It must be tough on the saddle bags of the newer Street Glides with no saddle bag guards?

 

Definitely take the bags off of a SG.

 

Riding bikes for 32+ years & have yet to make a "keyhole" maneuver for any reason (other than license test & ERC)...JMO. Good on you to keep practicing. Me - I practice on ways to not drop a bike while riding...

 

Nope, I did 12 times in one day. It was a rough day.

 

Looked down and went down on my EGC...in front of Lovely Rita, DMV tester. I laughed, she laughed and I flunked cause I didn't practice the tight turns. Keep working at it!!

 

I've dropped mine practicing maneuvers as well. Aren't engine guards great??

 

The trick is look where you want to end up but not at the ground, slide your butt outward opposite of direction your turning to counter weight,put pressure on rear brake, and ride clutch(friction zone).
You'll get it I dropped mine when I started.

 

Well said, Stiggy.

 

Congratulations on recognizing the need to practice. Keep an eye on the Mississippi state HOG rally website. I am probably gonna host a civilian motorcycle rodeo there for the best HOG riders to show off their riding skills. It will be modeled after a police rodeo with the same patterns such as the crazy horse , saint christopher and other difficult patterns. I recently ran one at the Louisiana HOG rally with about 20 competitors which were some of the best civilian riders in the country. We had some motorofficers come out and were gonna show us how to do it and none of them could ride the course clean. Practice and come to the rally. www.msstatehogrally.com

 

Thanks guys. This is my first bike and I am a bit of a competitor and perfectionist. I have it in my head i'm going to get these skills down. Got the cut up tennis ***** and the perfect parking lot to practice. So as you guys have said. practice, practice. I dont have anyone to practice with or watch me, so that makes it hard. Well the wife comes with me also because I want to practice with her on as well. She just sits back and laughs.. great wife! ;-)...
lonslo- might take ya up on that..