What to do if your rear or front breaks lose in a turn.

[phuzzy3d]

Traveling through 9 and 84 and such I find that I'm leaning pretty steep. I'm trusting the tires are not going to break lose. But by chance it does be it be the front or the rear tire. What is the best solution to keep the bike under control and not resort to a low or highside crash?



Thanks,
phuzzy

 

[mikhail]

If you feel like your lean angle is too steep, slow down...or your next post may be in Crash Analysis.

 

[ucb]

Or pick up twist of the wrist I and II and learn about hanging off to reduce lean angle

However, if you feel you are at your limits of traction on 9 or 84, slow the hell down man.

 

[phuzzy3d]

I'm not going that fast speed limit or 10 over. I guess I meant more if it happens by running over some gravel, some leave some oil, or such things of that nature.

UCB: In the process of getting those books.

 

[Charmed]

Deploy your parachute

I'll let someone like Enchanter come in and give you the deal, but "controlling" something like a slide in unseen gravel or sand is part experience and part illusion. If you hit a bunch of gravel, way leaned over, at speed...you'll likely fall. If you catch a little with your rear and it steps out a bit, you'll likely correct before you know what happened and keep riding.

Keep your eyes open, don't trust pavement you can't see and keep your speeds reasonable

 

[Volcomism]

Deploy your parachute

I'll let someone like Enchanter come in and give you the deal, but "controlling" something like a slide in unseen gravel or sand is part experience and part illusion. If you hit a bunch of gravel, way leaned over, at speed...you'll likely fall. If you catch a little with your rear and it steps out a bit, you'll likely correct before you know what happened and keep riding.

Keep your eyes open, don't trust pavement you can't see and keep your speeds reasonable

Great advice here !

 

[ThinkFast]

I'm not going that fast speed limit or 10 over. I guess I meant more if it happens by running over some gravel, some leave some oil, or such things of that nature.

UCB: In the process of getting those books.

Two things:

1. "fast" is relative - (duh). There are corners where 35mph is too fast; and 60 mph is leaving a lot on the table (altho you're already speeding). So your first statement is not very meaningful.

2. oil, gravel, dead animals, lawn furniture, bumper fascia, 12v car batteries etc...I have seen all these (and more) in the middle of the lane I was travelling in. It is a road. Roads by definition are highly variable, unpredictable environments, even if it's a road "you know well." There is no such thing. Ride em all as if it was your first time and you will live longer.

 

[DiScoTeknix]

Maybe you need better front and rear breaks so they won't lose anymore.

Or maybe some play time in the dirt will give you an idea of what the bike feels like under low traction situations. And how to react and correct these situations.

 

[CBRMike83]

Or pick up twist of the wrist I and II and learn about hanging off to reduce lean angle

However, if you feel you are at your limits of traction on 9 or 84, slow the hell down man.

Yea AND HWY 9 AND 84 ARE NOT RACE TRACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[phuzzy3d]

Thanks for the info ThinkFast.

That might not be a bad idea the dirt riding. Maybe I can find a motocross track around here

 

[phuzzy3d]

Yea AND HWY 9 AND 84 ARE NOT RACE TRACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dove]

Traveling through 9 and 84 and such I find that I'm leaning pretty steep. I'm trusting the tires are not going to break lose. But by chance it does be it be the front or the rear tire. What is the best solution to keep the bike under control and not resort to a low or highside crash?



Thanks,
phuzzy

Great question that I try to answer at the track. I ride in a manner on the street that severly limits the possibility of this becoming an issue because it hurts a lot when you crash on the street. Cars, trees, guard rails, etc...

Dirt is a great idea as well...

 

[Zed10R]

Quick answer....but the circumstances in which you lose traction may or may not allow you to do this. Street conditions are so unpredictable...

1) Front end pushes = ease on teh gas to decrease teh load on teh front tire.

2) Rear end steps out = ease off the gas to decrease load on the rear.

3) Both ends pushing = hold 'er steady and try to decrease lean angle SMOOTHLY.

Just dont EVER panick. There is usually a way to recover from most instances of traction loss as long as you keep your head on straight and don't freeze up, target fixate, or freak out and bail.

oh...on a Gixxer 750 with decent rubber you should be scraping teh pegs before you need to worry about leaning too much. If you scrape pegs on 9.....think about how your mom will feel when the cops ask her to ID your body.

 

[ChopStx]

Quick answer....
Just dont EVER panic.

 

[afm199]

Quick answer....but the circumstances in which you lose traction may or may not allow you to do this. Street conditions are so unpredictable...

1) Front end pushes = ease on teh gas to decrease teh load on teh front tire.

2) Rear end steps out = ease off the gas to decrease load on the rear.

3) Both ends pushing = hold 'er steady and try to decrease lean angle SMOOTHLY.

Just dont EVER panick. There is usually a way to recover from most instances of traction loss as long as you keep your head on straight and don't freeze up, target fixate, or freak out and bail.

oh...on a Gixxer 750 with decent rubber you should be scraping teh pegs before you need to worry about leaning too much. If you scrape pegs on 9.....think about how your mom will feel when the cops ask her to ID your body.

