Hey Gang,
I had some troublw with the offset weave drill during the MSF class. I don't expect to nail it right off the bat, but this was the only drill I had struggles with.
I read the thread url=http://totalmotorcycle.com/BBS/viewtopi ... e&start=30]here[/url] but that basicaly just said to keep practicing.
Any suggestions on techniques to help this so I don't practice it wrong, i.e. gear selection, straight or counterweight positions, etc?
I'm loving this class!
MSF Offset weave help
Look further ahead, like look at the entrance to the curve after the weave before you enter the weave. Bikes are not as responsive to steering input as cars (especially cruisers), so think ahead of the bike. Anticipate where you want the bike to go. Purposely turn in too soon to get the feel for how the bike reacts. When learning, it's much easier to over-compensate and back off than to try to get closer and closer to perfection without going over.
Slow speed offset, first gear and drag the back brake to keep chain slack from jerking you around. Balance throttle with rear brake. Give it a little throttle, and control speed with the brake. Try a few times in a straight line first. Don't worry, you won't have to pay for replacement brakes. Keep your upper body upright and fling the top of the motorcycle from side-to-side with your knees and butt, flexing at the pelvis, kind of like a hoochy mama dance. The fancy name is "counterweighting", and it works. The handlebars will follow the weight transfers of the bike, so don't fight them.
Higher speed weave, most common mistake is not going fast enough. Second gear required, and try increasing your speed gradually over several attempts. Bikes are quite awkward in the transition from low speed (counterweighting) to high speed (countersteering) handling.
Slow speed offset, first gear and drag the back brake to keep chain slack from jerking you around. Balance throttle with rear brake. Give it a little throttle, and control speed with the brake. Try a few times in a straight line first. Don't worry, you won't have to pay for replacement brakes. Keep your upper body upright and fling the top of the motorcycle from side-to-side with your knees and butt, flexing at the pelvis, kind of like a hoochy mama dance. The fancy name is "counterweighting", and it works. The handlebars will follow the weight transfers of the bike, so don't fight them.
Higher speed weave, most common mistake is not going fast enough. Second gear required, and try increasing your speed gradually over several attempts. Bikes are quite awkward in the transition from low speed (counterweighting) to high speed (countersteering) handling.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.
control (slow) speed turns/maneuvers through the use of clutch and rear brake. if you try to control your speed with the use of the throttle, you'll start to jack-rabbit... maintain a steady throttle...qwerty wrote:Balance throttle with rear brake. Give it a little throttle, and control speed with the brake.
no, no, no... there's no flinging the bike... control the direction of the bike through use of the handlebars... use the counter-weight to assist in slow speed turns. to counter-weight, shift your weight to the outside of the turn, keeping your body upright and leaning the bike as necessary. there should be no flinging - the counter-weight move should be smooth and purposeful...qwerty wrote:Keep your upper body upright and fling the top of the motorcycle from side-to-side with your knees and butt, flexing at the pelvis, kind of like a hoochy mama dance. The fancy name is "counterweighting", and it works. The handlebars will follow the weight transfers of the bike, so don't fight them.
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ArcticHarleyMan
- Elite
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- Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:43 pm
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- Location: Yukon, Canada
As LL says, look way ahead and use your peripheral vision for the cones. The offset weaves should be done in 1st gear, feathering the clutch and keeping a constant throttle. It should be done WITHOUT using any brakes.
Look a little past where your path will be AFTER the next cone. Your focus should be constantly moving ahead, not lingering on the one cone, then jumping to the next. It should be a fluid motion.
Never ride straight at the cones, rather, loop out and around, then come back in. More like the figure 8, but with a slight bulge on your last turn as you make the transition towards the next cone. You have to lean your bike quite a bit, almost to dragging the foot rests, but don't. The loop around the cone should be an exaggerated one, unless you are doing the constricted offset weave.
The head turn can never be stressed enough. You have to look well over your shoulder on the cone side to come back inside the cones. Keep your head up.
One other note. If you find that the first few conees are being negotiated well, but you lose it for the last few, the cause is the placement upon entering the weave at the outset. If you are a bit off in your entrance, as you go from cone to cone, this offset will become more exaggerated, until you finally start to completely miss the line, and it takes a great amount of effort to get back on line.
So, to start with, make sure you are entering the first loop in the right position.
I hope this helps everyone.
Oh. One suggestion for those of you with engine guards/saddlebag guards. Wrap them with canvass or pieces of old firehose, just in case you drop your bike, or get so far over as to scrape them, but you will probably scrape the pegs first. You might want to actually remove your saddlebags, too.
Look a little past where your path will be AFTER the next cone. Your focus should be constantly moving ahead, not lingering on the one cone, then jumping to the next. It should be a fluid motion.
Never ride straight at the cones, rather, loop out and around, then come back in. More like the figure 8, but with a slight bulge on your last turn as you make the transition towards the next cone. You have to lean your bike quite a bit, almost to dragging the foot rests, but don't. The loop around the cone should be an exaggerated one, unless you are doing the constricted offset weave.
The head turn can never be stressed enough. You have to look well over your shoulder on the cone side to come back inside the cones. Keep your head up.
One other note. If you find that the first few conees are being negotiated well, but you lose it for the last few, the cause is the placement upon entering the weave at the outset. If you are a bit off in your entrance, as you go from cone to cone, this offset will become more exaggerated, until you finally start to completely miss the line, and it takes a great amount of effort to get back on line.
So, to start with, make sure you are entering the first loop in the right position.
I hope this helps everyone.
Oh. One suggestion for those of you with engine guards/saddlebag guards. Wrap them with canvass or pieces of old firehose, just in case you drop your bike, or get so far over as to scrape them, but you will probably scrape the pegs first. You might want to actually remove your saddlebags, too.