Rider Mistakes and Lessons Learned

[abdecal]

bahahaha. I love that episode of South Park

[RSparky]

About the wind comment. I think it was said backwards. The wheels strafe a couple feet left and right, but so long as you let the bike lean into it, you'll stay on the same path, and when the breeze subsides, it will come right back up into the same path.

[swingset]

About the wind comment. I think it was said backwards. The wheels strafe a couple feet left and right, but so long as you let the bike lean into it, you'll stay on the same path, and when the breeze subsides, it will come right back up into the same path.

Nope, I said it the way I meant it. If you're loose on the bars and in the saddle, the bike will sway at the top where the wind hits it. Some wheel deflection happens, but not that much. If you're tight on the bars and fight the gust (lean into it to counter the push) your wheels have to move to combat the lean.

Next time you're getting beat around, try it both ways you'll see what I mean. It's something you have to drill into your brain because your instincts fight the gust which makes you believe you're being blown off course of will fall over (neither will happen unless gale-force winds get ya).

[20thGix]

To touch back on the blind spot thinig. When im slabbin it down the interstate i always let the vehicle infront of me fully pass a semi before i go ahead and make the pass.

[RSparky]

Nope, I said it the way I meant it. If you're loose on the bars and in the saddle, the bike will sway at the top where the wind hits it. Some wheel deflection happens, but not that much. If you're tight on the bars and fight the gust (lean into it to counter the push) your wheels have to move to combat the lean.

Next time you're getting beat around, try it both ways you'll see what I mean. It's something you have to drill into your brain because your instincts fight the gust which makes you believe you're being blown off course of will fall over (neither will happen unless gale-force winds get ya).

I thought I was pretty loosey goosey. Not sure of the physics behind what you're saying...

if the wheels stay "on track" and you let the wind lean the bike, it will not strafe...

my question, then, is this: generally when the bike leans, it turns. Thus, in my scenario, it "turns" into the wind, and counters the force. In yours, the wind pushes, and simply makes the bike turn. You're doing nothing to keep it straight, do what happens that negates the force of the wind?

[Jst2fst]

To touch back on the blind spot thinig. When im slabbin it down the interstate i always let the vehicle infront of me fully pass a semi before i go ahead and make the pass.

That and blind spot mirrors help just put some on last week so far so good

[Cheech]

Yeah, tank slappers are a bitch.

&

People have some really good advice in this thread. I have heard that hitting the gas hard can bring you out of a slapper, making the front tire light or even off the ground and I can see how that would work but you have to be really experienced with wheelies in an "oh shit" moment, lucky, crazy, or all of the above. Clutch it up and don't try to force it correct.

The slapper gets set in motion from things people have already said, but mostly when you gas it hard and the front wheel comes up a bit, even 1/2 inch... In that time the front is off the ground, if the handle bars get cocked a bit, when the front wheel touches back down on the ground, centrifugal force will whip the wheel straight again, sometimes a few degrees more than it should. Depending on a lot of things, it starts a cycle of correcting the wheel straight but keeps "over-correcting". Scary as hell!!!

For a noob, "gassing it up" out of a tankslapper is TERRIBLE advice, even more so when said noob has a 250 that has virtually no chance of popping a wheelie. I know you tempered your remarks with clutching it up, I was just trying to clarify things a little.

abdecal, if you did have a bike that was capable of doing a wheelie AND YOU were capable of handling said wheelie, then yes, pounding the throttle to make the front wheel light/bring the front wheel up in a power wheelie would effectively stop the tankslapper. However, you don't possess a bike capable of doing this, nor do you have enough experience to control said wheelie if you did. Grab clutch, let off throttle, let bike correct itself.

[YSR_Racer_99]

Don't fart in a one piece riding suit/ leathers. Unless you're into that type of thing.

[Strictly Street]

Originally Posted by swingset

HP to weight? That 450hp in a 6,500lb behemoth is nothing to 100ponies pushing 550lbs. I can destroy an SUV any which way you can measure, and I'm on a relatively tame Vstrom.

Some bikes aren't up to it, but most modern sport bikes are much faster than an SUV, and are far more agile - both of which are of great advantage.

That said, if you're in the place where you need speed to save your ass from an SUV, your situational awareness has failed you. Brakes will save you 100 times before your throttle will, even in motion.

I think he is referring to the 250, which only has 30HP.

^this

Of course a liter super bike can beat a school bus in a drag race. That's not what you should worry about. Worry about some cell phone mamma rolling over you from behind. They (cages/SUV) are quicker than your math leads you to believe, just a blink of your eye and they can be right on top of you.

Plan for it and stay safe.

[abdecal]

For a noob, "gassing it up" out of a tankslapper is TERRIBLE advice, even more so when said noob has a 250 that has virtually no chance of popping a wheelie. I know you tempered your remarks with clutching it up, I was just trying to clarify things a little.

abdecal, if you did have a bike that was capable of doing a wheelie AND YOU were capable of handling said wheelie, then yes, pounding the throttle to make the front wheel light/bring the front wheel up in a power wheelie would effectively stop the tankslapper. However, you don't possess a bike capable of doing this, nor do you have enough experience to control said wheelie if you did. Grab clutch, let off throttle, let bike correct itself.

I'm pretty sure the 250 can't do a wheelie,lol. Maybe if I pop the clutch and pull up reallllly hard. Doesn't matter tho, I wont be trying it. I like to keep things in one piece

That said though, it's not as slow as some of you might think. I saw someone saying it can't out accelerate an SUV which I don't think is true. I drive a BMW 330xi and the bike has slightly more acceleration but doesn't come close to the top speed of the BMW. As far as maneuverability I'm not to sure on. You can whip a car around at speed but you have much less options if a wreck were about to happen. It's either the ditch or swerve into other lanes. The bike may give you more outs and when in doubt you can always ditch the bike.

