One handed riding

[Cali619]

So Im on a casual cruise last night after work with a friend and pretty much the whole time he is riding with one hand. This is on freeway and backroads(not including when having to hang off).
He has a nice bike, upgraded R6. To note he was in full leathers, and has more road/track time, basically way better riding skills than I.
So Im wondering, how many ride one handed? I do it once in a while on straight roads/highways or low speed roads and I know its not safe but I do it to get more used to using weight on the pegs to steer as opposed to using the handlebars.

[backinthesaddleagain]

My biggest thing with one hand on the freeway is these little ninjas get blown around enough that I think 2 hands to keep it steady is best. Trying to find the pic of a pro rider leaning over a Hypermotard, knee down, and only one hand on the bar. Talk about peg weighting and gripping tank with other knee.

[Alex]

For freeway riding, sometimes it's more comfortable to ride 1-handed on a sportbike. I find myself doing it from time to time on the 10R. Not as much on the ninjette, as the bars are much higher and tend to be more comfortable, at least when not riding in a full tuck.

But one-handed doesn't mean I'm using my legs or weight on the pegs to steer any more than when riding two-handed; you still end up applying pretty much the same bar inputs as you would otherwise, you're just only doing it on one side.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Originally Posted by backinthesaddleagain

My biggest thing with one hand on the freeway is these little ninjas get blown around enough that I think 2 hands to keep it steady is best. Trying to find the pic of a pro rider leaning over a Hypermotard, knee down, and only one hand on the bar. Talk about peg weighting and gripping tank with other knee.

Found the pic - one handed riding and knee down.

[Cali619]

Agreed on the 250 being squirrly on the freeway so I keep one handed short and sweet when checking my rearview if I have a friend following and checking to make sure they are still there.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by backinthesaddleagain

Trying to find the pic of a pro rider leaning over a Hypermotard, knee down, and only one hand on the bar.

This one? Xaus is pretty incredible...

ducati_hypermotard_xaus_gross.jpg

[backinthesaddleagain]

Thanks Alex - saved me. Now if he was texting on a cell phone with that free hand that might be a bad example!

[Cali619]

Dang I wouldnt even power slide my BMX bicycle one handed let alone a motorcycle lol

[backinthesaddleagain]

Originally Posted by Cali619

Agreed on the 250 being squirrly on the freeway so I keep one handed short and sweet when checking my rearview if I have a friend following and checking to make sure they are still there.

Yeah love the take my hand off the bar so I can look in the mirror and not see my arm. Maybe another part of it for me is Rhode Island was just declared the 3rd worst road conditions in the US. Basically that means sometimes a straight road requires some quick turns around potholes. Man I almost fell into that pot hole, but luckily I was able to just ride over the roof of that smartcar that fell in the pothole!

[Nemy]

On regular roads and long straights on highways it's ok. But like everyone mentioned - high cross winds and grated roads I'll keep both hands on. I wouldn't even imagine going through twisties one handed though lol that pic is amazing!

[backinthesaddleagain]

I was watching superbikes on speed tv one night and the had a guy with one arm. He had lost his left arm - I forget how. On the throttle side he had is front brake lever and a clutch lever above it. So he always rode one handed. But what was really wild was he then jumped on someone elses bike (clutch on left) and rode that thing switching his hand quickly from clutch side to throttle side from a stop.

[djindia23]

i go one handed on smooth highway roads... but here in jersey there's always potholes or construction or ridges in between lanes... soo its a bit annoying... but i agree sometimes it is more comfortable to just go one handed!!! with one hand on your hip or on the tank =)

[Tintkng]

on a good straight road usually about 35-45 mph ill ride one handed...it seems to take off some weight on my left arm and is more comfortable

[BlueTyke]

I do it! Of course I also have a camera in my hand

I know someone who went through 84 (For those in the SFBA) with one hand...

[Snake]

I do it ocassionaly to let my left hand stretch and keep from cramping on long rides.

[komohana]

well here on kauai...we ain't got what the modern world calls freeways...
that said, i like to ride one handed, and mainly do it to keep myself comfortable, keeping the numbness away. but i'm particular when i'll do the one handed thing. i'm in the habit of shifting my grip/posture/footing while riding..conservatively, for confort's sake.

