Tag Archives: Tips & Tricks

Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Which Way Do You Lean?

Motor School Quinn Redeker Which Way Do You Lean
In this installment of “Motor School,” Quinn Redeker discusses cornering techniques. For tight, slow-speed turns, counterbalancing enables a more controlled drop, with a much tighter turning radius to boot. Photos by Kevin Wing.

I think it’s fair to say there are a few subjects we should all steer clear of if we want to foster a harmonious relationship with other humans. Politics and religion are obvious land mines. And my wife knows that recommending a culling of the herd in the garage isn’t a party‑starter. But it appears I’ve discovered a ripe one you might also have some feelings about. And knowing how domineering and strong‑willed you are, when the dust settles, I really hope we can still be friends. Okay, here goes nothing.

There exists a feverish debate amongst motorcyclists regarding two uniquely different approaches to riding. Of course, there are more than two, but these revolve around the rider’s center of balance (center line) in relation to the motorcycle’s center of balance while navigating turns. Yep, a global hot button, this one. But please don’t ask for the Gold Codes just yet.

When a motorcycle starts to lean over and fall into a turn, its center of gravity shifts inward, causing it to head toward the ground (just go with me here; it’s science). When this happens, we have a couple options. One, we can counterbalance, a technique that shifts our center of gravity to the outside of the bike’s center of gravity, effectively countering the effects of the motorcycle’s weight transfer as it falls in. Two, we can lean our body into the curve, shifting our center of gravity to the inside of the motorcycle’s center of gravity as it falls in, effectivelytrading the motorcycle’s weight with our own as the bike leans over. This on‑road technique applies to paved corners with a good surface.

Hmmm, what to do. Flip a coin? Call a friend? Ask “what would Fonzie do?” Solid options, no doubt.

But before we rush over to Arnold’s and pull Fonzie away from the Polaski twins, I’ll kick off the group share and give you my two cents on the topic. When I do police motor competitions on my BMW R 1250 RT‑P, I employ as many tricks as my tiny brain can remember to execute tight maneuvers in confined spaces. These events are 1st‑gear scenarios, and the speeds drop as low as 5 mph, triggering the bike’s mass to fall like a 650‑lb paperweight. In other words, the bike’s weight is compounded by the fact that the gyroscopic forces and inertia are greatly reduced at slower speeds, while nature’s gravity amp is cranked up to 11. Deep science, yes, but an important thing to keep in mind because it’s a major contributing factor for why we throw our feet down, break into a cold sweat, or abandon ship altogether when speed slows down and our bike leans over. 

These days I do my best to mitigate unplanned and unsettling weight shifts, so I rely on counterbalancing when I slow to walking speeds. By offsetting the bike’s lean‑in mass with counterbalancing, my big Beemer falls over slower, falls over farther, and turns a much tighter radius. All big wins. Yes, clutch control and throttle input are players in my process, but counterbalancing does most of the heavy lifting.

Sounds like we solved the riddle then, and we should counterbalance the bike whenever it leans over? Absolutely, yes. Well, unless your motorcycle has more gears in the transmission than 1st. Let me explain why and how my strategy changes when I click through the gears. 

As an Advanced Riding Clinic instructor for Total Control, I co‑teach clinics where we take students on‑track and put them through advanced concepts and techniques to help manage speed situations on the street. A major challenge we face as riders (and help mitigate as instructors) are speed situations in corners. You know that as speed increases, your motorcycle requires a greater lean angle for whatever radius you are navigating. This can be problematic if you don’t have techniques and a plan to deal with it.

Motor School Quinn Redeker Which Way Do You Lean
We need all the cornering clearance we can find when speeds pick up. A lean-in technique helps accomplish this.

Let’s imagine Future You: It’s a magical Monday, and you’re having a “personal medical issue,” so work is a no‑go. Precisely 27 minutes later, you are fully kitted up, and that pesky walking pneumonia has miraculously vanished as you drop into a long right‑hander. At that precise moment, ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” pours into your helmet speakers, and because this is your jam, mid‑corner speeds unwittingly climb. Suddenly, and without warning, your bike begins shedding unwanted poundage by grinding hard parts along the pavement as your line widens and pushes you toward the double yellows. Not great.

