Riding loose

[chukwu]

Ok, Im a new rider I started nov I took the training course and all that jazz. lately, I realized I've been riding really tight because I could feel the bump of the road and driving over 25 feels like im moving at the speed of light. Now that im thinking about how I ride it's a bit awkward holding my handlebars it's there a trick to forcing myself to hold it correctly I heard of the Swervedriver thing but I don't understand

 

[Butch]

Some folks grip the tank with their knees.

My style is weight on the pegs and a firm grip on the bars, but otherwise I let the bike move around a bit, with my ass lightly on the seat.

This is in the twisties. No comment in slabbing. I suppose if I had to ride in traffic much weight would on the pegs as I maintain vigilance.

I stand almost 100% when riding a dirtbike. And my ‘tard.

 

[stangmx13]

if 25+ feels like the speed of light, I bet most of your issue is in your head. overly stressing, freaking out, or being anxious or nervous can easily increase your sensation of speed and make it very difficult to ride well. and of course, u cant expect your body to be relaxed and loose if your mind isnt as well.

as for grip, everyone has their own style so its hard to recommend something specific. just make sure you don't lock your elbows or wrists and you've adjusted your levers. the screwdriver method is mostly for hanging off really far and track use. so it prob doesnt apply to u now.

some awkwardness in trying to ride loose probably comes from how hard u are holding on. if u are gripping tightly to actually hold yourself on to the bike, u probably need to support your weight another way as Butch suggested. using your legs and core are the best ways to take weight off your hands. however, if you are gripping tightly because u are stressed, that goes back to my first point.

 

[Gary856]

Riding loose for beginners means loosening your grips, bending your elbows, crouching your upper body slightly to absorb the bike's movements and impacts, sort of rolling with the punches. If you're about to hit a hard dip or a pothole, rising up slightly from your seat and using your knees/legs to absorb some of the impact, allowing the bike to bounce and jiggle without adding unneeded input from your uncontrolled weight transferring into the handlebars.

Holding the throttle like a screwdriver to me means when you're in a hard left turn, with the left grip forward and the right grip very close to your body so your right arm would be crowding against your body if you kept your grip perpendicular to the throttle. Instead, you'd angle your grip to hold the throttle like how you'd hold a screwdriver (or a stick or a flashlight) pointing toward your 10 o'clock. People use "screwdriver" to describe this grip angle since you twist the throttle like you would with a screwdriver.

 

[Enchanter]

Ok, Im a new rider I started nov I took the training course and all that jazz. lately, I realized I've been riding really tight because I could feel the bump of the road and driving over 25 feels like im moving at the speed of light. Now that im thinking about how I ride it's a bit awkward holding my handlebars it's there a trick to forcing myself to hold it correctly I heard of the Swervedriver thing but I don't understand

A tight grip / tense muscles is usually a symptom of a different issue rather than the actual problem itself.

For new riders, this is almost always caused by the failure to look farther / far enough ahead. The sensation of (high) speed will diminish if you get your head and eyes up and look at the horizon and not down at the road surface. Once it appears that you aren't speeding, you will likely relax your grip and stress level will drop too.

Another thing I have seen is newer riders concentrating on their actual speed, i.e. looking at the speedometer. If you are doing that, a temporary trick to that is to put some tape over it so that you cannot see the actual speed.

 

[chukwu]

Damn thanks for the advice there all great. I need to work on holding the bike with other parts other than my hands or legs and thighs... and looking ahead yea I look at the speed thermometer a lot so I need to tape that (that's a bit scary). ok, im going to read the thread every day and practice once the roads aren't wet anymore.

 

[Underdog]

Remember to breath. Bend your elbows.

 

[Maddevill]

Re read what Enchanter said. 100% correct. When you're a new rider you tend to look right in front of the bike. This gives your brain no time to take in all the info sent from the eyes. If you have a High Visual Horizon, you give yourself more time to absorb the info. A High Horizon operates almost like looking into the future. The farther you look ahead, the more time you give yourself to absorb and adapt.

