Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Brackstone wrote:

Penguin wrote:Nah trail-braking is where you brake while turning into the corner, then accelerate out.

This is different, all you have to do is keep a light bit of pressure on the back brake pedal, and suddenly all the slow stuff becomes easier. You can get away with more sloppy clutch/throttle control because the rear brake will keep you at a reasonable speed.

Captain Crash taught me how to do this! My life has been much easier thanks to this!!!

Was it on one of his videos? Oh, I can look it up myself>

RhadamYgg

HeathersWheels wrote:Look at it as cup half full... at least it wasn't raining at the time.

You know, given the way I had to pick the bike up... My boots barely had enough traction as it is to pick up the bike, if the ground had been wet... I have no idea what I would have done.

Bleh. It could have been far worse. And I could have gotten hurt. So, I'm relatively happy.

I can fix the bike.
I'm ordering some sliders tonight.
I'll pick up some black paint to cover the exposed metal. Maybe a little silver paint for the fake air duct.

RhadamYgg

Sorry to hear about the drops. No fun! I dropped mine, too, but at least the thing is already beat up enough to where you can't distinguish new scratches from old...

And not trying to start up an argument or anything, but what wrecks describes, IS, according to my MSF instructor (who I still keep in touch with), trail-braking. This was the only way I managed to get through the figure 8s for the test. For whatever reason, I couldn't really manage to get those down without trail-braking. He used that term specifically and encouraged me to do it since I was having a bit of trouble.

PacificShot327 wrote:Sorry to hear about the drops. No fun! I dropped mine, too, but at least the thing is already beat up enough to where you can't distinguish new scratches from old...

And not trying to start up an argument or anything, but what wrecks describes, IS, according to my MSF instructor (who I still keep in touch with), trail-braking. This was the only way I managed to get through the figure 8s for the test. For whatever reason, I couldn't really manage to get those down without trail-braking. He used that term specifically and encouraged me to do it since I was having a bit of trouble.

Oh, I'm looking at the parts to fix it up. I've decided to wait and see - if I've got the drops out of my system or not!

I think it is trail braking. But if it is or not - if it is going to help me on the slow-speed maneuvers... I'll be all over that.

I do know, that this will be hard for me. With the damnable boots on I don't really feel the rear brakes so much.

I'll tell you what - while the B-King is moving she feels light an nimble. When the momentum goes away. Its like an unpowered F4. Its got the glide path of a rock.

RhadamYgg

Brackstone wrote:Damn,

Sorry to hear that happened man. But good for you getting back up on the horse and continuing on. I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway! Don let fear get to you. You've beer riding a while now so there isn't anything to be worried about.

Just a hit of history about my experience. I stuck to roads I knew and didn't practice any parking lot exercises until I felt comforable with my new bike.

Also I did spent for frame sliders. They were like $100 for my bike, I know I sucks up front but if they look cool it's a necessary evil almost

As far as things go - that wasn't too bad. My wife didn't actually say anything about not riding anymore. She was even sympathetic and will help me search for parts for the bike.

Clearly, it was just too soon for me to do slow-speed stuff. You know with the sheer mass of hours I'd spent in stop-n-go traffic in the Kawasaki - I really got to know the clutch and throttle well on that bike.

But this is completely different. I probably should have spent more time riding the highway miles and doing the on-off-ramps + start commuting on the bike where I'd really beat up the clutch before attempting figure 8's.

Not going to let the fear get to me. Going out for a ride tomorrow with my wife driving her car - we have to get some software and stuff for painting - just for the express purpose of me getting some more miles on the bike.

Of course she did say if I drop the bike while she can see me I'm going to have to sell the bike.

RhadamYgg

RhadamYgg wrote:

Brackstone wrote:Damn,

Sorry to hear that happened man. But good for you getting back up on the horse and continuing on. I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway! Don let fear get to you. You've beer riding a while now so there isn't anything to be worried about.

Just a hit of history about my experience. I stuck to roads I knew and didn't practice any parking lot exercises until I felt comforable with my new bike.

