Well I finally feel comfortable on my bike. I passed Idaho STAR and I have all my gear and insurance and everything so now I'm completely legal to ride. I feel pretty comfortable on my bike and would really like to work on honing my skills.

Are there any drills I can work on maybe in a large parking lot or I could also go out in the middle of nowhere and practice?

Pretty much I just want specific skills to work on to make me a better rider that I wouldn't pick up just rallying around town.

 

Go to a empty parking lot and learn figure 8's. Get them as fast and as close as possible. This will give you the feel of the bike real quickly so you know your lean angles. Just make sure you tires are warmed up. Then you need to learn the swerve manuever. Place something in the parking lot aboutt 100 yards away. Go about 35-40mph and then swerve to miss it and then quickly get back in line. Keep doing this until it is second nature and gradually get closer to the object and keep your line as tight as possible. Then at the end of the run brake as quick as possible using both brakes. You might as well start the habit of using both brakes. It is harder to unlearn a habit then it is to start one.

 

+1 to what he said

Another big thing, I think, is to train yourself to look where you want to go, not at the object(s) you are trying to avoid. In the event of an emergency (car pulling out in front), and you stare at the car, odds are you are going to smash into it. So it's best to get into this habit with all the little obstacles in the road, so when a big one comes you'll be able to quickly get around it.

 

do lots and lots of u turn/ figure 8.. and learn how to brake fast for emergency. make those rear tire smoke up while doing it is so clean

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blue k7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">make those rear tire smoke up while doing it is so clean </TD></TR></TABLE>

What?

 

While I agree the figure 8's are important I think the emergency stop is even more important.

Doing figure 8's won't save your life but being able to stop as fast as possible or learning the swerve maneuver will equate to you escaping incidents.

What they recommended from MSF is to start at 25mph and grab both brakes coming to a stop as quick as possible without locking. Then, move up to 35, 45 and finally 60. It's amazing how much this helps.

 

Everything that has been mentioned was gone over in my MSF class. If you havent yet taken the class it will do you good. Throughout the whole class the hardest thing for me was the figure 8's in a small box.

 

take the MSF class for jesus dchrists sake and get some gear/insruACNCE WHILE YOU'RE AT IT.


KTHXBYE

 

practice wheelies/stoppies

/thread

other things to note, practice u-turns, braking before entering turns, trying to know how to judge a proper and safe turn-in speed, kiss the mirror, look where you want to go, braking threshold, etc

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sup gurl &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">take the MSF class for jesus dchrists sake and get some gear/insruACNCE WHILE YOU'RE AT IT.


KTHXBYE</TD></TR></TABLE>

I already have gear and insurance and I already passed Idaho's version of MSF.

It's not like you make it through MSF and all of a sudden you don't need to work on your skills anymore

 

Keith Code's "A Twist of the Wrist" Part 1 and 2. There's also an audio (or was that video?) tape of TOTW.

 

herb, we need to start some kind of a sticky for riding technics. specially for the zero experienced.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">herb, we need to start some kind of a sticky for riding technics. specially for the zero experienced.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree, but you know the nubs won't read it first

 

you know how they/we/everyone says "look where you want to go?" well, trust me you need more practice doing it.

esp as you get faster and start doing the fun stuff, you do NOT look thru the turns enough when you first start riding.

also learn/practice proper foot position and firm. ***** of feet on pegs, no locked elbows, and using your abs/back/knees to grip the bike, not your hands.

when you start leaning/hanging off it gets more complicated, and i don't feel comfy w/ you practicing that whilst tooling around town.

lastly, for day to day, work on coming to a stop and making a right turn. right turn at stop signs (esp on hills) claims more noob's fairings than anything besides driveways.

 

I don't get it. What is so hard about turning right? Is it because the turn is sharper compared to a left?

I've never had a problem with my right turns but maybe I'm just being naive.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GetawayInMoscow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't get it. What is so hard about turning right? Is it because the turn is sharper compared to a left?

I've never had a problem with my right turns but maybe I'm just being naive.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I attribute it to the crown in the road, gutters, and the sharpness.

its generally a problem w/ people too short or weak for their bikes, but it can happen to anyone.

 

also, the right side is where the thottle is, so throttle control is much harder when your right hand is pushed all the way against the tank (slow, sharp right hand turns)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by not2slo128 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also, the right side is where the thottle is, so throttle control is much harder when your right hand is pushed all the way against the tank (slow, sharp right hand turns)</TD></TR></TABLE>

This was another thing talked about in the MSF course. It sounds like Idaho needs to reevaluate their "STAR" program because by the sound of it you haven't received a very indepth course. Just my .02.

But yes, the reason right handers are so tough is because while twisting the throttle you are also using that same hand to turn while your left hand is just along for the ride. In a left hander your left hand is doing the turning while your right hand is adjusting the throttle.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TypeR864 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

This was another thing talked about in the MSF course. It sounds like Idaho needs to reevaluate their "STAR" program because by the sound of it you haven't received a very indepth course. Just my .02.

But yes, the reason right handers are so tough is because while twisting the throttle you are also using that same hand to turn while your left hand is just along for the ride. In a left hander your left hand is doing the turning while your right hand is adjusting the throttle.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What are you talking about? Because they didn't talk about turning right all of a sudden the program sucks?

If you feel so strongly about it why don't you write to Boise State and tell them how you could do it better

 

Lots of good basics are already covered here, but speaking of covering, learn to ride while covering the clutch and brake levers with at least 1 or 2 fingers. I had to teach myself this after I had already been riding for a good while and it was hard. If you start doing it now it should be second nature to do so in no time. Ride safe man, your in for many a good time!

 

nothing's gonna really prepare you for what you will run into riding... except experience riding the streets, live scenario's.. drills i think are b.s. people might say figure 8's are great!!! learn to brake !! but nothing on the road is just that plain and simple..there's so many elements to riding, weather, gravel, objects in the road other drivers, fatigue, maintenance, blah blah blah.. no two scenarios are ever alike that just comes with riding..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bad-monkey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">claims more noob's fairings than anything besides driveways.</TD></TR></TABLE>

true dat.

 

Best advice I could give you is to ride in low traffic areas until you get your confidence up and riding starts to become second nature. Make sure to build up your stamina before going on a long ride. Don't wanna be hours away from home, tired as hell, and screwing up.

Oh and ride your own ride, if you have just one "oh ****" moment then you're riding over your head. Remember, if you slow down, the people you're riding with WILL stop for you (unless they're douchebag squids) and wait for you to catch up. So no need to ride over your head to keep up.

Above all else, make sure you're having fun riding SHEESH.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EKsite &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Lots of good basics are already covered here, but speaking of covering, learn to ride while covering the clutch and brake levers with at least 1 or 2 fingers. I had to teach myself this after I had already been riding for a good while and it was hard. If you start doing it now it should be second nature to do so in no time. Ride safe man, your in for many a good time! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Already do this from riding dirt bikes/quads in the past.

 

It's okay, we can just get marmalade to post it in his signature. He seems to respond to noob threads pretty fast.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">herb, we need to start some kind of a sticky for riding technics. specially for the zero experienced.</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fatboy01 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I agree, but you know the nubs won't read it first </TD></TR></TABLE>