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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2012 11:57:11 GMT 10
I went for a bit of a practice session today. Concentrating on the things I feel most uncomfortable about. Did a few E-stops, thanks guys your advice helped to no end, I didnt have a single problem with stopping!!! was a buzz. Then I tried u-turns ... I took four lanes to do it, and I needed it, I go way too wide but I know a lot of that is nerves, when I first got the bike and went to practice the first time my husband had me try u-turns and I dropped the bike twice before just losing my nerve completely, so I know it's something I have to work out of my system. I did bout 20 today, no drops so I'm pretty happy bout that!!! But I read the MOST instruction from RTA before I left today and you have to do U-Turn in a space 6.1m wide. WHAT?!?!? How the hell can you do that? I'm almost starting to despair, I dont think I could even have done that on my old scooter and I never had a problem with U-Turns on the scooter Oh yeah and I video'd it, it's crappy video but I can see where I get nervous half way thru the turn and straighten a bit before pulling it right round. I tried to see where I was looking while doing the turn but it was hard to tell in the crappy video, I do know I try to make sure I'm looking in the right direction but I wonder if I kinda look at the gutter ahead of me when I'm half way thru the turn which makes me straighten, I use my clutch and brake correctly I think. I know I can work on that with a lot more practice, I just cant ever see myself doing it in 6.1m.
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Post by george on Mar 10, 2012 12:49:29 GMT 10
Well done. Keep up the good work. Practice makes perfect
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2012 12:51:17 GMT 10
Dunno bout well done, but practice yeah .. thanks George
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2012 18:30:44 GMT 10
Good to see you want to do well on the open road Anna. Think it would be a good idea maybe if each state did this for a meet every 6months or so . Would be a great day and some would be better from the experience. So with that you have done an excellent job and things can only get better . Though agree about the vid,but hey same thing applies there .
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2012 21:49:50 GMT 10
Dunno if I can fix the vid, I just point the camera, and I only have a point and click, I have a book, I might have to read it ... But I'm gonna work on the u-turns I know I can fix that I think your idea sounds good rayd, if you mean what I think you mean, just a get together and practice doing stuff that ya dont practice often enough? And get some tips for the noobs like me from the experienced guys like you ... oh I like it. Thing is my braking has seriously improved just by reading the stuff you guys had to say about it .. so I'm loving ya's all anyway atm Who knows my u-turns might go the same way .. here's hoping!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2012 12:16:49 GMT 10
Yep that was my thought,s Anna . Could be done by us with each other thoughts or a day out with an instructor. That does cost a bit though. Sure you.ll get better at vids as well. Cheers Ray.
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Post by Mac on Mar 11, 2012 23:22:32 GMT 10
I had a go in a vacant parking lot yesterday & found really tight turns a real challenge. It helped if I lifted off the seat & moved my body to the oposite side of the turn acting as a counter balance. That seemed t work for me anyway
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2012 9:14:21 GMT 10
Cool John thanks, I might give that a try next time
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Post by angel on Mar 12, 2012 11:56:06 GMT 10
Anna, best piece of advice i ever received about bike manouvering was this whether you think you can.. or not. you will be right. given by a race rider at a trackday. the one time i got worried in a hairpin and thought i wouldnt make it i went down. as long as you keep saying i can do this, you will. even if you dont beleieve it at first..I still have to convince myself every time after 4 years of owning this bike
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2012 19:44:11 GMT 10
Thanks for sharing that Angel , and it's great advice, I know I'm nervous about u-turns and I know that's the reason I furber them up. So I'll just keep practicing and telling myself I can do it, til I get rid of the gremlins.
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Post by scrap on Mar 12, 2012 22:02:38 GMT 10
Anastasia - remember to keep your chin up - if you drop your chin, you will start to leaning your body inwards causing the bike to topple in. Keep your head at 45 degress into the turn, eyes level, drag the rear brake, use the clutch to control the forward speed.
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Post by rodaco on Mar 12, 2012 22:19:35 GMT 10
What helped me was an instructional video which said "In doing a u turn, get your head around and look in the direction you want to go" ( don't look back down at the ground or that is where you will end up)
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Post by angel on Mar 13, 2012 10:15:49 GMT 10
Rodaco, you got the essence of it.. Wherever the head and eyes point the bike will follow. always remember.. head and eyes, head and eyes. This is easier to say to yourself than i can do it, and its easier to beleive as well.
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Post by rodaco on Mar 13, 2012 11:31:21 GMT 10
Angel, too true. It does take practice to get the confidence. When I did my returning riders course the instructor kept yelling at me to keep my head and eyes up! Course, at the time I was a bit terrified of "going down" on some of the turns and couldn't help myself from looking at where the front wheel was pointing to! But, it felt good when I was able to be disciplined, and then the riding was a lot smoother.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2012 20:05:20 GMT 10
Yep I learned that one, when I dropped the bike I was watching the front wheel, so I'm pretty sure I keep my head up now .. like I said before my major problem is looking at the gutter, I noticed myself doing it last night when I looked at the car on the other side of the road ... I realised I what I was doing and changed to looking at the part of the road I wanted to be on instead of the part I didnt want to hit ... makes sence to me .. now to just train myself to do it all the time ...
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