Riding skills

[drrickk]

As stated in an earlier thread, I've been away from riding for a decade. So aside from simply riding my newly acquired dr650, does anyone have any ideas on how best to increase one's skills balancing the bike in the tight stuff ? For instance, some riders may balance the bike for a number of seconds with both feet on the pegs.

For the moment, riding schools are not available in this neck of the woods.

Oh yeah, don't tell me to get a smaller bike. Ha!

[bitterjoe]

First thing, if it wasn't mentioned in your DR thread, is change the gearing on the bike. Easy swap the countershaft down to a 14 tooth. Otherwise you will be in 1st gear forever offroad. Handles 100% better; much easier to control. This will definately help. You can focus more on riding and less on constantly going back into 1st.

Edit: Ok it was mentioned. So I'll second that.

[drrickk]

When ordering from a local supplier would that be a 14t for a 525 set up? I've mentionned the 14t vs the std 15t to locals shops and the replies to date have been ah...eh? your bike comes with a 15t why do you want to change?

Anyway, does any supplier's 14t sprocket fit the DR?

[bitterjoe]

Originally Posted by drrickk

the replies to date have been ah...eh? your bike comes with a 15t why do you want to change?

Just tell them to order it. Sheesh... parts guys... it's not like you're asking the meaning of life...

Originally Posted by drrickk

Anyway, does any supplier's 14t sprocket fit the DR?

Yes, you can order it from Keintech. JT sprockets makes one, but there have been a lot of complaints about the quality/fitment lately. Best $20 you can spend on the bike. It will come from Keintech with a small circlip that will take the place of the backing plate. I was worried about the clip method, but it works great. The bike is geared way too tall to ride comfortably, slowly offroad.

And don't worry so much. You'll feel better right off the bat!

Alright, back to riding skills. I don't have any. Can't help you there.

[drrickk]

Thanks bitterjoe!

[XSNRG]

Do you have anybody you ride with that can demonstrate braking and clutch/throttle control?

What is your experience level? Any formal training?

Ride more!

Best advice, PRACTICE good techniques.

[drrickk]

I have no formal training. None of my riding buddies either. I'm not sure I follow you on the braking and clutch/throttle control demonstration. As a rider, I inherently understand these controls are all interrelated, but are you refering to a specific set of exercises to perform with the bike?

[zynthaxx]

Originally Posted by drrickk

I have no formal training. None of my riding buddies either. I'm not sure I follow you on the braking and clutch/throttle control demonstration. As a rider, I inherently understand these controls are all interrelated, but are you refering to a specific set of exercises to perform with the bike?

Here in Sweden, for many years you couldn't get your license without being able to turn the bike 180 degrees inside a "box" painted to fit snugly around the bike's natural turning radius (the radius marked by holding the handlebars all the way to the side, and walking the bike around). You had to be able to make that turn in less-than-walking pace (that means total control over the clutch), without taking your feet off the pegs.
I was really proud of myself when I could do that left and right on an XRV Africa Twin - and I had about a foot of clearance to the box's walls.

Oh: Did I mention the clutches on the driving school's XRV had a MTBF of somewhere between 9 months and a year, depending on the students?

[Luke]

Here's a couple of simple things you can do. Both are from the Jimmy Lewis class.

Balance: ride standing up- very little bend in your knees. When you first do it, you will tire your arms and shoulders trying to keep balanced front to back. Eventually you will learn to lean in anticipation of what the bike will do. Gripping the seat with the inside of your knees helps too.
Standing up makes it much easier to deal with poor traction and obstacles - you can let the bike jolt or squirm under you while still giving the bike all the smooth inputs necessary to get it to go where you want it to go.

That said, you won't stand up all the time off road- just be thinking of the seat as another point to control the bike with, not a place to park your butt.

Stopping: a handy skill. Find a flat dirt or gravel lot. For the rear brake practice locking it up and sliding to a stop from a low speed. Don't let go of the back brake once it locks to prevent highsiding. Try turning (gently) while the back wheel is sliding to feel how the back end behaves when it's locked. Get a feel for how much braking you get from the back when you move your weight way up to the front of the bike compared to way to the back.

