[canadaman123]

Learned this lesson the hard way....

I'd been riding a 1995 Suzuki GS500E for 1 1/2 years and upgraded to a 2000 Yamaha R1. 2 weeks later I finally found a couple guys to go riding with. They both had 600s but were a lot more experienced than myself. We went out on a relatively twisty road. First turn was a right and I watched them take it and followed suite....I hung out from the bike like they did, rolled on the throttle like they did, looked through the turn like they did....it was great! Too easy really....of course that didn't occur to me then. A few miles down the road I tried the same deal on a tight left turn. They both took it fine but I froze up, turned too tight, focused on the road I was running out of fast, pulled the front brake and it all went downhill from there. Bike went off the road, I went back on the road. You can check out the damage in this thread.... CLICK HERE ....So the moral of my story is this....1) wear leather/helmet/gloves (I wasn't wearing a jacket) and 2) get REALLY comfortable with your bike in increments until you're ready to ride corners.

Also, I'm realizing what great material is in this forum and others on riding technique and how to practice. Go read as much as you can and PRACTICE it. I know I will be after I get that bike fixed up. Good luck to you all.

 

[marko138]

I think the other moral of this story is just because you've been riding for a year and half doesnt mean you are ready for a liter bike.

Glad to hear your ok. Another reason you should ALWAYS wear your gear.

 

[ne1469]

:yikes: good thing you're alright :dthumb:

 

[Pippi]

Glad your ok and learned a lesson on how important gear is. :cheers:

IMO I think this is one of the most common reasons for wrecks, most especially for newb's. Its better to take it slower and meet up at the next stop sign than to push it & wreck.

 

[Gas Man]

Glad your ok and learned a lesson on how important gear is. :cheers:

IMO I think this is one of the most common reasons for wrecks, most especially for newb's. Its better to take it slower and meet up at the next stop sign than to push it & wreck.

Pippi is right on. We have seen this many times... The newbies pushes it too hard in front of more expierence riders. In the end the only thing that happens is that they go down. Most of the time in a simple move like yours.

Front brake in mid corner = bad!

Now the question is... do you know why its bad? Do you understand what you did wrong?

Seriously, I'm not coming down on you one bit but until you know what went wrong and why you can't learn from it.

:2cents:

 

[marko138]

:iagree:

 

[canadaman123]

Front brake in mid corner = bad!
Now the question is... do you know why its bad? Do you understand what you did wrong?

in my newly-researched-and-discovered yet still limited knowledge of sportbike physics, when you lean the bike over the traction in the rear wheel is the most important thing. i imagine that is why you accelerate through the turn, so the suspension pushes down on the rear wheel. when you slow the front wheel down by braking, it shifts the weight forward onto the front tire, decreasing the amount of surface area your rear wheel has with the ground.

also, i think my biggest mistake was not looking through the turn. it came up so suddenly and i was so unprepared for it, i didn't even know the radius of the turn let alone where it ended. had i been focusing ahead instead of on the right shoulder of the road, i really think things would have turned out differently. i guess that's basic MSF stuff...."the bike will go where you look"....wish i'd remembered that :readng:

and i do agree that riding a year and a half doesn't make a liter bike a walk in the park. i do feel fairly comfortable with the power it has on the straightaways, but these bikes, unlike the GS500E, were made for riding curves and i had not had any experience doing that. it was a poor choice to go out riding with those experienced guys. or since i did go with them, as Pippi said, "Its better to take it slower and meet up at the next stop sign than to push it & wreck." very good advice.

i think i'm going to start a new thread in the riding section looking for any and all information on how to and what happens to a bike while cornering at higher speeds. for now i'm out. later... :cheers:

 

[bumblebee]

I am just a rude a ss...but I would rather make the others wait at the stop sign, than for the ambulance or tow truck

 

[Gas Man]

You have the right idea CM... I will never push it if I don't know the corner. My problem is that I don't have a good memory for stuff like that. Some other riders I've rode with have a great memory for corners. That helps alot as well as time to hone your skill.

 

[jeeps84]

Front brake in mid corner = bad!

Not necessarily.
If breaks are used properly. They can be applied in most any situation.
The standard rule would be to scrub off the speed before the corner and apply smooth throttle through it.

 

[marko138]

Canada...glad your getting or have an understanding of what went wrong and why. It's tough to overcome "riding the front wheel"...the "look where you want to go" thing is the truth. That will take time.

We're here to help so ask away with any ????'s you have.

 

[Gas Man]

Not necessarily.
If breaks are used properly. They can be applied in most any situation.
The standard rule would be to scrub off the speed before the corner and apply smooth throttle through it.

I know its not always true... I have had to break quite hard in mid corner and full out lean... if not I would have rear ended the rider in front of me! It can be done but with some finesse....not a full out whomping grab!!

 

[jeeps84]

I know its not always true... I have had to break quite hard in mid corner and full out lean... if not I would have rear ended the rider in front of me! It can be done but with some finesse....not a full out whomping grab!!

:withstupi

 

[marko138]

Thats the key to any input on a motorcycle...being smooth, be it on the brakes, throttle, leaning into a corner, etc. Not 'stabbing' at the controls.

 

[Gas Man]

I don't know... I like to "stab" the throttle at times!

 

[jeeps84]

I don't know... I like to "stab" the throttle at times!

 

[Marsolais]

I used to go threw corners with no throttle at all. I KNOW I KNOW very very bad. I learned my lesson when I all most dumped the bike. So I then started maintaining throttle threw the corner. Then when confidence came I started rolling on the throttle harder and harder. This was until I found the limit of the rear tire and almost high sided. I KNOW I KNOW, very very bad.

 

[snadamo]

Thats the key to any input on a motorcycle...being smooth, be it on the brakes, throttle, leaning into a corner, etc. Not 'stabbing' at the controls.

well put marko :cheers:

I love to hear everyones feedback on riding technique, wheather its fundamentals or advanced stuff. Honestly, I think it makes everyone a better rider. Its also cool how you dont have to feel embarrassed here if there is a "dumb" question to be asked. The more I hear others say the "how to's" the better image I get in my brain, which ultimately makes me a better rider!

This is a great thread BTW!

 

[jeeps84]

The only dumb question is the one never asked.

 

[snadamo]

The only dumb question is the one never asked.

:iagree: very true. Hence my quotation marks around dumb question