Slow speed turning practice

[JamesRS2007]

Hi all,

 

I have been riding off and on for over 40 years, however this 800+ pound RSTD is the heaviest and biggest bike I have ever had. Although I am comfortable with my experience and can handle the bike just fine on road, I am going give myself some slow speed / parking lot turns practice in the near future. I seen several of the video's about taking slow speed turns on touring bikes such as this, and have also looked at some video's about picking up heavy bikes like this if they should fall over. I do however have some concerns about scratching my bike if i make a mistake while I practice. I plan on laying my bike down in the garage this weekend on a few towels to practice picking it up, but my concern is while I am in one of the local parking lots practicing. Do you guys have any suggestions as to the best way I can cover my engine guards while I practice so I don't scuff them in case anything happens?

 

Thanks for any advice in advance,

 

James

[camos]

Hi all,

 

I have been riding off and on for over 40 years, however this 800+ pound RSTD is the heaviest and biggest bike I have ever had. Although I am comfortable with my experience and can handle the bike just fine on road, I am going give myself some slow speed / parking lot turns practice in the near future. I seen several of the video's about taking slow speed turns on touring bikes such as this, and have also looked at some video's about picking up heavy bikes like this if they should fall over. I do however have some concerns about scratching my bike if i make a mistake while I practice. I plan on laying my bike down in the garage this weekend on a few towels to practice picking it up, but my concern is while I am in one of the local parking lots practicing. Do you guys have any suggestions as to the best way I can cover my engine guards while I practice so I don't scuff them in case anything happens?

 

Thanks for any advice in advance,

 

James

Always a good plan to practice going slow, that is the hardest speed to conquer.

Any old rubber water hose or PVC tubing of a suitable diameter will work. Never tried it but perhaps an old bicycle tire would also work OK.

[slowrollwv]

It is good to practice slow speed turns on these bikes. Your concern is to protect the guards is ok but what about the rest of it. The front guards will bend very easy even at slow speed without a brace. Larry (Carbon-One) makes a good brace for these bikes and are easy to install.

[uncledj]

I think I'd focus a lot more on the slow speed turning, which isn't too bad once ya learn how, and not worry about practicing picking the bike up.

If you ever should drop the bike, just knowing that you lift it with you legs...turned away from the bike, should do it. I watched my buddy trying to pick up a mid 80s Cavalcade without luck, until I told him the trick....at which point he had no problem.

Personally, I wouldn't be willing to lay my bike over just for practice. I'd be worried about damaging it, either while laying it over, or a pickup attempt gone wrong.

Whatever you decide, best of luck to you.

[ragtop69gs]

I agree, don't worry about picking it up because as you know, you never drop a bike when nobody's watching, it's always when you have an audience.

 

+1 on Carbon Ones crashbar braces.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[MiCarl]

I've got a friend that used to be a MSF instructor. He likes to say "Any damn fool can ride 70 MPH, you got to be good to ride slow".

 

I wouldn't practice picking it up either. Better to try and avoid it ever being on its side. Watch the instructional videos on how it's done. Don't overlook the importance of putting the side stand down before you lift if the bike is on its right side.

 

You could always go take the MSF BRC. They provide the bikes and you can drop theirs instead of your Venture. The skill does transfer to a large bike.

 

One tip for you: A couple years ago someone showed me a video of a sport bike doing a figure 8 inside the MSF box (which I believe is 16'X30'). Kind of interesting to watch because I sometimes have to push those things around the shop and they will not turn tight standing up straight. To do an 8 in the box the guy had to have enough speed he could really lean the bike into his turns. I'm pretty good at slow speed turns on my 89 and I tried doing the box a little faster (at a the pace of a brisk walk). I found that a little speed makes the job much easier. Now when I need to do a really tight turn I take a deep breath and execute it with a little throttle. Of course you don't want to do that on a loose surface........

[Condor]

A while back @cowpuc posted a video about slow speed maneuvering and using the gyro effect of the engine to keep the bike upright. Maybe he can repost it??

[Stache]

You won't hurt a Yamaha gasoline engine by running gas through it. Keep the revs high and feather the clutch at low speed The revs will make the bike WANT to stay up.

