Tips and Techniques

Look to where you want to end up. Don't stare at that pot hole etc..

-Looking where you want to end up
-Loose arms on handlebars, means your turning can be angled more and will look and feel better
-even tapered pressure when braking
-Remember when us riders slow down, we roll off our throttle and down shift, we use all breaks all the time, So car drivers won't see our break lights.


Thats all I've got for now.

Ive been working on my shifting. I am trying to pre-load the clutch before I shift up or down. After about a day of doing it I can really feel a difference. Im much smoother and I never hit a false neutral anymore. It just take a little practice to get used to the pre-load.

So whats that mean? Preload?

Felix

Like when you put preasure on the shifter with your left foot right before you shift. Kinda like clutchless shifting, just add the clutch in there. same idea though. haha, its late. I made no sense. Ill explain it better tomorrow.haha

what's pre-loading???

Just put a little pressure on the lever before you actually shift... I guess it gets things going or whatever so you don't have crap-ups like you do when you're just bangin' through the gears.

After reading that thread about the slipping and the wreck I thought about another technique.
When stopping at a toll booth, since they are so slippery even when it's not raining, due to the high volume of traffic they see stopping there, pull up as close to the window as possible, so if your foot slips, it hits the curb and you can try and brace yourself on the booth. Don't know how many people it applies too, but I have several toll roads I travel frequently, and our instructor said this was really important.

is pre-loading bad for your bike or good??

I suppose not missing shifts would be an okay thing for it.

I would say pre loading is good. Its the same as regular shifting, you just put alittle bit of preasure on the shifter with your foot and when you pull the clutch in the gear just slips right in. Id say it is actually better than shifting normally. You eliminate the rpm drop and the jerking that you get when you shift. You just have to practice it. It just takes some technique. Just like everthing else though. haha

cool thanks stockwall...you seem to know your stuff in every topic.

I'm getting my ninja in a week, my first bike, and I can't get my license for a month still (not old enough) just wondering what the best things would be to practice before I get on the road????

Glad I can help. I am actually a newbie rider just like alot of other peeps on here. I just did a LOT of studying and reading the last year. I had alot of time while I was waiting for my bike.haha. I just love to read and study and get as much info as I can, then go put it all to the test. Study, Learn and test. I really wanna see riders become better riders in every aspect of riding and not just ride for an adreniline rush for speed. Technique is huge on bikes. Im just glad I can help man.

Stock that was beautiful man... :'( :'( :'( ;D

Yea,.....im waiting for my emmy. haha.

Heh, preloading the shifter is the only way to get an 80s Yamaha to do 1>2 w/o some grinding.

thanks once again stock ..... I've read the hold beginning riders book for our B.C. (up in canada). I might read it again though before I right my riders test. What should I practice once I get on an open street that never has cars on it?????

harohanz,

make sure you focus on turning...

What I did, was do the absolute tightest donut you can.

I am not saying RIP the throttle and spin out the back tire, but just put both feet on the pegs and turn in a circle. The tighter you can do this comfortably with out putting your foot down, the better.

Also, stagger some cones approx 12 feet apart and "slalom"(sp) through them always going on the outside of each cone. This will help you with turning stabilty and getting used to shifting your weight on the bike.

Yeah the cones also help you set a fixed point that you HAVE to turn around. Not like just swerving around a parking lot randomly when you choose/are comfortable.