Future You will do one of three things here: 1) Panic and grab the brakes mid‑corner, causing abrupt weight transfer that will stand your bike up and aim it toward the portion of the roadway you are trying to avoid; 2) Eventually drag parts so much that you lever the tires off the ground and initiate a low‑side crash; or 3) Move your body’s center line to the inside of the motorcycle’s center line (leaning in), effectively trading the bike’s mass for your mass, causing the bike to reduce its lean angle, tighten its line, and maintain its speed. Leaning in doesn’t necessitate high speeds or excessive hanging off, but rather positioning oneself toward the inside of the curve for cornering. Let’s go with option 3 on this one.

Let me land the plane here. When you find yourself in 1st‑gear situations, it’s all about counterbalancing, but as soon as the speeds pick up and you click 2nd gear and beyond, shift your body’s center line to the inside of the motorcycle’s center line. If you want a live‑action example, go to my YouTube channel (Police Motor Training with Quinn Redeker) and find the video titled: “Motorcycle Technique: Counterbalance vs Lean (Road Race Style).” It provides a clear visual demonstration and explanation as to why and where I use one style over the other.

Fantastic. You’ve said nothing this whole time, so either we are in total agreement on this or I’ve offended you somewhere along the way. In either case, maybe this will build a bridge of sorts:

“We seldom learn much from someone with whom we agree.” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training.

See all Motor School with Quinn Redeker articles here.

The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Which Way Do You Lean? appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Clutch Situation

Motor School with Quinn Redeker Clutch Situation
In this installment of “Motor School,” Quinn offers exercises for better clutch control and slow-speed maneuvering. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

People ask me if I miss being a motor cop. Let’s unpack that. Do I miss washing off petrol and sunscreen at the end of every shift? Do I miss roadside debates about how “everybody was speeding”? Do I miss the tragedy of consoling parents at a fatal accident in the middle of the night? A hard “no” to all of those.

But what I do find myself missing these days is the incessant verbal abuse our motor unit dished out to each other at every opportunity. It didn’t matter how serious or important the moment; if you screwed up, however slight, you were doomed to receive ongoing mistreatment until the next guy came up short.

And there was no better place to experience the hazing than on the grinder where we trained slow‑­speed skills every month on our motors. What should have been a place of learning, exploring, and honing of one’s skills was instead a schoolyard of insults, jabs, and finger‑­pointing. Simply put, if your bike hit the ground, standby to standby, buddy, your ticket got punched.

Luckily, my bike rarely hit the deck on training days, because I was skilled with my clutch. Don’t get me wrong, my colleagues found ample opportunities to pound me into submission, but sloppy clutch work never made it on the menu.

Now I can’t speak for your sewing circle, but I’d venture to guess you all give each other a pretty rough time on the regular. And just imagine how cool it would be if you had the tools to pull a proverbial rabbit out of your hat every time the speeds slowed down, like for U‑­turns, heavy traffic, and parking lots. Well, I have a few simple training tools that will have you laughing, jabbing, and finger‑­pointing far more than you typically get to do when riding with your crew.

Motor School with Quinn Redeker Clutch Situation
Fear of slow-speed bike incompetence can be a thing of the past. Practice these simple drills at your leisure to gain confidence and impress family and friends!

Before we jump into the actual exercises, we need to rewire our brains a bit and start seeing the clutch (not the throttle) as the control that makes the bike go. In other words, when we’re in slow‑­speed environments, we want to have a “set it and forget it” mindset with the throttle and think of the clutch as the primary “gatekeeper” that supplies power to the rear wheel. There are two reasons for this: First, this consolidates two physical tasks of manipulating the controls into one: modulating the clutch. Second, we will have far better mental focus on that singular task, which will improve our sensitivity, dexterity, and control.

