[velodiesel]

Gang,

I have probably just shy of 700 miles of total riding IN MY LIFE on a motorcycle, all of which on my new 2007 S3. There are some days where I feel really confident and others where I just flat out don't. My highway riding confidence is up and today on some twisty mountain roads I just didn't have the "flow" going from turn to turn. I was super cautious about speed and just didn't feel right on the bike today.

How long did it take you guys to feel good on the bike and have it be more fun than work? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Trooper]

First off, welcome to the community! If done right, motorcycling will give you unbelievable amounts of joy and pleasure. You sound like you are starting off smart, as you know your limitations. It won't take too long for you to start feeling more comfortable. You can't go wrong looking into a quality riding school. They aren't all that expensive and you will gain valuable knowledge. There are also several books on the subject. I suggest "A twist of the wrist" by Keith Code.
Congrats on your new bike! :drink:

 

[cwb4tx]

My advice: I have been off bikes for 15 years and the S3 was my first bike back on one. I have in my head "how" I can ride but I am NOT "there" yet mentally. I even had one bad day on an offramp. Nothing spectacular, but I WAS NOT hitting th line i intended. SO I just slowed down and putted along through the rest of the turn.

My advice to you: Practice practice practice. Those roads you had trouble on. Ride them 30 times both ways until they feel VERY easy. DONT go over you ability, ever. You don't need ass puckering events for a year at least. (not even then, but were are imperfect creatures and want to push things). DO investigate some courses if they are available in your area. If not, then try getting some cones and finding an empty weekend parking lot to do some turningg and weaving.

 

[StuckInKansas]

Biggest thing, LOOSEN UP. If you are tense, your stiff arms feed all kinds of unwanted inputs into the bars. I assume you know countersteering, push on the side you want to turn to (effectively steering the "wrong" direction). Your arms should be relaxed, and have a loose grip on the bars. Grip the bike with your legs, not hands. When cornering, lean your body forward over the tank, this will put weight on the front tires and stabilize the bike in the turn. If you are turning slowly (like a neighborhood corner or parking lot) lean the bike, not your body, it helps you balance the bike better. If you are cornering hard, it helps to lean your body off the bike into the turn. This keeps the bike more upright in comparison. SMOOTH inputs, especially throttle and brakes. Ride at your own pace, not the guy in front of you. And above all, WEAR PROPER GEAR AT ALL TIMES!!!

 

[velodiesel]

Yeah, I catch myself being tense and have to tell myself to fricking relax. As a former bicycle racer (road bicycles and some mountain) I am accustomed to screaming into turns shoulder to shoulder with 75 other riders at 30+ mph leaning over at a hard angle. I am also used to descending at 60+ mph on my road bike in races and in training and do that with the utmost of confidence.

I guess this is all new to me and I am doing my best to be patient and learn how to ride smoothly. Once I am smooth, I know the speed will come. I wear full leathers (pants and jacket, boots, full face helmet, and gloves. Acutally my leather pants today threw me off a bit as they were uncomfortable as hell since it was my first time wearing them.

My buddy Greg is my riding partner and he is a good teacher and really patient, although way faster than I am. This list reminds me of my old GTI VR6 list...you guys have all been really helpful so far.

 

[kcjones]

Gang,

I have probably just shy of 700 miles of total riding IN MY LIFE on a motorcycle, all of which on my new 2007 S3. There are some days where I feel really confident and others where I just flat out don't. My highway riding confidence is up and today on some twisty mountain roads I just didn't have the "flow" going from turn to turn. I was super cautious about speed and just didn't feel right on the bike today.

How long did it take you guys to feel good on the bike and have it be more fun than work? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Well. aside from the obvious "you should'nt have picked a 1050 as your first bike" here goes the advice.

Remember YOU are in control of the bike, if you feel you are going faster than you are comfortable with, then slow down. You're new to big road bikes, so you shouldn't need to impress anyone.

 

[BikeSDP]

I hope you were 'riding your own ride' with that group this morning, Manny and that those guys respect that. I hate to give you such a nerdish answer, but a couple of books are usually recommended: I believe one by Lee Parks is called Total Control. There was another one called Proficient Motorcycling or something like that. If I remember correctly, one is written by a motorcycle journalist and the other by a former racer (Parks), so they have some differences on stuff (like in countersteering). Just remember up in the mountains to really try and keep the weight off your arms when going downhill. It's really hard to flick around an S-turn when you're effectively doing push-ups.

 

[velodiesel]

Yeah, my buddy Greg who I was riding with just waits for me at intersections down the road. Nobody will ever pressure me into riding faster than I care to. At age 37 I just can't be pressured!

 

[kcjones]

Just remember up in the mountains to really try and keep the weight off your arms when going downhill. It's really hard to flick around an S-turn when you're effectively doing push-ups.

You just may have provided me with some insight!!!

The next time I go through a steep downhill curve, I will try to use my torso to keep all the weight off my forearms!

I'm serious, downhill corners always freak me out because they mess with your perception. If you feel a lot of force on your arms, it doesn't mean that you're going too fast, it just feels that way...

 

[kuhlka]

When I go into a corner I almost always shift my weight to the inside peg, hang off a little, and shift back in the seat while hugging the tank with my outside leg to keep weight off my hands. When going downhill I shift weight back and when going over lots of gravel I stand up to make the slipping rear end easier to control with my legs.

