Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I practiced looking where I wanted to go while driving the car until I became comfortable with it. Letting my eyes slide along the road and if I fixated on a point ripping my gaze away to continue on the road a good bit in front of me.

I used empty roads that I knew very well to do it, but I think it helped me get the concept down before I was trying to figure out how to also ride the bike.

RockBottom wrote:Geez--this forum makes me believe I'm the only person who has ever flunked the BRC. I'm depressed. And it's raining, so no miles for me today!

I flunked the BRC the first time I took it. Yes, really.

P

my wife had 2 people that dropped the bikes during her course. You would be surprised that I even passed it if you saw me the first day of the course. I couldnt get started cause i would stall the bike almost everytime cause I didnt have the friction point right.

RockBottom

I'll suggest something else that may or may not help you psycholology (if not physically) to get into the world of riding motorcycles.

Try to watch all the video clips you can click on such as (YouTube....OnTheThrottle....wherever/whatever) and experience riders doing all kinds of wild things.

I watch hundreds of YouTube videos (and many others) of stunt sport bike riders doing the most incredible stuff you could imagine.

What they are doing is not the least bit intelligent or to be admired on a bike.... but what you can learn from these videos (if you watch very closely) is what they are doing with their bodies and their hands so as to keep the motorcycle in their control (most of the time).

You can learn a world of knowledge about control from complete idiots. Do not dismiss these insane riders. What they have to offer that we also need to have when riding a bike (to a lesser degree), is confidence.

You can increase your love of motorcycles even while you are not riding one.

Look at riders doing things you will never want do and still learn a world of information.

Experience motorcycles, and the people who ride them, in all of their forms.

I also love the look of a motorcycle while it is standing still with its kickstand down.

I remember the look of Indians (not American Indians) from the 1950s.

But that is another whole story.

Dan

goodies wrote:I just finished the MSF. The biggest thing I had trouble with and I am not really sure what the problem is or how to fix it. Looking where you want to go. I was hollered at all weekend about that and lost points for looking down in the curve. But....I feel that I am and I was making a real effort at it, and thinking during every run, don't look down...don't look down...look where I want to go. I was trying so hard, but still almost never was looking where I need to be. It was such a huge frustration for me.

My concern is that what does this mean to me on the road? How do I correct this? I don't know if it is not clicking with me where I "need" to look or exactly what. I really didn't feel I was staring down, I probably did glance down, how else would I know where the cones where. I know that is probably why I never did get the box. But I was turning my head and trying to look.

I have experienced and know about target fixation. I guess I am concerned, because that "not looking where I want to go" during the class was such an issue....maybe I shouldn't be on a bike.

I am a handsome sexzy man...that being said;


You dont have to look where ya wanna go to go there

example;

Making a left hand turn while looking right to keep an eye on the traffic to make sure no is going to come through and take you out whilst turning.



In order to take your eyes off ya controls and away from the front of the bike you have to be comfortable with ya skills 1st.

Nearly all people struggle with this in the first couple of years. It doesnt feel natural BUT when ya drive and ya go to make a tight turn or even just a turn take notice of what you do...I bet you look through the turn to where ya wanna go, ya just dont realise thats what you have been doing all this time the diff for a bike is the balance and vulnerability aspect.


The way i taught my self to get used to moving my head from the line and direction of the bike was to actively make my self do it every time i turned, then it became habit, then reflex, then just normal.

shane-o wrote: . . . You dont have to look where ya wanna go to go there

example;

Making a left hand turn while looking right to keep an eye on the traffic to make sure no is going to come through and take you out whilst turning.

In order to take your eyes off ya controls and away from the front of the bike you have to be comfortable with ya skills 1st.

Nearly all people struggle with this in the first couple of years. It doesnt feel natural BUT when ya drive and ya go to make a tight turn or even just a turn take notice of what you do...I bet you look through the turn to where ya wanna go, ya just dont realise thats what you have been doing all this time the diff for a bike is the balance and vulnerability aspect.

The way i taught my self to get used to moving my head from the line and direction of the bike was to actively make my self do it every time i turned, then it became habit, then reflex, then just normal.

Goodies is a BRAND NEW rider. It is essential to get used to looking where you want THE BIKE to go. And, it is a good idea to take a 'peek' or two to make sure traffic is still clear.

Since it seems from your post you have been riding for several years and are self taught, I'd be willing to guess that you are actually looking where you want to go when you turn. You just do it without realizing it so it seems like you aren't.

P

I have to agree with Shorts...and I might add...great analogy about a baby! I have another...

I have been a horseman (woman) since I was 11 (I am now 45), and have always been taught (and now teach others) to look where I want to go as I ride, because the hands, legs, hips, shoulders (all riding aids on horseback) naturally follow where the eyes go. I teach young horse riders to look "between the horses ears" as they go straight, and not down. This way, the rest of the body's 'aids', which are communicating with the horse, instruct the horse correctly.

With that analogy, and after 2500 miles under my belt (highway, surface streets, and a couple of miles of gravel), I have found that the same rules hold true with riding a motorcycle, to include counter-balancing and 'steering' for the advanced motorcycle rider. A barrel rider on a horses whipping around barrels is looking ahead to where they want to go and not at the barrel or in the turn, and the rider is also leaning away from the barrel to allow the horse to lean in to the barrel for a more effective high-speed turn. So it is on a motorcycle on a faster-than-normal turn.

Anyway, that's my two-cents worth.

As a new rider myself - 2500 kms on the bike, 1 1/2 months of riding - the look where you want to go is becoming less of a thought process and more natural. I still do a little talk to myself when I come up to a curve or turn.
While I'm turning I'm usually saying "look look lookie" under my breath, may sound silly but it works for me. Honestly sometimes I say it out loud... . My hubby thinks it's cute.

CYNWAGON wrote:As a new rider myself - 2500 kms on the bike, 1 1/2 months of riding - the look where you want to go is becoming less of a thought process and more natural. I still do a little talk to myself when I come up to a curve or turn.
While I'm turning I'm usually saying "look look lookie" under my breath, may sound silly but it works for me. Honestly sometimes I say it out loud... . My hubby thinks it's cute.

It's not silly, verbal communication works very well. The school I attended actually thought us to do it although I don't. I do sing in the helmet when I'm really cold though. LOL

Batan wrote:

CYNWAGON wrote:As a new rider myself - 2500 kms on the bike, 1 1/2 months of riding - the look where you want to go is becoming less of a thought process and more natural. I still do a little talk to myself when I come up to a curve or turn.
While I'm turning I'm usually saying "look look lookie" under my breath, may sound silly but it works for me. Honestly sometimes I say it out loud... . My hubby thinks it's cute.

It's not silly, verbal communication works very well. The school I attended actually thought us to do it although I don't. I do sing in the helmet when I'm really cold though. LOL

lol I only sing when I get bored cause im behind some slow poke that cant do more than 15 under the speed limit with no way to pass cause of oncoming traffic (I have passed on the right before though when its safe of course hell I have even done it in my mini van in the middle of winter lol).