U-turn radius?

[jakmobile]

Quick ? guys....

I'm going to take my riders test tomorrow and I believe one of the parts is that I have to make a u-turn within an area about 2 parking spaces wide.  I have tried everything I can think and I just can't do it.  I even tried to walk the bike with the handle bars locked against the tank and that won't even make it.  Has anyone else had this problem and/or when I go for the test will they make the area wider to compensate for the type of bike?

BTW I have a gs500f.

[Zarathustra]

i don't know the exact size of the u-turn field, but i don't remember it being too difficult.  trying sliding your ass off the seat to the side you want to turn, and then looking backwards over that shoulder, while turning feathering the clutch.  that's how i do it anyway, and it's always worked for me.

[glenn9171]

Counterbalance is the only way it will turn sharp.  In the MSF course they teach you to counterweight yourself against the lean of the bike.  It makes the bike lean towards the turn more without falling over at low speeds.  Plus, don't look down at where you are.  Look BACK over your shoulder at where you want to go.  Practice both of these and you can almost get it turned around in one parking space.

If you are turning to your left, lean the bike way over to the left.  Stand up a bit with your butt off the seat some and leanway to your right.  Now look back over your left shoulder....no, more than that.    *Way* back behind you.  Keep enough speed that the bike doesn't want to stall and fall over, but not too much that you run wide in the turn.

Practice all of this and you will be fine on the test.

[Hi-T]

Exactly what the last guy said

Another drill- Find an empty parking lot.  Place an object and begin to ride circles around it.  Here's the tricky part. Never take your eyes off it.  Don't look forward or look down- just at the object.  Two things happen- it'll help you look through turns and your turn radius will decrease.

Also try practicing circles standing completely on the pegs (like you would on a bicycle.) You'll get a better feel to how the weight of the bike can be manuverred.

[Zarathustra]

oops yeah, lean away from the turn, not into it.  if you leaned in, you'd fall over.  oops.

[ghettorigged]

yeah, what those guys said!

Bascially MSF teaches you to turn your head and look to the point at the end of the turn... so, in reality it's almost turning your head to look at the spot where you started in order to achieve the tight turn. It's a weird feeling to turn your head so FAR but it's the only way it will happen. If you look at each little step of the turn, it will be too wide. Also, remember to counterbalance and maybe slide a butt-cheek off the seat to help.

Good luck!  

[Woz]

Quick ? guys....

I believe one of the parts is that I have to make a u-turn within an area about 2 parking spaces wide.  I have tried everything I can think and I just can't do it.  I even tried to walk the bike with the handle bars locked against the tank and that won't even make it.  

Over here in the UK when it comes to the u-turn in the test the examiner asks you to get off and walk the bike through the turn first.  If the bike doesn't make it, you get back on and ride until he finds a wider road.

Repeat as necessary until he finds one that the bike will turn in.

Or, if you are lucky (like I was), he takes you to a road so wide that a semi could make a u-turn in one go.  

Ps. Good luck.