Riding tip of the week.

[Caz]

Thats very useful to know, I always wondered where to put my bum

[goz1960]

My bum has never got me in trouble thank god.

[Dan505]

Never sit side saddle!

[Loops]

I'm a bit behind, but U'll add the following to tip 6 about carrying spare bulbs - wrap them in a bit of bubble wrap!
a) it stops your bike rattling them to pieces if the bike vibrates like my CG, and
b) you can then stuff them in a little gap somewhere e.g. under your seat, where they will be nice and safe. 8-)

[Mark_Able]

11. Weighting footpegs - the myth. Applying weight to the footpegs does not steer the bike. It helps with the overall turn, but does not make the bike change course. It helps stabilise the bike, as the weight is now lower down, lowering the centre of gravity, but it does not make the bike turn. If you went along at a reasonable speed, let go of the handlebars, and tried to make the bike turn by putting weight on one footpeg or the other, the best you'll get is a slight change in course. The bike won't lean over. The only way to make a bike lean is to counter-steer. Tip no.12 coming soon...

[Rooter]

Never overtake when there is a layby on the other side of the road....if anyone comes out of it they will be looking behind them and away from you!

This does happen from time to time on the A350 near Chippenham... :

[Mark_Able]

12. Where you look, is where you go. Most of you may have sussed this out already. If you look round the bend, you go round the bend. If you look at the hedge, you ride into the hedge. One of our main panic reactions, when things start going wrong in a corner, is to look where you 'think' you're going to go, not where you 'want' to go. Normally triggered by excessive speed, excessive lean angle, or a decreasing radius corner. Look around the bend by pointing your head as well as your eyes into the corner. Look at the 'vanishing point' (where the hedgerow on the nearside meets the hedgerow on the offside of the road). Watch the racers and you'll see how much they point the bonce into the bend. It also counts if you see a hazard in the bend, like a pile of horse poo. Keep looking at it, and you'll ride through it. This panic reaction is called 'fixed attention'. See the hazard well in advance, then forceably look one side or the other. Look at it and you'll be heading at it.

Which brings me to 13.....

[Mark_Able]

13. Panic reactions. We all panic from time to time. Why? Normally because you've misjudged a bend, and entered too fast, leant too much, and misjudged your talent. Every bend should be entered a little too slow, then progressively, you should accelerate through. By doing so, weight transfers to the fat rear tyre, giving you more grip, and taking weight from the skinny front tyre. Slowing in a bend does the opposite. Loading the front tyre is a sure way to a low side (as Biaggi used to do each time Rossi came up behind him).

If you think you're going too fast, or think you're leaning too much, not only will you close the throttle, but you'll also look in the wrong place, and probably tense up. Tensing up stops you from steering the bike. The only way to get round a corner is by looking where you're going, keeping the power on, and leaning more (achieved by counter-steering more). When you think you're going too fast, you're not. When you think you're leaning too much, you're not. I have yet to see anyone fall off a bike by leaning too far (some will disagree). I've only ever seen someone fall off because they've either closed the throttle or braked mid-corner, or because they've given it too much throttle (only on a track), and high sided themselves.

Think to yourself, it can't possibly be the bike, if someone else can do the same corner faster, without falling off. That other rider can only be doing something different. He's planned his corner, and entered at a speed where he can control his panic.

Remember, it's 'IN SLOW, OUT FAST'.

[Mark_Able]

14. Headlights. It's either off or on. Sidelights are pathetic. Nobody sees them, so why do some people insist on riding with just sidelights? Are you saving your headlight bulbs? Do you only want other road users to 'maybe' see you? I know most modern bikes have dipped headlights on permanently, but the old bikes are still switchable. Incidentally, there is the odd occasion where you are more visible without them on. If the sun is going down behind you, by switching off, you become silhouetted aginst the sun. Whereas, with your lights on, you become part of the glare.

[Jon_W]

14. Headlights. It's either off or on. Sidelights are pathetic. Nobody sees them, so why do some people insist on riding with just sidelights? Are you saving your headlight bulbs? Do you only want other road users to 'maybe' see you? I know most modern bikes have dipped headlights on permanently, but the old bikes are still switchable. Incidentally, there is the odd occasion where you are more visible without them on. If the sun is going down behind you, by switching off, you become silhouetted aginst the sun. Whereas, with your lights on, you become part of the glare.

When the alternator cannot keep up with the mainbeam and regardless, the main beam is useless to see with!!!!! ;D