netizen
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That's one CLEAN bike! I wish I had your motivation!!!
Tips, Tricks, Advice learned from experience
- Thread starter netizen
- Start date
That's one CLEAN bike! I wish I had your motivation!!!
GregC
Site Supporter
How did that advanced course go on the DCT? I've looked into that but wondered how the coaches would handle the DCT (a lot of time is spent on friction zone in low speed maneuvers in those courses).
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Old Can Ride
Active Member
My NC7, Nana Chou, gets a bath everytime it rains.
rippin209
Well-Known Member
35,000 miles I've put on my motorcycle I still haven't washed it lol. Almost did a couple of weeks ago but did maintenance on other vehicles instead. Just doing my part with the drought
Yeah that's a good reason
rippin209
Well-Known Member
That's the method I've used, riding freeway speeds is like pressure washing all the places bugs hit anyway. Being in California haven't gotten much rain though
rippin209
Well-Known Member
I might help with a upcoming iron man on September 11 in Santa Cruz if so I'll actually wash my bike beforehand. Last I heard they are still looking for motorcycle volunteers if anyone is interested
For that extra attention to detail you could trim the little nubbies off the tire sidewalls.
Doesn't everyone do that?
sumo
Site Supporter
For that extra attention to detail you could trim the little nubbies off the tire sidewalls.
Doesn't everyone do that?
Hmm...never noticed those things...but they are really starting to bug me, grrr, what are they even for!!! Where are my nail clippers...
well you must have clean roads then.
rippin209
Well-Known Member
At the time I'm traveling to work they ain't to bad, (0230-0330) but yeah the places that don't get direct pressure from freeway speeds do get those dirty drip lines (still have those) sitting in the rain waiting for me at work didn't wash them off. Oh well no biggy, it's a practical bike not made to be pretty anyway. I keep up on the maintenance to a T though (focus on what matters)
The Advanced Rider Course started with the expectation that you already know what a friction zone is and how to use it, covered in the Basic Rider Course.
They never really specified which gear to be in for the maneuvers, leaving that up to the rider to determine as everyone is on a vastly different bike, so it wasn't really an issue. One woman was on a large ( > 50cc ) scooter shaped object with no gears either.
The instructors didn't even realize I didn't have a clutch or shift peg until halfway through the course.
All of the drills were 'emergency' type things that a motorcyclist could encounter on the road, eg swerving around an object while leaned over in a turn, either widening the turn or tightening the turn to get around it, then back to the original radius.
There was practicing 'hanging off' and 'crossing up', slowing and stopping using both brakes while in a turn, single finger braking etc... all of the stuff they tell newbs to avoid in BRC, they have you practice gracefully and smoothly.
About the most complex thing involving shifting was riding from a stop up to about 25 mph, emergency braking full stop and then getting the bike moving again, swerving to the left and stopping again. This was to simulate an emergency stopping behind a line of cars, then getting out of the way by lane splitting so the car behind you (driver not paying attention) doesn't rear end you.
A lot of people stalled their bike on this one, having to go from first to second, then back to first as they clutch and brake and then friction zone, throttle, steering as they try to second part of the maneuver. Have to use both hands, both arms and both feet all at the same time. All I had to worry about was brake, steer and throttle....
netizen
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Having posted about this in another thread I thought it would be a good tip for this thread.
When traveling in colder weather, pack several of the sealed package hand warmers that you get at Walmart on the bike. They usually come several to a pack for $3 or $4. If you get caught out riding in the cold without your heated gear, or just don't have heated gear, they can be a Godsend to keep you on the road making miles without risking hypothermia!
One thing...... DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM! Early this spring I rode about 400 miles in a very cold steady rain. I hadn't packed my heated vest OR even warmer clothes due to the warm temps that most of the US had been having. That ride was one of the longest hardest rides I've ever made! I was shaking literally for most of the ride with cold. I hadn't even realized until I posted about using hand warmers that I HAD THEM IN THE TRUNK OF MY BIKE THE WHOLE RIDE!!!
I had put the hand warmers inside another bag of misc items years ago and forgot all about them being packed away in there.
I have used these before in sub freezing temps with very good results... it's all about placement location and securing them so they don't end up sliding around and getting places you really don't want them. I swear I smelled rump roast while riding after a couple of these had slid down against one butt cheek and the temps climbed into the 50's.
A little duct tape doubled over should do the trick of keeping them in place while you ride.
When traveling in colder weather, pack several of the sealed package hand warmers that you get at Walmart on the bike. They usually come several to a pack for $3 or $4. If you get caught out riding in the cold without your heated gear, or just don't have heated gear, they can be a Godsend to keep you on the road making miles without risking hypothermia!
One thing...... DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM! Early this spring I rode about 400 miles in a very cold steady rain. I hadn't packed my heated vest OR even warmer clothes due to the warm temps that most of the US had been having. That ride was one of the longest hardest rides I've ever made! I was shaking literally for most of the ride with cold. I hadn't even realized until I posted about using hand warmers that I HAD THEM IN THE TRUNK OF MY BIKE THE WHOLE RIDE!!!
I had put the hand warmers inside another bag of misc items years ago and forgot all about them being packed away in there.