Motor School Clutch Control Exercise 1: Driveway Drill

With your engine running at around 1,500‑­2,000 rpm, your bike in 1st gear, and both feet on the ground, position your front wheel at the base of a gently sloped incline on a driveway entrance (or similar). You want a short incline that allows the bike to roll back down on its own when you pull in the clutch at the top. (see photo at the top of the article) Next, smoothly, slowly, and calmly begin to meter the clutch out, adding just enough power to the rear wheel to allow you to slowly “walk” the bike up the incline. Remember, leave the throttle alone here and only work the clutch. Once you are at the top, gently pull the clutch in (don’t fully disengage it) just enough to pull power from the driveline so the bike starts to roll back down to our starting point. Rinse and repeat until you can hold a casual conversation with your neighbor as you roll up and back down the incline without thinking about it. And no wise cracks just yet, Nancy, you’re only just getting started.

Motor School Clutch Control Exercise 2: 2×4 Drill

Motor School with Quinn Redeker Clutch Situation
The common 2×4 is not just for beating yourself over the head while you struggle with slow-speed clutch work.

Place a length of 2×4 lumber down on the ground perpendicular to and touching your front tire. Now apply all the same instructions you learned above, and smoothly and slowly “walk” the bike over the board from a complete stop. Continue until the bike is resting with the 2×4 directly in front of the back tire and do it all again. It sounds easy, but there are a couple of rules here: First, you start from a complete stop, so once you “set and forget” your throttle, you can’t manipulate it to prevent stalling or to change the amount of power transferred to the driveline to help get you over the board. Second, when you ride over the 2×4, you don’t pass go if you “shoot” it out from under the rear tire. That’s to say that the 2×4 must stay in place as you ride over. People often struggle to keep the 2×4 in place because they tend to let the clutch out too quickly, sending too much power to the rear tire as it rolls onto and over the board.

Motor School with Quinn Redeker Clutch Situation
The 2×4 Drill teaches you better clutch control by slowing your roll.

The good news? You got it right on your first try. The bad? I’m only referring to you successfully buckling that helmet. Set it up and do it again while I make some calls to confirm you have a real motorcycle license.

Motor School Clutch Control Exercise 3: Incline Drill

Find an incline, such as a hill, a long driveway, or an abandoned loading ramp. Nothing too steep but something that generates decent rolling resistance. Next, stage yourself for lift off by facing up the incline. Once you’ve set your engine speed, smoothly, slowly take off and put your feet on the pegs. Go as slow as possible, using only your clutch to control your momentum. Once you’ve made it 15 feet or so, pull in the clutch and put your feet down. Here’s the rule: Don’t use your brakes to rest on the incline, instead engage only the clutch, and in the amount necessary to hold you in place on the incline as you reset. When you’re ready, do it again, moving slowly toward the top. A word of caution: Don’t fry your clutch with high revs. If the clutch is getting warm or the engine is getting hot, take an easy lap around the block before getting back to work on these drills.

Well, color me amazed. Just wait till your friends see how much better you control your bike when the speeds ratchet down. Now don’t quote me, but if you get your mind right and really work these drills, I’m confident we can finally hack those training wheels off, slap some Girl Scout patches on your leathers, and have you going freeway speeds in no time!

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all Motor School with Quinn Redeker articles here.

The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Clutch Situation appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motor School with Quinn Redeker: How’s Your Dismount?

Motor School Quinn Redeker How's Your Dismount?
If getting thrown into oncoming traffic or pinned under your motorcycle doesn’t sound super awesome, learn from the “Motor School” and embrace the “high side.” (Photos by Kevin Wing)

In my career, my police motor slammed the pavement exactly five times when deploying the kickstand and dismounting the bike. And yes, it was on par with that dream we’ve all had where you show up at school with no pants and all the kids laugh at you. Exceedingly embarrassing for sure, but thankfully I’m still alive and riding because every single time I dropped my bike, I was following the Golden Rule: “Always and forever mount and dismount your motor from the high side.”

That’s right, folks. It turns out there’s a correct side of the motorcycle to get on and off from, and it isn’t the side most of you use. Sounds ridiculous, right?

