I messed up...how would you have taken this turn?

[watsyurface]

It seemed like a normal right hand turn, but the road(actually a parking lot) i was turning in to was VERY steep(yes, i am aware it looks flat in the video). Basically i sort of panicked because I actually felt like i was going TOO SLOW to go straight up the hill, so thats why i made the diagonal. I want to know how i could have turned because it is my first time truly "screwing up" a turn(and somehow caught it on camera). I can't go diagonally if there is a car there!

and ignore the random revving i was signaling my girlfriend that i saw her. Didnt want to take my hands off the handlebars

Link to original page on YouTube.

[KELPHYN]

I would say "don't look back at your girlfriend". That what it looks like in the video, you looked back and missed your turning point. then had to turn sharper than you origanlly had planned on. My 2cts.

[nickjpass]

Try to brake earlier... practice it more in a empty parking lot. Try to be aware of your surroundings, but most importantly, don't let them distract you. Have you taken MSF? Also, it's not that steep lol... you would have been fine.

[skilletmo]

Target Fixation. Your eyes were looking back, then turned back in front, looking straight instead of at the turn.

[menikmati]

Counter steer and roll on the throttle and LOOK where you want to go. I would advise against revving the engine like that prior to a turn to get someone's attention because you're disengaging your clutch, use the horn.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by watsyurface

.......Basically i sort of panicked because I actually felt like i was going TOO SLOW to go straight up the hill, so thats why i made the diagonal........

Mike,

You did run wide in that turn, it is a simple mistake, don't be too hard on yourself, you are just learning.
It could have been dangerous in different conditions, that is true.

Repeat this one thousand times:
Any turn should be entered slowly and exited fast.

You were moving too fast for your skill level, before and at the beginning of that turn.

That speed precipitates things too fast for your eyes and brain to process, you feel that are running out of space, get confused and freeze up or do the wrong things, like looking where you don't want the bike to go.

Always enter turns at a pace that is completely comfortable for you, visually locate your turn in and apex points, use all the space that is available (or delayed apex technique - see schematic) and accelerate at a constant rate all the way out.

Try to read some books about riding; I recommend "Proficient Motorcycling", available at public libraries.

You are doing great, just slowdown a little (see my signature).

[Jiggles]

I would have turned

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I would have turned

this.

seems like you didn't even attempt turning. Why are you holding the clutch in? or are you in Neutral? Why is it that quiet approaching the turn??

Get your down shifts done, cut enough speed and TURN

[xSean13]

Next time try to wheelie up onto the sidewalk, while sweeping up your girlfriend and tossing her on the back of your bike all in one motion. Then stoppie at the lip of the other end of the sidewalk and whip the back end around. Proceed with a wheelie down the road.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Gurk

Get your down shifts done

[cbinker]

Originally Posted by skilletmo

Target Fixation. Your eyes were looking back, then turned back in front, looking straight instead of at the turn.

NO!!! Look through the turn to where you want to be.

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I would have turned

This. And looking to where I want to go.

[watsyurface]

Originally Posted by xSean13

Next time try to wheelie up onto the sidewalk, while sweeping up your girlfriend and tossing her on the back of your bike all in one motion. Then stoppie at the lip of the other end of the sidewalk and whip the back end around. Proceed with a wheelie down the road.

Maybe next time

Originally Posted by KELPHYN

I would say "don't look back at your girlfriend". That what it looks like in the video, you looked back and missed your turning point.

I actually don't think i was. I tend to stare ahead of my turns i was looking up the hill

Originally Posted by Gurk

Why are you holding the clutch in? or are you in Neutral? Why is it that quiet approaching the turn??

I have a terrible habit of holding the clutch in when slowing down. I am working on downshifting(throttle blipping?) however. i normally have the clutch back out before turning but i panicked a bit


thanks to those with actual advice.... Ill probably go to that specific turn again later this week and try it a bit.

