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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 7:45 am
by JustJames
Look through the turn, and forget about the brake.
Look right (eyes) , push (right hand) and press (right foot) and lean.
*edit* to clearify push with right hand to the left.
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:32 am
by flynrider
One tip that I learned long ago is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Low tire pressure will make your bike feel squirrelly in a low speed turn and you'll tend to go wide and upright to compensate. I found this out by accident when I noticed that my low speed riding seemed to be getting sloppy. When I topped of the tires to the proper pressure, the difference was like night and day.
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:37 pm
by m50
What does that Boulevard 50 weigh? Is it your first bike? I saw the b-40 at the shop when I got my new bike, and it seemed an excellent biginner bike. Except for the scary front brake. It looked like it belonged on a BMX bike.[/quote][quote][/quote]
phild9er , the bike weighs 544lbs. Yes its my first to own. It is 800cc or 50ci. It's been 15 years since I've been on a street bike and my brain and body are having to learn all these skills over again. I got it last thursday and was preparing to ride it home from the dealership and then realized how long it has been

since I've ridden on the street. I was petrified.
I made it home safely and have ridden it every day since. I'm getting more and more comfortable and should be fine.
riding tonight
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:42 pm
by m50
I'll be riding tonight . So, I will concentrate on looking through the turn.
I've been riding downtown where there are alot of stops and turns. Most of the businesses have moved out of the downtown area so its pretty deserted after 7pm.
Thanks for all of the advice
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 2:05 pm
by ZooTech
KON DEE wrote:Look through the turn, and forget about the brake.
Look right (eyes) , push right (hand) and press (foot) and lean.
What kind of bike are you riding, KON DEE? When I push with my right hand, my bike turns left...

Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 9:14 pm
by JustJames
Is that a serious question? I have a cruiser like your (see in my sig).
I might not explain it good enough, English is not my first language. When I say push right (hand) I mean counter steering. push with your right hand not push to the right.
When I pratice counter steering (zig-zag), I quite often do with one hand, push and pull which you feel more of counter steering than using both hands.
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 9:50 pm
by PhilD9er
"I got it last thursday and was preparing to ride it home from the
dealership and then realized how long it has been since I've ridden on the street. I was petrified.
I made it home safely and have ridden it every day since. I'm getting more and more comfortable and should be fine."
You will be fine. I got my 919 after a decades long absence from riding, and I experienced the same sort of things as you. Bikes have gotten heavier, and we have gotten more cautious.
I live in Hollywood, CA, and that right turn into traffic is a must.You'll have it down to child's play soon, trust me on that. My big challenge is to turn right within 6 feet and get on the gas ASAP. People do 50 here on narrow, crowded city streets.
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 1:11 am
by ZooTech
KON DEE wrote:Is that a serious question?
Yes. The way our written tests are worded they use "Push the right handlebar to turn left" and so on. To turn right you'd have to push with your left and/or pull with your right, regardless of the style of bike.
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 3:46 am
by cb360
KON DEE is talking about countersteering - that's how they teach it at MSF - look right, push right (push on the right handgrip), go right. It sounds counterintuitive, but he's right... I mean he's CORRECT

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 4:41 am
by ZooTech
cb360 wrote:KON DEE is talking about countersteering - that's how they teach it at MSF - look right, push right (push on the right handgrip), go right. It sounds counterintuitive, but he's right... I mean he's CORRECT

I didn't realize we were on the subject of countersteering.....and, technically to countersteer in a right turn is to turn left.