What have you learned?

[Outlaws Justice]

Forum Sponsor

In relation to riding a motorcycle look back over your rising this year and think of the things you have learned, Things that might be new to you, things that have made your riding more enjoyable (Or faster if at the track) and lets hear things that have helped you to make improvements this year or enjoy your ride more?

With what you have learned and improved are there things you would recomend for your friends and fellow riders?

 

[mongol777]

I learned that Total Control is totally awesome course with totally awesome instructors and I am now practicing to be in total control of my bike!
On a serious note:
1. Vision - everything clicked together at the end of the day 2. I now have faith in my vision and faith in the technique (which frankly I was lacking before and continued to ocassionaly glance down while in the turn)
2. Body position - hard to get rid of old habits but this year with help of the course and lots of practice I already feel improvement
3. Getting to know my bike - I understand it more, how it works and what it wants from me (mainly to get out of the way and let her do what she was designed to do)

I am now shameless promoter of TC course and some of my friends already ask to just shut up and talk about something else. But I can't help it - course and practice after will make you enjoy your bike so much more (nevermind life saving skills you will learn).

And overall - faith in my bike, in my skills and knowing road is my friend.

 

[NealT]

As I add to my experience, the need to maintain distance becomes even more obvious. Not sure how many riders know that a bike does not brake well compared to a car, and I mean just about any car. Also the notion of safe distance seems to translate to 10 feet behind a car at just about any speed....result is all the news reports of bikes rear ending cars.

Another thing, that gets enforced, is you go where you look. On the street brake hardest early and ease up in the last half, it gives you options and always remember that crap always happens in intersections be aware of following the pack too closely as you approach an intersection. I always let the cars gain on me as I approach an intersection and without fail I will see somebody pull a stupid move because they are most important and privileged.

A wiggle of the bike and a quick flash of the high beams does wonders for visibility along with a good lane position that allows you to give a turning driver a look as far ahead as possible.

Oh yeah, always smooth on the throttle and the brake, never 4 fingers, two for the small bikes and one for the big bikes generally speaking initially. After the bike is settled I guess it's up to each individuals gauge of the available traction conditions.
Remember your bike is a lot more capable than you think if you don't upset it.

 

[mongol777]

As I add to my experience, the need to maintain distance becomes even more obvious. Not sure how many riders know that a bike does not brake well compared to a car, and I mean just about any car. Also the notion of safe distance seems to translate to 10 feet behind a car at just about any speed....result is all the news reports of bikes rear ending cars.

Another thing, that gets enforced, is you go where you look. On the street brake hardest early and ease up in the last half, it gives you options and always remember that crap always happens in intersections be aware of following the pack too closely as you approach an intersection. I always let the cars gain on me as I approach an intersection and without fail I will see somebody pull a stupid move because they are most important and privileged.

A wiggle of the bike and a quick flash of the high beams does wonders for visibility along with a good lane position that allows you to give a turning driver a look as far ahead as possible.

Oh yeah, always smooth on the throttle and the brake, never 4 fingers, two for the small bikes and one for the big bikes generally speaking initially. After the bike is settled I guess it's up to each individuals gauge of the available traction conditions.
Remember your bike is a lot more capable than you think if you don't upset it.

You need to work on your braking skills - different cars and bikes will have different braking distance but if your impression that car will stop fatser - practice your braking.
Just one example:

 

[Outlaws Justice]

You need to work on your braking skills - different cars and bikes will have different braking distance but if your impression that car will stop fatser - practice your braking.

Generally speaking bikes have the ability to stop much shorter than cars, the problem usually lies with the skill of the rider not in the ability of the bike.

 

[dricked]

Here we go again!

 

[Outlaws Justice]

Another thing, that gets enforced, is you go where you look.

I Agree with this FULLY, but there are pople in the riding community who will actually agrue the point and say it is not so.

 

[REDBALLS]

Mod your bike in the winter, so you don't miss out on beautiful days like today.

 

[mongol777]

Generally speaking bikes have the ability to stop much shorter than cars, the problem usually lies with the skill of the rider not in the ability of the bike.

I agree - braking distance on bike is much much more dependant on rider's skills. And where you look too - see Dave, I remember what I learned

 

[Digenerate]

Re: What have you learned?

I learned that even if you take a coarse you still gotta wait 60 days. i learned that you should get the m1 in april.

 

[Bigevildoer]

Learned:
1) I suck at setting corner speed at the end of straights on the track. Always enter much too slow.
2) Much too worried about running off in long left sweepers. Rights, no problem. This oddity discovered at the Tail of the Dragon 2 weeks ago. Applies to street only, track cornering left or right doesn't phase me in the least.

 

[NealT]

You need to work on your braking skills - different cars and bikes will have different braking distance but if your impression that car will stop fatser - practice your braking.
Just one example:

No issue with my braking so far, I have ridden my mtb with full hydraulics down enough sketchy, steep, muddy, off camber downhills to have good brake control... but I can't remember off hand at the moment where I found it, but there was some info on the general braking ability of a bike compared to a car, now it may have been a comparison for street riding. I think part of the issue is that under almost any circumstance beyond ideal, a car has the advantage of stability that pretty much never goes away thus the operator is left with less to deal with thus can devote more to the other tasks.

most obvious in all those bike to car comparos on youtube where the car will pretty much win on a road course where turning and braking becomes important.

Quote from another site as to why carsa stop shorter than bikes:

Bikes have better brakes. Cars have better physics.

Motorcycle brakes are capable of transferring more energy into heat, more rapidly, more consistently. But small contact patch and relatively high center of gravity means that they will lock up a tire or flip over well before the maximum stopping potential of the braking hardware is reached.

