Good riding habits.

[sunhuntin]

For intersections I tend to try and slow gradually ahead of time and snick down through the gearbox as the revs drop. Hardly ever need to get all the way to 1st though - usually just clutch it as I coast to a stop and bang down the last 2 or 3 gears quickly before reaching a complete stop.
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thats what i do also. if i can, i pull the clutch in and coast along, gently braking with my foot and also flicking down gears. my right foot goes down followed by the left if needed, while the final braking is taken over by my hand.
little trick i learned while overseas with my ex, he would slow right down when approaching red lights, giving it just enough throttle to hold its balance and not stall. generally there was no need for him to put his feet down as by the time we got there, the lights were green, lol. im slowly trying to master this myself, but a bit tricky to get the timing right.

corners, im still trying to master. sometimes i sink into a zone and my bike is fluid around them. other days im all over the show. lol. i also tend to use engine braking and throttle in gently and give her a twist coming out. slowly in, fast out.

[gijoe1313]

Good to hear about the approach to intersections and red lights. I've taken to tapping on my rear brake to give cagers behind plenty of warning to slow down - however, how do people have their mirrors arranged? I find it hard to see directly behind me unless I lift my elbows - and that looks ridiculous! The view angle means I can see cagers in my 5 and 7'oclock arc but in my 6...nuppers!

Hmmm should this be in another thread?

[Jeaves]

Good to hear about the approach to intersections and red lights. I've taken to tapping on my rear brake to give cagers behind plenty of warning to slow down - however, how do people have their mirrors arranged? I find it hard to see directly behind me unless I lift my elbows - and that looks ridiculous! The view angle means I can see cagers in my 5 and 7'oclock arc but in my 6...nuppers!

Hmmm should this be in another thread?

I also find it hard seeing whats happening behind with my mirrors (no matter how i adjust/change the angle of em) and ill usually tuck my arms in to see as much as poss .

I found turning my head quickly to have a look as being the only sure way to know(i guess its standard procedure anyhow?)

[Posh Tourer :P]

light goes red when im say 15 meters from it, i could stop no problem, but mum in her 1500kg Suv up my backside would have no chance of shedding all that momentum in time, point being check behind you before stopping quickly.

Been there done that..... Heard the squeal of tyres on tarmac behind me, and let off the brakes before he hit me..... Definitely not a good idea to brake hard (ish) with a tailgater. 1500kg is pretty light for an SUV isnt it? Closer to 2tonne a few of them are.....

[Ixion]

Good to hear about the approach to intersections and red lights. I've taken to tapping on my rear brake to give cagers behind plenty of warning to slow down - however, how do people have their mirrors arranged? I find it hard to see directly behind me unless I lift my elbows - and that looks ridiculous! The view angle means I can see cagers in my 5 and 7'oclock arc but in my 6...nuppers!

Hmmm should this be in another thread?

When you stop at the rear of a line of traffic, always stop on a bit of an angle . That way (a) you are facing toward your bolthole between the rows of cars , or to the side, ready to nip in there if necessary; instead of facing directly onto the rear of the cage in front; and (b) you get a good view behind in your mirrors.It's easy to straighten out as you move off.

(It's prolly easier for cars to see you there too, a slightly side on profile is more visible than a direct rear one. )

[toymachine]

Some good tips there..

Perhaps a bit of a different way to approach the thread... what are some big no-no's with regards to bike control etc?

[judecatmad]

When you stop at the rear of a line of traffic, always stop on a bit of an angle . That way (a) you are facing toward your bolthole between the rows of cars , or to the side, ready to nip in there if necessary; instead of facing directly onto the rear of the cage in front; and (b) you get a good view behind in your mirrors.It's easy to straighten out as you move off.

(It's prolly easier for cars to see you there too, a slightly side on profile is more visible than a direct rear one. )

That's good advice, thanks. I'd never thought about that before.

There's so much to learn about a simple thing like stopping at traffic lights!

As far as the mirrors thing goes, how does everyone deal with pulling out into traffic when you've stopped at the side of the road? It's almost impossible to wait for a completely clear patch on SH2 but the GN250 really doesn't have any oomph... In the winter I've been finding I'm so bundled up that I can't really turn my head too much but relying on my mirrors is a bit hit and miss and I have to be honest I had one close call a few weeks back when I totally misjudged how far away the 4wd coming up behind me was, and also how fast he was going.