[Verus Cidere]

I do enjoy riding one handed. I do it practically every day. I don't have a very long body, so one of the things I do when there's not much traffic (practically all the time in NM) and when there's a smooth enough road is plant my elbow at the bottom of the gas cap and hold my head up with my hand. Not only does it help with wrist stress, it can help with neck and back stress too. It also gets some weird looks from people standing or walking on the side of the road. I also periodically stretch my back by grabbing my grab bar and twisting a little, just to get some kinks out. On the highway, I only do it on a fairly calm day, never on a windy one. Doing it while tucking, I've found, adds to aerodynamics.

[CodE-E]

Originally Posted by Snake

I do it ocassionaly to let my left hand stretch and keep from cramping on long rides.

That's also the only time I've found myself taking my left hand off the bar.

[bob706]

I've got a vista throttle lock so I can give my right hand a rest every once and awhile. It's almost more comfortable to drive with the left hand only.

[CC Cowboy]

I ride with one hand a lot. How do you think I can ride so long and my nuts not hurting. I guess that is still riding with two hands, one on the bars and other on the ....

[SpyderGirl]

I only do it to stretch my fingers and un-cramp my hand. Even on the Spyder. I don't find it comfortable to ride one handed. I am the same way in a car. I rarely drive one handed except when I've got one hand on the stick shifter.

[DirtyBoy]

I do it all the time excluding times when it is very windy. My 120 front and 150 rear squid tires help a lot with stability.

[EJ30157]

Guilty of one handed ride as well when trying to stay comfy or to wave to other cycles.

[addy126]

Ride one handed to shake off the cramping and return blood flow.. a wave or two on secondary/municipal streets. Never on freeway or approaching intersections.

[tjkamper]

I use one hand quite a bit. If there is heavy traffic or adverse wind conditions I stick to two hands. One hand does allow me to rest the back a little, because Ican support my weight on my thigh.

[snowlife]

Originally Posted by Alex

This one? Xaus is pretty incredible...

Attachment 1969

That is the most awesome pic. BUT that guy is soooooo using his knee to keep the bike upright.
I remember seeing a MotoGP race where a rider got blocked, took one hand off the bar to shake his fist, next a nice wiggle of the bike and a high side crash.
I would only ride one handed at low speed on straight roads with little traffic.

[HKr1]

I can sit up staighter on the r1 only using one hand. It's really fun in a right hander too Force of habbit on the 250r Not so comfortable with it in a left hander thou...... long as Iam not leaned over real far:

[Alex]

Originally Posted by snowlife

I remember seeing a MotoGP race where a rider got blocked, took one hand off the bar to shake his fist, next a nice wiggle of the bike and a high side crash.

Sure it wasn't a WSBK race? That happened last year for Haga. Biaggi was right in front of him and Haga thought he was slowing down on purpose, but Biaggi was in fact blocked by another bike right in front. Haga took his hand off at full lean, and after a wiggle he was on his ass, and got a bit banged up in the process.

[maviam1]

ill typically ride with my left forearm on the tank to support my upper body, but most of the roads here in nevada are long highways. not alot of good tight turns till you get up around tahoe.

[tapdiggy]

I often ride the straights dirt tracker-style: tucked down, left hand reaching around the side to the front of the gas tank. It seems to create stabilizing leverage, if that makes sense.

[wvninja]

I do it but only to shake out the left hand if i start to get the tingles. I also will do it with the right hand (left hand on the bar of course) to shake out the hand when im slowing down or going downhill at times. It would seem that it is safer to hold on with one hand (in most cases excluding bad technique) to get the blood pumping in the hands than to just let them go numb.

[Talonne]

I pretty much never ride with one hand. The only exception is for waving to other bikers. I don't even shift to neutral at stops, so I'm still 2-handed.

[Guinss]

I drive 1-handed often to uncramp. Right hand will suffer tho, cant let that go unless it's downhill, and even then the engine braking takes alot of speed of it.

I dont consider riding 1-handed a safety risk, your weight should be on your legs anyway.

[JeffM]

One handed to relax on a nice flowing road or straight.

Most fun though, is to wave to weekend warrior types*, riding cruisers, mid-turn while leaned over. You can almost see the wheels turning and their brow furrowing under the pudding bowl as they try to figure out if they can let go of the bar or not.

