Tips and Techniques

Braking
Motorcycle courses don't do this justice. Although they teach stopping quickly, they don't teach how to stop HARD. And by HARD I mean a true panic situation where you want to stop NOW (not 50 feet from now as in my course).

The keys to a truly HARD panic stop are:
1) Simplify.
Forget about using both brakes. Too much to coordinate. Concentrate on the front brake since under HARD braking the front does all the stopping (the rear tire should be skipping in the air doing virtually nothing -- watch the racers on Speedvision.)

Forget about trying to gear down as you pull in the clutch lever. Too much to coordinate. And setting yourself up for something *after* the stop is just not a good investment in concentration or time in a true panic situation which has far too little of both.

It's great if you pull in the clutch lever (it'll keep the engine from stalling) but don't worry if you don't. Get stopped and trust me you won't care that much if the engine is stalled. Conversely, don't get stopped and a stalled engine will be the least of your concerns.

Bottomline: Concentrate on ONE thing only -- which is squeezing the front brake lever.

2) Learn to do a near "stoppie" (rear wheel in the air under braking).

The harder you brake the harder you can squeeze. This is the secret. The key to HARD braking is starting with "easy" pressure and, as the front tire loads up, rapidly increasing the braking pressure. Learn the feel of how fast you can increase the braking pressure.

Most people squeeze too hard TOO SOON...their front tire hasn't got enough weight on it yet and skids free. "Jabbing" or "grabbing" at the front brake almost always overwhelms the tire IN THE BEGINNING so it quickly breaks free and skids. The result is a fraction of the possible braking force before the bike goes down.

Learn to squeeze in conjunction with the front tire load. Practice with a bike you can afford to drop (good reason to buy a used bike as your starter...). There are a couple ways to practice. The "cool" method is to listen to your tire while braking. It will "whirrrr", "chirrrp" and just generally become noisy before it lets go. This is near the limit of traction and the goal is to keep that sound from the beginning to the end of your squeeze. I've done it and it works...but I've locked up the front wheel and almost dumped my bike more than once with this method. Those a little more faint of heart (ie smarter) should instead just try a graduated squeeze with the goal to end hard enough to lift the rear wheel. If the rear wheel doesn't lift, then start the same squeeze pressure but keep increasing your ending squeeze pressure. On dry pavement and a modern sportbike with sport (ie sticky) tires, your rear wheel will lift well before the front will let go. Once you're successful you'll probably have discovered three major things:

1) How fast you can increase the squeeze pressure (very fast), and

2) How hard you can squeeze at the end (very hard), and

3) How fast your bike will stop (fast enough to make you worry about going over the handlebars).

On cruiser style bikes the front wheel still dominates but the rear contributes more than on a sportbike. So work on the above but also experiment to see if adding in the rear wheel is worth the extra complexity.

Counter-steering: The "only" way to turn. Push right, go right. To turn right, you push the right bar with your right hand. And similarly to turn left you push the left bar with your left hand. If you are still riding you've learned this unconsciously but competent cornering requires a conscious understanding of how you turn.

In order to speed up your turning, while the right hand is pushing the left hand should be pulling (for a pivoting motion with the handlebars). And vice versus to go left.

Curves and Cornering: Anyone can point a bike and pull the trigger...but cornering requires skill. This section describes some keys to cornering.

Prior to corner:

1) Assess corner sharpness and set entry speed (and gear) accordingly. All braking should be done prior to entering the corner. You should be holding or ideally increasing your speed from this point onwards. Any further decrease means you entered too fast.

Braking and shifting *before* the corner is more effective and safer since all the traction is available for braking (none wasted on cornering). This approach also frees your mind to concentrate on TURNING while in the corner.

Learn to brake HARD. This isn't necessary for normal riding but will give you the confidence to handle the unexpected corner or obstacle.

2) Select your cornering line to "flatten" the curve as much as possible. This means starting on the outside of the curve, swooping across the inside at the curve apex and finishing back on the outside.

If the corners are connected (ie esses) think "straighten" rather than "flatten" and choose your line accordingly. Be particularly careful that your initial line doesn't box you in for a later curve. Generally you pick the line that sets you up best for the *next* corner.


3) Identify your "turn in" point. This is the point where you will actually start making the turn.
Don't start your turn too soon -- Most people panic when they see a tight corner ahead. They know they're going to have to turn faster than their comfort zone allows so begin turning far too soon in order to get a "head start". This moves them to the inside of the turn resulting in a very sharp radius turn at the apex of the corner that they fail to negotiate.

Don't fixate your vision on the "turn in" point. Once you've identified your turn in point relax and look through the corner. Looking through the corner significantly reduces the sensation of speed.

