• Don't overlook our Welcome Package, it contains many links to important and helpful information about functions at VHT like posting pictures and sending PMs (private messages), as well as finding the parts you need.

    AD

Riding tips, tricks, and how to treat the bike

Not sure that it should be any different for American riders, but a lot of riders of smaller bikes here in the UK, tend to ride to the left; your right.

Yes they have a smaller bike, but they need to put themselves in the same position as the driver of a car, approximately two thirds into the lane.

If they stay to the left, your right, drivers tend to try and pass in places they shouldn’t. Or they overtake not leaving much space. You have as much right to the road as them and they need to perform a proper overtake.

I sometimes wonder whether those riders think back to when they were cyclists and struggle breaking the habit of staying yo the side rather than being more central in their lane.

That's a good point and actually something I've thought about since I started riding to school and work regularly when I was young. I always felt that if I acted as if I was afraid to occupy the entire lane that someone in a car would take advantage of it. Another good thought for a beginning rider.
 
I was/am a cyclist for many years and riding in traffic around town or on the way out to a race we learned early on to ride in the center of a lane if you didn't want to be pushed off the road/sideswiped. Even so, some would take offense. One time we were riding out to a race and a bus nearly crushed my buddy against a parked car passing way too close. Appropriate words (we thought) were expressed. A little up the road balancing at the next light I heard a clunk behind me. The bus driver had gotten out of his bus and blindsided my friend, knocking him over. Some people just can't take a joke.... Was good training in the art of defensive riding tho, esp living in a university area where stop signs are just a suggestion it seems.
On advice, while riding around town I see too many idiots doing wheelies through major intersections, intentionally blocking traffic, etc. Don't be that guy if you want respect! And ditto on the gravel (my first accident on a motorcycle a couple of month ago, riding at night). Only a banged knee fortunately. I wear those jeans with a real hole in the knee proudly :) Be careful out there
 
I always recommend taking a Rider Safety Class to anyone that is new to riding

I know this may sound a bit harsh for some one that is new to riding, but to this day I still remember an old "Graybeard" telling me when I was just starting to ride "Just remember that when you are on that bike everything is out to kill you, even your bike"

40 years later I still keep that in mind, weather I am working on the bike or riding the bike. Always be aware of your limits, the bikes limits and everything around you. Don't be paranoid just aware
 
Watch lots of YouTube videos and then…… don’t ride like those idiots!

Filtering for example is not a god given right. Always assume a car is going to change lanes, if traffic is solid, someone may open a door. If there’s a space…… someone’s going to go for it.
 
People need to give motorcycles more room, unfortunately only some of the motorist know this so you get tail gators. I either speed up, lane shift or pull over to get my room, hopefully in a safe manor. Then you got the creepers, those drivers coming from a stop at intersection that like to creep forward and all I can do is assume they don't see me and slow down as if they want to kill me. It's really hard not to be annoyed by people that do that to a motorcyclist, but it happens all the time. I think some drivers just do stuff like that out of habit because they are always in a hurry and have a death wish or something. I bet I annoy them a little when I come to a near stop and make them wait while staring them down. Lately I've been thinking I could use more mirrors or better mirrors to keep an eye on blind spot vehicles in traffic. Geez, people who feel the need to drive 3 feet behind me in the other lane, ugh.
 
My one thought on riding is everyone and everything that is not you on the road wants to kill you and you just have to watch out and be prepared to prevent it.
 
My one thought on riding is everyone and everything that is not you on the road wants to kill you and you just have to watch out and be prepared to prevent it.

That’s definitely something i’ve come to find out very quickly. I never realized how MUCH you get blown around on one of these things, especially one of the smaller ones i’m assuming, like my 360. No doubt in a flat area with lots of open fields like mine it’s worse


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm not a particular advocate of hi vis clothing, and daylight headlamps are not mandatory in the UK, so I only use mine when the visibility is poor, ie mist, rain or at dusk, not that I ride in those conditions anymore.

