Motorcycle Tips and tricks you have learned through the years

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Avoid riding for transportation...only recreation and at times when you know traffic is light, or in places where its light.

We're opposites on this one. I've long felt the main problem with motorcycle safety in the US tied to the fact so many ride only for recreation. Drivers get less experience dealing with and looking out for bikes, and even riders with "years" of experience log a small fraction of the mileage on bikes that they do in cars.

So my big hint: ride as much as possible - it's how you develop your skills, more than reading, more than track time, more than threads like this.

[Bill Douglas]

When at 8,000rpm don't let the clutch out as fast as you can the normal way. Let it flick out (clutch spring doing this) so it's about quarter of a second and the wheels spins so much more easily. That way you can leave a better, more snakey black line, off the traffic lights to impress the girls.

[targa911S]

Not to own one..

[dlockhart]

don't stop learning

[Don Ro]

An encyclopedia of 'dos' & 'don'ts' here.
It's all been said, but I'll add a little.
Most oil and antifreeze is out in the intersections...be careful making left turns into intersections.
Also, tons of oil and antifreeze in parking lots.
.
And hot tar/asphalt...Wow!
I damn near low-sided on my Hypermotard in a Costco parking lot recently.
Lost the front for a second on a super hot day.
That woke my ass up!

[Brando]

• Buy the best gear you can afford. Maybe spend a little more than you can afford.

• Take a riding course. More than once. Take more than one. Education is the best defense in a situation.

• Don't put yourself in risky situations. If you think you're coming in too tight on a turn, you probably are. If you think that car/truck is too close, it is. If you think it's too cold to ride, it probably is. Too hot? Same. Too wet? Don't risk it.

• No-one can see you, so ride accordingly. Someone could make eye contact and still 'not see you'. People are trained to see 4-wheeled vehicles, not look and listen for 2-wheeled vehicles.

• If riding with friends, don't ride 2-abreast. Avoid sharing a lane. But if you have to... Give a 2-3 second delay in spacing opposite of each-other.

• Avoid riding in packs. Always.

• Check your tires and bulbs. Every ride. No exceptions.

[VaSteve]

If cars are coming from a driveway or parking lot or side street, do not look at the driver's EYES to gauge intent of pulling out....look to see if the WHEELS are slightly moving.

[Don Ro]

I'll add this - from my racing days - probably not for everyone.
.
If you find that you're entering into a turn/corner too hot - you're in the process of pissing your pants - and you think that you're just not going to execute the turn/corner and you'll run straight off your line and into the ditch (or on-coming traffic)...well, you probably are not leaned over as much as you think/fear.
The average moto will lean more than you think - and safely so.
So trust your bike's geometry and lean that baby over even more.
.
Worse case scenario - better to low-side than run off to the right and hit a tree or run off to the left and head-on a vehicle.
.
'Hope this makes sense.

[Don Ro]

Also, when leaned over to the max, best to not screw with the brakes.
Contact patch may be smaller than a credit card and your tires are already giving you all that they have to offer re: adhesion.
Best to get all your braking done prior to your turn/corner.

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by dlockhart

don't stop learning

Ha!

:06 = Target Fixation

:22 = The "Front Brake Corner Straightener."

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by epbrown

We're opposites on this one. I've long felt the main problem with motorcycle safety in the US tied to the fact so many ride only for recreation. Drivers get less experience dealing with and looking out for bikes, and even riders with "years" of experience log a small fraction of the mileage on bikes that they do in cars.

So my big hint: ride as much as possible - it's how you develop your skills, more than reading, more than track time, more than threads like this.

I haven't posted up, I was out riding. but I agree with you on this. Ride, Ride, Ride. I know plenty of people who have been "riding for X number of years" but that riding is during a couple of months a year due to the weather and then either a short trip or early morning weekend ride or they say "Hey, I've been riding dirt bikes my whole life, I know what I'm doing. ( These guys are usually easy to recognize because they're the ones riding all crossed up thru the corners when they do hit the streets).....

The very best ALL AROUND riders I've seen are the guys that ride street all the time, because they truly develop street smarts/road science and they also do some track and dirt riding. because they develop bike control and technical ability. ( Hard braking, sliding, loss of traction, ect) With the exception of last month, due to an ankle injury (ironicly, due to dropping a 650 lb bike on it) I ride every single day. During the week, i ride a sport-touring bike (BMW RTP)and on the weekends im either on my dirt bike at the track on my track bike or doing a canyon ride on one of my sportbikes. My wife and I can leave our house and trail ride for hours right from our driveway. I put more miles on my bikes in a month then most people do in years....I really only have a family car for the kids....