*All in fun, there are some really good riders on cruisers, but you know the type - sport bike squids included.

[mrlmd]

I do it to scratch or wave, otherwise it's 2 hands on the bars.

BTW, peg weighting doesn't steer the bike, pressing on the bars does. You'll never turn a corner weighting the pegs alone. You don't realize that you are pressing on the bars. If I can find the video about this, I can prove it.

Here is one link, from Keith Code. I'm looking for the video.
http://www.vf750fd.com/blurbs/countercode.html

[Guinss]

Originally Posted by mrlmd

BTW, peg waiting doesn't steer the bike, pressing on the bars does. You'll never turn a corner weighting the pegs alone. You don't realize that you are pressing on the bars. If I can find the video about this, I can prove it.

I agree with that, except for in every single detail.

I can turn fine downhill without any hands, of course not the sharpest turns, but still. A bike at speed can be turned by putting pressure on the pegs, as it can be held at balance by weighting both pegs.

[mrlmd]

Do a Google search on Keith Code no BS bike and read some of the articles.
There is no body steering or peg weighting that will steer a motorcycle, with the exception of how dirt bike riders do it.
When you think you are peg weighting, you are putting pressure on your pegs in order to shift your body weight, which you think is helping you steer. It's not. Only the input on the bars steers the bike. There is normally very little shift in COG, and if you lean way over in a turn, you are trying to keep the bike more upright which may aid traction going around the corner at a less severe lean angle. Some people weight the outside peg, that is to help shift their butt and body to the inside. If you are leaned way over and dragging a knee, there is no appreciable weight on the inner peg. Not only my opinion, read these articles and read from some high performance riding forums.

Guinss - if you had a throttle lock or some way you could let go of the bars and tried that, you would go nowhere except straight ahead. Try standing on one peg or the other without any steering input and see if you can turn. Turning like a battleship or aircraft carrier does no one any good. And I guess you know more than the experts from your experience. You don't realize you are providing input to the bars. No one, even the highly skilled riders and racers can steer Keith Codes no BS bike holding on to the rigid non-moving bars.

[Guinss]

I got the impression though, that when weighting the right peg and move your body over, you can actually make the bars turn to the left and then you will steer a bit right.

I'll not say any more until i've read the stuff you linked to.

[spooph]

Originally Posted by mrlmd

Do a Google search on Keith Code no BS bike and read some of the articles.
There is no body steering or peg weighting that will steer a motorcycle, with the exception of how dirt bike riders do it.
When you think you are peg weighting, you are putting pressure on your pegs in order to shift your body weight, which you think is helping you steer. It's not. Only the input on the bars steers the bike. There is normally very little shift in COG, and if you lean way over in a turn, you are trying to keep the bike more upright which may aid traction going around the corner at a less severe lean angle. Some people weight the outside peg, that is to help shift their butt and body to the inside. If you are leaned way over and dragging a knee, there is no appreciable weight on the inner peg. Not only my opinion, read these articles and read from some high performance riding forums.

Guinss - if you had a throttle lock or some way you could let go of the bars and tried that, you would go nowhere except straight ahead. Try standing on one peg or the other without any steering input and see if you can turn. Turning like a battleship or aircraft carrier does no one any good. And I guess you know more than the experts from your experience. You don't realize you are providing input to the bars. No one, even the highly skilled riders and racers can steer Keith Codes no BS bike holding on to the rigid non-moving bars.

You're absolutely right, a bike won't steer without inputs to the bars... I think what Guinnss was trying to say, is that you don't need to use your hands to input to the bars... If you're going down a hill at say 40-50mph and put more weight on one peg than the other, the bike will lean a little bit, causing the front wheel to "dig in" or grip a little more on that side. Push a bit more with your foot, or lean a bit more in that direction, and the bike will turn, using no hands....

[mrlmd]

Sorry the thread got hijacked, but no, it doesn't steer that way, not any way you can use.
Read some of the articles and do the search I proposed. It is a widespread misconception, and despite what you may think is happening, it doesn't work that way. Push with your foot all you want. lean all you want, unless you push ON THE BARS, the bike will not turn in any effective manner, except maybe you can get it to fall over.
I'm done, no point to continue this conversation unless you are willing to get educated.