U-Turns

[z315]

Hey now guys,

back when i took the MSF course, i had no trouble doing that box drill with the rebel bike that was issued to me. but now with the GS, i just can't to get the same technique down, it seems very chaoic and not in control. dose anybody has any tip and advice,  should i try standing on the pegs when i do my U turns? thank you in advance

it's a silly question i know, but i rather ask here then drop it in a busy intersection.

[Jared]

You're kidding about standing on the pegs right....?

How long ago did you take the MSF course? Look where you want to go- eyes level with the horizon... steady hand on the throttle...and go.

[Phaedrus]

hehe, don't stand on the pegs. Unless you plan on doing some squidly tricks or something 

I think you just need practice, and remember to keep it slow and in low gear.

[solarpulse]

honestly i have never done the box thing on my bike..... never seen the point honestly... why would you be doing the box in a busy intersection?  and if you are doing a U-turn im sure you will have more space then a car width.... 

[makenzie71]

honestly i have never done the box thing on my bike..... never seen the point honestly... why would you be doing the box in a busy intersection?  and if you are doing a U-turn im sure you will have more space then a car width.... 

Not do it in an intersection, but it's good practice to be able to do it.

Standing on the pegs is usually advice given to noobs by dirtriders to help maintain slow-speed balance during tight manuevers.  Theory is you use your body's higher weight to balance the bike and give allow you a more aggressive lean and use of more tire surface.  Only vaguely applicable in the dirt, and stupid on the street...actually typically impossible considering the builds of most bikes.

First you have to understand that bikes do actually have a minimum turning radius.  Trying to defeat said radius with break things.  Now if you're trying a wider radius and are having trouble the best thing you can do is to practice and practice and practice.  Just grab a couple of road cones, find an empty parking lot, and just do figure 8's around them over and over and try to make them progressively tighter.  It's not something you'll be able to perfect instantly...or really even quickly.

[dgyver]

Try shifting your weight off the seat to the outside of the turn while leaning the bike into the turn. Takes a little practice but it comes with time. Feathering the clutch helps.

To get into my shop, I would have to do full 180 turns with the steering at full lock on my TLR in the grass all while avoiding dog crap. You would be surprised how often you will need to turn sharply, like in a parking lot with a bunch of other bikes around. Left turns are usually easier since the throttle is not jammed up against the tank as with right turns.

[annguyen1981]

I was never able to complete the box thing at the MSF course.  Luckily the instructors didn't think this was TOO important, so they didn't grade to harshly on that skill.

Besides, I haven't encountered a situation that required that skill.

[Narcissus]

Remember to look where you want to go, if you look infront of the bike you'll make your turn too wide and might not be able to make it. Having said that, its MUCH harder to do a U-turn I find on my GS than it was on the little cruiser types they provided during the course, so don't worry about it, practice will make perfect, more or less 

[mp183]

Drag the rear brake and you will have much more control.
It's a technique they teach the cops that ride the big Harleys.
Tried is myself and it makes a big difference.

[Hi-T]

Check out Lee Park's Total Control (book- probably available at Barnes and Noble).  It has some good drills on low and high speed skills- incuding the U-turn.

Standing on pegs will help you lean the bike over and make a tighter turn.  Be careful, it takes practice as the bike will feel different.  I would realy only recommend it as a training aid to get a feel for how the bike handles.  If you start to loose it- remember to gas it.

Another good drill is to find a parking lot.  Pick a point, like a drain and start doing circles around it.  Follow the point with your head.  Do it until you can make the turn without your eyes leaving the point.  This will help you look through turns in general but as you do it, you will notice the turn radius tighten up.

Remember that by draging the rear brake (similiar with trail braking) that you still need to feather the clutch and keep on the gas.  Using the rear brake will help the bike sit down and tighten the wheelbase.  In fact, you can try this by going in a straight line-  keep the gas on and slowly hit the rear brake-  you'll feel the bike's nose drop.  This is a more advanced move.

[z315]

You're kidding about standing on the pegs right....?

How long ago did you take the MSF course? Look where you want to go- eyes level with the horizon... steady hand on the throttle...and go.

hey if i was kidding i woudln't really be asking it now would I? and i took the MSF course maybe about a 6 months ago, but haven't riden because of bad weather.  and do all that other stuff. maybe except the throttle stuff.