4) Anticipate the "lean angle" you'll need to make the corner.

Make a single turn (minimize changes within the curve). Confident cornering requires the learned ability to predict where your bike will go once you've set the desired lean-angle. Misjudge and you'll have to make a correction. Changes consume traction, suspension and lean-angle. Learn to make one steering input, at the right place, to get through the curve.

In the corner:
5) At the "turn-in" point, turn the handlebars AS FAST AS POSSIBLE (staying smooth) to "flop" the bike over to your desired lean angle.


Learn to counter steer.
Turn the handlebars FASTER for those tight corners -- The speed you turn the handlebars limits the speed you can take a corner. Racers can go from full pavement scraping left to full pavement scraping right in about 1 second. Most streetriders take several seconds for this. This is the real secret to taking sharp corners (or speed through the corners).

When turning the handlebars, make sure you are applying the force in a turning direction. A lot of sportbike riders push down on the bars rather than pushing level. This means only a fraction of their force is going towards turning the handlebars...the rest is going towards bending them !!! Remember, the speed you can take a corner depends on the speed you can physically turn the handlebars. It becomes the limiting factor at race speeds.

The faster you can turn your handlebars, the less lean-angle ultimately needed in the corner. If you see street riders scraping pegs it is almost always a dead give-away they are "slow turners". A slow turn runs the bike deeper into the corner before the turn is completed...so you have no choice but to use a steeper than optimum lean angle to finish the turn (or you'll run wide).

Avoid counter leaning
Counter leaning is when the bike is leaned down but your body is leaned up. It forces the bike into a greater lean angle for a given cornering speed consuming valuable clearance. Most people do it unless they've consciously thought about it. The more a bike leans the less traction it has and the worse its suspension works. So avoid the faults that unnecessarily increase lean angle.

6) Hold the lean angle constant as you swoop through the curve.

Remember: One corner, one turn, one lean angle !

The goal is to make a single turning action in the corner. Minimize the changes to avoid destabilizing your bike. Changes unnecessarily increase lean angles, consume traction and stress your concentration.

7) Keep a nice "throttle pull" throughout the turn. Aim for a 60/40 weight bias towards the rear of the bike.

Bikes are designed for best performance when their weight is evenly distributed or better yet slightly biased towards the rear. So don't chop the throttle or hit the brakes in a corner. It unsettles the suspension and consumes valuable friction forces.

Don't "hang on tight" -- When the rider is hanging on tight, they will be introducing external forces which destabilize the bike. A modern streetbike is inherently stable so let it do the work. A lot of weave and wobble in the corners is actually rider induced.

8) Keep your eyes on the exit (ie vanishing point) to avoid "target fixation" in the corner and provide maximum time to identify potential changes or hazards developing in the corner.

You go where you're looking. It's been proven time and time again. And the more panic stricken you become the more this is true. Look at the guard rail (or ditch, or oncoming car) and that's what you'll hit !!!

If you get in trouble force yourself to look at the exit of the turn...it's your best chance. You won't know how but you'll probably make it.

Finishing the corner:

9) Finish the turn by straightening up the bike.

10) Once the bike is vertical, apply full throttle until the next corner ! (Just kidding...but at this point you are done...so anything goes. Hint: slow on the straights and fast on the corners is usually more fun than the other way around...)

Conclusion: There's a lot to do in a corner and that's probably why it's fun. But a lot of people make it more "fun" than necessary. Each of the above keys has an inverse for what NOT to do but the most common problems I see are:

Wrong line that results in an overly sharp turn.

Turning the handlebars too slowly and needing excessive lean angles to make the corner.

Entering a corner too fast and needing to brake in the corner.

Turning in too soon and needing to either brake or scrap parts to make the resulting turn.

Crossing the center line in order to make the corner.

The last three are signs of a rider reaching their limits. So if you're with them -- slow down and take the pressure off !!!

Simplified Version: For those with a short attention span, a basic guide to cornering goes something like this:

Brake and set your speed BEFORE the corner (further braking means you entered too fast).

Start wide (resist urge to turn in too soon).

Make a strong, decisive turn to just clip the inside apex of the curve (multiple steering adjustments indicate a bad line)

Finish wide
Once the bike is in the turn (ie leaned over) gently roll-on the throttle throughout the remainder of the turn (unable to do this means you entered too fast or have a bad line)

Finish the turn by straightening the bike back to vertical (more throttle can be applied as the bike straightens)

Keep looking through the corner towards the exit (ie vanishing point).