Now, I know you’ve successfully accomplished the task of resting your motorcycle on its kickstand thousands of times. Heck, you’re almost psychic when it comes to surface appraisal and road camber when you boot that stand out. In fact, you’re probably cursing me in your head, arguing that which side you mount or dismount from ultimately depends on where you park your bike or which hand is holding your Milk Duds. But in motor school, I learned the best way to get on and off a motorcycle: from the “high side.” 

Motor School Quinn Redeker How's Your Dismount?
Motor officers use the high side every time they get on and off because it works.

Perhaps it’s obvious, but in case I lost you, allow me to explain. For the most part, kickstands are deployed from the left side of the motorcycle. If you put your motorcycle on its kickstand, the bike will settle, or lean, to the left. Therefore, if you were to stand directly behind the bike, the “high” side is the right side of the bike, or the side where your throttle and front brake lever are located. Since the bike is leaned over on the stand, the seat is higher on the right side. Make sense?

Keep in mind that all vehicles in the United States travel on the right side of the road, with opposing traffic on the left. Now, let’s imagine you are riding along and need to get that super tight blue sweatshirt that you love to show off out of your saddlebag. You pull to the side of the road, kick your stand down, and start getting off the bike. But on this particularly cruel day, your bike begins to roll off its kickstand, resulting in the bike falling to the left – or “low” side – and toward traffic. 

Adding chaos to the scenario, it turns out your right leg is the one with a wonky ACL and two meniscus surgeries, so you decided to plant your left foot on the ground and started your dismount on the left (low) side of your bike as it began to fall. Regrettably, your bike starts falling directly onto your one good leg, potentially knocking you into oncoming traffic as it wraps you up and takes you down with it. Not great.

Motor School Quinn Redeker How's Your Dismount?
The high side is the right side to avoid going down with the ship if your bike falls over.

Now let’s put on our mirrored rainbow glasses and imagine you dismounted from the “high” side as your motorcycle started to fall off the kickstand. Not only will you look fabulous, but your right leg will remain planted so your left leg can gracefully swing over the seat like a gazelle’s, safely clearing you from the bike as it ponders what parts and pieces to destroy as it slams to the pavement. Embarrassing and costly? Absolutely, but pretty low risk to you physically.

The good news is this technique pays dividends not just when parked on the road but also in parking lots, your driveway, or anywhere else you throw that kickstand down. I can’t promise that your buddies won’t find some other reason to make fun of you, but like I’ve said a thousand times, you bring that crap on yourself.  

So, from now on, follow my little parking ritual: Shut off the bike, put it in 1st gear, deploy the kickstand, turn the handlebar full‑­lock left, gently ease the bike over onto the kickstand, and step off the high side of the bike. If you need a little assistance with your dismount, grab the front brake and use the handlebar for leverage. And while the process is simple enough, give it a few dry runs in the garage first. Practice makes perfect, though I can’t promise you won’t get weird looks from your friends.

Bonus Motor School Tips

As the late, great Billy Mays used to say, “But wait, there’s more!” Here are a couple more tips to help you out there on the street. 

Curb appeal: If you find yourself in a situation where you need to ride your big heavy bike off a curb, accelerate off rather than tiptoe and duck walk the front wheel off the drop where the lower fairing, oil pan, or pipes could get smashed. I’m not suggesting you channel your inner Daniel J. Canary, the man who invented the wheelie, but ride off like you would accelerate from a typical stop: in a straight line with smooth, assertive throttle (as shown in the photo below). 

And yes, I know firsthand what a great tip this is because I once watched a fellow motor officer gingerly roll his new BMW R 1250 RT‑­P off a tall curb at a DUI checkpoint. After hearing a gut‑­wrenching pile‑­driver concussion, I watched as hot oil spewed out onto the pavement. Oof. 

Motor School Quinn Redeker How's Your Dismount?
It’s not if but when you’ll be faced with navigating a tall curb. Heed my advice and avoid immeasurable personal (and costly) anguish.

Brake time: If your bike has been sitting unridden for a while, be sure to work your brake levers and pump up the calipers before you take off. When I first heard this suggestion from an old motor cop, I laughed out loud. But then he walked me over to my bike, gently pushed on my front brake calipers with his boot, and asked me to grab the front brake lever. With a cocky gleam in my eye, I pulled the lever, only to have it bottom out at the throttle grip – the brakes didn’t work at all. Turns out the fluid in your brake calipers can be forced back into the master cylinder if bumped or pushed hard enough, causing the brakes to need some pumping up before they work again.

