turn to the voice and help you understand where your head needs to be. With that under control, we proceeded. In this practice lot, we also had a natural right turn available and I set out tennis balls to mark the lane width to turn into. First, Brooke positioned herself in the left part of her lane. We started her about 25 feet back from the imaginary stop so that she had a running start to stabilize and then use the counter steer/balance to negotiate the turn. This was just to get her use to handling the turn at speed and within the lane. Within a few loops, she had it. Then we tightened up the approach length to 15 feet and it became more of a struggle. That's because there is less time to get feet up, the bike steady, and handle the turn. What I saw is that while in lots of normal situations her starts would be ok, in fact she was picking up one foot, then the other, creating a bobble at the front wheel/handlebar, and this caused a need for more time to get the front end situated before she could even think about the turn. That led to start/stop practice in a straight line, with a concentration of a smooth throttle and picking up both feet. Brooke immediately could feel that by picking up both feet evenly, her front end was steady the whole time (and I think throttle handling became less jerky as well as she had a steady position on the control). Then we went back to the turn, but still with 15 feet of "run" room. But now, within a few loops, and even feet pickup, she could make the turn within the lane. Now we removed the run room. I'll simply add that one has options at a stop. You don't have to pull all the way up . . . within 5 feet of the crosswalk marker, etc. suffices. This is fine as long as you can see the crossroad for traffic. With only 5 feet to ready for the turn, Brooke went wide quite frequently, but again, when she got her feet up evenly, she began getting the feel of everything more quickly and did get a few attempts where she was at the edge of the markers, but that's within the lane! I'll add two notes. First, the throttle on a Ridley does have handling characteristics that require practice to get the feel of a steady application. In it's own way, it must be mastered just like a clutch/throttle combination for manual tranny bikes. Second, when Brooke tensed in the counter steer, the front end of the bike stiffened up, and a turn was more difficult. I could see (and she could feel) that when she had it right, it was like a dance with the bike. I could see that when it went right, her left elbow tucked in and dropped down smoothly with the turn. I'm also going to add that in the Ride Like a Pro DVD, Jerry demonstrates that a turn can be made easier but a very small jog to the opposite side first. So, if you are approaching a right turn, jog a little to the left, then counter steer to the right. What happens is that in the slight jog to the opposite side, the bike gets "off" it's straight line approach, and the dance around the turn is easier. So, I'm hoping that in sharing these notes it gives you
clues on a practice session that I think will help you immensely!
Mama Thursday, September 21 Hey Mama, So . . . about a month ago, re-entered the wonderful world of motorcycling. 3 years ago I sold my Suzuki Savage 650 and took a riding hiatus. But you can't shake what is inside you and last month I got an HD XL883L. Fits me like a glove. I decided to consider this a brand new venture (as if I had never ridden before) and I took the class and passed. However, after taking the class I realized I was in danger of forming some bad habits. I have a question about curves/turns (as I see lots of folks do). Often times when I go through a turn or curve, I slow down, down shift, keep the clutch in and coast through, and as I am coming out (almost completely out) of the curve/turn, I SLOWLY release and accelerate to the proper gear I am in. The MSF class preaches "slow, look, lean, turn and accelerate". I understand this but when approaching, doesn't one have to shift down and subsequently let out the clutch while giving throttle? My fear in doing this is as I downshift/slow to the approach, I fear stalling for not giving enough gas. I want to slow into the turn and accelerate out. Not the opposite. I know all things with practice, but just looking for some "Mama-ly advice" here. Thanks! Denise Dear Denise, Let's look at riding like coloring a picture. For big areas, you use a fat tip marker to get the majority filled in, and then use a fine tip marker to fill in the edges of the outline perfectly. One chooses a gear to get into the proper range of speed and power. The throttle then can fine-tune that speed up or down a bit, slipping the clutch in and out of the friction zone can do the same thing (for slow speed turns), and the brakes can further fine-tune down as needed! Example: you're happily motoring along at 60mph in 5th gear when you see a curve coming up that is marked 40mph. Yikes! You could stay in 5th gear, release the throttle and use some brakes to bleed off the speed to get you in the right speed range, enter the curve, but then, when you're ready to accelerate, you've got mushy throttle. Or, on the approach, you can downshift and engage the clutch (as many clicks as needed) to bleed off speed and enter the curve with a full-range of fine-tuning controls (throttle and brake) at the ready! Now, a rider who is truly one with their motorcycle, can use all these tools with extreme confidence, including some coasting if they feel like it. But the fact is, the reason they can is that they know every nuance of their bike's handling characteristics, including the throttle response is every gear, whether they are at the low, middle, or high end of the speed in that gear. So if they downshift, keep the clutch in, get through whatever, and re-engage, they instinctively know where they are. This comes with many miles. You can practice this! Find yourself a nice long straight
piece of road on a low traffic day/time. Get up to speed, concentrate on the
firmness of the throttle response and then naturally let the bike slow down
a bit by backing off the throttle and then power up again. How much could
you slow down in that gear before the throttle became mushy? Mushy power-up
is your clue that you should have been in a lower gear to have correct
throttle firmness response at the ready! Ok, off you go to become one with
your motorcycle!
Mama |
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