Bike Skills

[ogden]

Racking up miles will provide some road awareness but it will, crucially, hone basic vehicle control skills. Rather than having to think about how to control the bike, it'll become second nature as it gets filed away as instinct along with walking and breathing. If anyone knows a better way to achieve this than actually getting out there and doing it, I'd love to hear it.

When I first started riding on the road on my own, albeit at 16 as a learner on a moped, I was absolutely terrified and really really didn't enjoy it. A few days or weeks (it's a long time ago now) of riding around it all started to gel together and I could get on with the important job of regularly falling off.

Ah, to be a teenager again...

interesting folks. While i agree i need more time in the saddle (only done 65 miles in total on a bike now) i dont have any mates to ride out with. Soo im looing for hints and tips to show me how to do it properly.

I would love to get on an advance course but i want to get to know the bike first.

The areas where im particually worried are

setting off from tight junctions. I seem to run wide sometimes requiring a lot of clutch slip to bring me back inline.

tight corners. When comming into a long fast corner the bike feels stable however on a tight corner im scared of going wide so i slow then i get worried about dropping it so i dont lean and it takes a bit of effort to get round. This is also on large round abouts where i seem to have to correct the angle as i go around where as i would like to be really smooth.

I think the slow speed corners thing is also due to throttle control. It can upset the bike at slow speeds and required me to slip the clutch to make it smooth. Is there any way of making the throttle less snatchy? or is it just practice?

Cheers btw. I unterstand these must all be stupid questions to you lot so i really appreciate your help.

Originally Posted by AndyBrad

stuff

All in all that sounds like a confidence thing. I was the same after passing my test, terrified of bends and dropping it. Just do the miles, on your own if needs be. Sometimes it's better riding on your own as you don't get caught up in someone else's riding. Which as a newcomer is all too easy a trap to fall into. As for clutch slip, this is a good skill to use on junctions as sometimes full drive is too much. Nowt wrogn with that buddy. Where abouts are you based?

im up in sunny brighouse, not sure what i did in my previous life but it must have been bad.

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by AndyBrad

im up in sunny brighouse, not sure what i did in my previous life but it must have been bad.

DIZZYBLONDE !!!

We got one here for ya

[Stu]

Originally Posted by TonyS

I approached the local IAM after I passed my test last autumn, but they wanted me to get a couple of thousand miles under my belt before training. This seemed ridiculous to me, as you most need the training when you've not got any experience.

That shows one issue with IAM that they are all individual groups with their own ways of operating to a certain extent.
The latest I've heard from mine is that they were quite impressed with riders that had just got through DAS & were only a few observed rides away from being ready to take the IAM test.

So I would say that not every group will require experience before you approach IAM.

I would also say that any training will be prferable to just blindly racking up miles without knowing what you're doing right or wrong.

I also wouldn't suggest just books or videos would be the best as it really helps to have someone to both see what you are doing and explain anything you should be doing.

Most of the problems you outlined would be solved by doing the MC1 course at the i2i Motorcycle Academy you don't need much experience before going there. I know I'm starting to sound like an advert for them, but I can't recommend them enough.

As for pulling out of junctions go onto the industrial estate by the car auctions in Brighouse when its quiet or find a large empty car park and practice.

yup i know that estate well as i live about 10 mins walk from it. Ill pop down tonight i think

[Mr Speirs]

I had almost identical problems when I first went out on my SV. Infact pulling out of the dealer with my new bike nearly drove into a parked car on the other side of the road (gave the bikers in the cafe something/someone to laugh at).

The snatcy throttle is actually your own hand. It is you that is snatching at it but ride a few more miles and you will become more refined and smoother (this is not me saying your doing anything wrong, it is a torquey bike but in time you'll smooth your wrist movement out)

Running wide pulling out and junctions and unconfident cornering will slowly disappear when you become more comfortable with the bike but in the mean time remember what you are taught on DAS. Look where you want to be going.

Lastly riding with others will increase your confidence and you'll start building up to lean further and corner faster and have a bloody good time doing it.

I was very shakey within my first 300miles on the bike and as countless people have said get out there and ride.
Hope my inane ramblings help.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

DIZZYBLONDE !!!

We got one here for ya

you rang!!!!!!!!lol
yes, although I am pretty pooped from just doing god knows how many miles around Scotland this weekend, as I posted in your newbie thread, theres a few of us about. Just PM me if you want me to pop over....I'm a slow mo...well most of the time, and really don't mind riding to Brighouse.
Practise gives confidence..and 4 years on I'm still gaining it.

The scars on my yellow SV were made by a one mile an hour fall off down a pothole after passing my test. I'd just spent a fortune getting her on the road.......seeems I'm always spending a fortune on that bike, ungrateful thing!!! never wants to ride further than HX