Failed U-Turn resulted in my bike on its side :(

I'm really surprised by the number of people who say the U turn is a waste of time and they as experienced riders don't do it, but push or paddle instead. For me jump on the damn bike, ride it and U turn it, is a much quicker way of turning it round than pushing or paddling. It's a good skill to have IMO. If you actually do it rather than copping out with a push or paddle, you'll get quite good at it. IMO an accomplished rider should be able to feet up U turn, on full lock, with a pillion. It's not so difficult that certain people can't do it, it's just difficult enough to require a bit of practice, but that practice comes just by doing it, then it becomes easy.

I terms of your question it depends what he means by lack of momentum. Nobody has ever explained the physics of what's acting as a gyro and what's not to me, but my experience says that so long as the bike is under drive, it has a tendency to stay upright, regardless of speed.

Good advice has been given on engine revs, clutch slip and back brake. Either close the throttle and drop the revs, or pull in the clutch and disengage the drive, and bike bike will start to fall.

You can actually learn how this works by practising and playing with it, fall in, pick up, fall in, pick up, all the way round your U turn by opening and closing throttle or clutch. It will give you a good feel of how the bike behaves and help you with your u turns, but be ready to get your foot down and catch the fall if you get it wrong, which you will a few times!

A positive start to the U turn with throttle open and bike moving is essential, the bike will stay upright under drive, but you need to get it going first.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

If you are new rider personally I would say thinking about this is complete waste of time. Go ride proper corners. Nobody has died from bad U turn but a drystone wall will really ruin your day.

Proper corners are what you should be thinking about and trying to get your head around. (get head around, body and bike will follow)

Thank you for showing me the error of my ways :P

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

Actually, yesterdays rideout was incredibly wet at times and the Avon vipers I have on the CBR did incredibly well and I even started leaning a little when I realised that I had the grip there.

Be a wee bit careful GG, it's easy for a newbie to start pushing tyres in the wet, and because the grip is there, and assume that it will always be there, and that the bike will have that much grip every time, it won't! Grip level in the wet can be from good, to variable, down to non existent if for instance you hit a wet patch of diesel or a drain cover.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

If you are new rider personally I would say thinking about this is complete waste of time. Go ride proper corners. Nobody has died from bad U turn but a drystone wall will really ruin your day.

I have a feeling those who are concerned have more thought towards the look of their bike than you do, therefore they want to make sure it doesn't get dropped. (Edit - I forgot a smiley)

While I don't agree with doing U-turns whenever the bike needs turning, I can see their point and I'd agree that learning how to ride corners properly should be a priority and leave the U-turns for when they are more experienced and have learned more about how to control their bike in other ways.

I stiil say it's better to turn the bike in any other way than feet up U-turning, until you're confident and experienced enough to do it without worrying that you'll drop it.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by TazDaz

...or this could be an alternative!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BBBM...eature=related

...I'm off out now so no more spam from me!

Would have looked really good if he been able to keep it in a straight line....lol. Me, jealous....never

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

I'm really surprised by the number of people who say the U turn is a waste of time and they as experienced riders don't do it, but push or paddle instead. For me jump on the damn bike, ride it and U turn it, is a much quicker way of turning it round than pushing or paddling. It's a good skill to have IMO. If you actually do it rather than copping out with a push or paddle, you'll get quite good at it. IMO an accomplished rider should be able to feet up U turn, on full lock, with a pillion. It's not so difficult that certain people can't do it, it's just difficult enough to require a bit of practice, but that practice comes just by doing it, then it becomes easy.

I can, and have been able to for 32 years, but I choose not to because I hate the expensive sound of plastic hitting tarmac. It's not necessary, so it's not done. Leave that kind of manouver until confidence and experience tell you it's ok, and even then only do it when necessary, not as a matter of course.

Originally Posted by Weirdfish

If it feels like it is going wrong get the clutch in

Can you expand on this please? If what in particular is going wrong, and what do you mean by get the clutch in?

In my experience if you get the clutch in during a U turn, meaning pull it back to the bar and hold it there, you break the drive, and the bike will start to fall in.

Originally Posted by Weirdfish

A modern reliable bike will comfortably execute a U turn on tick over! But you'd better be confident when attempting this

It will, but it's as much good balance on the part of the rider as it is good clutch control or technique in terms of driving the bike through the u turn.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Be a wee bit careful GG, it's easy for a newbie to start pushing tyres in the wet, and because the grip is there, and assume that it will always be there, and that the bike will have that much grip every time, it won't! Grip level in the wet can be from good, to variable, down to non existent if for instance you hit a wet patch of diesel or a drain cover.

Thanks Ralph

Don't worry though, when I say leaning the bike a little I really do mean just going around a bend with the bike not practically upright....to an observer, it would not be considered a lean at all.

These tyres are great and give really good feedback, also, I think the short wheelbase and the fact that it's a small bike and I sit "in" it helps to feel when it's getting a little low on grip.

Me and BaP were way at the back yesterday, both just taking it easy, but it's good to make yourself ride in the wet I think. That way, when out on a dry day and you suddenly get stuck in a downpour, you lessen the chance of panicking and tensing up IMO.

Originally Posted by Lozzo

I can, and have been able to for 32 years, but I choose not to because I hate the expensive sound of plastic hitting tarmac. Not as a matter of course

I've done literally hundreds of U turns on the SV and never dropped it once. I do them as a matter of course and I think if you do you get enough practice, you never risk dropping it. I admit that on a very steep rake and trail sportsbike I may paddle a bit more often, and the SV is not the best bike for U turns compared to the kind of bikes DAS schools use, but something like your Versys should turn on a sixpence.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

In my experience if you get the clutch in during a U turn, meaning pull it back to the bar and hold it there, you break the drive, and the bike will start to fall in.



.

+1...that's what I'd have thought...unless by pull the clutch in weirdfish, you mean pull it back to the biting point if you've let it out too far???