Need some pointers for the twisties
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
I just looked at the MSF website and there are advanced rider courses available on select Sundays at a place about five miles from me. And apparently it's free. I believe I will definitely be taking advantage of that opportunity.
It's well worth it even if you have to pay for it. It's even good for the "ol timers" because it identifies some of your bad habits you've picked up along the way.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 277
From: Green Country Oklahoma
If you have a back rest don't let your back rest on it in the turns you want to have pressure on the handle bars to push whatever direction you need to go that's why all the sports bikes have lower handle bars to control the bike even though those are the most uncomfortable bars to ride but helps them to fly by us.Unfamiliar roads or not so perfect roads just go slow and be careful.Confidence goes up with the practice you can take a class but in the parking lot vs real things still need to practice.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 7,855
Likes: 11
From: Oroville,Washington.
I can see what the road looks like with my eyes,which I keep on the road,not some friggin' screen. Go into a curve high,and come out low,under power.Going in high lets you see more of the curve before you drop into it.I keep my head turned,looking through the turn.Forget what the posted speed for the corners is,at least until you've ridden the road a few times. I ride roads up here that are posted 25mph,and you're sending up sparks at 15mph.Others posted 35,I take at 60. I almost always drop down a gear, or two,keeping the rpms up,and never use the front brake in a curve. Been working for me for 47 years now.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
No offense, but taking my eyes off the road to look at a GPS would be very counter-productive.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Before coming into that kind of curve there should be a "recommended speed" sign. I've found that the curves can usually be made easily if I'm doing 10 or 15 mph over that speed. More experienced riders can go even faster. I try to be near the center line to start a right hand bend and near the shoulder for a lefthander.
The biggest thing for me is leaning the bike far enough over while in a tight corner. I've had a few instances where I was caught by surprise with too much speed going in and had no choice but to push hard on the bars and lean the bike over. Each time, I was able to make the turn easily, although it scared the crap out of me a couple of times.
I think that leaning the bike over in a turn causes you to scrub a little speed which can give you a little breathing room.
Practice on curves you encounter regularly. You will be able to keep track of your progress of increasing your speed til you get it how you want it. Don't get overconfident but don't be scared of it. Practice makes perfect.
I've heard that the main reason a bike doesn't make a curve and winds up in the ditch isn't because the bike couldn't make the curve but because the rider didn't think he could. Push those bars, look as far through the turn as you can. Don't fixate, don't look ANYWHERE except around that curve. Trust yourself.
I'm not really an expert on this but I'm trying. The more I do it the more comfortable I become and the easier it is. Experience is your friend.
The biggest thing for me is leaning the bike far enough over while in a tight corner. I've had a few instances where I was caught by surprise with too much speed going in and had no choice but to push hard on the bars and lean the bike over. Each time, I was able to make the turn easily, although it scared the crap out of me a couple of times.
I think that leaning the bike over in a turn causes you to scrub a little speed which can give you a little breathing room.
Practice on curves you encounter regularly. You will be able to keep track of your progress of increasing your speed til you get it how you want it. Don't get overconfident but don't be scared of it. Practice makes perfect.
I've heard that the main reason a bike doesn't make a curve and winds up in the ditch isn't because the bike couldn't make the curve but because the rider didn't think he could. Push those bars, look as far through the turn as you can. Don't fixate, don't look ANYWHERE except around that curve. Trust yourself.
I'm not really an expert on this but I'm trying. The more I do it the more comfortable I become and the easier it is. Experience is your friend.
There is a lot of great advice here to help all of us when when we find ourselves going faster than we wanted for that curve. I try and practice leaning more by pushing the hand in the direction of the turn. Its more of a mind thing because we don't purposely put ourselves in a panic situation. But you can consciously think about left turn left hand or right turn right hand in all the turns on a normal ride. Hopefully you are developing a habit if you do get in a panic. As I said, the majority of motorcycle accidents are self induced from panic on curves.
Beary
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 344
Likes: 4
From: California
What if there was a tractor stopped in the road? Livestock or a deer standing in your lane? A cager coming from the other direction who decided they needed half of your lane? Gravel/dirt in the middle of the curve? Etc? Sounds to me like you were going plenty fast in that situation on a road you don't know. Asking for tips to allow you to go faster when presented with these situations will eventually make you a statistic. A major cause of motorcycle death is the single vehicle accident where the rider either can't make the turn due to speed and misjudgment, or wrecks trying to avoid something in a curve that they didn't expect.
THIS TIME! You don't know what will be over the next rise, or in the middle of the next turn. Ride safe, ride long.
THIS TIME! You don't know what will be over the next rise, or in the middle of the next turn. Ride safe, ride long.