Riding Skills Question???
- Thread starter Deletedmemberjdcxxx
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Amen to that!!!! I'm looking forward to my road ride with Professor Giles.....
Hmmp, every time I ride my GS I have a feeling the buggers following and checking on me so have to try and ride well.
Deletedmemberjdcxxx
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As it happens ... I'll be about ten miles from you tomorrow! Going to Hilltop in Earl shilton. Booked in for 1300. If you're about ... pop by ...
I'll be the one with red GSA!!!
Hmmp, every time I ride my GS I have a feeling the buggers following and checking on me so have to try and ride well.
As it happens ... I'll be about ten miles from you tomorrow! Going to Hilltop in Earl shilton. Booked in for 1300. If you're about ... pop by ...
Praise be to the mighty re-map; thinking of having this done in the summer......
You could do an awful lot worse than a day at Cadwell with Hopp training.
http://www.hoppridertraining.co.uk/
Very professional IMHO. There are similar courses at Castle Combe, but I would think Cadwell would suit you, distance wise. Best of luck whatever you decide.
http://www.hoppridertraining.co.uk/
Very professional IMHO. There are similar courses at Castle Combe, but I would think Cadwell would suit you, distance wise. Best of luck whatever you decide.
+1
I know Martin and Richard Hopp .... ridden with them both at der Nürburgring
Top blokes
Deletedmemberjdcxxx
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Hi All,
Bit of an update on my steering woes just in case there are any other new GS riders finding the same problem.
I'm pretty tall but seem to ride with fairly straight arms on my GSA. I think that this position wasn't allowing enough leverage on the bars to initiate some really positive countersteering. Following some of the advice earlier in this thread I headed for a quiet local car park and spent a couple of hours playing. This included fast slaloms though imaginary cones, lots of u turns, figure of eights, standing up, riding no hands and even a couple of wheelies. (All great fun!)
The main improvement was rocking my top half forwards a little to gain that extra leverage and as a lot of you have suggested practising until its second nature. It isn't just yet but it definitely feels more like the bikes doling what I want instead of hoping it will. For me this is a genuine step forward and has really helped with filtering, overtaking, tight bends etc. It also makes my bike feel like my bike and I have really enjoyed my commute to work this week.
It (she?) hasn't got a name yet, but this is what it looks like with the new seats on.
Cheers,
John
Bit of an update on my steering woes just in case there are any other new GS riders finding the same problem.
I'm pretty tall but seem to ride with fairly straight arms on my GSA. I think that this position wasn't allowing enough leverage on the bars to initiate some really positive countersteering. Following some of the advice earlier in this thread I headed for a quiet local car park and spent a couple of hours playing. This included fast slaloms though imaginary cones, lots of u turns, figure of eights, standing up, riding no hands and even a couple of wheelies. (All great fun!)
The main improvement was rocking my top half forwards a little to gain that extra leverage and as a lot of you have suggested practising until its second nature. It isn't just yet but it definitely feels more like the bikes doling what I want instead of hoping it will. For me this is a genuine step forward and has really helped with filtering, overtaking, tight bends etc. It also makes my bike feel like my bike and I have really enjoyed my commute to work this week.
It (she?) hasn't got a name yet, but this is what it looks like with the new seats on.
Cheers,
John
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I'm 6'3" and have still fitted 20mm bar risers to get my arm/shoulder/body shape correct for long hours in the saddle. It doesn't sound a lot but even small variations make a lot of difference. I had the option to increase this to 40mm but that was too much the other way for me. I used to get upper arm and shoulder fatigue very quickly, now I'm nice and relaxed in the perfect position - no back, arm or shoulder pains at all even on an all day ride. Its worth experimenting a little if you can.
JD,
You obviously have the desire to improve your riding . Being a riding virgin you must do the miles in your early years to build that experience. I would suggest 250miles/week on top of your commute. Include everything from town to country but with plenty of `B` roads.
You will definitely accelerate your learning by finding a mentor. This really should be someone who has training years behind them . I`ve done training for different organisations and generally it`s down to the individual trainer(some are more `worldly` than others).
Joining IAM or Rospa will give you the contacts .
Definitely try an off road day with some one like Mick Extance or Gareth Jones. These are fun days and you will learn a lot in one day( use a small capacity bike).
Make sure your bike fits you. Don`t be frightened to get the controls altered to give minimal movement of hands ,feet ,arms and can you touch the floor easily.
If you find that mentor that suits you then they will teach you how to become that worldly rider and experience more enjoyable rides with that relaxed confident style .
