Basically every oops, almost and dammit I experienced happened at very low speeds or when stopping. The message came through loud and clear: "You MUST practice all the slow speed stuff and different stops". Tight circles, F8s, 90 degree turn-ins (as in parking spaces) U turns....I did all of these solo. Think "1000 pound bike and 200 pound rider to equal at least 1200 pounds to manage". Then comes my 135 pound wife, gear, leathers and whatever else. Suddenly we're not that far from 3/4 ton of overall weight for the rider to manage. Easy enough at 20 mph and greater, but 5 mph down to stopped can be the bear.


One of the harder maneuvers on a big touring bike (and 2-up) is making a slow-speed hard right turn into a tight parking space and coming to a smooth balanced stop. Best to practice those efforts on empty lots and between the lines.

 

I also find an empty parking lot.....gets the ''wiggles ''out of the way. 20 minutes of that and It all comes back ,usually finish with some end to end (of the parking lot)counter steering , That in itself will save your life.

 

Try it with two side-by-side marked parking spots. Turn in to one spot, keep to the outside, make a U-turn, end up in the other spot pointing out.

Also, if you are parked pointing in, you can try a U-turn from a stop, to turn out. You don't need much room ahead of you to make that turn.

 

From the Ride Like a Pro series, practicing all the friction zone, throttle, rear brake and eyes are great stuff and soon become muscle memory. But really pay attention to the tip about NEVER using the front brake while coming to a stop with the bars turned any amount at all. You'll take a nose dive so fast it'll make your head spin. It hasn't happened to me (yet), but I've come very close a couple of times.

 

You will get to love the bike. Especially once you start to tour long distance.

 

Did that once years ago in a parking lot. I had no idea something could hit the ground that fast!

 

Nailing it solo and practicing in empty lots are great tips. I also had the same concerns when it came to adding a passenger/gear. However,,, I found (as stated in the video) that adding a passenger makes no difference at all. But here I would add the tip (IMO) that it's most important that your passenger be instructed to remain seated upright in relation to the seat, looking forward... Don't be gawking around doing head/upper body swivels or leaning opposite to the bike etc. That's when the bear will surface.

 

I guess I'm not supposed to post in this thread. But dang! Sometime I just can't help I myself!

Bought my 1st touring HD 56 years ago. Age 15.5 in CA (they let u ride solo on a m/cycle then). See my signature picture.

BTW, when shopping for one, the Pasadena dealer asked if I knew how to ride and I said yes (I did know). So he sent me out onto busy Colorado Blvd by myself for a test ride. That's trusting. I bought it.

 

You train yourself to get the fingers off the front brake lever as you are stopping, and to start out without those fingers on the brake lever. And while you're maneuvering at slow speed, you keep those fingers off the lever, so you don't have to worry about a quick twitch of the fingers grabbing that brake, and taking the bike down.

 

Man that's beautiful. Exactly like mine same year and all. Getting delivered today. Still cccccold here in West Michigan. 30 F.
Simie