There are an amazing amount of incompetent people riding motorcycles that really think they know what they are doing. The reality is its because they've been lucky and haven't had to tap into a skill set they don't have yet.. Unfortunately, but luckily i guess, with newer bikes all starting to come with ABS and traction control and other tech stuff, the bikes will try to save themselves

BTW, I'm one of those music listening guys. Not during the week or Sunday morning canyon rides, but I don't leave on a long trip without my earbuds and a back up set with me. I absolutely love riding up the coast listening to the soundtrack of my choice. For me, its absolutely Zen like when the scenery and a fantastic song come together perfectly. I also love being able to converse with my wife when she's on the back. The music and ability for us to talk has made 700 mile days a piece of cake for us on long trips. Ride, Ride Ride.

Also, I'm a big believer of continued improvement. I personally have gone to track schools, dirt riding schools and street riding schools. I go to a least one track school a year just to tighten up. I also have to recertify every three months to continue riding at work. which includes emergency braking and obstacle avoidance exercises and slow speed control type stuff.. its good stuff.

[LakeCleElum]

Turn left to go right. Just a quick flick....

[speeder]

Turn left to go right. Just a quick flick....

Yep. Kieth Code says that you almost can't push on the bars too hard.

[Don Ro]

Excellent info, Michael.
I ride now days less for recreation than utility. For example, I ride my '12 Hypermotard 1100 EVO SP to Costco using Ventura luggage.
It looks googer, but I love the experience. And I always take the long way...adds 15 more miles to the trip...instead of the 4 miles.
Here's my googer 'tard with my tank bag...ready for a utility run.
.
.

.
.
Once I began 'track days' and then some organized racing, I rode totally differently on the streets.
That difference seemed to take away from my previous pleasures of street riding...as I'm now far more vigilant and cautious - not only of the road conditions, but of others on the road. The attention that I used to put on my riding experiences are now on survival - on the street.
.
Every motorcycle I have owned has brought more to the occasion than did I. Even to this day.
On the track is where your motorcycle can introduce itself to you - more so than on the street.
My track experiences taught me what I had heard about the stability of the Ducati (996S) trellis frame.
It was like I had a 'sharing of like experience' with the designers. All of a sudden, I knew.
Long sweepers at speed...it was as though I could let go and the bike would hold steady and do its thing - precisely and correctly.
Being very light on the bars...just weight transfer and subtle inputs on the bars.
("Ride like you're playing a piano with your fingers...lightly." - - Keith Code)
'Never would have appreciated that on the street. And didn't care to die trying - on the street.
.
Ride sanely, boys. Ego Kills!

[ForBell]

those came with black seats. where'd you get yours, don?

[Don Ro]

Ordered the cover from a dealer in Italy.
Had a local upholstery shop install it.

[MMARSH]

Good lookin scoot Don. Those Hypers are fun bikes.

Funny you mention a 996 as a track bike. My best friend keeps his old 996 race bike at my house for when he flys down here from Oregon during the rain season. The bike is super clean because he had taken all the stock plastics off when he started racing it. He bought it new and it has over 30K on it. Its really not worth much, but still a treat to take out. Those are still great looking bikes. More recently he's been racing a ZX6, but just bought a BMW1000RR for track use.

[nynor]

the main thing i've learned over the years is that the throttle is often a better 'out' than than the brakes. accelerate away from trouble and the throttle also aids sharp cornering.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I'll add this - from my racing days - probably not for everyone.
.
If you find that you're entering into a turn/corner too hot - you're in the process of pissing your pants - and you think that you're just not going to execute the turn/corner and you'll run straight off your line and into the ditch (or on-coming traffic)...well, you probably are not leaned over as much as you think/fear.
The average moto will lean more than you think - and safely so.
So trust your bike's geometry and lean that baby over even more.
.
Worse case scenario - better to low-side than run off to the right and hit a tree or run off to the left and head-on a vehicle.
.
'Hope this makes sense.

this.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by nynor

the main thing i've learned over the years is that the throttle is often a better 'out' than than the brakes. accelerate away from trouble and the throttle also aids sharp cornering.

^ ^ ^ ^
This.