Rider Skills Practice

250rr · July 22nd, 2013, 05:48 AM

Took Team Oregon Rider Skills Practice course yesterday. I improved my skills for sure.

Things I learned: 1) My bike has to go lock to lock to lock occasionally to get through the offset slalom. I was very frustrated trying to get that thing around the last two cones. And not having much success. My instructor told me that I'd have to be willing to go lock to lock on the steering to get through. Once that mental block was removed by him, I was able to do it! But only with extreme concentration. Still. Improvement. Hard to get used to locking the steering out at slow speed.

2) Not many sport bikes participated in the skills practice. There was a first gen Ninjette. There was a Ducati Monster. 5 Ducati's showed up, but only two of those (including me) were willing to risk their bikes on the course. (Team Oregon had crappy bikes you could use.) I thought that was strange. But I'm strange, so what do I know?

. Anywho, the other bikes were cruisers/classics, crappy bikes, etc.

3) It is sooo beneficial to have another couple of pair of eyes on you while you ride. A trained eye can pick things up I wouldn't see in 10,000 miles of riding. Totally worth the time/money.

If you've been thinking about doing recurrent training, DO IT!

Motofool · July 22nd, 2013, 06:26 AM

Kudos to you, Mark !!!

Once you hit the lock, your steering ability is cancelled and your brain reacts with fear of falling to the inside.

The thing is that you still can steer the bike for balance during the turn and out of the turn by increasing the speed.

The way to do it, as your instructor probably explained to you, is by releasing the rear brake and giving some gas.

Going in circles at full lock is normally done in first gear and without using the clutch.
To stabilize the bike and to have that potential to, smoothly and by little, speed up the bike, you enter each turn constantly dragging the rear brake (this is hard work for the brake fluid).

If the bike tries opening up the circle and forcing the steering away from full lock, you just add a little pressure to the rear brake to make the bike go back to balance at full lock.
If the bikes tries to fall to the inside of the circle, you just release pressure to the rear brake just enough to make the bike go back to balance at full lock.

Keeping a couple of fingers on the front brake level (without pulling it during a turn), makes the throttle input very precise for minimal inputs at low speed.
Mastering all the above requires practice, but it is doable.

250rr · July 22nd, 2013, 07:05 AM

This is good stuff. Thanks. And no, he didn't have time to go into that much detail with me. This sounds like good practice material!

July 22nd, 2013, 05:48 AM	#1
250rr ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Mark Location: Portland Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): Cheap Italian Suit. Otherwise known as Dew Kitty Posts: A lot.	Rider Skills Practice Took Team Oregon Rider Skills Practice course yesterday. I improved my skills for sure. Things I learned: 1) My bike has to go lock to lock to lock occasionally to get through the offset slalom. I was very frustrated trying to get that thing around the last two cones. And not having much success. My instructor told me that I'd have to be willing to go lock to lock on the steering to get through. Once that mental block was removed by him, I was able to do it! But only with extreme concentration. Still. Improvement. Hard to get used to locking the steering out at slow speed. 2) Not many sport bikes participated in the skills practice. There was a first gen Ninjette. There was a Ducati Monster. 5 Ducati's showed up, but only two of those (including me) were willing to risk their bikes on the course. (Team Oregon had crappy bikes you could use.) I thought that was strange. But I'm strange, so what do I know? . Anywho, the other bikes were cruisers/classics, crappy bikes, etc. 3) It is sooo beneficial to have another couple of pair of eyes on you while you ride. A trained eye can pick things up I wouldn't see in 10,000 miles of riding. Totally worth the time/money. If you've been thinking about doing recurrent training, DO IT!

July 22nd, 2013, 06:26 AM	#2
Motofool Daily Ninjette rider Name: Hernan Location: Florida Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16	Kudos to you, Mark !!! Once you hit the lock, your steering ability is cancelled and your brain reacts with fear of falling to the inside. The thing is that you still can steer the bike for balance during the turn and out of the turn by increasing the speed. The way to do it, as your instructor probably explained to you, is by releasing the rear brake and giving some gas. Going in circles at full lock is normally done in first gear and without using the clutch. To stabilize the bike and to have that potential to, smoothly and by little, speed up the bike, you enter each turn constantly dragging the rear brake (this is hard work for the brake fluid). If the bike tries opening up the circle and forcing the steering away from full lock, you just add a little pressure to the rear brake to make the bike go back to balance at full lock. If the bikes tries to fall to the inside of the circle, you just release pressure to the rear brake just enough to make the bike go back to balance at full lock. Keeping a couple of fingers on the front brake level (without pulling it during a turn), makes the throttle input very precise for minimal inputs at low speed. Mastering all the above requires practice, but it is doable. __________________________________________________ *Motofool* *.................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly* "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí

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July 22nd, 2013, 07:05 AM	#3
250rr ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Mark Location: Portland Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): Cheap Italian Suit. Otherwise known as Dew Kitty Posts: A lot.	This is good stuff. Thanks. And no, he didn't have time to go into that much detail with me. This sounds like good practice material!