What I do do is not stick to one position in the road, particularly when approaching side junctions with traffic waiting to pull. Side to side movement in your lane makes you more visible, as does trying to make eye contact with the person waiting to pull out. Ride assertively, but not aggressively.

Also watch out for drivers wearing base ball caps. Why on earth do you need to wear a hat inside a vehicle, clearly some sort of personality disorder .....
 
That’s definitely something i’ve come to find out very quickly. I never realized how MUCH you get blown around on one of these things, especially one of the smaller ones i’m assuming, like my 360. No doubt in a flat area with lots of open fields like mine it’s worse


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The smaller bikes are a light. My 350 can keep interstate speeds easily. Much longer and easier than I can. With no windshield or fairing, my neck gets tired. Combined helmet weight and wind just wears it out. Passing trucks are also annoying. Not my fav experience.

It's more fun on the back roads or old 2-lane highways. Visually and riding experience.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk
 
Why on earth do you need to wear a hat inside a vehicle, clearly some sort of personality disorder .....

And I thought I was the only one who thought that!

I agree with Richard's road position too. In the picture below (imagine a straighter road, I could not find a good example) (also imagine no traffic coming the other way! Lots of imagination!)
The 'correct' position for a rider is the yellow blob. But, if you stayed in the 'correct' position and you were behind the van, ie there was no black car, the car in the layby might not see you and pull out after the van, or even pull out to go the opposite way.
Hence the need to vary your position.

1_A64-traffic.jpg
 
ATGATT: all the gear, all the time. I will never take off without helmet, gloves and protective (long) trousers and jacket. Never. Not even for a 2' short ride around the corner.

I happen to have a yellow H4-bulb in the headlight now. It came with the 'new old' 250N H4 headlight I bought on the bay and which I used to replace the old headlight on my CB400T (that was allready partially modified to take a H4 bulb, but unfortunately also had a badly cracked shell). I decided to keep the yellow bulb, because I believe that this yellow light adds to the visibility of the bike. I like to think that this yellow light is less likely to merge with the mostly plain white headlights of the cars surrounding me. I never (plan to) ride in the dark, so I'm not really bothered that the yellow bulb providess less light. Street lights are pretty clear and abundantly present where I live.
 
And I thought I was the only one who thought that!

I agree with Richard's road position too. In the picture below (imagine a straighter road, I could not find a good example) (also imagine no traffic coming the other way! Lots of imagination!)
The 'correct' position for a rider is the yellow blob. But, if you stayed in the 'correct' position and you were behind the van, ie there was no black car, the car in the layby might not see you and pull out after the van, or even pull out to go the opposite way.
Hence the need to vary your position.

View attachment 16073
What's with the hat prejudice? Lol. Hat wearer here. Possible personality disorder.

I don't vary my lane position normally. In the example of following that truck, if the oncoming car can't see me, then I am too close to the vehicle in front of me. I probably can't see the oncoming car either.

One example of when I vary lane position is on curves. Since oncoming vehicles occasionally crowd the center line, I will likely move farther away from it.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk
 
My baseball cap comment was really directed at the young men over here who drive cheap family hatchback cars with no exhaust systems fitted. Or elderly drivers wearing trilby hats ...

Regarding lane positioning, over in the UK my personal biggest concern are vehicles approaching a 'T' junction, when they are on the minor road, biker on the main road, nothing to do with oncoming traffic. Same goes for roundabouts, when the bike is on the roundabout and vehicles are entering it. In the UK, we have to give way to vehicles on the major road, but we don't have your equivalent of 'Halt' signs, if the way ahead is clear we keep going. Bikers worry is 'have they seen me, will they stop', hence the acronym SMIDSY. ( Sorry mate I didn't see you.)

Even so, if thinking about an overtaking move, on a road with curves, by moving about in lane you can often get a better view ahead, looking past the vehicle you are following at a safe distance, on either side of it as the road alternatively curves.

And taking corners on a bike, you move in lane to get the best position to see as far around the corner as possible, which is not necessarily the apex to apex 'racing line'. Although I must admit, in the car as well, I try to straighten out corners as much as possible, using all the road if its clear. Faster and more comfortable to passengers ( in the car ).
 