[Aggrotech]

get ur downshifting down. i cant remember anymore at what mileage i was at before i said "**** this, im going to lrn2downshift today" but it was before 300miles and in one day i was comfortable doing it after like 3hours of doing it over..and over...and over But before i learned to downshift i would just pull in the clutch and down shift multiple times (without blipping) and it was horrible.

if it was me i would have just downshifted to a comfortable speed and looked at the general direction of the sign that is at the top right of the road then just continue to lay on the throttle to go up the incline.

[choneofakind]

When in doubt, go through the steps in your head while making turns. Make sure to keep them all separate from each other.

• Slow down. Make sure you're in the right gear for the speed you're going, before you get to the turn.
• Look through your turn to where you're going, not straight ahead.
• Press the inside bar to lean the bike.
• Roll on the throttle gradually to keep the bike stable.
• Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by watsyurface

It seemed like a normal right hand turn, but the road(actually a parking lot) i was turning in to was VERY steep(yes, i am aware it looks flat in the video). Basically i sort of panicked because I actually felt like i was going TOO SLOW to go straight up the hill, so thats why i made the diagonal. I want to know how i could have turned because it is my first time truly "screwing up" a turn(and somehow caught it on camera). I can't go diagonally if there is a car there!

and ignore the random revving i was signaling my girlfriend that i saw her. Didnt want to take my hands off the handlebars

Link to original page on YouTube.

Couple questions for you:

1. When you want the bike to turn right what do you do to make it turn right?
2. Once you get the bike turned what do you want to do with the throttle and why?

I think answering these two questions will really help with figuring out what went wrong in this turn, and will be applicable to helping with many corners in the future of your riding

Misti

[Motofool]

@watsyurface,

While you keep thinking about Misti's questions, watch this video (turn the caption on (CC)):

Link to original page on YouTube.

[himynameisjoe]

You weren't going very fast, speed up a little bit and push right on the handlebars. If you find you're still not going fast enough when you get to the "hill", roll on the throttle just a bit more. Problem solved.

I second the use of horn rather than revving the engine to tell someone you're there. You probably wouldn't put your car in neutral and slam the pedal to the ground, so don't do it on the bike either.

[sLick415]

Doesnt even look like you tried to turn... You definitely werent going fast enough. Not sure why some of these guys are telling you to brake earlier. And like many of them have mentioned, you gotta be in the right gear.

Perhaps you were trying to countersteer but did not notice the slow speed you were going because you had your attention to your girlfriend.

[ShadowStalk3r]

Did you panicked when you thought you were going too slow for the turn and held on to the handlebars too tight? It's a pretty common mistake.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by Motofool

@watsyurface,

While you keep thinking about Misti's questions, watch this video (turn the caption on (CC)):

Link to original page on YouTube.

Ah, the french are awesome.

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Misti

Couple questions for you:

1. When you want the bike to turn right what do you do to make it turn right?
2. Once you get the bike turned what do you want to do with the throttle and why?

I think answering these two questions will really help with figuring out what went wrong in this turn, and will be applicable to helping with many corners in the future of your riding

Misti

I Know I Know

1. push the right bar and lean into the turn
2. get on the throttle to even out the suspension and drive out of the turn.

Do i get a gold star????

like everyone else said, just turn the bike. Start off more left in the lane. you were just right of the center try taking it from the far left of the turn lane. Get your gearshifts done so you are entering the turn around 10-11 k that way if you need to back off on the throttle for what ever reason you will still be in the powerband to power out of the turn and if you dont have to back off the throttle you still have enough left in the rpms to drive out as well.

Dont look at girls as you are turning in. I am sure it will help as well.

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by Havok

Get your gearshifts done so you are entering the turn around 10-11 k

He's on the street. And he's riding a ninjette.

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Gurk

He's on the street. And he's riding a ninjette.

and?