Also I did spent for frame sliders. They were like $100 for my bike, I know I sucks up front but if they look cool it's a necessary evil almost

As far as things go - that wasn't too bad. My wife didn't actually say anything about not riding anymore. She was even sympathetic and will help me search for parts for the bike.

Clearly, it was just too soon for me to do slow-speed stuff. You know with the sheer mass of hours I'd spent in stop-n-go traffic in the Kawasaki - I really got to know the clutch and throttle well on that bike.

But this is completely different. I probably should have spent more time riding the highway miles and doing the on-off-ramps + start commuting on the bike where I'd really beat up the clutch before attempting figure 8's.

Not going to let the fear get to me. Going out for a ride tomorrow with my wife driving her car - we have to get some software and stuff for painting - just for the express purpose of me getting some more miles on the bike.

Of course she did say if I drop the bike while she can see me I'm going to have to sell the bike.

RhadamYgg

Did you get around to trying that letting roll while in 1st gear technique? Once I let go of my brakes and give the bike a little gas to give it some speed then release the throttle and it'll move itself at around 2 - 5 MPH. This saved me a lot of pain with stop and go traffic. I'd suggest doing this in a parking lot or empty street though.

Take care Rhadam.

JC Viper wrote:

RhadamYgg wrote:

Brackstone wrote:Damn,

Sorry to hear that happened man. But good for you getting back up on the horse and continuing on. I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway! Don let fear get to you. You've beer riding a while now so there isn't anything to be worried about.

Just a hit of history about my experience. I stuck to roads I knew and didn't practice any parking lot exercises until I felt comforable with my new bike.

Also I did spent for frame sliders. They were like $100 for my bike, I know I sucks up front but if they look cool it's a necessary evil almost

As far as things go - that wasn't too bad. My wife didn't actually say anything about not riding anymore. She was even sympathetic and will help me search for parts for the bike.

Clearly, it was just too soon for me to do slow-speed stuff. You know with the sheer mass of hours I'd spent in stop-n-go traffic in the Kawasaki - I really got to know the clutch and throttle well on that bike.

But this is completely different. I probably should have spent more time riding the highway miles and doing the on-off-ramps + start commuting on the bike where I'd really beat up the clutch before attempting figure 8's.

Not going to let the fear get to me. Going out for a ride tomorrow with my wife driving her car - we have to get some software and stuff for painting - just for the express purpose of me getting some more miles on the bike.

Of course she did say if I drop the bike while she can see me I'm going to have to sell the bike.

RhadamYgg

Did you get around to trying that letting roll while in 1st gear technique? Once I let go of my brakes and give the bike a little gas to give it some speed then release the throttle and it'll move itself at around 2 - 5 MPH. This saved me a lot of pain with stop and go traffic. I'd suggest doing this in a parking lot or empty street though.

Take care Rhadam.

Ahh, no I haven't tried that yet. Wasn't that rolling in neutral and then popping it in to first gear with no clutch? Damn. I should have tried that on the Ninja 250.

But I do remember doing that on the Eliminator 125 during the MSF (accidently) and that it worked. And since I was in the speed range for first gear it probably wouldn't cause excess damage to the gear - it should mesh with no problem.

Not ready for that yet with this bike though, especially in light of my recent shenanigans.

RhadamYgg

RhadamYgg wrote:

JC Viper wrote:

RhadamYgg wrote:

Brackstone wrote:Damn,

Sorry to hear that happened man. But good for you getting back up on the horse and continuing on. I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway! Don let fear get to you. You've beer riding a while now so there isn't anything to be worried about.

Just a hit of history about my experience. I stuck to roads I knew and didn't practice any parking lot exercises until I felt comforable with my new bike.

Also I did spent for frame sliders. They were like $100 for my bike, I know I sucks up front but if they look cool it's a necessary evil almost

As far as things go - that wasn't too bad. My wife didn't actually say anything about not riding anymore. She was even sympathetic and will help me search for parts for the bike.

Clearly, it was just too soon for me to do slow-speed stuff. You know with the sheer mass of hours I'd spent in stop-n-go traffic in the Kawasaki - I really got to know the clutch and throttle well on that bike.

