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Stopping, wheelies and some other stuff
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November 11, 2008 at 3:16 pm #2342ZantoshParticipant
Hi Guys,
When you give the bike too much gas while starting off, it’s possible that it’ll go into a wheelie. If this were to happen, what would you suggest should be done so that the wheelie is safely exited?
Second, I was reading that it’s a brilliant idea that if you’re going to speed up to 50 or 100 mph, it’s a good idea to practice stopping from that speed in a safe environment.
Last week, I found that I can’t stop from 50 mph unless I do it gradually. What if I had to drastically slow down? Are there some good ideas to execute when you have to do this?
When I squeezed my brakes – I used both of them coz that’s what they said in the MSF course and I was going in a straight line – the rear wheel locked up and began to go out under me so I immediately let go of the brakes and the bike righted up and continued at a lower speed but still fast enough that there wasn’t any hope of stopping without being in the middle of the intersection.
In that case, there wasn’t an issue of being hit but it did highlight the fact that knowing what to do is important. Note that I’m not talking about downshifting and slowing down well ahead of time – I do that and ride defensively where I can – but in the situation where you don’t have that opportunity, that’s where my question lies.
One more thing I remembered – when changing lanes. I notice that bikers will indicate with their left hand when they want to move left. How do you indicate that you want to move right? Indicating with the right hand isn’t working out for me – I have to let go of the gas and it slows down and at even 30 – 50 mph, it slows down pretty quickly.
Thanks,
ZNovember 11, 2008 at 4:54 pm #14767briderdtParticipant…are always done with the left arm for that reason — throttle control. A right-hand turn or lane change is done with the left arm held out and then bent at the elbow so the hand is up.
And as for letting off the brake when the rear wheel is sliding sideways… Very dangerous. The bike can right itself violently, causing the dreaded “high side”.
November 11, 2008 at 4:57 pm #14769AndrewParticipantI indicate with my turn signals. My hands stay on the bars. Slowing from speed is just something you have to practice. Start out at stopping in 20 ft from 20 and then go up. Don’t forget to keep adding distance. Remember that you can stop faster than a car but if you grab the brakes too hard you will lock them up.
November 11, 2008 at 8:52 pm #14772JimParticipantThey aren’t give hand signals to turn, they are giving you the motorcyclers wave with their left hand I used to think the same thing when I would see bikes approaching me,
Glad you didn’t highside, rear wheel lock ups are dangerous, they say keep the rear brake depressed until you stop if you lock up the rear wheel.
November 11, 2008 at 9:46 pm #14773ZantoshParticipantYea I’m glad I didn’t high side though I should point out that my rear wheel didn’t go out as much as it might seem … it felt like it would go out so I let go of the brake … sure – I’m still figuring out how all this works, but the forces, as I felt them on my body, seemed to indicate that I should allow the bike to keep going rather than try to stop it.
This is, as opposed to the first spill, where I stepped on the rear brake, it locked, and I stayed on it because it didn’t feel like I should let go of it – and perhaps correctly so.
November 11, 2008 at 10:50 pm #14775DaggerParticipantI had the same thing happen to me at an intersection.. Was going about 45 when the light changed and I hit my back break too hard.. My back end slid out from under me and I skidded through the intersection sideways and came to a stop just short of hitting the opposite side curb.. Luckily the other cars heard my tire squealing and the traffic stood still for me to get through.. I still think they were waiting to see me crash.. The main thing to remember in an emergency stop is that your front break is going to be most of your stopping power.. I’ve practiced my high speed stops more and have gotten fairly good at stopping within 25 feet at up to 45mph.. The other thing to look out for in real life situations is you don’t want to be riding the center lane if you have to stop quickly.. That’s where the most oil builds up from cars, especially at intersections where cars sit…
As for the hand signals.. I haven’t seen a rider use a hand signal to turn ever unless their lights were broken.. Odd are as others have said.. They’re just giving you the wave as you go by.. I was also informed by a friend that if you see someone riding towards you and they pat their helmet it means there’s a cop up ahead…
Dagger
I just want to make it out of this life alive…
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