[Misti]

Originally Posted by Havok

I Know I Know

1. push the right bar and lean into the turn
2. get on the throttle to even out the suspension and drive out of the turn.

Do i get a gold star????

like everyone else said, just turn the bike. Start off more left in the lane. you were just right of the center try taking it from the far left of the turn lane. Get your gearshifts done so you are entering the turn around 10-11 k that way if you need to back off on the throttle for what ever reason you will still be in the powerband to power out of the turn and if you dont have to back off the throttle you still have enough left in the rpms to drive out as well.

Dont look at girls as you are turning in. I am sure it will help as well.

Couldn't find a gold star

Exactly. Looks to me like the rider was unsure about how to properly turn the bike hence the question about how to counter-steer. I also think that looking where you want to go has a lot to do with improving his cornering as well.

I cringe a bit when people say that the rider should just "go faster and turn." While going a little bit faster might help the rider feel a little more stable, it's a dangerous thing to tell someone that might not really understand counter-steering. I'd work on improving understanding of skill sets before suggesting adding speed.

Misti

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Misti

Couldn't find a gold star

Exactly. Looks to me like the rider was unsure about how to properly turn the bike hence the question about how to counter-steer. I also think that looking where you want to go has a lot to do with improving his cornering as well.

I cringe a bit when people say that the rider should just "go faster and turn." While going a little bit faster might help the rider feel a little more stable, it's a dangerous thing to tell someone that might not really understand counter-steering. I'd work on improving understanding of skill sets before suggesting adding speed.

Misti

The cheerleader is a good substitute for the star lol

Agree though, telling someone who is having issues with turning properly to go faster seems kind of silly to me. Being in a better gear with a better angle for the turn will help him alot more then going faster. He just need more work and practice perhaps an MSF refresher course or a parking lot for a few hours a day.

[allanoue]

After taking that right a few more times, how easy is it now?

Thank you for posting your video and allowing others to learn with you.

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by Havok

and?

overkill. he doesn't need to be that high of an rpm for a simple turn into a parking lot.

[Corona]

I didn't read what everyone else had to say but I am still new at riding (less than a year), I took the MSF and was told look through my turns every time, I always do it and no matter the level of the road I always do good (good enough for me, lol).

I don't know if you were looking through your turn with just your eyes but, turn your head instead.

[Miles_Prower]

Originally Posted by Gurk

overkill. he doesn't need to be that high of an rpm for a simple turn into a parking lot.

+1..!!!

[csmith12]

hmmm..... I don't fully understand this thread and vid. The comments don't match the video to me.

The video looks set up, here is what I see;

Rider places girlfriend on the corner
Rider approaches intersection with girlfriend taking pics or recording?
Rider gets distracted enough to not complete simple turn
No harm, no foul this time, lucky

Was he going to fast or to slow? Only Mike can answer that but there is no harm in slowing down when your unsure. What is up with the comments to go faster?!?!?!?!?! 11k rpm hahahahahaha I am sure some of those are jokes.

The first thing I would say is relax... I am not sure what is really going on in that video but if you want to film yourself making some turns, find a large, empty and clean parking lot. So you can make a mistake and not be in the oncoming lane. Also, a good habit to start now is not rushing. Be ready to turn before you get there. You coasted into the corner with your clutch pulled and your attention where it wasn't supposed to be, that's a lot of wasted time in the riding world. It's a fair mistake, we all have done it at one time or another.

Enjoy, good luck, happy learning and ride safe.

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Gurk

overkill. he doesn't need to be that high of an rpm for a simple turn into a parking lot.

Why not that is where the bike has power, even in first gear it's not to fast. It's a 250 not an r6 perhaps you needed more then a month on the 250 lol

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by Havok

Why not that is where the bike has power, even in first gear it's not to fast. It's a 250 not an r6 perhaps you needed more then a month on the 250 lol

why the f*ck do you need power turning into a parking lot jeff? lol
you're giving advice to a new rider riding on the street. Not a track day rider. I'm sure he'll work his way up to the power band when he has more experience.