But this is completely different. I probably should have spent more time riding the highway miles and doing the on-off-ramps + start commuting on the bike where I'd really beat up the clutch before attempting figure 8's.

Not going to let the fear get to me. Going out for a ride tomorrow with my wife driving her car - we have to get some software and stuff for painting - just for the express purpose of me getting some more miles on the bike.

Of course she did say if I drop the bike while she can see me I'm going to have to sell the bike.

RhadamYgg

Did you get around to trying that letting roll while in 1st gear technique? Once I let go of my brakes and give the bike a little gas to give it some speed then release the throttle and it'll move itself at around 2 - 5 MPH. This saved me a lot of pain with stop and go traffic. I'd suggest doing this in a parking lot or empty street though.

Take care Rhadam.

Ahh, no I haven't tried that yet. Wasn't that rolling in neutral and then popping it in to first gear with no clutch? Damn. I should have tried that on the Ninja 250.

But I do remember doing that on the Eliminator 125 during the MSF (accidently) and that it worked. And since I was in the speed range for first gear it probably wouldn't cause excess damage to the gear - it should mesh with no problem.

Not ready for that yet with this bike though, especially in light of my recent shenanigans.

RhadamYgg

It can and does work from neutral but with expensive and shiny toys I wouldn't try it until I am confident that the machine has the power to do it.

RhadamYgg wrote:

Brackstone wrote:Damn,

Sorry to hear that happened man. But good for you getting back up on the horse and continuing on. I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway! Don let fear get to you. You've beer riding a while now so there isn't anything to be worried about.

Just a hit of history about my experience. I stuck to roads I knew and didn't practice any parking lot exercises until I felt comforable with my new bike.

Also I did spent for frame sliders. They were like $100 for my bike, I know I sucks up front but if they look cool it's a necessary evil almost

As far as things go - that wasn't too bad. My wife didn't actually say anything about not riding anymore. She was even sympathetic and will help me search for parts for the bike.

Clearly, it was just too soon for me to do slow-speed stuff. You know with the sheer mass of hours I'd spent in stop-n-go traffic in the Kawasaki - I really got to know the clutch and throttle well on that bike.

But this is completely different. I probably should have spent more time riding the highway miles and doing the on-off-ramps + start commuting on the bike where I'd really beat up the clutch before attempting figure 8's.

Not going to let the fear get to me. Going out for a ride tomorrow with my wife driving her car - we have to get some software and stuff for painting - just for the express purpose of me getting some more miles on the bike.

Of course she did say if I drop the bike while she can see me I'm going to have to sell the bike.

RhadamYgg

Glad to hear your wife isn't giving you a hard time about it.

But yeah I think the best advice I can give is to familiarize yourself with the bike before doing this. The techniques taught during the MSF course will stay with you, being on a different bike IMO doesn't effect the knowledge in your brain.

Your new bike just handles differently, so as soon as you learn how your bike handles, you should be able to do all these exercises again without problem. It's a mental game.

Me personally though? I love my bike and I don't want to risk scraping it or dropping it. Because of that I do not practice figure 8s or anything like that.

I have had to make a U turn in a narrow space (2 parking lot spaces) and I was able to do it. I don't know if I can do a figure 8 and I really don't care to find out. I don't really consider that a skill you need to survive on the road, it's just something to practice in case you need to make small tight turns and don't want to drop your bike.

If I think something is too small or too dangerous, I just put my feet down and waddle on the bike. But I can't remember the last time that has happened to me.

PacificShot327 wrote:Sorry to hear about the drops. No fun! I dropped mine, too, but at least the thing is already beat up enough to where you can't distinguish new scratches from old...

And not trying to start up an argument or anything, but what wrecks describes, IS, according to my MSF instructor (who I still keep in touch with), trail-braking. This was the only way I managed to get through the figure 8s for the test. For whatever reason, I couldn't really manage to get those down without trail-braking. He used that term specifically and encouraged me to do it since I was having a bit of trouble.

Possibly you have different definitions over the other side of the atlantic...anyway we all know what we're talking about so there's no confusion

In the case of figure 8s the yes it is trail braking because you are braking into the corner...anyway it doesn't really matter