I have a buddy that moved to Alaska a few years ago and had to leave his 08 Yamaha R6 down here in a garage. It hasn't been ridden since 2009 and he's okay with me riding it so once I get more experience I may go pull that thing out so I can feel the power and weight differences between bikes.

[abdecal]

^this

Of course a liter super bike can beat a school bus in a drag race. That's not what you should worry about. Worry about some cell phone mamma rolling over you from behind. They (cages/SUV) are quicker than your math leads you to believe, just a blink of your eye and they can be right on top of you.

Plan for it and stay safe.

That's my worst fear. Getting trucked over by some soccer mom. I hate being the first one sitting at a light, I'd rather tuck in behind someone really close so at least they see the person in front of me and slow down.

[20thGix]

That's my worst fear. Getting trucked over by some soccer mom. I hate being the first one sitting at a light, I'd rather tuck in behind someone really close so at least they see the person in front of me and slow down.

Dont tuck in close. That will only lead to getting you pancaked. Leave some room and watch your mirror. So if you need to get out of the way you can. Always have an out!

[abdecal]

Dont tuck in close. That will only lead to getting you pancaked. Leave some room and watch your mirror. So if you need to get out of the way you can. Always have an out!

I kinda stay close but to one side so at least if I get smashed from behind I'll shoot off to the side

[Photos by Marty]

Ride your own ride never ever try to keep up with someone if you aren't 150% comfortable with the pace.

The cause of my first wreck in the mountains of Virginia. Gear protected my a$$. Just a busted up bike and bruised ego.

[Photos by Marty]

if your on a group ride and they don't wait at set places for slower riders then you are with the wrong group.

+ 1,000,000

[drc32-0]

As someone else said earlier,there is a lot of good advice in this thread.It might be a good idea to condense it down and put it as a sticky for new rider advise.I'd do it ,but I know there are a lot of people here much more computer savvy than me.

[abdecal]

As someone else said earlier,there is a lot of good advice in this thread.It might be a good idea to condense it down and put it as a sticky for new rider advise.I'd do it ,but I know there are a lot of people here much more computer savvy than me.

:plus1:

[Bad324]

:plus1:

just copy all the good stuff...make bullet points and edit it into your original post

[abdecal]

just copy all the good stuff...make bullet points and edit it into your original post

Sounds good. Doing it now

[abdecal]

Okay. Updated my original post in case you wanted to sticky this. Could you guys review it, let me know if I missed anything and let me know the things that should be in bold?

[swingset]

I thought I was pretty loosey goosey. Not sure of the physics behind what you're saying...

if the wheels stay "on track" and you let the wind lean the bike, it will not strafe...

my question, then, is this: generally when the bike leans, it turns. Thus, in my scenario, it "turns" into the wind, and counters the force. In yours, the wind pushes, and simply makes the bike turn. You're doing nothing to keep it straight, do what happens that negates the force of the wind?

What you have to remember about being hit in wind is the lean is very slight. It feels worse than it is because you're going straight and not anticipating an invisible hand trying to push you over. If the bike was going straight with no rider and wind hit it, the top would lean with the wind, and the bike would move (steer) slightly in that direction. If you're on it, and you feel the wind resistance, you tend to lean and stiffen to fight this push. As you stay erect, but the lateral force pushes on you, the wheels tend to go instead. You don't countersteer much because you're being held in check by the force of the pushing wind...and because the lean (while it feels big) is actually small.

It's all semantics, you'll be fine either way...but if you're tense the effect feels worse than it is and you tend to sway back and forth more in the wind than if you're really loose.

A good way to test what I'm saying is, if you're in a lot of gusty wind, get your tires on the painted stripes (if you can safely) and go as loose and effortlessly as you can for a while while the wind hits you from the side. Then, try it by fighting the wind. See which is harder to stay on track.

[JBWalker]

most mc accidents happen at slow speeds.

[Hailwood]

Lot of good observations/comments in this thread. Not too much that hasn't been covered, but I'll add this:

In general, you should be on the throttle lightly ('maintenance throttle') all the way through a corner. This will provide the correct front/rear load distribution and help the bike's suspsension operate as it was intended.

Chopping the throttle or 'needing' to apply the brakes mid-corner is an indication that your riding speed or technique needs to be adjusted and is often the beginning of the events that can lead to a crash.

This is something I constantly remind myself, and I could really tell a difference in my smoothness/comfort level since i started making an effort to pay attention to this.

[Scruit]

ADVICE FOR NOOBS FROM EXPERIENCED RIDERS

-When all else fails kick it sideways and get the hell out of there

Pretty sure that one was a joke...

[Cheech]

Lot of good observations/comments in this thread. Not too much that hasn't been covered, but I'll add this:

In general, you should be on the throttle lightly ('maintenance throttle') all the way through a corner. This will provide the correct front/rear load distribution and help the bike's suspsension operate as it was intended.

Chopping the throttle or 'needing' to apply the brakes mid-corner is an indication that your riding speed or technique needs to be adjusted and is often the beginning of the events that can lead to a crash.

This is something I constantly remind myself, and I could really tell a difference in my smoothness/comfort level since i started making an effort to pay attention to this.

+1 to this too. Applying your brakes while in mid-turn will force the bike to start standing up, pretty much the exact opposite of what you're trying to do (turn) If you're too hot in a turn, as scary as that might be, try and lean it out. Your tires should grip, provided you aren't leaning enough to cause a lowside. Push on those handlebars and just lean it out.