Around KS if the wind is below 15MPH (maybe 4 days a year) it's a calm day, still has an affect on even my bigger bikes
 
Yep, it's an interesting feeling going straight down the highway while leaning to one side... been in plenty of hard gusts over the years myself and even on big bikes it can have enough affect to feel weird. I can only imagine what it's like to live around it pretty much full time.
 
My baseball cap comment was really directed at the young men over here who drive cheap family hatchback cars with no exhaust systems fitted. Or elderly drivers wearing trilby hats ...

Regarding lane positioning, over in the UK my personal biggest concern are vehicles approaching a 'T' junction, when they are on the minor road, biker on the main road, nothing to do with oncoming traffic. Same goes for roundabouts, when the bike is on the roundabout and vehicles are entering it. In the UK, we have to give way to vehicles on the major road, but we don't have your equivalent of 'Halt' signs, if the way ahead is clear we keep going. Bikers worry is 'have they seen me, will they stop', hence the acronym SMIDSY. ( Sorry mate I didn't see you.)

Even so, if thinking about an overtaking move, on a road with curves, by moving about in lane you can often get a better view ahead, looking past the vehicle you are following at a safe distance, on either side of it as the road alternatively curves.

And taking corners on a bike, you move in lane to get the best position to see as far around the corner as possible, which is not necessarily the apex to apex 'racing line'. Although I must admit, in the car as well, I try to straighten out corners as much as possible, using all the road if its clear. Faster and more comfortable to passengers ( in the car ).
I do the same in a car. Outside of the lane, close in on the apex, back to outside. Curve is less of one. And if you say "vrooom" it feels like you're racing.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk
 
I do the same in a car. Outside of the lane, close in on the apex, back to outside. Curve is less of one. And if you say "vrooom" it feels like you're racing.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk
Added plus to this is that the tires have less side load placed on them which means better grip and longer life.
 
Good stuff in this thread. I'll jump in...

If something feels off with your bike while riding pullover, don't ignore it like I did ($100k and a busted leg). Also, be aware of those nasty tar snakes they use to patch cracks in the road during hot weather. They'll git ya.
 
Rider Safety Courses... ..I felt the one that I took back in the early 1990's was so helpful and/or educational that I kept the instruction booklet for future reference and I've known exactly where I've stored it for nearly 3 decades.

As I'm nearly at the end of THE RESURRECTION of a pair of "Twins", and knowing all along that my 79 year-old father has been itching (or, more recently salivating) to ride a Honda again after my mother made him sell his '74 CB750-4 shortly after I was born nearly 5 decades ago, I thought it'd be VERY WISE to have us both read it soon.

Coincidentally or superstitiously, there are only 4 things that I've remembered from taking that course :

1) The length of view one rides with - because the faster you're going the longer the distance becomes to stop your bike, so look sufficiently far as opposed to the ground right in front of your bike.
2) The keyword taught in that lesson: ANTICIPATE !
3) As mentioned by several here already, the "Counter-Steer Effect", or leaning on the side of the handlebar that you want your bike to go to
and
4) The bikes provided by the State in which I and the others took the half-day classroom/parking lot course: Honda 250s

..I'd taken the course for licensing purposes shortly after I bought my XR350R, and remember the fun those 250s were, even though they were completely different than my XR...
 
I got lots of tech advice when I joined ~2 years ago. I'm stiil here! With my bike largely on the up-swing I have been taking it slow learning how to ride this summer.

I ride bicycles ~3,000-5,000 miles yearly. I am completely comfortable on road bikes in traffic and going just about anywhere. However, I am still white knuckling on my CL350.

Last week I rode on a pretty curvy road and I was first on the scene to a single vehicle accident. Crazy thing - the driver abandoned the vehicle and was MIA. The truck hit a telephone phone, lost a wheel, and was in a ditch. Moral of the story . . . how scary! Had I been another minute or two up the road he could have been taking me out. Be careful out there!
 
