Riding Techniques, Tips and Questions

[Shadowfax]

on the street I try to stay out of the left 1/3 of the road to make room for oncoming traffic drifting. I'll occasionally get over to setup a right-hander (you can see farther through) but I never exit in the left 1/3 of any corner.

Left handers, I apex about the 1/3 "line" of my lane.

My favorite technique is to follow someone who knows the road - or really follow anyone I know. Watch their helmet and you get several seconds additional warning of trouble.

Here a short vid, it's a warmup lap so no comments about my lack of speed.

The long carousel is where lack of ground clearance is a real issue and the rockets can make it around me.

https://www.youtube.com/?v=uhXjR4C4nro

 

[madmike2]

+5 on a new forum heading. Great idea! Admins, are you watching?

T.C., at certain times of the year in the mountains, the middle of the lane has dirt and pine needles in it as does the apex. Still, according to what I've read and try to practice, a late entry from the farthest outside point gives you the best line of sight and a better exit run-off area.

Example: Approaching a right hand turn, brake/slow early, enter "late", roll on throttle during turn to set the chassis and increase throttle on exit will help "stand the bike up". By then, since you are pointing your chin toward where you want to go and keeping your head level with the horizon, you should now be looking at the next turn and "setting up" you entry point and adjusting your speed.

I'm talking about entering a right hand turn from the left wheel track and crossing to the right wheel track, then exit onto the left wheel track, not trying to "clip" the apex with your knee on the ground. This also helps you see anything on the road surface or any oncoming vehicles, will put you "farthest" from any oncoming vehicles (your right hand wheel track) at the point where they could be violating your lane, and give you room or options to deal with the scenario.

If you begin a right hand corner from the right hand wheel track, then because of the arc of the turn, if you are too fast on entrance, physics will force you to run wide on exit (Exactly what the H.D. rider did to me on Hwy 49, exiting across my lane while I was approaching, before my entry point) . Really, by the above technique, we are reducing the radius of the turn we are taking. And this will work no matter what bike or what speed you are riding.

The biggest factor is to be smooth . No abrupt throttle chopping, braking, acceleration. You know I'm not talking about not using the H.P./torque of the FJR, but applying it smoothly and being in control.

 

[Toecutter]

Some good reading here on the subject. Look under "Tips & Tricks".

 

[C&C]

Too many forum heading already; start a post, keep it clean and put your tips and tricks there. My two cents worth.

 

[joyfulgirl]

So I wonder if we are going to get this new topic heading.

Admins?

 

[Toecutter]

So I wonder if we are going to get this new topic heading.
Admins?

I doubt it. But maybe, just maybe we could get this thread renamed to "Riding technique/tips/tricks, etc..." and pinned in Tech or "FAQ's, Common/Historical Tech Issues".

 

[Scab]

I think the idea is an excellent one. I have nothing to add, as I am soaking up the more experienced info.

I am sure that I can't be the only one out here with similar bike history, skills, etc.

I come from a lot of years of riding, but bikes have been standards, cruisers, and full-grown touring. I have never owned a sport bike. The big draw to the FJR is that it is the best bike for what type of riding I do plus it has huge potential as well. The FJR is way more capable than my skills can exploit. I would really enjoy such a category so I can learn more and enjoy the FJR even more and be a safer rider. We sit atop a lot of power. This bike can get you in serious trouble quick.

There are probably a lot of us out there. We haven't asked because we don't know what to ask.

We can't all be corner-carving, tire-eating FJR tamers. Ya'll gotta have somebody to pass.

I say bring-it-on! Start the Master Yoda column!

 

[Toecutter]

So I wonder if we are going to get this new topic heading.
Admins?

Hmm, is someone planning to get her own bike? That would be perfect. Just get an R6 and an R1 (or FZ-1), for hers and his and/or his and his! BTW, nice join date. Same day I dropped my bike.

 

[radman]

So I wonder if we are going to get this new topic heading.
Admins?

Hmm, is someone planning to get her own bike? That would be perfect. Just get an R6 and an R1 (or FZ-1), for hers and his and/or his and his! BTW, nice join date. Same day I dropped my bike.

Shouldn't have hit ya that hard-we've had wimmins here before.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

So I wonder if we are going to get this new topic heading.
Admins?

Hmm, is someone planning to get her own bike? That would be perfect. Just get an R6 and an R1 (or FZ-1), for hers and his and/or his and his! BTW, nice join date. Same day I dropped my bike.

Shouldn't have hit ya that hard-we've had wimmins here before.

R6.

R6.

R6.

B)

 

[madmike2]

So I wonder if we are going to get this new topic heading.
Admins?

I doubt it. But maybe, just maybe we could get this thread renamed to "Riding technique/tips/tricks, etc..." and pinned in Tech or "FAQ's, Common/Historical Tech Issues".

Can't Toecutter go back and edit the title? I thought the original poster could do so.