Error Margins
The concept of error margins is a useful one. Simply put, it means every biking maneuver should be judged based on what *could go wrong* versus what is *merely going right* at the moment. You want a large margin for error on things that can kill you but need only a small error margin on things that merely embarrass you.

Besides simply not thinking about error margins, the most common mistakes I see when evaluating safety margins are not properly adjusting for different environmental conditions and over-estimating riding skills.

An example of changing environmental conditions (take gravel for example) would be: Is gravel present on the shoulders? Is gravel/sand on the embankments? Is the road on a hill where sanding might be common? Was there gravel on the previous corner(s)? Is there a gravel side road entering the highway? Are the corners getting tighter? The question then becomes, "Were you aware of your eroding error margin and did you make suitable riding adjustments?" All too often the answer is, "no".

Over-estimating riding skills usually occurs because people haven't actually measured or tested their own abilities. For example, when taking a corner how far *can* you change your line before getting into trouble? How fast *can* you stop (on straights and in corners)? How quickly *can* you turn your bike at various speeds? How comfortable are you with a sliding bike? Not knowing these things means not knowing how close you are to disaster. This means you're riding without a useful risk management plan (or worse a completely invalid one). The result is usually surprise, followed by panic and then a crash.

So spend some time consciously evaluating your safety margins. It will pay back hugely over your riding career. It's a knowledge based skill that, like most other skills, takes thought and practice to get right. Think about what can happen and then explore how close you are to having it happen under various conditions. Make sure that margin for error is consistent with your risk tolerance given the severity of that event. At the very least, being aware of the concept will put you ahead of your riding buddies who ride hell-bent-for-leather and blame "gravel" on their crash rather than their riding skills!

First Bike
People use emotion to buy a bike and logic to rationalize it. So nothing I say will change anything...but here's my 2-cents. For your first bike, get one you can handle that is used, cheap and popular !!

Realize that you are probably going to drop and scratch it. You're almost certainly not going to keep it. And your tastes will likely change with experience. Also, it's easier to get test rides on used bikes. So don't become "target fixated" on a new, expensive first bike!! :))

Once you've got your bike, go out and practice like hell. If you buy an expensive first bike you'll be reluctant to practice which will limit your riding skills for the rest of your life. After all that, you can buy whatever you want with a good chance of life-long success. It will depend on you, not the bike. The operator is the dominant safety device for a motorcycle.

As for size of bike, I think the main point is to get one you can handle well. Most people become fixated on one or two bikes and don't test ride enough different types. Bikes vary quite a bit. Some are top heavy, others not. Some are high while others are low to the ground. Some are touchy with the clutch and throttle and others aren't. Some are close to the handlebars and others feel further away. Some a great around town and awful on the highway. Some feel heavy, others feel light. Some kill your wrists, others kill your back. And still others kill your bum!!! Don't be timid, try them all out. It's *your* money. You'll only buy a first bike once so have some fun with the experience!

Straightening out Lean Angles: Will a little 250 lean as much as a heavy STX13 in the corners? Does "leaning off" help traction? For that matter, why do we care about lean angles anyway?

That's what a riding buddy just asked me. Apparently he was having an armchair debate with some other riders and they couldn't agree. It's an interesting question without an obvious answer so here's my summary.

Very simply, all bikes will lean the same amount for a given corner and speed. This is because the lean angle results from the balancing of two forces acting on the bike/rider's effective Center of Gravity (CG). One force acts downward due to the gravitational field, the other acts laterally due to inertial (centripetal) force. Because BOTH force equations are linear with mass, the mass effects cancel leaving no effect on lean angles.

More interesting is how lean angle depends on speed (Velocity, V) or corner sharpness. It turns out centripetal force increases with the square of V and inversely with the cornering radius (R). This means doubling your corner speed will require more lean angle than merely navigating a corner that is twice as sharp.

And perhaps most interesting, "Why does anyone care about lean angle?" Simply stated, too much lean angle and our tires will skid causing us to go "SPLAT!". But it's not really anything to do with lean angle. Lean angle just happens to be a good barometer indicating the amount of lateral force being applied. How much lateral force is too much? Well, quality street tires can handle about 1.1g of force before breaking loose. And a 45 degree lean angle is always 1g. So a 45 degree lean angle indicates you are right on the edge of traction. Regardless of speed, bike, corner or rider !!

Remember also that cornering force is highly dependant on speed. So if you are riding a race replica and trying to "get your knee down", then it is important to understand that if you are achieving 45 degrees at, say, 110 km/h then at 116 km/h you'll crash (1.1g). Also wiggling your handlebars or throttle at 110 km/h can crash you too...all it takes is another 10% of traction consumed and you're down. This is why world class racers put such a premium on smoothness.