Last edited:
I got lots of tech advice when I joined ~2 years ago. I'm stiil here! With my bike largely on the up-swing I have been taking it slow learning how to ride this summer.

I ride bicycles ~3,000-5,000 miles yearly. I am completely comfortable on road bikes in traffic and going just about anywhere. However, I am still white knuckling on my CL350.

Last week I rode on a pretty curvy road and I was first on the scene to a single vehicle accident. Crazy thing - the driver abandoned the vehicle and was MIA. The truck hit a telephone phone, lost a wheel, and was in a ditch. Moral of the story . . . how scary! Had I been another minute or two up the road he could have been taking me out. Be careful out there!

Timing can be everything, glad you were a minute or two later. It's a growing habit these days, people bailing after an accident they caused. If he could have driven it away he probably would have based on the fact that he left the scene. I don't know what makes people think that will work, even if you take your tag(s) off the vehicle they can still identify the owner by the VIN. Only thing it gives them is time to sober up if they needed it.
 
Honestly, how much should i engine brake compared to using the actual brakes? I’ve heard some people say it’s bad for the engine and whatnot, but i’ve seen that pretty easily disproven. When i first started riding the bike i was super scared of it, and honestly haven’t used it much since.
Also, how much should i use the rear brake? Compared to that 70% stopping power of the front brake, on top of the “oh don’t rear brake you’ll skid and fall” stories, i don’t use it much at all


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I think to sum it up… experience will prove your teacher.

I use engine braking a lot. Only the actual ride will tell you. Unless you are really going too fast into a bend, engine braking works (2 stroke riders keep quiet :) )
The which brake rule of thumb is 75% front, 25% rear. This becomes 50% in Winter.
I work with a guy who has just sold his bike. He was so scared of riding, he rode very slowly and ask me questions like how do you lean etc. He was petrified on the road. This is dangerous. You tense up, you focus more on the bike than what’s around you.

Find some quiet area and practise riding the bike more and more, corners, braking etc. It might be going too far to say treat it like a push bike with power, but leaning etc is the same.
Don’t get bogged down with things like counter steering, that comes naturally in corners.

Take care, be safe.
 
Yes, engine braking is fine, if you mean simply closing the throttle to slow down. Banging it down through the gears, less so, danger of both over revving the engine and locking the rear wheel. A lot of modern bikes come with slipper clutches to help avoid this. Also depends on the engine, a big four stroke will have a lot more natural engine braking than a tiddler.

Using the back brake is fine, impossible to lock the back wheel unless you declutch, or stall the engine. I use it a lot, both on the 175s and the 600. In feet up U turns, to balance the throttle and clutch against the rear brake. Also to steady the bike into low speed turns, avoids the fork dive from use of the front brake(s). And perhaps contentiously, I use the back brake on the 600 when I've gone into a corner too fast. Gently, to scrub off a bit of speed. Ideally, on a fast flowing road you shouldn't need to use the brakes at all, riding in a sensible fashion the throttle is sufficient. And never grab the front brake when leaned over in a turn.

Front brake is the most powerful brake, needs to be used with some care. Easy to lock the front wheel if just grabbed in a panic, especially in the cold and wet. Apply gently at first, then apply more pressure as the forks compress and the front tyre digs in. On a sports bike, weight transfer will see the rear wheel go very light under heavy braking, so obviously the rear brake has no effect in that situation.

I had a long break in my biking career, came back to it in my mid 40's, on a Kawa Gpz305. I was like the chap John describes above, in fact I nearly packed it all in, but it all came back to me eventually, then I got the CB600, which was a revelation, much easier to ride than the 305. Had it two weeks, then fell off after panic braking in the wet, locked the front brakes in the wet. Lesson learned the hard way.
 
I always find it interesting when I have done work on brakes and go for a test ride. I can end up having ridden somewhere then realise I haven’t tested the brakes as all my decelerations have been with engine braking! I then need to do some specific stops with brakes.
 
