Heavy bike technique question

[marks]

thanks for all the answers guys

it seems the solution is to keep standing and fit an ejector seat for those shitcake moments

[XF650]

Standing requires strong & secure foot peg mounts.
Are you still messing with yours Mark?

[marks]

Standing requires strong & secure foot peg mounts.
Are you still messing with yours Mark?

I have nice wide serrated pegs fitted on standard brackets at the moment.

If I'd had those lowering brackets fitted I wouldn't have had any footpegs at all after Odlins Rd.

I will get some new lower brackets made that don't hang below the frame at some point - lower pegs make dabbing while standing less likely to result in knee surgery

[warewolf]

And it's really cool vid as well

"O" for awesome!!

[motorbyclist]

now while i do realise motox bikes aren't exactly heavy, i suspect the notion of "don't sit down" holds true as much as it does there as anywhere else... sure my YZ400f 'seat' is really just for paddding between me and the frame whereas yours is an actual seat, but the fact is if you sit on the seat you're going to get thrown around as much as the bike is, and when you're standing you can better position the bike to keep it upright. if it falls over you're going too slow

although i suspect dodgy knees aren't up to standing with one foot out as you tear around a whooped up and/or rocky corner, a heavier bike requires more strength, and by standing you've got a better chance of managing it to keep it upright in the first place. if your knees aren't up to the task, perhaps you should go back to a lighter wr? - it may save your riding career from an otherwise surgical end...


even on a sprotsbike I tend to spend very little time on the seat and most your time sliding across it, and my knees get pretty sore as aresult of all the work while being folded up to fit on the bike - and i'm still 19

[Padmei]

if it falls over you're going too slow

Fuck off - that's the most wankished statement I've ever heard.

[warewolf]

Also a classic Gassit: (sorry can't find just the cartoon frame itself)

I was speeding because... bikes fall over if you don't go fast!

[Paladin]

Not exactly your question but look at this pay attention to second 1:56. It applies the technique I mentioned last Sunday (the one on the dvd "Dual Sport Techniques").

And other points mentioned here

And it's really cool vid as well

Cool vid Pampa, although I now feel like I am a total wimp on the bike!!!

[tri boy]

Foook those Red Bull beasties have some serious suspension.
I think I got 1/2 mongrel in ma pants for a Katoom for a sec.

[dino3310]

well mate how longs a piece of string, everybody's got there own styles, techniques and quirks then theres bike set up blah blah blah blah blah the list go's on, at the end of the day you'll find the best technique for you, i practice on a rd not far from hams that is quite a challange at speed so i get out there as much as i can to work out some kinks in my own techniques- i still ride like a nana but i'm slowly getting faster with less close calls.
these bigger bikes are certainally a lot harder to throw around but its still a shit load of fun.

[Woodman]

Speed ain't everythin, its not a race. Would love to see those ktm guys on stock KLRs. I know they would still humble the shit outta me. They make it look easy aye. They do powerslides at will where if I do one I tell the wife about it when I get home. She is pretty good at looking as though she gives a shit.

[Padmei]

Speed ain't everythin, its not a race. Would love to see those ktm guys on stock KLRs. I know they would still humble the shit outta me. They make it look easy aye. They do powerslides at will where if I do one I tell the wife about it when I get home. She is pretty good at looking as though she gives a shit.

do you get the "oh thats nice dear " too

[motorbyclist]

Fuck off - that's the most wankished statement I've ever heard.

did i not mention i'm talking moto-x, possibly the 3rd most wankish past time right after harleys and boy racers? it's the sort of thing where you actually see people trying to clean their bikes between races and have matching uniforms and bikes with their friends

and fyi i find carrying some speed/momentum is invaluable in many situations, though i'll admit speed isn't that useful once you've royally fucked it up anyway

[CrazyFrog]

There's some basic laws of physics/gravity going on when seated/standing and the amount of travel you get from your suspension....ie sag etc. Being seated puts more weight on the rear and makes the front lighter, good for easy terrain or tractoring it up climbs slowly.
Standing weights the front more, allowing more grip, more positve feel from ya tyre (also makes it easier to bail from). You also raise your C.O.G, making the bike more top heavy, somewhat easier to tip into corners. Your legs act as extra shock absorbers when standing on the rough stuff = better bike handling, beacuse you're less likely to bottom out.
A bike with very well set up suspension can be ridden so much harder than an undersuspended, or badly set up, and/or heavy bike. Some animals can still ride these bikes very well, they're just tend to be familiar with their machine and it's limits and ride accordingly. I only wish I was a suspension expert.......
Some of you have prob seen some of the loose stuff guys post on YouTube on KTM950's. Not light by any means, just well set up!

[Tony W]

One of the coolest riders of " big " bikes I have seen, is JAVAHEAD on the 1150 GS Adv.
He is poetry in motion on that BMW of his. He stands up virtually full time when the going gets fast or tough.
If you could get a comment out of him I'm sure it would be interesting.