For a sense of the difference between various bike types, quoted lean angles indicate that a good cruiser is in the middle 30's, good sportbikes in the high 40's and radical racers in the mid 50's. However manufacturers don't specify their test methods and the effective lean angle of the bike is probably a lot less than these figures (due to static versus dynamic loads, tire width, CG location etc).

If someone is "leaning off" then the effective lean angle is harder to see. One has to guess at the location of the CG in order to visualize the effective lean angle. A "leaned off" bike will appear to be at a lower lean angle than is really the case.

As an aside if you are "leaning off" thinking it is helping traction, you are mistaken. Lateral cornering forces are unchanged being based on mass, speed and corner radius. If you had an CG at 45 degrees and then "leaned off" far enough to make the bike upright you'd still have an effective lean angle of 45 degrees and be near the limit of traction (1g).

Even non-racers make this mistake. You'll see it when riding in the rain. The rider will be contorting his/her body to keep the bike as upright as possible thinking that helps traction...but it doesn't...the forces are the same. All you can do to help is slow down (and that makes a dramatic difference because of the V^2 relationship).

Lean angles ARE important. But only as indicators of lateral forces. Given typical tire friction limits, 45 degrees is a handy number to know.

Hearing Protection
If you are riding without earplugs then your hearing is being damaged. No helmet will prevent that. My audiologist friends say after 10 years it is easily measurable. So use earplugs. You'll feel better after long rides and you'll probably find yourself shifting at higher rpms so it isn't all bad!!!


Rain
Clean you visor/windshield with shampoo. It will improve the rain run-off for a clearer view. Bugs wipe off easier too!!

Road Hazards
Motorcycle riders must pay attention to the road surface. Many hazards that go unnoticed in a car will crash a motorbike. This section lists some of the more common hazards I've encountered.

Crosswalks and other painted lines
These can be *extremely* slick when wet. Even when dry, painted lines often have less traction than normal asphalt.

Railway tracks
These can catch your front wheel and dump your bike. Pay attention to the angle tracks cross the road. Use as much of the road as necessary to get a safe attack angle. Be aware that occasionally tracks cross roads at *very* shallow angles and it only takes one in a hundred to create an unhappy statistic.

Railway crossing areas
Some of these have metal or wood instead of asphalt between the two tracks. When wet it can be very slick. If this is combined with a turn you'll be in for a nasty surprise.

Metal bridge decks
These will cause the bike to track with an uncomfortable weave. This isn't a problem but if the rider over reacts it can become one. So relax and let the bike track the metal groves. You'll be fine. The same goes for grooved pavement and sections of gravel road - the bike will handle fine if you let it.


Oil, anti-freeze, grease
All these can be deadly in a corner. You'll go down before you can react.

Rain after a long dry spell
This can turn the roads into a skating rink. Let the rain wash the roads clear before you ride them. A half hour can make a huge difference.

Gravel on pavement
This can be deadly. Gravel is more common as the road becomes twistier. It seems cars have a hard time staying on the pavement when there are corners. Gravel problems tend to be worse in spring due to winter sanding. A little bit of gravel should be avoidable (or you are riding too fast). Unavoidable gravel covering the entire corner can be taken in stride if there is plenty of asphalt showing and you are prepared to let the bike slide around a bit. The key is to relax, don't over-react and keep steering towards the exit line. Bikes are surprisingly stable and will usually ride it out. The real problem is a heavy gravel patch in a corner. Surviving that is mainly luck given you were already going too fast to stop or go around it...my best advice is to treat it like light gravel and hope the bike rides it out. If the back-end washes out, steer like a dirt bike and hope the rear tire doesn't suddenly get traction!!

Having said all that, most "gravel crashes" were unnecessary. Usually the rider is lacking in fundamental skills. Common physical errors are not looking far enough into a corner so not picking up the gravel soon enough, not being able to brake at the bike's capabilities, not being able to turn at the bike's capabilities and over-reacting when hitting the gravel (a one inch slide feels like a mile so people panic). Common mental errors are missing signs of probable gravel (tight corners, earlier history, gravel shoulders or embankments, hills that might have been sanded etc) and riding without regard for suitable error margins.

Leaves
They look innocent but are worse than gravel. Especially if wet.

Small animals
Hitting a mouse a 220km/h can put you in the ditch. Especially on a light sport bike. Hitting a deer at 30 km/h can put you in the hospital on any bike. Be alert to wildlife hazards!

Standing water
Don't just charge through water like you would in a car. Depending on tires you can hydroplane which will make the bike feel like it's on ice. If you are unlucky enough to experience this make no steering inputs and ride straight on through.

