TT RDHS wrote:Caroanbill wrote:
Just to check it out, I did some low speed FULL LOCK figure eights in my parking lot today. What you said makes a lot of sense.
Although, personally, I still feel more comfortable doing it using the front brake (rather than the rear). Unless I'm in a low traction situation.(like dirt, etc.)
But I see the logic there.
Be careful with touching the front brake on any bike performing low speed maneuvers. Two things will get you doing the "MSF Box" or the wide weave maneuvers:
1. Using the front brake will cause the bike to fall into the turn in the direction the bars are turned, and dump you on the ground hard. Rear brake only in tight low speed turns.
2. Pulling in the clutch fully. As long as the engine is driving the rear wheel the bike will hold itself up. When you pull in the clutch fully, the bike will fall into the turn.
As an aside to the front brake situation, remember that you must always square the bars when making a quick stop or the bike will tend to pull hard in the direction the front wheel is turned, resulting in a dump.
Counterweighting is easy to do on the RR; Simply slide over to the outside of the turn you want to make, put most of your weight on the outside peg by pressing hard with your foot, and then look as far over your shoulder into the turn as you can. The head turn is the trick; the farther back you look, the tighter your turn will be. Notice that when you do this, your butt and most of your body will tend to rotate to the outside of the centerline of the bike and improve the counterweighting.
One other thing that people have trouble with in the box maneuver: Part of the trick to a good turn is to have a little bit of speed in order for the bike to hold itself up. It is much easier to do a tight U-Turn moving faster than it is to do it dead slow.
I pretty regularly make drink money betting the HD guys that their big Ultra's can make the 20 Foot wide U-Turn box . They will readily plunk down $$$ betting the bike cannot make the turn