Cars are generally lower to the ground, have a longer wheelbase, and more rubber in contact with the ground than bikes

Simple physics means that bikes don't actually do almost anything better than cars on a purely by-the-numbers basis. Acceleration is a given, but again, the dynamics of the bike limits that.....if you can produce a car with the same power/weight ratio as a sportbike, it will more efficiently turn that power into acceleration, and likely have superior aerodynamics.

But the simple fact is that no car will ever be as fun or involving to pilot as a well-built motorcycle, and that's a fact that those who don't ride won't understand.

More evidence, though older I don't think things have changed much:

Figures from the 27th April 2004 Autocar magazine:

Suzuki GSX-R 1000: 100mph - 0 in 5.63 seconds
Lotus Elise 111R - 4.09 seconds
Peugeot 206 Gti 180 - 4.39 seconds
Porsche 911 GT3 - 4.00 seconds (interestingly, the raw physics suggests that a 911 obtains a 50:50 weight distribution whilst braking fully).

 

[kickstartt]

SLOW THE **** DOWN in cities, thats what i learned

 

[mongol777]

No issue with my braking so far, I have ridden my mtb with full hydraulics down enough sketchy, steep, muddy, off camber downhills to have good brake control... but I can't remember off hand at the moment where I found it, but there was some info on the general braking ability of a bike compared to a car, now it may have been a comparison for street riding. I think part of the issue is that under almost any circumstance beyond ideal, a car has the advantage of stability that pretty much never goes away thus the operator is left with less to deal with thus can devote more to the other tasks.

most obvious in all those bike to car comparos on youtube where the car will pretty much win on a road course where turning and braking becomes important.

Quote from another site as to why carsa stop shorter than bikes:

Bikes have better brakes. Cars have better physics.

Motorcycle brakes are capable of transferring more energy into heat, more rapidly, more consistently. But small contact patch and relatively high center of gravity means that they will lock up a tire or flip over well before the maximum stopping potential of the braking hardware is reached.

Cars are generally lower to the ground, have a longer wheelbase, and more rubber in contact with the ground than bikes

Simple physics means that bikes don't actually do almost anything better than cars on a purely by-the-numbers basis. Acceleration is a given, but again, the dynamics of the bike limits that.....if you can produce a car with the same power/weight ratio as a sportbike, it will more efficiently turn that power into acceleration, and likely have superior aerodynamics.

But the simple fact is that no car will ever be as fun or involving to pilot as a well-built motorcycle, and that's a fact that those who don't ride won't understand.

More evidence, though older I don't think things have changed much:

Figures from the 27th April 2004 Autocar magazine:

Suzuki GSX-R 1000: 100mph - 0 in 5.63 seconds
Lotus Elise 111R - 4.09 seconds
Peugeot 206 Gti 180 - 4.39 seconds
Porsche 911 GT3 - 4.00 seconds (interestingly, the raw physics suggests that a 911 obtains a 50:50 weight distribution whilst braking fully).

Just proves that you can find proof for anyhting on the internet I still believe average bike will outbreak average car. More so supersports in the city vs regular or sports car. And that is given rider knows how to brake.

So was your original post based on your own experience (ie u feel u can't outbreak the car when u r riding) or purely someone's opinion from the internet article?

 

[invictus43]

SLOW THE **** DOWN in cities, thats what i learned

No, it's way better to wear a vest and a t-shirt and think you're invincible!

 

[Griffin]

I learned not to rely on the interweb as the sole source of my information.


I also learned that full leathers and a rain suit beats full textile suit for travelling comfort, protection and versatility.

 

[el_felo]

I just learn that griffin has a good point and I will try it...

I learn that is not bad to open yourself to overlook after a new rider from time to time to help them improve a few skills and to sharpen others. It not only helps you see their mistakes but also you notice some of yours.

I learn that 3 years of riding is just a small start to the many skills I need to learn on bike riding.

 

[Two50noob]

I learned that it's hard to accept when somebody you like whats to spend time with somebody whos not so nice. Though its impossible to controle who your freinds hang out with its possible to controle your own behavior. Just continue to be a good freind. In the end, the difference between a false freind and one who is true will surely come to light.


Your failthful student
two50noob

 

[wearelopey]

I learned to trail brake. Thought I was doing it right (would use it to put weight on front tire for a quick turn in then get off the brakes).

I never used to mix braking and throttle in my trail braking!

The whole concept of not upsetting your suspension has really been engrained into my riding, something to always strive for now.

 

[NealT]

Just proves that you can find proof for anyhting on the internet I still believe average bike will outbreak average car. More so supersports in the city vs regular or sports car. And that is given rider knows how to brake.

So was your original post based on your own experience (ie u feel u can't outbreak the car when u r riding) or purely someone's opinion from the internet article?

I agree that if the rider knows how to brake but that's not true enough for the vast majority of riders in my opinion. Given that I think the avg rider will not out brake the avg driver just because of a cars inherent stability and safety systems. All the driver has to do is hammer the brake with any foot that's it nothing else, on a bike there's far more to worry about and compensate for which to me anyway intimates a much higher level of avg skill to equal the avg driver.

Whether I can out brake a car is another issue, I don't have anti lock in my bike and to date I have not placed myself in a situation where I needed an instantaneous reflexive max braking action. It's one thing to practice in a safe parking lot another to have it occur as it would in a real life unexpected situation. I hope I would come close but to duplicate it or do better is asking a lot of any rider I think.
A lot of that opinion has come from reading a lot of articles with instrumented tests. I just ran across Motorcycle Magazine's 2010 article of the technologies and results of a comparo btwn 2010 M3 and same yr s 1000rr. Strictly looking at brakes the M3 was better than the bike around Willow Springs under braking (g forces were higher for the car under braking), interesting read.
http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_1008_bmw_s_1000_rr_m3_comparison/index.html

Forum Sponsor