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all Motor School with Quinn Redeker articles here.

The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: How’s Your Dismount? appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Ride Less and Ride Better

Motor School Quinn Redeker motorcycle balance
When Quinn Redeker tells you to “sit ’n spin,” it’s not an insult but rather a Motor School lesson. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

When I was 9, I spent every single day riding my dirtbike in the hills north of Los Angeles with all my delinquent buddies. Rain or shine, light or dark, we burned so much premix I’m pretty sure they will find traces of Golden Spectro two-cycle oil in my tissue if they ever do an autopsy on me.

But these days, I just don’t get seat time like I used to. Yes, I was a motor cop and rode with my buddies every day, but that was different because it was merely the platform for a host of other responsibilities: traffic enforcement, collision investigation, emergency patrol support, and so on. It lacked that element of exploration, freedom, and discovery you get when there are no strings attached.

And the worst thing? When I finally do get time to hit the track, tackle some challenging single-track, or sign up for a local club race, I have these painful moments of reckoning that my skills are nowhere near their peak. So there I am trying to enjoy an experience muddled by a crappier version of myself. I try to maintain a glass-half-full mentality, but I swear every time I take my eyes off that damn glass, it loses a little more water.

But I’ve been doing some proactive things around the house to slow the leak, and trust me, they’re helping. What types of things? I’ll give you a hint, they all revolve around one primary goal: improving my balance. I agree it’s a bit obvious and I probably won’t be doing a TED Talk on the subject, but without spinning a single lap, balance drills vastly improve my core strength, reaction time, breathing, on-bike focus, and indeed, my generally souring self-image. They can do the same for you.

Motor School Quinn Redeker motorcycle balance
It’s easier than it looks. Unicycles offer massive gains in balance despite occasional pointing and laughing from passersby.

What tools do I use for the job? I just finished my morning self-affirmation ritual, so now I can set my mirror down and go over them with you. They’re listed below, from easier and more accessible exercises to those that are more challenging and require some investment. A word of caution: While these exercises will surely improve measurable performance metrics and enhance your overall riding abilities despite less actual time in the saddle, they can also get you hurt. If, like me, you’re of a certain age, bones are easier to break, and muscles can get pulled just doing the dishes. If you question your ability to perform one of the activities listed below, err on the side of caution and skip it.

Spin Training: Crazy as it seems, all those wasted hours you spend spinning around in your office chair might just pay dividends. Here’s why: Spinning around in a circle increases your inner-ear activity, which, in turn, improves the information your inner ear feeds to your cerebellum. And it’s the cerebellum that controls movement, so better information (in the form of a more active inner ear) will improve your overall motor skills. To reap the benefits, you will need a swivel chair. The goal is to slowly increase your spin speed and number of spins over time. Start slowly and keep your eyes open. As you gain comfort, try it with your eyes closed for greater challenge and benefit. The good news here is that even if your riding skills don’t improve, at least you can feel like you’re doing something productive at work.

Motor School Quinn Redeker motorcycle balance
Who knew spinning around in circles could make you a better rider?

Balance Board: Using a balance board in the comfort of my living room and office has noticeably improved my balance, coordination, motor skills, and leg strength. And guess what? It all translates when I swing a leg over my bike. Instead of hunting for a used board on Craigslist, I recommend going with a new unit from a trusted manufacturer due to some boards being of questionable structural integrity. Mine is a Vew-Do El Dorado ($169.95 at VewDo.com), which is strong as hell and American-made.

Motor School Quinn Redeker motorcycle balance
Park your bike and grab your board. Balance boards improve your on-bike balance and control after just a few sessions.

There are plenty of YouTube videos to help get you started, but make sure you practice by holding on to a solid surface as you gain confidence and ability.