[LeChatNoir]

When I tooik the MSF course, they advised us to use the rear brake while performing our U-turn maneuvers, but they told us not to use the clutch...in fact, that they would take points off for using the clutch. Speed control on this was to be done entirely with throttle and rear brake. It works nicely on the 250cc Nighthawks we rode; haven't tried it yet on my GS500F.

1st gear was too choppy on the Nighthawk; had to go to 2nd. I think it may be doable in 1st on the GS.

[Slavik]

When I tooik the MSF course, they advised us to use the rear brake while performing our U-turn maneuvers, but they told us not to use the clutch...in fact, that they would take points off for using the clutch. Speed control on this was to be done entirely with throttle and rear brake. It works nicely on the 250cc Nighthawks we rode; haven't tried it yet on my GS500F.

1st gear was too choppy on the Nighthawk; had to go to 2nd. I think it may be doable in 1st on the GS.

I would use 2nd on GS as well, but it would be impossible w/o feathering the clutch.....and I though the right way to do slow speed manuvres was to have rpm's high, clutch slipping and breaking using only rear break...but I guess I am no pro.....

[Jared]

Well Z315 I was hoping you were kidding.

You see  some people sometimes say things to be thought of as funny....They call that Humor.

Standing on the pegs takes away your ability to shift and use the rear brake...seemed like such a bad idea I thought you might be kidding.

[annguyen1981]

When I tooik the MSF course, they advised us to use the rear brake while performing our U-turn maneuvers, but they told us not to use the clutch...in fact, that they would take points off for using the clutch. Speed control on this was to be done entirely with throttle and rear brake. It works nicely on the 250cc Nighthawks we rode; haven't tried it yet on my GS500F.

1st gear was too choppy on the Nighthawk; had to go to 2nd. I think it may be doable in 1st on the GS.

When I took the MSF course, they told use to use the clutch...

No...  They MADE us use the clutch in any low speed situation.  It even says this in the users manual.

(yes I have read the manual)
(yes I am a dork)

[NightRyder]

Yup, I can vouch for the MSF teaching us to give it a bunch of RPM's and use the clutch. They told us we shouldn't use the brake. But if we were going to, never use the front. (so I guess that means use the back one because my side brake is missing...)

[Jazzzzz]

Well Z315 I was hoping you were kidding.

You see  some people sometimes say things to be thought of as funny....They call that Humor.

Standing on the pegs takes away your ability to shift and use the rear brake...seemed like such a bad idea I thought you might be kidding.

Last I checked, I can still toe the rear brake while standing up on the pegs, and you shouldn't need to shift in the middle of a slow-speed maneuver like a U-turn anyway.  You can get extra lean to make a tighter turn while standing, it's just an extreme variation of hanging your rear end off the side of the seat.  It will throw your center of gravity forward a bit if you do not consciously keep your rear end over your feet -- the position of your legs while seated with feet on the pegs will cause you to push your rump forward a bit as you stand.

No, you shouldn't need to stand up to do a slow U-Turn, but if you feel more comfortable doing so I don't see any problem with it.

[z315]

got some pratice today at the local college. pratice dose make things perfect, but i still can't do those hairpin U turns, and reading proficent motorcycling, it seems i'm going way to fast to cut that turn, and if i slow down below 3000 rpm, the bike starts to chock and feels like it's going to stall... hmmmm

[skippy]

hi yeah i have a gs500f and i also have the same trouble with the u-turns. i am fairly small build and about 5ft'7 and i just think the bike is a little heavy for me when making tight moves. for example i dropped it in the middle of london making a u-turn at rush hour traffic. ( how embarrasing)- i think the answer is to just be sensible where you make u-turns not in to smaller gap. but noooooooo dont stand on footpegs. cool cya

[NightRyder]

Standing on the pegs is helpful, but only if you need it to ballance the bike. You really shouldn't need it, but it might help to train that way till you get better. Also shifting you butt over will help too.

z315, "if i slow down below 3000 rpm, the bike starts to chock and feels like it's going to stall." Thats why you rev the engine up above 3k and use the clutch to only use some power; and thus go slower.