I have used these before in sub freezing temps with very good results... it's all about placement location and securing them so they don't end up sliding around and getting places you really don't want them. I swear I smelled rump roast while riding after a couple of these had slid down against one butt cheek and the temps climbed into the 50's.
A little duct tape doubled over should do the trick of keeping them in place while you ride.
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Go to a parking lot. Accelerate to 20mph and hit the breaks HARD. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable using both brakes to stop on a dime. Then move up to 30, 40 and even 50... You need to know what braking hard feels like and gain confidence that grabbing full brake is controllable. And if you are lucky enough to have ABS, you need to know what that feels like when it engages. My advice...don't wait until you have to brake hard before you actually try it for the first time.
Also, every bike is different...if you change machines, do this AGAIN!!
Also, every bike is different...if you change machines, do this AGAIN!!
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D
Deleted member 5383
^^^ and know your specific tires when it comes to braking. I was kind of shocked how easy it was to skid Shinko 705 on moderately wet not-that-cold pavement when I tried a used 650 BMW last year.
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ViperDriver
Member
Great thread! Thanks for starting it.
To maneuver a DCT at low speeds (e.g., a 180 on a narrow two-lane road), steer with the rear brake. Before you start your turn, lean forward and shift enough weight to the pegs to be light in the seat--it helps with balance. Now come on with enough rear brake to require that you add and hold some power. Start your turn, keeping the power set. If you feel you're falling into the turn, let off some brake. If you feel you're standing up in the turn, add some brake. Practice in a parking lot until you can do full-lock figure-eights at walking speed.
BTW, especially on a bike with ABS, I also use rear brake to keep from going wide in a turn, especially a decreasing-radius turn. Love that ABS!
To maneuver a DCT at low speeds (e.g., a 180 on a narrow two-lane road), steer with the rear brake. Before you start your turn, lean forward and shift enough weight to the pegs to be light in the seat--it helps with balance. Now come on with enough rear brake to require that you add and hold some power. Start your turn, keeping the power set. If you feel you're falling into the turn, let off some brake. If you feel you're standing up in the turn, add some brake. Practice in a parking lot until you can do full-lock figure-eights at walking speed.
BTW, especially on a bike with ABS, I also use rear brake to keep from going wide in a turn, especially a decreasing-radius turn. Love that ABS!
DCTFAN
Member
Unless your bike has cornering ABS, you never should rely on standard ABS while cornering, especially on decreasing-radius turns.
Standard ABS will not have any chance at modulating the brakes due to the lack of traction while cornering.
Cornering ABS takes into account all other factors to enable the ABS to function in a limited traction situation.
.
ViperDriver
Member
DCTFAN, many thousands of words in dozens of forums and blogs across the web have been written on this topic. About half agree with you. Unfortunately, physics and my personal experience don't.
I understand that the traction being used for turning the bike isn't available for braking and that hard braking, with or without ABS, may result in lateral slippage, but I suggest that your second sentence, "Standard ABS will not have any chance at modulating the brakes [...]" is a bit of an overstatement. All the reading I've done about ABS and my ten years experience with ABS on three bikes say otherwise. At extreme lean angles and/or low traction conditions, "standard" ABS ("cornering" ABS is another discussion) will be significantly less ineffective and will probably not help you avoid loss of control under hard braking, but at "normal" lean angles ABS remains quite effective. Several times I've had to panic brake in corners with ABS and the worst that's happened was a momentary "side step," usually but not always in the rear, but then--before I could react--the ABS would reduce braking and the tire would regain traction and all would be well.
So allow me to correct my original post. First, try your best to avoid braking once established in a corner--increase your lean angle and trust your tires. If you can't, then understand that as your lean angle becomes greater, ABS becomes less effective, but it will always be more effective than no braking or a locked non-ABS brake. If you have the option of reducing lean angle before braking then certainly stand the bike up and brake. Otherwise, either trust your ABS or take a tour through the trees--your choice.
drdubb
Site Supporter
Enter slowly, accelerate out.
Ackme
New Member
Some interesting information on the Virginia Tech crash study:
What Virginia Tech learned about how and why we crash our motorcycles - RevZilla
What Virginia Tech learned about how and why we crash our motorcycles - RevZilla
D
Deleted member 5383
Motorcyclists: always blaming the cage drivers ; }
" We complain all the time about other people on the road trying to kill us, especially cars pulling into our paths. The VTTI study partially backs that up. Of the 99 crashes and near-crashes involving another vehicle, the three categories of other vehicles crossing the rider’s path add up to 19.
Here’s the surprise, however. What’s the most common scenario? Riders hitting (or nearly hitting) another vehicle from behind. There were 35 of those incidents."
...
"The study found that aggressive riding increased risk by a factor of 18 while inattention or lack of skill increased it by a factor of nine. Combine the two, and odds of an incident increased by 30."
" We complain all the time about other people on the road trying to kill us, especially cars pulling into our paths. The VTTI study partially backs that up. Of the 99 crashes and near-crashes involving another vehicle, the three categories of other vehicles crossing the rider’s path add up to 19.
Here’s the surprise, however. What’s the most common scenario? Riders hitting (or nearly hitting) another vehicle from behind. There were 35 of those incidents."
...
"The study found that aggressive riding increased risk by a factor of 18 while inattention or lack of skill increased it by a factor of nine. Combine the two, and odds of an incident increased by 30."