If the front is pushing, usually keeping throttle steady will see you through it. If you are aggresively on throttle leaned over in a corner, you are nuts.

Ditto if the rear slides, maintain throttle or back off EVER SO SLIGHTLY, if you chop the throttle, it's all over.

 

[Zed10R]

If the front is pushing, usually keeping throttle steady will see you through it. If you are aggresively on throttle leaned over in a corner, you are nuts.

Ditto if the rear slides, maintain throttle or back off EVER SO SLIGHTLY, if you chop the throttle, it's all over.

I see I could have been a bit more precise in my use of words. I had the mind set of balancing traction with accleration or deceleration along with lean angle. IMO it goes without saying that "Agressively on the throttle when leaned over" and "chopping the throttle" when the rear steps out are no-no's, for sure. I just assume everyone knows that sudden, abrupt, or extreme input to a bike's controls are very upsetting to the machine, especially when traction is approaching it's limit.

If you find your bike is drifing out while breaking into your corner entry, do you not ease on the gas and off the breaks to tighten your line? Am I completely mistaken? It seems to work for me every time...:|

 

[Baptistro]

This is just a tough question to answer, as the manner and reason for the sliding will impact what to do to correct, or if it is even possible.

 

[Zed10R]

This is just a tough question to answer, as the manner and reason for the sliding will impact what to do to correct, or if it is even possible.

Hence my opening statment in my original reponse:

Quick answer....but the circumstances in which you lose traction may or may not allow you to do this. Street conditions are so unpredictable...

 

[DocWong]

Thought I'd throw my .02 here:

For most riders, unless they have had some good experience sliding around corners and playing with the throttle to weight or unweigh a wheel, are usually pretty freaked out to do any of the good advices above.

I'd suggest first forcing yourself to continue to look ahead up the road. Most riders panic when sliding and target fixate on where they are going to crash and then they of course do. By looking ahead, at least you don't make things worse.

Then typically the rider makes moves and motions that further make things worse. This can include:

1. Chopping the throttle. (This would also include hitting the brakes abruptly or unnecessarily) This is the abrupt closing of the throttle which then overloads the front wheel, lightens the rear wheel and as the bike slows down can catch and cause the bike to flip over on the highside or just lowsides.

2. Fixate on the crash site and actually steer one's bike off the road.

3. Get really stiff on the handlebars. This puts unnecessary input into the handlebars worsening bike stability.

4. Falling towards the inside of the turn with your body and inknowingly pushing down on the inside handlebar effectively countersteering right into hte ground. This is a common and unnoticed cause of low sides.

Here are my list of suggestions on what do do if you hit something slippery on the road...and you're already in the middle of the turn:

1. Force yourself to look ahead up the road to where you want to go. This sounds simple, but in semi-panic mode is quite a feat.

2. Keep light on the handlebars by keeping a good grip of the bike with your knees.

3. Weight the outside peg. I find this helpful in keeping the bike more upright as you're sliding.

4. Keep smooth, smooth smooth. Nothing abrupt as abrupt actions upset the bike and you loose traction quickly.

5. Usually continued gentle throttle is needed to keep the bike balanced in the low traction condition.

Hope this helps.

Doc Wong

 

[phuzzy3d]

Thought I'd throw my .02 here:

For most riders, unless they have had some good experience sliding around corners and playing with the throttle to weight or unweigh a wheel, are usually pretty freaked out to do any of the good advices above.

I'd suggest first forcing yourself to continue to look ahead up the road. Most riders panic when sliding and target fixate on where they are going to crash and then they of course do. By looking ahead, at least you don't make things worse.

Then typically the rider makes moves and motions that further make things worse. This can include:

1. Chopping the throttle. (This would also include hitting the brakes abruptly or unnecessarily) This is the abrupt closing of the throttle which then overloads the front wheel, lightens the rear wheel and as the bike slows down can catch and cause the bike to flip over on the highside or just lowsides.

2. Fixate on the crash site and actually steer one's bike off the road.

3. Get really stiff on the handlebars. This puts unnecessary input into the handlebars worsening bike stability.

4. Falling towards the inside of the turn with your body and inknowingly pushing down on the inside handlebar effectively countersteering right into hte ground. This is a common and unnoticed cause of low sides.

Here are my list of suggestions on what do do if you hit something slippery on the road...and you're already in the middle of the turn:

1. Force yourself to look ahead up the road to where you want to go. This sounds simple, but in semi-panic mode is quite a feat.

2. Keep light on the handlebars by keeping a good grip of the bike with your knees.

3. Weight the outside peg. I find this helpful in keeping the bike more upright as you're sliding.

4. Keep smooth, smooth smooth. Nothing abrupt as abrupt actions upset the bike and you loose traction quickly.

5. Usually continued gentle throttle is needed to keep the bike balanced in the low traction condition.

Hope this helps.

Doc Wong

Thanks Doc very much those where the answers I was looking for! You've been a great help thanks again.

Anyone know of a flat hard surface dirt area around the bay area that is big enough to try some traction control exercises?