Maybe I should start a new thread for this one? It is a bit off the original topic...sorry.

[Ixion]

..
As far as the mirrors thing goes, how does everyone deal with pulling out into traffic when you've stopped at the side of the road? It's almost impossible to wait for a completely clear patch on SH2 but the GN250 really doesn't have any oomph... ..

In that situation, on a low powered machine, I would ride along the road shoulder until I had built up some speed. GN is good on gravel, just watch for a lip when crossing from the shoulder to the seal. Once up to speed it's the same as any other merge.

[judecatmad]

In that situation, on a low powered machine, I would ride along the road shoulder until I had built up some speed. GN is good on gravel, just watch for a lip when crossing from the shoulder to the seal. Once up to speed it's the same as any other merge.

Thanks for that - a bit of a no-brainer I guess. Hubby's got me sh!t scared of gravel cos he came off my bike when we'd had it about, ooh, 2 weeks! He hit a patch of gravel at low speed going around a corner. I might just have to push the boundaries a bit - I think that's what holds me back.

Thanks again tho

[terbang]

Also, if I find mid corner i'm in too high a gear, is it safe to downshift or is liable to stuff me up?

The trick is to be in the right gear prior to banking fully so that as you wrack it on during the exit you have plenty of power to accelerate you away. Of course we are not all aces and often end up in a corner in too taller (higher) gear and as we roll on the throttle there is nobody home and all yer mates whizz by.! Downshifting while banked over in the corner can be a bid dodgey as it will change the bikes stability and could risk a rear wheel lockup. What I do in such situations is roll on the power, initially accepting the wrong gear until the bike is starting to straighten and then make a neat little down shift (or two) whilst under acceleration.

[Ixion]

Yes, what he said. It is best if in too high a gear to live with it until the exit then change down if necessary. Changing down midcorner risks a wheel lock up on a four stroke , which could be disconcerting even if only momentary, or a sudden jump into the power band on a two stroke.Also disconcerting.

Having said that, it can be done. And is. Just maybe best to keep until a bit experienced.

[terbang]

I've taken to tapping on my rear brake to give cagers behind plenty of warning to slow down - however, how do people have their mirrors arranged?

This works well on the open road as well. If you are unsure or suspicious with a situation that may require you to stop in a hurry then the first stage of braking is the setup. This is where you gently feel the brakes in preparation for the big stop.! This has the effect of taking the slack out of the suspension and drive chain towards retardation (rather than driving), it gently changes the GofG and also puts you, the rider, into a stance for a possible big stop. As a bonus you get to warn those sleeping behind you that you may be about to hit the picks in the very near future.. The normal sequence should naturally go like this: Recognise->Setup->Brake! Have a practise some time and you will (be careful) find that just hitting the picks without a setup will most certainly end up in an early skid.

[terbang]

Hubby's got me sh!t scared of gravel cos he came off my bike when we'd had it about, ooh, 2 weeks! - I think that's what holds me back.
Thanks again tho

The best advice I could offer here is to find an old dirt bike and a muddy old paddock and go out there and have fun.

[terbang]

Ok you asked for it here is my Hobby horse..

When riding any motorcycle you need to develop and maintain (this means thinking about them all the time) 3 basic skills.
(1) Handling skills. Get out there in carparks or paddocks and know your machine and how to handle it well in normal and emergency manouvres.
(2) Mental skills. Read the road, be aware of the traffic, navigate accurately, maintain a state of high "Situational Awareness" and adjust your riding style accordingly.
(3) Self Control Skills (the biggie). Fairly self explanatory really. Ride your own ride, know and dont exceed your own and your bikes limitations..

[Leong]

Just had my first scenic drive blat, got to nod a few other riders going past which was a bit of a highlight Awesome fun, way more then when it was my regular hoon route in my cage.

Lots of good stuff here!! My 2c... In the early stages stick to roads you know. Sounds like you were a bit of a hoon in the cage (like me), so you'll probably have a few favourite roads you know well and can enjoy on the bike. Nothing worse than carrying too much speed into an unfamiliar corner that tightens up on you, before you've developed the instinct to lean further yet!! Especially bad on left handers with approaching traffic!