Basic skills

[Tigadee]

This American one is also helpful and typical of Americans, is straightforward and simple to understand.
http://www.youtube.com/user/motorman857

[superjackal]

yes, and will answer most of your questions and give you some things you can practice on your own. It will teach you a save way to practice your emergency stops too

Well, I did it. Took the novice Rideforever course last Friday. Well worth the time and money. The instructors are experienced and clearly passionate about motorcycles. Made everyone feel very welcome and had time for any questions you wanted to ask, no matter how dumb. Got my mojo back big time afterwards. In particular, the ability to practice high speed stops and cornering/handling at the abandoned suburb in Upper Hutt was superb. Got some great feedback from the instructors which was confidence boosting.

Thoroughly recommend to anyone thinking about it. I going to sign up for the next course, for sure.

[Maki]

For example, I check my rear mirrors a lot and I’m finding it can be dangerous should traffic come to a complete stop in front. I’m checking then looking over my shoulder to check the blind spots. A colleague recommend a downwards glance over your shoulder as a better way. Is there a proper technique or safe way to do it?

When shifting, I lift off the accelerator completely as my wrist isn’t that flexible and the accelerator grip has a long travel on my bike. Do you lift your hand off completely or twist it forward? I’m finding the new bike gets a bit unsettled so I must be shifting my weight too much. I also wondering whether I move my left leg too much. Little movements as much as possible the key?

Motorway/emergency braking, I’ve not had much luck with emergency stopping. Very nervous to try anything drastic. For example, in a car you brake to shift the weight of the car to the front wheels then modulate your brakes. It’s different on a bike as you have the front and rear. What’s good technique?

Be careful about checking your mirrors. You don't want to end up plastered onto the rear of a truck because you were looking at your mirrors.

Just flick your wrist forward while shifting, no need to come off the throttle completely.

Let your bike compress the forks, shift the weight to the front wheel, and then modulate the brakes. If you are braking really hard, forget about the rear brake unless you are riding some kind of cruiser. On most bikes almost all the weight shifts to the front when braking so if you brake with the rear all you will achieve is a locked rear wheel.

[superjackal]

Be careful about checking your mirrors. You don't want to end up plastered onto the rear of a truck because you were looking at your mirrors.

Just flick your wrist forward while shifting, no need to come off the throttle completely.

Let your bike compress the forks, shift the weight to the front wheel, and then modulate the brakes. If you are braking really hard, forget about the rear brake unless you are riding some kind of cruiser. On most bikes almost all the weight shifts to the front when braking so if you brake with the rear all you will achieve is a locked rear wheel.

Good advice thanks.

I'm curious about not coming off the throttle completely. Maybe it's habit from driving an old sports car but I tend to let the revs drop and let the syncro take care of the rest?

I find the rear helpful as an after-thought. Concventrate on the front then balance with the rear?

[Maki]

Good advice thanks.

I'm curious about not coming off the throttle completely. Maybe it's habit from driving an old sports car but I tend to let the revs drop and let the syncro take care of the rest?

I find the rear helpful as an after-thought. Concventrate on the front then balance with the rear?

"Most all of the gearboxes on motorcycles are " constant mesh ". That means all the gears are constantly meshed with one another and are always spinning. Because of this, there are no synchros to speed up the gears when they engage, like there are in automotive gearboxes."
http://www.dansmc.com/gearbox.htm

Yes, matching revs is good. If you let the revs drop all the way down and try to shift, then chances are the revs are not well matched. If you want to learn how to match revs really well, try to do smooth clutch less up-shifts. If done correctly the shifts will be perfectly smooth.

For normal braking using the rear is fine. For hard panic braking just concentrate on the front.