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Do you panic?

1K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  mac020 
#1 ·
If you do something wrong on your bike like take a turn too wide do you panic and hit the brakes or keep focused and follow through?
 
#2 ·
Just grit your teeth and look through the turn. Checking your speed in the middle of a turn is just going to hurt you. It's happend to me a couple times, and both times I kept my cool.
 
#3 ·
ALWAYS look through the bend towards the exit. You go where you look. If you look to the side of the road, you'll go there. Enter slow, pick up the throttle as soon as possible, smoothly applying on through the bend works best in MOST corners, downhills too.
 
#4 ·
First time I got to a trun I realized I was going a little wide. As soon as I realized I was a little wide I truned my head, kept the throatle nice and smooth, Look where I wanted to go, and what you know it felt so good. Can't wait to get on some roads with some more truns. Not that I'm going to be flying though them but I need practice.
 
#5 ·
For bends you set up your gears, go in slow with control & come out fast. "In slow & out fast" which is simple to remember.

By that I mean let us say you see this easy bend & are quite happy in 5th cog on that piece of the road so go in with that powering to the rear wheel, no slacking off the throttle & you will end up coming out of the turn at higher revs & faster pace.

A tighter turn then down a cog with nice controlled power & probably in coming out you will have shifted up a cog with nice power on the bike.

Bends & twisties are nice to ride, but you want to be in control of the power & not be going in a hair to fast. "In slow & out fast" are the words.
 
#6 ·
I used to suck at turns, always take them below the posted speed limit. Too scared I guess. Slowly I would get faster, I can take them no problem now, but not like 85 for a blind turn or anyhting like that. Usually on a new road that I have never been on I take it slow so I can get used to it. Usually after about 5 times on that road I get faster.

I did drift over the line on a turn once, I leaned over more and managed to pull back in to my lane in time before a truck came around the bend. Scared me a little.

Usually, I will not think of anything except for what is in front of me, distractions suck when riding. Not to mention the worst thing you can do is ride pissed off over something. I had a friend that did that, his speedo was stuck at 160 when the cops picked his bike up off the road, needless to say he did not make it.

Ride safe and within your abilities, otherwise you are asking for trouble!
 
#7 ·
Jester has a good point in that if you are on a road & not familiar with it, then take the bends easier ESPECIALLY if they are blind bends. After a while you might feel at home on the same road & bends to where you can take them faster.

I have two that read suggested 25mph & 30mph. Now if I feel the cops are not around & no traffic that close to me or possibly in front so will take them a 60 to 70 mph & come out doing 125 to 135mph on 5th or 6th cog for I will have gone into the bends on 4th cog.

It is a gamble for partway into the bends I might find a traffic accident & then I am finished, like forever.
 
#8 ·
I am usually in 3rd around a bend, depending on how long the turn is and all. Slow, yes, but I know that I am in my limits and not the limits of someone else.

When I first went on group rides I would always slow the group down because I was slow. So I stopped going until I got better and could keep up, but still ride in my own ability.

It takes a long enough time to get used to a bike in the city, in the twisties is a whole other story.
 
#9 ·
Yes it is like h/gun shooting as I just got back from running the indoor range at the Club & advising a chap how to shoot a .22 revolver. He use to do a fair amount of hunting some 20 yrs ago.

So the first week he was all over the target area & not on the target, next week I settled him down to a rest & got it sighted in for him & feeling better. So tonight it was stand up & shoot, but take his time.

I am grouping 45s in like well all are touching each other in fives as that is our target shooting group. It was how he breathed, his stance, muscle control, & so much more like head posture, grip, etc., though at first he was having trouble hitting the paper & half way through they were not only into the rings, but one could see a group starting. So he is learning & old enough to LISTEN to what I say (for he is 62 yrs of age so a bit younger then myself) & realizes that I am an experienced h/gun instructor & not just a range officer besides for threes weeks he has seeing my groupings with .22, 38Spl & to-night the 45---well it should for it was custom made to my specs & cost a hair under 4 grand a yr ago.

So in the m/c world you learn slowly & as you get better it will be falling into place to where it is automatic & so easy to do.
 
#10 ·
I found that mentally perparing myself for situtations in general works for me. You'd be amazed at how quick and properly you will react to stituations that can endanger you by simply mentally preparing yourself ahead of time. Visualize it in your mind, practice someplace, and ride confident...:2cents: from a new rider.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I try not to panic although it's hard not too sometimes. Depending on the corner I Look where you want to go then down shift with a "blip" on the throttle for 1, 2, or even 3 gears while brakeing in to a corner. Go thru the apex with no torque on the back wheel, then accelerate smoothly and shift up at the exit. It's really a lot of fun doing a corner just right, but there's always room for improvement. It seems like if I panic I'll lock up and every thing goes to hell! Missing a gear can be exiciting too! :)
I remember one time I went around a corner (on the track) on the front wheel, felt like the back wheel was about 3 or 4 inches off the ground. It was kinda kool and I didn't panic at all. Think that's why I made it around the turn. Not sure I ever want to do that again though!
 
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