We were doing 100+mph sweepers today on the 255 mile sunday ride we took. Amazing how the 1098 just squats down as I gas it through a turn. Still need to wear the tits off the tires. Just not enough twisties around here to get the bike leaned over enough.

You've already taken the best first step to surviving riding on a motorcycle by not letting others pressure you into riding over your head. The rest will come with time and practice.

 

[TheGuvnor]

Biggest thing, LOOSEN UP. If you are tense, your stiff arms feed all kinds of unwanted inputs into the bars. I assume you know countersteering, push on the side you want to turn to (effectively steering the "wrong" direction). Your arms should be relaxed, and have a loose grip on the bars. Grip the bike with your legs, not hands. When cornering, lean your body forward over the tank, this will put weight on the front tires and stabilize the bike in the turn. If you are turning slowly (like a neighborhood corner or parking lot) lean the bike, not your body, it helps you balance the bike better. If you are cornering hard, it helps to lean your body off the bike into the turn. This keeps the bike more upright in comparison. SMOOTH inputs, especially throttle and brakes. Ride at your own pace, not the guy in front of you. And above all, WEAR PROPER GEAR AT ALL TIMES!!!

+1

 

[velodiesel]

When I go into a corner I almost always shift my weight to the inside peg, hang off a little, and shift back in the seat while hugging the tank with my outside leg to keep weight off my hands. When going downhill I shift weight back and when going over lots of gravel I stand up to make the slipping rear end easier to control with my legs.

We were doing 100+mph sweepers today on the 255 mile sunday ride we took. Amazing how the 1098 just squats down as I gas it through a turn. Still need to wear the tits off the tires. Just not enough twisties around here to get the bike leaned over enough.

You've already taken the best first step to surviving riding on a motorcycle by not letting others pressure you into riding over your head. The rest will come with time and practice.

Isn't exceeding posted speed limits illegal and unsafe?

:d:

 

[kjazz]

That's all good advice above, read it several times.

However, if you really wanna learn with out sampling the abrasive qualities of asphalt....GET THEE TO A RIDING SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY!!!!

I hate to rain on anyone's dreams, but the S3 is a hell-of-a first time motorcycle!! In some ways...kudos for your taste, but on the flip side, this bike is undoubtedly a lot for a first timer. Therefore, respect, respect, respect the throttle.

My first serious sport bike was a 1983 GPZ1100, so I know a little of what you're up against. On the other hand, I'd already been riding dirt for over 10 years at that point and several years on small displacement street machines. If this is really the beginning for you (700 miles), get some training from a licensed motorcycle safety expert asap. You'll come up to speed quicker and avoid picking up bad habits, which are more trouble to lose than you can imagine.

kjazz

 

[velodiesel]

Already took and passed the MSF Safety Course with flying colors and I plan on taking more classes in the near future.

 

[BUCKET]

All of the above and if someone is pressuring you or giving you shit,tell em to f*#k off.Another thing i do if i've overcooked it into a corner is close my eyes and hope for the best,just kidding,i think. Good to see another rider on the road,safe journeys and ride on! :drink:

 

[J-Pip]

I've got the new rider jitters too, I can't stop worrying about my wife. She hasn't driven her cage since she got her endorsement. I'm floored by how fast she's learning the ropes though.
I made her read Total Control, it's a good beginner book and IMO Parks does a good job explaining techniques to the reader. The best book I've read yet is Nick Ienatch's(?) Sport Bike Riding Techniques. Nick is the head instructor at Freddy Spencer's school and of course a well known moto-joulnalist. I HIGHLY recommend his book.

After not riding for a while, I get the same way, or if I'm not able to focus completely, I'll have to slow myself down. The other day I just didn't feel at home on a well known road and had to back off a little. Once I got a little more focused, I was able to pick it up a little, but mostly there's always something in the back of my head saying "what if there's a stalled car at the exit of this blind corner, or a cyclist (SHARE the road my ass) or gravel or, or, or, or, and that usually does me in for the fun factor. Too many risks to push that hard on the street any way. I usually go in slow and come out fast after I can see all the way through. Everything that's been posted is good advice, just buy the book, It's all in there, and once you've read a chapter, read it again and go out and apply it to your riding, then read another. Once you get all the skills down, you can apply them together.


#1 though is LOOK through the turn. Head and eyes up and moving

 

[Snotrocket]

Biggest thing?? Check your ego at the door when riding...

There is ALWAYS someone faster or, more likely, some one more stupid...ride within your limits no mater what...

 

[DocPup]

one of the biggest killers..TARGET FIXATION!!!! IMO.....even when you are halfway through a curve and realize

...continue to look through your turn....instead of staring at the dead space two feet in front of you....

much like skiing...where you look is most likely where you will go

 

[kuhlka]

Isn't exceeding posted speed limits illegal and unsafe?

:d:

Bella made me do it! She doesn't like going slower than 40 and before you know it, you're doing 120+ through broad sweepers! I'm getting a radar kit in the mail today or tomorrow...

 

[cheapbastard]

all good advice. And you can never have enough. I know you said you aced the MSF course, but save up a little more money and go to a track school. Or take the advanced MSF course too. Like I said, you never can learn enough. I learn sumt'n new everytime I go out, and I've ridden over 100k miles on 2 wheels over the past 12 years. ;D