Mad

 

[motomania2007]

What Enchanter said is spot on!

If you need help with that, I suggest taking the Intermediate Riding Clinic at one of your local CMSP training ranges. This is one of the main things taught in the IRC and it helps newish and not so newish riders tackle this issue.

 

[Junkie]

Sounds like you need to have a few beers to relax

How much have you ridden so far?

I agree with other people that looking farther ahead is a good idea.

What Enchanter said is spot on!

If you need help with that, I suggest taking the Intermediate Riding Clinic at one of your local CMSP training ranges. This is one of the main things taught in the IRC and it helps newish and not so newish riders tackle this issue.

It sounds to me like he isn't ready for IRC yet

 

[budman]

I agree.. good advice above. Eyes up!!

I will add...are you wearing earplugs?? Wind noise getting baffled down helps you focus and takes away some of that feeling of ludicrous speed.

 

[stangmx13]

I will add...are you wearing earplugs?? Wind noise getting baffled down helps you focus and takes away some of that feeling of ludicrous speed.

thats a good point. I accidentally did a sighting lap on track without earplugs. holy fuck it was loud and felt really fast. it was also impossible to concentrate with that extra sensory input.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Something I've read in multiple places is to occasionally flap your elbows as if they were wings or something to make sure you're keeping your arms loose. I still occasionally tighten up for some reason and as soon as I notice it I start flapping my arms as a reminder. How tightly hour hands are holding the grips is an independent issue.

 

[HadesOmega]

Rawhyde Adventure had a little seminar at SJ BMW and they mentioned that you want to be tense on the motorcycle because if you hit a bump or something you are more likely to loose control of the bike because you will jerk the bike where your body is moving. If you are loose your body will kind of absorb the impact rather than trying to counteract it and the bike will stay on course. He even demonstrated this on a R1200GS inside that wasn't on.

Also I am guilty of being a white knuckle rider. If you are tense you will tire yourself out also.

 

[motomania2007]

Sounds like you need to have a few beers to relax

How much have you ridden so far?

I agree with other people that looking farther ahead is a good idea.It sounds to me like he isn't ready for IRC yet

The IRC can be used very early. One version of the IRC is day 3 of the MTC.

 

[chukwu]

I road again today... it was much better than my past attempts.. I believe I went 30 35ish.. I didn’t really look at my speed I just tried to keep my head up... I messed up at a stop sign tho.. I believe it was because I didn’t roll my throttle.. also I when to the 3 gear for the first time.. I was a weird.. overall I feel I progressed (other then that stop sign thing) man thanks if u have anymore advice I’m all ears and I think I will take another msp course so I’m ready to ride to school when my semester starts..

 

[afm199]

A tight grip / tense muscles is usually a symptom of a different issue rather than the actual problem itself.

For new riders, this is almost always caused by the failure to look farther / far enough ahead. The sensation of (high) speed will diminish if you get your head and eyes up and look at the horizon and not down at the road surface. Once it appears that you aren't speeding, you will likely relax your grip and stress level will drop too.

Another thing I have seen is newer riders concentrating on their actual speed, i.e. looking at the speedometer. If you are doing that, a temporary trick to that is to put some tape over it so that you cannot see the actual speed.

This.

 

[Junkie]

When you say that you messed up at a stop sign, you mean that you stalled?

 

[chukwu]

When you say that you messed up at a stop sign, you mean that you stalled?

No I just couldn’t slow down and stop completely... I believe it’s because I didn’t drop my gears before reaching the stop sign.. I was still on 3rd...

 

[Junkie]

No I just couldn’t slow down and stop completely... I believe it’s because I didn’t drop my gears before reaching the stop sign.. I was still on 3rd...

Even if you're in 3rd, you can pull in the clutch and come to a stop.

If your skill level is such that you're accidentally blowing stop signs, I think you need significantly more practice in parking lots before doing any more riding on the street.