Slackline: More than any other tool, the slackline has been the best at improving my body control and breathing while I ride. If this is the only tool you employ, I feel confident in saying you will go from a midpack guy in your riding group to crushing all your buddies, including “Big Ronny,” the resident fast guy who still brags about his 10% racer discount back when he won a local Novice race. A slackline is a taut line tethered between two points, running a few feet off the ground and spanning 15-28 feet in length, or the approximate length of the sun-bleached jet boat in your neighbor’s yard.

Motor School Quinn Redeker motorcycle balance
Improved core strength and better body control are tangible benefits of regular slackline practice.

It’s fairly intuitive, but again, there are plenty of YouTube videos out there should you need coaching. As for recommended brand and setup, Amazon is your friend – you’ll find a variety of indoor and outdoor versions. Mine is just a long ratchet strap I got from a local hardware store and tied between two trees in the yard.

Unicycle: I get it. They look impossible to learn, and more importantly, you can’t imagine ever becoming one of “those people.” Get over it and pick one up on Craigslist for cheap. A 20- to 24-inch wheel will do fine, and you can watch some YouTube videos to learn. Within a few weeks, you will have balance like you’ve never had in your life, and trust me, it translates. Too old you say? I have buddies in their 70s that I bullied into riding unicycles, so borrow my mirror, hold it in front of your face, and repeat after me: “Yes, I can.”

Motor School Quinn Redeker motorcycle balance
It’s easier than it looks. Unicycles offer massive gains in balance despite occasional pointing and laughing from passersby.

I don’t want you to start feeling overwhelmed with any of this information, like I just dropped loads more work for you to do. We are having this discussion because both of us have less time to ride, so think of these tools as supplements. Any amount of effort on your end will pay dividends on the bike, so remain calm and bite off a little bit as you go. If it helps, I’ll even let you keep my mirror. 

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Ride Less and Ride Better appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Touring on a Sportbike

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
The author and her Kawasaki Ninja 400 with Kriega bags on a motorcycle tour.

When you travel by motorcycle, people like to tell you about how they could never tour or camp on a bike. From non-motorcyclists, I typically hear that their fears or lack of confidence would prevent them from ever touring. 

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
The Ninja can hold more luggage than many riders expect, proving you don’t need a touring bike to tour.

For motorcyclists, those worries don’t come up as often – motorcycle riding tends to require (and breed) a sense of fearlessness and confidence in and of itself. What I hear from fellow motorcyclists is that their equipment holds them back from touring or moto camping. In other words, because they don’t have the “right” bike!  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
A shorter trip requires less gear, and it helps if you stay in a hotel instead of camping.

Unlike their adventure brethren with high-towering suspensions and readily available luggage racks or touring motorcycles with plenty of space and smooth highway capability, sportbikes and other types of motorcycles are unfit for motorcycle travel – or so it may seem.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
With the right luggage, even a Kawasaki Ninja 400 can serve as a grocery getter.

As someone who got her touring start on a Kawasaki Ninja 400, I can attest that it is not only possible to travel longer distances on a small-displacement sportbike but even enjoyable. The biggest issue is luggage space, and there are solutions.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Tankbags and even fanny packs can provide additional storage on a space-limited sportbike.

Why Is Space an Issue? 

Sportbikes are inherently shorter and squatter than adventure bikes, dual-sports, or enduros, with a shorter wheelbase and lower center of gravity. This means less physical space for luggage to sit. Add to that the lack of stock panniers, saddlebags, or even luggage racks – not to mention luggage manufacturers’ propensity to leave sportbikes off the list of aftermarket racks – and you’re left scratching your head as to where to put your gear.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Ripping the Ninja – complete with saddlebags – on the Tail of the Dragon. (Photo courtesy Killboy)

The solution is twofold. Find the best luggage you can attach to your bike with ingenuity, while making your gear as small as possible.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Don’t let the excuse of not having a touring or ADV bike keep you from exploring.

Best Luggage Possible 

For my first motorcycle tour, I stayed at a friend’s house near the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. I had equal parts enthusiasm and cluelessness, but I knew I needed a way to transport my belongings.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
The author’s Kawasaki Ninja 400 loaded with 30L and 10L Kriega drybags.