Do not forget we never stop learning. I`m 66 and this year I want to learn how to ride speedway but I`m experienced to know I need someone to show me the technique.
Den
You obviously have the desire to improve your riding . Being a riding virgin you must do the miles in your early years to build that experience. I would suggest 250miles/week on top of your commute. Include everything from town to country but with plenty of `B` roads.
You will definitely accelerate your learning by finding a mentor. This really should be someone who has training years behind them . I`ve done training for different organisations and generally it`s down to the individual trainer(some are more `worldly` than others).
Joining IAM or Rospa will give you the contacts .
Definitely try an off road day with some one like Mick Extance or Gareth Jones. These are fun days and you will learn a lot in one day( use a small capacity bike).
Make sure your bike fits you. Don`t be frightened to get the controls altered to give minimal movement of hands ,feet ,arms and can you touch the floor easily.
If you find that mentor that suits you then they will teach you how to become that worldly rider and experience more enjoyable rides with that relaxed confident style .
Do not forget we never stop learning. I`m 66 and this year I want to learn how to ride speedway but I`m experienced to know I need someone to show me the technique.
Den
Yes .... yes ..... !
But what you're doing (subconsciously) is not 'giving yourself more leverage' as such, but you're freeing up your arms. Remember the spiel about arms being little steering dampers? This is particularly so when they're quite straight. You, leaning forwards a tad and crooking your elbows has freed up your arms and taken out the resistance in them - that's why your steering suddenly feels free-er
You are also (again subconsciously) putting just an incy wincy bit more weight over your front wheel. What does your body weigh? 85+kilos? And of that your torso and head will weigh, what 60K ?? Go and pick three 20k olympic plates up in your gym!! (you wont - you won't be able to pick 'em up..) Imagine balancing those 3x20k plates somewhere on your bke - imagine moving that load and how by re-distributing it by just a few inches it would have such a dramatic effect on the feel of the bike.
You have worked out for yourself, by the benefit of play, that by crooking your arms and pitching yourself forward just a few inches it instantly feels better. That's down to a more planted front end (that just feels better) and flex and freedom in your arms.
Good!!
Deletedmemberjdcxxx
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Thanks Den, I've adjusted my handlebars ino a slightly more offroad height which I find much more comfortable. I think the trick is enough experience to develop good muscle memory so you can really focus on learning the skills. I'm booking onto the first Bike Safe course in Leicestershire later this year and have been looking into the Lichfield IAM group which has been highly recommended. I agree completely with life long learning and really want to learn more about maintenance too.
I can highly recommend an hour in a quiet car park to try out some of the manouvres you can't practice on the road.
Cheers,
John.
I can highly recommend an hour in a quiet car park to try out some of the manouvres you can't practice on the road.
Cheers,
John.
Deletedmemberjdcxxx
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Yes .... yes ..... !
But what you're doing (subconsciously) is not 'giving yourself more leverage' as such, but you're freeing up your arms. Remember the spiel about arms being little steering dampers? This is particularly so when they're quite straight. You, leaning forwards a tad and crooking your elbows has freed up your arms and taken out the resistance in them - that's why your steering suddenly feels free-er
You are also (again subconsciously) putting just an incy wincy bit more weight over your front wheel. What does your body weigh? 85+kilos? And of that your torso and head will weigh, what 60K ?? Go and pick three 20k olympic plates up in your gym!! (you wont - you won't be able to pick 'em up..) Imagine balancing those 3x20k plates somewhere on your bke - imagine moving that load and how by re-distributing it by just a few inches it would have such a dramatic effect on the feel of the bike.
You have worked out for yourself, by the benefit of play, that by crooking your arms and pitching yourself forward just a few inches it instantly feels better. That's down to a more planted front end (that just feels better) and flex and freedom in your arms.
Good!!
Sounds like I'm getting somewhere!!!
Have a go at bending your elbows sufficiently so that you lower arm is parallel to the ground. If it is too uncomfortable to do then you need to alter the position of your handlebars until it is comfortable. This might require bar risers or just rotating the bars slightly.
Deletedmemberjdcxxx
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Funny you should say that, I was watching a film about setting up your GS for standing up / off road riding where the bars are angled up to give a straight line from elbow to fingers across the clutch / brake levers. I tried this from a sitting position and ended up raising my bars around 20 - 25mm. This angles my forearms slightly downwards but its very comfortable.
I also saw a guy in this video who can really throw a GSA around and it really shows what the big bike can do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zX3B961Zio
I also saw a guy in this video who can really throw a GSA around and it really shows what the big bike can do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zX3B961Zio
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