Hey, joyfulgirl, I saw a friend today and she brought home a new FZ-6. Her hubby took her to the dealer to see an R-6! He said she walked right past the R-6 and wouldn't leave the FZ-6. They got the loan and the bike that day and she rode it home. They might be joining us in March, he on his Moto Guzzi Le Mans, she on her FZ-6.

 

[bikerskier]

+1 on a new heading.

 

[Toecutter]

Can't Toecutter go back and edit the title?  I thought the original poster could do so.

Nope. Only admins can edit titles.

Hey, joyfulgirl, I saw a friend today and she brought home a new FZ-6.  Her hubby took her to the dealer to see an R-6!   He said she walked right past the R-6 and wouldn't leave the FZ-6.  They got the loan and the bike that day and she rode it home.  They might be joining us in March, he on his Moto Guzzi Le Mans, she on her FZ-6.

Note to Andrew,

Go alone when getting the new R-6

 

[madmike2]

Nope. Only admins can edit titles.

Uhm, have you messaged Iggy to se if he will do so. Then we'll have to be better at not hijacking and stay on topic, but it'd be worth it.

 

[odot]

nah....screw that...I like hijacking threads and talking about toilet bowl cleaning and bran fiber intake.

 

[Ignacio]

But maybe, just maybe we could get this thread renamed to "Riding technique/tips/tricks, etc..." and pinned in Tech or "FAQ's, Common/Historical Tech Issues

A thread with 33 posts of various quality doesn't quite make for considering creating a new thread. It's still a fairly narrow topic from my view.

I can certainly retitle this thread to something more appropriate if you want. Just affirm or PM.

I'm reluctant to moving it to the FAQ section because it remains a running conversation that's seems a bit subjective to me. To move it to the FAQ section, or consider pinning, I'd like to see it compiled and distilled for that section.

For example, see FJRottie's New Owners Read This piece. Excellent compilation! People have been posting responses and FJRottie has been integrating folk's comments by editing the original post. I then came in an erased the posts to keep it usable.

I've been doing something similar as I've spotted nuggets I think are important around the board here.

 

[Luke]

As Scab said...

I think the idea is an excellent one. I have nothing to add, as I am soaking up the more experienced info. I am sure that I can't be the only one out here with similar bike history, skills, etc.

I come from a lot of years of riding, but bikes have been standards, cruisers, and full-grown touring. I have never owned a sport bike. The big draw to the FJR is that it is the best bike for what type of riding I do plus it has huge potential as well. The FJR is way more capable than my skills can exploit. I would really enjoy such a category so I can learn more and enjoy the FJR even more and be a safer rider. We sit atop a lot of power. This bike can get you in serious trouble quick.

There are probably a lot of us out there. We haven't asked because we don't know what to ask.

We can't all be corner-carving, tire-eating FJR tamers. Ya'll gotta have somebody to pass.

I say bring-it-on! Start the Master Yoda column!

Lots of years, lots of books, but this will be the first time to own such a capable bike. I look forward to stepping it up a notch or so, but only a little at a time as old habits give way to newly learned skills. And this column/forum will help.

 

[Luke]

And Shadowfax, that was a nice vid of your track warm-up lap.

I did like your line better than several of the others.

 

[madmike2]

Iggy, thanks for changing the heading. I hope we'll all be good and follow your advice.

Some good reading here on the subject. Look under "Tips & Tricks".

I went and read most of them (the stuff about the TL 1000 and Ducati injection aren't much relevant to me). The problem that I see with some of this information is that it is so track oriented. I ride in the real world on real roadways inhabited and shared with other real people in cars and trucks. That, to me, makes my riding really dangerous which is why I am trying to become more aware and not riding at 10/10ths, or even 8 or 9/10ths. I need that reserve because I see sand and gravel in apexes, others coming the opposite direction in my lane and hundreds of other variations. This is also why I have my FJR suspension set stiffer than stock, but not as stiff as a track bike because I ride where the pavement isn't "groomed", but has real patches and potholes.

On the last ride, I warned everyone about some of the turns we would encounter, the ferry we would ride and the time of year we are riding in. Then I tried to set a "pace" that was faster than "touring" or "site-seeing" but still brisk enough to keep everyone interested and challenging enough to keep each rider focused. Part of the "Safety Lecture" was about technique (I am really working on braking/slowing early and taking curves by "late entry/apex", just so everyone would be on the same page).

Perhaps I'm starting to mature (Heavens!), but I don't want to make that phone call because of an incident. I am really trying to remove "charging into corners" from my motorcycle repertoire. I hate the kinds of surprises I find in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

What is everyone else working on this season? I know in the next couple of weeks I am going to find a big parking lot and work on my hard braking so I am more prepared for the Spring/Summer riding season.

 

[bikerskier]

I can't speak for other states but Team Oregon runs some very good course for riders from beginners to track. I really enjoyed a course I took last summer which I used to focus on abrupt direction changes, and hard stops. Great confidence builder even for a rider of some 40 years.