Tires
Check tire pressure when cold. Pressure increases after only 1 mile of riding to produce an incorrect reading. It is better to be on the high side than the low side of the recommended pressure range but don't go over the maximum limit printed on the sidewall. If your bike begins to wobble, weave and flop into corners then stop and check your tire pressure (possible puncture).


Vanishing Point
Especially useful on corners, this is the exit point representing your limit of vision. The Vanishing Point provides your earliest warning that the curve is changing radius. If the Vanishing Point moves towards you then the curve is decreasing radius and getting tighter. Slow down! If the Vanishing Point moves away from you then the curve is beginning to straighten out and becoming easier. And, since you "go where you look", monitoring the Vanishing Point will help guide you through the corner.

You should be able to stop prior to the Vanishing Point in a corner. Otherwise you are overdriving your vision. Many people have no idea what speed they need to match a given Vanishing Point. Find a suitable corner on a deserted road and practice stopping within the Vanishing Point. You might be surprised. Stopping distances in a corner (which you've probably never practiced) are much different than stopping distances on the straights (which you might have practiced once or twice...).

Visibility Myth
Drivers that hit motorcyclists usually claim they "didn't see him". I was taught in my motorcycle course that visibility is king, more visibility is better. Frankly, I think it is bogus. Think about it...what driver is going to say "Sure I saw him, and hit him anyway".

1) Drivers partially misjudge the speed of a motorbike, and
2) They subconsciously discount the bike because it is small. In other words they aren't suitably worried about being run over and hurt by the bike. In my view, it really boils down to "visual intimidation". Whatever you do to be more visually intimidating works in your favor. They probably already "saw" you but their brain discounted your presence.



How to do a wheelie:
A small wheel float is fun and, once mastered, probably as safe as any other riding. I certainly do it lots of times even when I'm not trying to. Monster wheelies however are highly dangerous (people die) so not recommended.

Getting the wheel up:
Throttle wheelie: This is the easiest and safest if your bike is capable. Roll forward at the start of your power band and then rapidly twist the throttle. Twist fast enough that the acceleration is limited by the bike and not your twisting speed (a common mistake). If you know your bike will throttle wheelie and you are twisting fast enough then check that you are twisting FAR enough (ie twist to WOT). If all that doesn't work then you probably aren't at the optimum rpm. Experiment with different rpms, it can make a big difference.

Chop throttle: If your bike can't quite throttle wheelie then squeeze the front brake (to load up the front suspension) and then quickly whack the throttle open while releasing the brake. With good rhythm the wheel should lift. Complicated but effective.

Clutch dump: A must on under-powered bikes. Works well although a bit hard on the clutch. Rev the engine into your power band with the clutch slipping to maintain you desired forward speed. At that point QUICKLY and smoothly release the clutch while holding or slightly increasing the rpm. If the wheel doesn't lift then try again releasing the clutch faster (until you are eventually just dumping the clutch). If that doesn't work then you might be letting the rpm droop as the clutch engages. Or you aren't in the bike's power band so try another rpm (usually higher).

TIPS:
Practice going uphill, it's easier to lift the wheel. It's also easier to slow down when things go wrong (and they will...).

Carry weight in the back, it's easier. A passenger makes a big difference although only an idiot would learn wheelies with a passenger. In any case moving your weight rearwards helps as does carrying extra weight.

Some people slide back in the seat and pull up on the handlebars to initiate the wheelie. Not needed if your technique is correct.

Practice at different rpms until you find the "sweet spot" where the wheel comes up easily. And remember, throttle wheelies need a quick twist...too slow and you'll just accelerate quickly without lifting the wheel. Some bikes have enough HP to wheelie at part throttle, others need a full throttle twist so if you bike isn't coming up make sure you are giving it the "full throttle (and quick) twist"!!

Keep the wheel pointing forward, if it is twisted while landing you'll likely crash.
Lean in as the bike comes up so you are always pointed vertical. Don't ask me why, it just feels better.
Always cover the rear brake (the front doesn't work in the air...). Use it if the wheelie gets too high.
Wheelie landings can be softened by accelerating just before the wheel touches down.
High strung sport bikes may develop a headshake when landing. In this case you'll probably crash.

Steering while up:
Lean: Lean in the direction you want to go.
Counter-steer: This works normally provided the front wheel is spinning.

TIPS:
Don't try steering until you are comfortable with wheelies. When learning, if the bike doesn't go up perfectly straight and level then abort the wheelie instantly and try again, otherwise you'll land crooked and probably crash.