[jimmy99]

You won't hurt a Yamaha gasoline engine by running gas through it. Keep the revs high and feather the clutch at low speed The revs will make the bike WANT to stay up.

 

 

^^^This is exactly what I was taught to do when I took an MSF course years ago. Having the revs up and slipping the clutch while riding the brake makes the bike quite a bit more stable.

 

It takes a little practice. Basically you hold the revs at something of a medium speed (differs somewhat by bike, ie sport bike maybe 4k, touring maybe 2k - accuracy not important), hold the clutch at the slipping point, and control the speed with the foot brake. Linked brakes are less than ideal for this procedure but it will still work.

 

I was amazed at how much better my slow speed control became once I learned this trick, and it applies to bikes of all sizes.

 

 

 

For those worried about clutch life - I asked the instructor and he said they had never replaced a clutch yet on the little bikes and they have students learn and do this to them all the time. I remember thinking those bikes likely have their clutches slipped for at least 30% of the time they are running.

[videoarizona]

All the above.

 

Slip clutch, throttle on, pressure on rear brake, turn head and look where you want to go.

 

That's the technique. Rest is practice.

 

Oh..keep feets on pegs!!

Edited March 3, 2017 by videoarizona
Forgot

[saddlebum]

Practice riding slow even to the point of trying to balance at a dead stop is a good idea. laying the bike down and risking damage not so much. If you ever need to get it up you will. Like Ragtop says, dropping a bike and embarrassment go hand in hand so yes there will most likely be available help.

 

Also look into the video RIDE LIKE A PRO it is full of great tips for both. you can order his videos directly and well worth the money spent.

 

here is the link https://www.ridelikeapro.com/

[vzuden]

It is good to practice slow speed turns on these bikes. Your concern is to protect the guards is ok but what about the rest of it. The front guards will bend very easy even at slow speed without a brace. Larry (Carbon-One) makes a good brace for these bikes and are easy to install.

 

Agree on the braces. If those front guards move much they break the lower fairings. And they do move without much pressure

[JamesRS2007]

Thank you guys for the advice, it is VERY much appreciated. I decided not to to lay the bike down to practice picking it up after your suggestions. I am going to look into those Carbon ones that you guys mentioned. I did a little practicing today had my Contour Roam on so I could see how I'm doing. Here are a few links to me practicing, if you guys want to take a quick look and give me some pointers if you see me doing anything incorrectly, I would appreciate it. (sorry about the video quality, I just set my Contour on a wall and turned it on, didn't realize it would seem so far away)

 

James

 

Edited March 3, 2017 by JamesRS2007

[stickhandle2]

One of the things we tell our students at times during the weekends that they are with us learning to ride a motorcycle, we have all seen the bear in the circus riding the motorcycle fast. Anybody can ride a bike at speed. We teach you how to ride slow, that's where the skill kicks in.

 

Find the friction zone on the clutch (the point at which the bike is starting to move on its own power)

hold the throttle steady

drag or ride the back brake

Most importantly look where you want to go, motorcycles go where we look

 

Practice, practice, practice we all should be doing that from time to time, not just the slow speed stuff, also consider practicing a quick stop, if you ever have to do one it is sure good to know how your bike is going to react in one.

 

Mike

[cowpuc]

A while back cowpuc posted a video about slow speed maneuvering and using the gyro effect of the engine to keep the bike upright. Maybe he can repost it??

 

Must be that Butter Nut ice cream is good for the memory Jack !! Here is a repost on the vid I think you may be talking about - was asked by several people how Tip and I keep Tweeks upright in slow traffic and out cow trailing with all the gear we pack on her - this was more of a "it can even be done by a bone head like me with a little practice" than an actual training video of sorts even though I did try to explain what I was doing when I was doing it - ,, now THAT was a tongue twister of sorts ..

