hands free?

[Andrew]

I'm thinking he has a lot of free time on his hands...

[dieziege]

If you've never done it on a bicycle don't do it on a motorcycle. If you have done it on a bicycle, don't expect a motorcycle to react the same way.

As already observed, some sort of throttle lock is needed. Alternatively, if there are any long hills you can ride down at lowish speeds in high gear (minimum engine braking) that will sometimes work too. There are probably other tricks.

If you transfer your weight almost entirely to one peg (try and lift your body with that leg) the bike will steer. That results in gentle turns at high speed or sharper turns as the speed goes down. The second method is to throw some weight around... you can move your upper body to get up some momentum then lock your muscles to transfer that momentum to the bike... that pulls the bike into a lean. The problem is that the bike will soon right itself.

I played around with that for a bit to see how it worked and what was really possible. I stopped playing around with it when I found that my bike can get into a headshake condition if there isn't *something* to damp the steering... and that something is the rider's hands.

[TechTMW]

Verm, you need to learn about the dynamics of a m/c. Especially your bike. It's got a steep rake for "flickability" That means it turns Reeeal easy. taking your hands of the bars is not too smart on a bike like yours.

A chopper or cruiser has a wider degree of rake and longer trail. These are the bikes you can take your hands off of because they will continue to travel in a straight line. (But it's still a dumb idea re: Indian Larry)

[MontyCarlo]

Amen. Sportbike + hands off bars = probable tankslapper.

Also I'd amend that *most* bikes will travel straight when you take your hands off the bars. The old beemers like mine and Tech's will actually pull a little to the right thanks to the torque of the driveshaft. I have to weight the left peg a little to get my RT to go straight.

And no, I don't make a habit of this, I was testing my steering head bearings after a lube + adjusment.

[Andrew13]

Well there is quite a difference between 'Take hands off the bar' and "Take hands off the bar, stand on the seat, and ride for a while posing like jesus, while not wearing a helmet'. And even then he'd been doing it for what? 40 years? And he'd still be alive today if he'd been wearing even one of those silly half-helmets.

[Mag7C]

If you want to try it just loosen your grip so your hands are around the grips but not actually touching. Then if you don't feel so hot about it, close your hands and you're fine.

I don't get what the big deal is though... I've done no hands at low speeds a couple times when I forgot to zip my jacket. Stay in a midrange gear and putt along at 20mph. And again if you aren't comfortable just drop what you're doing and grab the bars. You aren't handcuffed.

I wouldn't recommend trying to actually ride distance like that though, what with cornering and all, but if you need to let go for a couple seconds it isn't going to kill you.

[bok]

comparing Verm to Indian Larry is probably like comparing apples to everythingintheuniversewhichisnotanapple...but i think even Larry would say a scarf and a sword would be foolish riding gear

[Mag7C]

if you need to let go for a couple seconds it isn't going to kill you.

Now that I said that, I bet the next time I let go of the bars I'll get hit by a truck or something...

[Dirtytoes]

i let go of the handle bars all the time, but only on roads tha i've recently been on....but even then look around for hazards.....after a while the front wheel starts wobbling like a tank slapper but i think that its becaz of engine braking.....thats a problem w/ my bike (wheel alignment)...i think.

[roscowgo]

It is possible, the physics keep you upright. is it a good idea? NO.