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for sale posted:How did all of you like those lower CC dualsports? I've been looking for a bigger dualsport because i've heard that 200-250 CCs will get outgrown very quickly. On the other hand, riding a durable, lightweight 250cc dual-sport off-road is awesome, because when you fall off (and you will fall off), you have to pick up your motorcycle from where it fell. And picking up a 250cc dual-sport ten times in one day leaves you feeling very different from picking up a 800cc dual-sport ten times in one day. Charley and Ewan needed those huge 1200cc bikes to carry all their video equipment for The Long Way Round, but for faffing about in the wildness on the weekends, smaller is better. Also keep in mind that "go bigger than 250cc" doesn't automatically mean "get a 1000cc superbike". My first non-scooter motorcycle was a 650cc Suzuki SV, I loved it, loaded it down with luggage and rode it on a 4000 mile road trip over the course of two weeks, had a blast, and still own it. It'll break 100 mph and bit more, but that's fast enough for me. And it's a hell of a lot lighter than the freakin' Gixxer battleships I sat on at the dealership. As always, YMMV, and to each his own. Some people love the big bikes, and more power to 'em. Some people spend their whole life on a tiny 250cc bike, and more power to them too. Try to ride what you love and to love what you ride.
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Nov 21, 2013 03:58
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Angryboot posted:Relax and enjoy yourself. Don't dwell on it if you dropped the bike. Shrug it off, take a deep breath, and go at it again. Yeah, the point of the class is to try new things, make a few mistakes, and at the end of it, realize that you've learned a lot. They don't expect instant perfection.
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Sep 24, 2014 19:35
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xergm posted:First day down. Had quite a few stalls from getting used to the clutch being in my hand rather than my foot. Overall, had a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to finishing up tomorrow. Awesome! The clutch is really hard for a lot of people. The fact that you knew how to drive a stick shift is a huge help; most Americans drive automatics, and the clutch is just completely foreign to them. Good luck on day two!
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Sep 28, 2014 00:56
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xergm posted:Yeah, I got that a lot better when I realized I just needed to keep on the throttle and let the clutch do the job. I think that's why I finally hit the box is that finally all clicked. Congratulations!
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Sep 29, 2014 09:49
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The best part of Twist of the Wrist 2 isn't the cheesy acting, it's the British narrator that sounds like just like Brick Top (Alan Ford) from the movie Snatch. I kept waiting for him to sick the dogs on me if I failed to counter steer properly.
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Oct 16, 2014 18:21
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Now that we're getting into the fall and winter and lots of folks in the Northern Hemispher may be thinking twice before venturing out into nasty weather for that Sunday joy ride, it should be mentioned that this is a great time of year to read about motorcycle riding, preferably while warm and dry and inside. Furthering your riding knowledge through book learning isn't quite as effective as actual practice, but it can help introduce you to new concepts, or jog your memory about stuff you've forgotten. My personal favorite for new riders is a book called "Proficient Motorcycling". It's Motorcycling 101 in book form, and is a good reference for even experienced riders. I'm also a big fan of "Total Control" and "Twist of the Wrist". Even though they're written for racers and sport bike riders, the info applies to almost any motorcycle or scooter.
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Oct 22, 2014 03:48
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hot sauce posted:On steep hills, I use my front brake until I'm ready to move, then I switch to the rear brake which frees up my throttle hand. Not sure if this is the recommended move, but it's always worked for me. That's exactly how the experts say to do it: use the rear brake / foot brake to hold the bike in place, give it gas, start to ease off the clutch, and then as you feel the bike start to straing forward, slowly ease off the rear brake. As with all control inputs on a motorcycle, the key is to not grab anything. Just gradually ease in each lever or throttle or foot control, and then ease it out. It's all about being smooth with control inputs.
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Oct 23, 2014 00:08
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Dr. Jackal posted:One thing I had trouble was counter steering, we did the weave and the ovals but I had a hard time getting the feel for it. I've driven scooter(s) in the past and ride bike regularly (so I know the lean for turning, etc) but I still don't understand the push-right-lean-right-go-right. I think counter-steering is the one thing that makes new riders more confused and stressed out than they need to be. Have you ridden a bike above 10 mph? Then you already know how to counter-steer. There is value in eventually analyzing how it works and why it works, but for beginners, it sometimes feels like that old meme, "you are now aware of breathing in and out". You end up over-thinking it and screwing yourself up.
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Mar 29, 2015 23:15
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Here's another video illustrating counter steering versus "body weight"/"leaning" when it comes to initiating a turn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWuTcJcqAng
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Mar 31, 2015 23:19
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Dr. Jackal posted:Passed! Thank for the advice folks. I did manage to play around a bit more with counter-steering while doing laps, should've seen my face when I figured out that you can adjust the lean angle more while leaning. Congratulations! The best advice I could give at this point is to be smooth with everything. Don't do anything sudden on a motorcycle: smoothyl lean into a turn, smoothly apply throttle, smoothly squeeze the brakes. It makes everything much more stable and predictable.
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Apr 6, 2015 06:00
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Razzled posted:It sounds like you're just trying to do the MSF drills on your SV. Stop doing that. Don't waste anymore time doing the MSF drills. You're trying to replicate drills that were designed with 250cc motorcycles in mind when instead you should be familiarizing yourself with what is an intermediate level bike's characteristics. Go to a parking lot and figure out how to do the following on your bike: 1) Turn at speed (countersteering) 2) Brake reasonably quickly 3) Launch without stalling (learn that friction point and gas that bitch) It could also be that the SV is notorious for the throttle being utter poo poo in low gears. It's grabby as hell, and causes no end of heartache when it comes to parking lot manuevers, slow-speed traffic, and other "not bombing down the highway" riding situations. Luckily, the problem is relatively easy to fix, and makes the bike much more forgiving at low speeds: Throttle Position Sensor adjustment guide Automatic Timing Retard Eliminator (aTRE) ...Or it could be that he's just not cool enough to feel the eagle of freedom that fills the heart of all true bikers. I'm sure it's probably that. 
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May 28, 2015 06:29
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 17:27 |
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It's okay! They were motorcycle sandals.
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May 30, 2015 02:57
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