 

Hey James,, personally I would find a big grass field to practice on or even a hard packed dirt driveway if your concerned about taking a spill and dont wanna do damage.. I have rolled around on the dirt lots of times (dirtbikes = over backwards, over front wards, high side, low side) with em and skidded em on the pavement a few times too and found the dirt does a lot less damage.. Got lots of GREAT advice happening so far - something I may add is to make sure you tuck in your shoe laces when practicing these moves = I personally cant stand it when I am competing with my buddies doing slow riding in a parking lot, pull off a perfect slow ride stop - reach down to hook my kickstand to rest the bike while my foot is on the way down only to snag my shoe lace and CRASH = now we gotta go earn another sticker to cover up more road rash!!!!

 

 

Edited March 4, 2017 by cowpuc

[Kretz]

As has been said, It's all down to Clutch & Back brake. Keep the revs up, feather the clutch & keep you right foot over the back brake. I can do slow speed full lock turns but I do find right circles easier than left. Go figure.

Be confident you are NOT going to drop that bike!

[uncledj]

Great video Puc !

But ya got me wonderin'.....Did you de-link the brakes on Tweeks?

[rpep1982]

Great thread! I would like to second the MSF courses also just because. I started riding before I had a drivers license back in the day but had a 10 year hiatus before starting back up a couple years ago. I took the BRC at the local harley dealer and used their bikes. It was a blast and emphasized all slow speed maneuvers and taught me that I wasn't even close to knowing everything I thought I knew. I took the advanced course last fall and it has really helped. The one thing most reviewed was that no one wants to practice the slow stuff and no one wants to practice what to do in an emergency. I haven't ridden in three months and my first stop will be a local parking lot with some small cones to practice.

[Doug royal86]

pipe insulation and zip ties.I have seen this when loading bikes in tight places. Good thread at my age I need to go slow. If I drop my bike I call my wife. Then she is mad and can pickup an elephant.

[bongobobny]

My bike grew an extra appendage so now I have zero low-speed handling issues...

 

[Yammer Dan]

I've found the Bigger the Bike the bigger the circles?? This shouldn't happen?? When Skid put me up at his TimeShare in Myrtle the parking lots there were great to practice in.

[cowpuc]

Great video Puc !

But ya got me wonderin'.....Did you de-link the brakes on Tweeks?

 

Nope, still had the brakes linked up OEM Unc.. Did delink on one of my other 1st Gens though - found it didnt really make much difference in slow riding = still the same technique. Something else I will mention,, I developed a real love for "back n down" 6 bends for bars back in my chopper riding days - talk about total highway comfort.. One of the things I have always LOVED about my 1st Gens is the adjustable bars and I have always ran all the way back - all the down on my adjustments there (I know, looks goofy) = leaned back, feet up on the crash bars or engine cases and ride for hours with my hands resting on my knees like that,oft times steering with my knees = if you look closely you can probably notice those bars adjusted there.. I point this out cause slow riding is actually easier (IMHO) with the bars adjusted outwardly and up for more leverage - set up like that and its easy to STAND UP on the pegs so a person isnt as prone to want to put their feet down (also much better balance for practicing/getting the hang of clutch/throttle/brake control at slow speed), I have found that moving a foot off a peg = instant loss of slow speed control.. Played with and owned several "Trials" bikes thru the years = slow speed control is the name of the game with those - by design they have no (or very small seat) seat and wide bars for just the reason I am trying to explain..

That make any sense at all???

[videoarizona]

As has been said, It's all down to Clutch & Back brake. Keep the revs up, feather the clutch & keep you right foot over the back brake. I can do slow speed full lock turns but I do find right circles easier than left. Go figure.

Be confident you are NOT going to drop that bike!

 

Interesting! I'm right hand yet i find slow left turns easier than right!!

[Kretz]

Interesting! I'm right hand yet i find slow left turns easier than right!!

 

I'm right handed too & I've wondered if it's because on a left turn I'm reaching more for the throttle so therefore not quite as comfortable?

Thanks for your service, have a good one!

[snyper316]

I'm right handed too & I've wondered if it's because on a left turn I'm reaching more for the throttle so therefore not quite as comfortable?

Thanks for your service, have a good one!

 

Now that I think about it the night I dumped my bike I was trying to make a right on the damn chat gravel.... but did fine up in the parking at the hotel because I was turning left. When I come home I always take the right side of the drive and turn left to turn around and back into my garage. I never really thought about this before.