Try to find a copy of the book "Twist of the Wrist" by Keith Code. Explains a lot of the dynamics and techniques of motorcycle riding.

I personally use a lot of engine braking, even while just casually riding. Don't be afraid of using it. Practice "rev matching" while down shifting to a stop. It is a very important technique in bike handling.
 
Hello, there are many good notes above, but I would like to add one point which is usually most important for any transportation (sailing, riding, driving, travelling, hiking etc.). Each trip has destination, but:
1) if destination is fixed, travel with good margin and start Your trip as soon as possible. Do not push if You are out of schedule.
2) have destination A, B and C, as conditions, traffic, weather or other issued won't force You to run against odds.

All emergencies and difficulties I have met around were caused by bad planning, riding greediness and rush due to lack of time.
 
just a thing I try to do in my head, but if I'm feeling confident and actually riding the bike a bit I like windy back roads, but - there are a lot of driveways and trees blocking views through corners - so, in my mind if I can't actually see where I would stop 100 percent of the time, I'm going too fast. for me, this makes corners a bit of a technical effort, and you really don't change that much how you ride doing this, but going around corners, depending on visibility - I'm going to start letting off throttle if I can't really see enough pavement where I could stop easily. maybe it just times the corner a bit different for when you throttle through the corner, and as the visibility opens up, it is timed with the visibility more so than the speed and how hard you are cornering, for me anyway. the limiting factor on how fast I can go, other than the speed limit, is visibility, which is way slower than I could ride say on a track - strangely on back roads around here, this sets the pace right around 10 mph over the speed limit, which is fun, but you're not likely to get a ticket. Once you kind of just know the road, you can pace it with the MPH and just ride it, and as long as you remember the tighter corners or the ones you can't very well around, you don't really need to think very much, just tune out and ride, don't have to think about controls or whatever, it just becomes involuntary and you forget the bike is there, you're flying. You don't have to go a million miles an hour to enjoy that feeling.

I don't know if this is true - or if I just do this, but cornering to the left is a bit safer than cornering to the right as far as I can tell, but never asked if anyone else does this. I figure if I skid out on sand or take a corner a bit wide, turning left I'm going to maybe run out onto the dirt shoulder a bit - and the risk is a granite mailbox or maybe a tree depending on how messed up whatever happens is, but - there's less obstacles there than - what could happen if you skid out turning right and there happes to be traffic as you skid out into the other lane, and there's no shoulder to the road over that line - so, I think a couple years back when I was learning I passed an auto turning right kind of at a fair pace, safe - but, since then that car or truck you can't see - drop at the wrong time and there's nothing anyone really can do. If my memory serves me correctly though - accidents are more common from going too fast and too wide and hitting the shoulder - so, maybe that evens it out - but for whatever reason, maybe I just feel better about cornering left because in a wooded area the visibility is better turning that way.

a bug in an open face helmet is more dangerous than you might expect if you drive through a swarm of something or other. amazingly I've never dropped my bike, came close in my garage once, but the closest I feel was getting a few very active flies in my helmet and kind of panicking a bit as I pulled over to stop and take my helmet off, and it was on kind of an uphill, so - I moved back a good 3 feet when I pulled my helmet off, my feet were on the ground, not the foot brake, and it wasn't that close, but - some guys were a ways behind me and slowed down and were like, hey buddy are you good? just cause it looked real bad I'm sure and I've found and appreciate there are a lot of people out there like that who also probably ride, cars are dangerous, but - not quite every last one is out to get you.

hold your mouth closed around dusk riding with an open face helmet or anywhere by a road that follows a river. they sting a bit at 40 or so, but will just stick right in your teeth if they hit just right.

ear plugs are good - don't need them, just like the volume down a bit, makes riding better to me.
 
+1 on checking tire pressures before each ride, especially with tube-type tires.

I’ve become a weekend warrior and the highlight is discovering new places for breakfast that are within an hour of the house. For longer rides, either of my BMW’s get the nod, but those breakfast rides are the exclusive domain of my CB360.
 
Back
Top Bottom