|
PRACTICE, PRACTICE,PRACTICE
THE FRICTION ZONE
The friction zone is the area of the clutch between completely open and completely closed. Let's begin. Now, pull the clutch in and put the motorcycle in 1st gear. Put your right foot on the brake, begin by letting the clutch out and begin feeding a little throttle and stay in the friction zone.
You should be feathering the rear brake so that it holds the motorcycle back slightly. You now have 3 ways to control your motorcycle, the clutch, the throttle and the rear brake. You must keep power to the rear wheel and stay in the friction zone and feed a little throttle. Now, let's try the slow race.
LEARNING TO LEAN THE MOTORCYCLE AT SLOW SPEEDS
Remember, the further you lean the motorcycle, the sharper the turn you can make. Start by making circles in a parking lot, try to find a lot with lined spaces. At first try making a 30' circle to the left. Remember, stay in the friction zone, feather the rear brake and keep your head and eyes up. Do not look down. NEVER touch the front brake while making these circles. If you do, it will pull you to the ground like a magnet. Make sure to keep power to the rear wheel. If you pull the clutch in all the way, or release the throttle when the bike is leaned over, the motorcycle will tip.
Practice these circles in both directions, left and right. You might find it easier if you have someone standing in the center of your circle. Focus on their eyes or the top of their head. Try and work the circle down to at least 20'. The idea is to lean the motorcycle over as far as you can, if you pegs or boards start to scrape, don't panic, this is just a warning that you're approaching the limit of your lean angle. Your speed in the circle should be between 3-5mph.
THE OFF-SET CONE WEAVE
Put out two sets of cones. The pairs in the first set are 30' apart and there are five pairs. The second set will start 24' from the first set, also be 30' apart, offset 12' from the first set of cones.
As you start to maneuver around the cones, make your first turn to the left around the first cone, as soon as your tire gets to that 1st cone, turn your head and eyes to the left and focus on the 1st off-set cone. As your tire reaches that cone, snap your head and eyes to the right and focus on the next cone. In essence, you will be turning your head and eyes and the motorcycle from side to side. As you approach each cone, do not look down at it. Keep your focus at least 4 to 5 feet above the cone. Head and eyes is extremely important in this exercise.
Make sure to stay in the friction zone keep your head and eyes up and avoid looking down. Make sure to keep power to the rear wheel and keep feathering the brake. The further you lean the motorcycle, the easier this exercise becomes
SLOW CONE WEAVE
You will need 6 small traffic cones. Set them up in a straight line about 12 feet apart. The idea is to weave through the cones while in the friction zone. Do not attempt to coast through the cones.
The trick to this exercise is to focus at least 2 cones ahead of the motorcycle. If you can, focus only on the very last cone. You'll be able to see the cones you are weaving around with your peripheral vision. If you look down at the cones, you will hit them or you'll have to put a foot down. Remember, if the bike is in motion, your feet belong on the floor boards or pegs.
Now, simply weave through the cones by pushing your handlebars back and forth. Allow the motorcycle to lean from side to side as you weave through the cones. If you find that having the cones set at 12' apart is too difficult, start with the cones at 14 or 15 feet apart and work down to 12'. Remember, you must stay in the friction zone, if you let the clutch out all the way, you'll be going too fast to maneuver around the cones.
SLOW RACE
In this exercise, you want to go as slowly as you possibly can and focus your eyes straight ahead at least 5 to 6 feet off the ground. You must avoid the temptation to look down at your handlebars or the ground immediatley in front of your motorcycle. If you look down, you'll have to put a foot down or possibly tip the bike over. If you begin to lose your balance and feel the bike is going to tip, simply let the clutch out all the way and the motorcycle will straighten back up. Once you regain your balance, pull the clutch in and re-establish the friction zone. You need to practice the slow race until you can consistently ride between 3 and 5mph.
THE U-TURN
When practicing the U-turn, measure off an area of 30' to start. Ride the motorcycle into the 30' space while in the friction zone, with your foot on the brake. Let's assume you are going to make a left hand turn. Pick a point on the right side of the allotted space and aim your front tire towards it. Again, keep your focus 4 to 5' off the ground.
The idea is to allow the bike to dip to the right as soon as you reach your turning point. Then, immediately turn your head and eyes to the left as far as you can and allow the bike to lean as much as possible. Never look at the opposite edge of your allotted space, even a second's glance in that direction will cause the motorcycle to move 2 or 3 feet in the direction you don't want to go.
The further you turn your head in the direction you want the bike to go and the further you lean the motorcycle, the tighter the U-turn will be. Depending on the type of motorcycle you have, you should eventually be able to turn within 20' or less. Make sure you practice the U-turn in both directions, turning to the left and to the right.
Ride Safe
Thanks to http://www.ridelikeapro.com/ for this Practice Guide
Support the site ~
|
