Look no hands! I know its dumb but....

[McJim]

Snap!

I also do this, mostly after riding for a while on the open road and on entering a town take my hands off the bars to flex my fingers, stretch my arms and lean back for several seconds.

Also give me time to check my fingerless gloves are still done up and looking cool...

Engine braking isn't your problem though - tassle braking is your issue

[scumdog]

Engine braking isn't your problem though - tassle braking is your issue

Hey - tassles are my secret stability control device -ok?!!

[kiwibryn]

I got a sticky throttle, it stays where I want it so no hands is easy... not often and only when I am unsure of what the last corrugated corner has done to my alignment.
BTW, if ya wanna scare the shit out of ya friends, make ya throttle sticky, get used to it so it looks like a normal one under use... then swap bikes on a run.... ya better be confident of ya mates riding ability, tho...

[SPman]

Cornering with no hands scares oncoming traffic somewhat...so I've been told.

It's fun though.......

[CB ARGH]

Used to do it on the old XR200, click it into neutral and away she goes (obviously down a hill).

[Chad]

I do this too on my CBR250, can be nice for a quick back and wrist stretch on long rides. And as someone mentioned above, having a slightly sticky throttle can keep the bike going for ages with no hands :P although this also led to my first off when I stuck halfway through a right hander, back wheel hit a bump and down I went... all fun and games.

and as to why the bike stays stable and upright with no hands, all comes down to centripetal or centrifugal force (one of the two anyway). Have you seen the trick where someone stands on a rotating platform and holds a spinning bike wheel in their hands. Its hard for them to turn it side to side from upright, and if they do it causes them to turn in that direction.

Bike is just the same, but with heavier wheels so the forces are greater. The bike wants to stay upright and going straight. If you could do it well, you could jump right off and the bike should just keep going straight ahead by its self, as long as everything is all plumb. Although I'm not so keen to actually test that one...

[mbazza]

I do this but only down hill. I've only been able to do it with my last two bikes as they are new and stable.
There is little engine breaking and it's fun to control the bike with the body and knees.

If a want a real thrill!!!!!!!!! I'll do it for a nanosecond on the scooter.

No hands improves my brain and my balance.

(Yeah, I know I could do with heaps of brain improvement!)

Cheers

[XP@]

i know some motorcycles (Dont ask me which) have an idle speed adjuster on the handle bars so by increasing it allow the bike to move forward from the high idle, As for people like myself that have no idle adjuster use a higher gear you get a longer roll! but be careful!!

I thought all bikes had idle adjusters...

Fuel injected bikes may not need one, but every bike i have had has a choke. For maximum time hands off, make sure you are in a high gear, open the choke full and let go...

Don't start by standing up and putting your hands behind your head, baby steps first. Also watch the speed, fast is good unless your wheels are unbalanced.

Because your right hand is doing most of the work you may want to rest / flex it without stopping. It may sound daft, but to get the most time off the bars for your right hand pull in the clutch before you let go of the throttle, its amazing how long you can coast for...

[Freakshow]

Top gear and choke on the bike can hold 50km which is helpful when bored!

[marioc]

Yep I did not muster up the courage to do it for ages,but once I did it was not a lot different to riding my mountain bike with no hands

[FJRider]

i know some motorcycles have an idle speed adjuster on the handle bars so by increasing it allow the bike to move forward from the high idle.

NOT a recomended thing to suggest...or do. The extra rev's can play havoc with gear changes when the clutch comes in...

[mouldy]

Damn straight - probably easier on a big fat tourer than a light little 250...

Nup makes no differnce , can almost but not quite come to a no hander full stop on either 'blade or shitbox 250

[skidMark]

I do this a lot...

lol......

Ahhh it should engine brake alot less in higher gears to answer the thread starters question....

it gets fun when it goes into a tank slapper off a bump too!!!!

[dpex]

I have to admit, I do this, when going downhill, sometimes. I have this issue with my bike, or me...most likely me.... rolling a bit from side to side at slow speed (under 40ks) I suspect it's me being all tense, so now and again, on selected hills, when there's nobody elese around, I sit up, hands off. I can't last more than about three seconds. Which kind've proves to me that the rolling around is caused by my lack of balance. ASnd so to test any potential improvement, I do the hands off thing.

Dumb, maybe. But at least it shows my progress rate.....Not good, yet. :--((((

Oddly enough, I find I can sit up like Jackie with a full tank, but a half tank and less and I get three seconds if I'm lucky.
Cheers
David.