Perhaps you should stop riding like you're on track and avoid charging curbs with rpms where your bike has best power

bwahahaha

[watsyurface]

Originally Posted by himynameisjoe

I second the use of horn rather than revving the engine to tell someone you're there. You probably wouldn't put your car in neutral and slam the pedal to the ground, so don't do it on the bike either.

For the record, i drive a manual so i would definitely do that while holding the clutch in

Sorry i Havent been able to update. The weather here is extremely bi-polar, plus the combination of school and work i havent been able to go to that specific road. I have been riding around the area however and i do feel more and more comfortable with each turn i take. I should have another video up by friday night

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Gurk

why the f*ck do you need power turning into a parking lot jeff? lol
you're giving advice to a new rider riding on the street. Not a track day rider. I'm sure he'll work his way up to the power band when he has more experience.

Perhaps you should stop riding like you're on track and avoid charging curbs with rpms where your bike has best power

bwahahaha

Wtf does my crash have to do with it, but 10k rpm on a 250 in first gear is what 15 mph on a turn that is more a sweeper then a full 90 degree turn. I am not saying whack open the throttle to power out at speed but enough to get the bike evened out. Or go in at 4k so when he hits the diphis front end is compressed and has no engine power to even it out and he tucks the front. I hear you are pretty good at that gurk so give him some pointers on that.

I would take it with my bike in the power band plain and simple but with the lame ass suspension on a 250 I don't let the bike do jack **** with out being above 8 k rpm but to ea h his own.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by Gurk

why the f*ck do you need power turning into a parking lot jeff? lol

you really shouldn't talk bro...

when you are turning onto a sidewalk, what do you think takes more load first? obviously your front tire. so what do you do to relieve pressure on your front tire? apply gas. this is motorcycling 101.

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by Havok

Wtf does my crash have to do with it, but 10k rpm on a 250 in first gear is what 15 mph on a turn that is more a sweeper then a full 90 degree turn. I am not saying whack open the throttle to power out at speed but enough to get the bike evened out. Or go in at 4k so when he hits the diphis front end is compressed and has no engine power to even it out and he tucks the front. I hear you are pretty good at that gurk so give him some pointers on that.

I would take it with my bike in the power band plain and simple but with the lame ass suspension on a 250 I don't let the bike do jack **** with out being above 8 k rpm but to ea h his own.

I tucked my front like a ****in' BAUSSS so stop being jelly.

Also his speed was about 1/15th of mine when i tucked my front wheel so it's totally different situation.

In any case if you watch OP's video, his situation does not call at all for being in powerband. Just simply downshifting at the right time will solve the problem. Even if he's in the wrong gear he'll be done with shifting and most likely will have enough drive to turn as he's super slow. (i'm not saying enter 5th gear)

anyway.

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by alex.s

you really shouldn't talk bro...

when you are turning onto a sidewalk, what do you think takes more load first? obviously your front tire. so what do you do to relieve pressure on your front tire? apply gas. this is motorcycling 101.

lol.. you're talking 5mph. at that speed there's so much room for error it's not even funny. you can ****in' dance around on the bike and suspension will most likely be fine.

I care about theory a lot. But it's pretty fu*king funny you bring up how suspension works under braking and throttle at 5 mph. it had NOTHING to do with what happened to him in that situation. watch the video and take your textbook to people who don't spend days reading about this sh*t like you

[alex.s]

Gurkan... Have I ever told you that you're retarded?

[alex.s]

It's especially funny since I have seen gurk make similar mistakes even dropping his bike going 2mph....Must have been too much room for error

[Gurk]

do you think i'm embarrassed of my mistakes? i don't have big egos like u

my drop had absolutely nothing with suspension or rpm range. you know it (unless you're retarded. oh wait you are <3), i know it, everybody who had a clue about riding would know it.