Long story but need help...
#11
04-16-2010, 05:52 PM
Cruiser
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Location: Wildomar, CA
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Get this:
http://www.ridelikeapro.com/
I've been riding since 1976 and it helped me. Has some great pointers and good practice sessions.
http://www.ridelikeapro.com/
I've been riding since 1976 and it helped me. Has some great pointers and good practice sessions.
#12
04-16-2010, 05:56 PM
Get a leather jacket(even a cheap one is better than nothing)to prevent low speed road rash.
If you took the rider course,the instructor should be telling you what you've done wrong and help you to correct it.
If they're not,you need to make sure they help you.That's what they're paid for.
My wife's class had two guys that were having trouble and the instructors ran them through the trouble spots for two hours after the test portion.
They passed.
Oh and thank you for your service.
If you took the rider course,the instructor should be telling you what you've done wrong and help you to correct it.
If they're not,you need to make sure they help you.That's what they're paid for.
My wife's class had two guys that were having trouble and the instructors ran them through the trouble spots for two hours after the test portion.
They passed.
Oh and thank you for your service.
#15
04-16-2010, 06:09 PM
Matt, many thanks for your service. 
Another way of thinking about it... do you play golf? If so, how many times have your heard, "Keep your head up!"
I've been riding for over 50 years and did the same thing as you last summer when I pulled into a parking lot, tried to make a really sharp turn to make myself parallel to the local constable's cruiser so we could talk and, for whatever reason I looked down and... well, talk about embarrassed!
Another way of thinking about it... do you play golf? If so, how many times have your heard, "Keep your head up!"
I've been riding for over 50 years and did the same thing as you last summer when I pulled into a parking lot, tried to make a really sharp turn to make myself parallel to the local constable's cruiser so we could talk and, for whatever reason I looked down and... well, talk about embarrassed!
#16
04-16-2010, 06:12 PM
Get this:
http://www.ridelikeapro.com/
I've been riding since 1976 and it helped me. Has some great pointers and good practice sessions.
http://www.ridelikeapro.com/
I've been riding since 1976 and it helped me. Has some great pointers and good practice sessions.
#17
04-16-2010, 06:26 PM
Road Captain
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Location: Texas
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I am sorry to hear about your difficulties, but 1st of all I want to thank you for your service. Now back to your question which leads me to offering a several suggestions.
1. We all started at the same place and a lot of riding is confidence. Find an empty parking lot like a school on the weekend and practice your low speed turns until you are comfortable with the bike and your ability.
2. Look where you want to go and do not fixate, look high.
3. Select several routes that are easy and practice gradually moving up in difficulty.
1. We all started at the same place and a lot of riding is confidence. Find an empty parking lot like a school on the weekend and practice your low speed turns until you are comfortable with the bike and your ability.
2. Look where you want to go and do not fixate, look high.
3. Select several routes that are easy and practice gradually moving up in difficulty.
#18
04-16-2010, 06:31 PM
Riding a motorcycle is a lot muscle memory. Just like flying a helicopter is. You need to do it for a while before you get used to it. There are some tricks that you should know like dragging the rear brake on real slow speed turns, Counter steering, object fixation ect. I agree with the above statement that you should buy a small bike and learn the basics first. I think most of us didn't start out on a Harley as a first bike though there might be a few. I started riding a mini bike when I was about 6 or 7 years old and had about 20 bikes before I ever had a Harley. There is no substitute for experience.
blkbagger may be onto something here. Maybe you're trying to "fly" it? Good advise about getting a dirt bike. Dirt is a lot softer than concrete. And having asphalt dug out of your skin is NOT fun.
#19
04-16-2010, 06:40 PM
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Get the Ride like a pro DVD V and something like a Honda Rebal and practice, practice, practice... You didn't learn to fly overnight, so don't be so hard on yourself.
#20
04-16-2010, 06:58 PM
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Location: North Carolina
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You have got great advice. We all start at ground zero and go from there. Get a small bike and practice, practice, practice. Just remember, look ahead at where you want to go, not down, cause, that is where you will go.