Front brake: Get going 5mph or so in 1st gear. While keeping your speed constant with the throttle, squeeze the front brake lever until the front brake starts to lock up. When it does lock up, the handlebars will get very light and try to twist. This is an excellent time to let up on the front brake. Take a rest from this drill often, as it will overheat your front brake quickly. When checking your brakes, do not melt your glove on the rotor.
The point of this drill is to learn how much braking you get before locking up the front wheel, and most importantly, training your reflexes to release the front brake when it locks the wheel.

Stoppies: At 5-10mph, sitting all the way forward on the seat, brake hard with the front brake until the back end comes off the ground, then let off the front brake and let the back drop back down. This is to teach you to avoid endos.

Ok, now put this all together into a fast stop. Cruising along- roll off the throttle and pull in the clutch, get your weight back as far as possible (much easier if you were already standing), and smoothly apply the brakes as hard as you can. Practice these as separated motions and then blend them together.

Simple, right?

[Tantrum]

As stated in an earlier thread, I've been away from riding for a decade. So aside from simply riding my newly acquired dr650, does anyone have any ideas on how best to increase one's skills balancing the bike in the tight stuff ? For instance, some riders may balance the bike for a number of seconds with both feet on the pegs.

For the moment, riding schools are not available in this neck of the woods.

I'd start w/an MSF course, I would think that'd be an option for you? That was the best initial advice I got from my mentor!

Oh yeah, don't tell me to get a smaller bike. Ha!

[Night_Wolf]

Find the "friction point" in the clutch. That is the point where the bike first wants to move forward when throttle is applied. Learn to find and hold that position in the clutch. Use the throttle at a range above idle where in conjunction with the "friction point" the bike wants to move forward. Now use the rear brake (under your right foot) to control how fast (in reality how slow) you will move forward. The Trick is to have lots of RPM but not a whole lot of forward momentum. I'm not a trials rider and they can easily outride me, but I do teach nOObs how to ride. Practise and keep practising and you will become proficient at the slow speed stuff. The basics never go out of style and last Friday I had a big guy on a 1200 Royal Star making 90 degree turns in 4.5 feet. Start from a stop and at 9 feet make a right turn. Your path is 4.5 feet wide by 9 feet long then a right or left turn in a space that is 4.5 feet wide . My asciis skills suck so hopefully you'll understand my "drawing"



-----------------------------------
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I 3m I
I I
I I
I < 1.5 m> I

[Motor]

Sounds like a couple of hours on a Trials Motorcycle is exactly what you need. They are the ultimate cross trainer for the riding we all seem to love doing, or aspire to do.

Bmr is right, search out your local trials club and get in on one of thier demo days and you will be able to get schooled even without owning a trials bike. I can make my big Harley or BMW do things that would not be possible without the trials and single track experiences over the years.

one of my two vintage trials bikes, the other is a 74 Honda TL125 this one is a 75 Bultaco Sherpa T 350

[Rad]

There is no substitute for expert training. Motorcycling is not intuitive. If everything goes well on any ride any n00b can do fine. However, on road or off when things get a bit hairy or go wrong, quite often a persons natural instincts are almost completely opposite of the proper reaction and motorcycle control input needed to survive the experience.

Order some books on the subject and take a good street or off road ride’n course then practice those skills.


Good luck

[Reprobate]

I took the see-saw three times without trouble, but on the fourth:







Engine quit, stepped off next to the see-saw, catcher was too far away...
Result: scuffed bedliner on the screen and tank, broken indicator glass [left side] and bent handlebars.

Of course, I finished the course:

[VFR_firefly]

I wanna do the see-saw! Do you get bonus points for wheelie-ing all the way across it?

Ever go over a 'stile' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stile made for snowmobiles that crosses a fence? I've gone over some that went up at 30-degrees with a road bike, with that GS it should be easy (it is a snap on an XR/L too)

-Jim