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I was curious to see what the proper procedure is for manuvering speed bumps. I'm sure I'll find out in my MSF class but figured as long as I was here I'd run it up the flag pole and see who salutes.

Well i never took the MSF but I'lll tell you what I do.

Obviously if its got a split in the middle and there's no oncoming traffic, go for the split in the center. If you've got to go over it I just slow down a bit pull the clutch( just incase) and stand up off the seat a bit so that you can let the bike sort of rock over the bump. When the front wheel hits your arms will cushion the bumpa dn then when your rear wheel goes over the bump your legs will take the bump.

Kind of hard to explain but it works for me

you also want to give it a little throttle right before the front wheel hits the bump so the front suspension is un compressed. This'll give the front suspension more travel distance. Once front wheel hit, release throttle though.

I just slow down, square up on it and give it just a tad of throttle as the front wheel starts to go over, to unload my suspension a little on the way up. I have a 4-into-1 exhaust, and it will hit if I don't unload the bike a little (I weigh 220 geared up). Personally, I never coast over any obstacle, or rough place in the road. I always go under power.

them bumps dont have as much of a jarring affect on a bike as they do a car at normal speeds.

9000white wrote:them bumps dont have as much of a jarring affect on a bike as they do a car at normal speeds.

This is true!

Around here, most speed bumps do not go all the way to the curb on the right side. If there's oncoming traffic that won't allow me to use the center depression in the bump, I just move to the right and bypass the bump on that side. There's usually a foot or more of space between the bump and the right curb.

Gear down, slow down to 40kph/25mph, get up off your seat onto your pegs, hit the bump perpendicular, and enjoy the ride. Whoa! If you can then go around.

TorontoBoy wrote:Gear down, slow down to 40kph/25mph, get up off your seat onto your pegs, hit the bump perpendicular, and enjoy the ride. Whoa! If you can then go around.

25mph!?!? Yikes! You must have much smaller bumps in your neck of the woods. Around here, if you hit most speed bumps at that speed, you'll bite your tounge off On the occasions that I do climb over them, I hit them at around 5 mph and feather the clutch when the front tire contacts the bump.

If it's a nice sloping speedbump, just stand on the pegs a little and fly over it.

If it's one of those speedmountains then yes slowing down or going around is probably a good idea.