After asking around, I found a friend willing to loan me their 30L Kriega Drypack. My husband had a 10L of the same brand, and I was able to easily attach the larger pack to the included straps under my seat and the smaller one to the other pack.  

See all of Rider‘s luggage reviews here.

I learned my first motorcycle packing lesson that trip – it’s always harder to repack on the way home, especially if you bought a few too many souvenirs. On that Tennessee trip, my bags were bursting at the seams to begin with, so I don’t know what I was thinking when I purchased additional items. I ended up asking my friend to mail those items to my house!   

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
This collection of Kriega bags and a tank bag has served the author well on moto touring trips.

Having loved my experience with my friend’s Kriega, I purchased two of my own Drypacks – a 40L and a 30L. I stacked them up the same way I had the 30L and 10L but not with the same result. My center of gravity was off, and the ride, especially at low speeds, was uncomfortable.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Who needs a hotel when you can find a cozy campground?

This high center of gravity was alleviated with the addition of some Sedici universal saddlebags. My first attempt at using them was less than ideal, as they sagged and touched my Ninja 400’s exhaust, burning a hole and melting my toiletries. Some adjustments helped stop the sagging, and they tended to be easier to ride with than the leaning tower of Kriega I had before.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Another benefit of having a set-up with multiple bags is that you can take some off for shorter day trips.

Smallest Gear Possible 

If you think you’re going to fit a full kit of car camping gear on your motorcycle, you might be disappointed with the result. It’s important to purchase gear fit for the occasion. Unfortunately, there aren’t as many motorcycle-specific camping gear options for sale, especially in brick-and-mortar shops. What to do? 

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Another camping trip on the Ninja, this one to Cumberland Falls in Kentucky.

Luckily for us, a different group of adventurers also require packing compactly – backpackers. Given that their body is the vehicle for their kit, backpackers have an eye for getting the lightest, smallest, most packable gear possible. What fits on a person’s back may very well fit on your motorcycle just as well. Shop at outdoor and camping stores like REI and Sportsman’s Warehouse for backpacking essentials.  

See more by the author here.

Saving space wherever possible is the name of the game, which is made easier with the ability to compress. Clothing or other soft items can be shrunk down to a fraction of their size using packing cubes. These zippered contraptions allow you to squeeze out all the air, saving you precious space. Compression sacks are another useful tool for squishy items like sleeping bags.  

Some riders use cargo nets to secure their gear, but I won’t use one again. On my first moto camping trip, I used a cargo net to hold my sleeping bag (compressed in a stuff sack) onto one of my Kriega Drypacks. On the curvy backroads in Kentucky, it shifted back and forth with every turn.  

Touring on a Sportbike Luggage Solutions Carly Becker
Many riders use cargo nets, but Carly found using a net less than ideal for storage.

A fellow motorcyclist whom I met on the road suggested Rok Straps, and I had ordered four on my phone before our conversation ended. These ingenious straps, which combine a wide bungee strap with a non-stretchable adjustable nylon strap with a quick-release buckle and webbed loops on each end, allow you to tie anything down securely. They can be used to tighten down soft luggage or to secure items to racks or pillion seats. I rarely ride without them, even when I’m not on a trip. You never know when you might need to buy something that doesn’t fit in your tank bag.  

Related: Precious Cargo: The Art of Carrying Stuff on a Motorcycle 

ROK Straps
This is a ROK Strap, a useful tool that Carly brings with her whenever she rides.

Touring or moto camping can be an exciting and even life-changing experience, regardless of what type of motorcycle you own. No one should let the myth that only certain types of motorcycles are capable of touring stop them from experiencing the thrill of a moto trip. I’m the case in point that it’s possible.  

The post Touring on a Sportbike appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motor School With Quinn Redeker: Motor (Sensitivity) Training

Motor School Quinn Redeker December 2023
In this installment of “Motor School,” Quinn encourages riders to try a little tenderness. The benefits of getting in touch with what your motorcycle is saying are massive. Don’t be shy, give it a try.

We’ve known each other for a little while now, so let me just come out and say it: Deep down, you’re a sensitive person. It’s no secret you get misty-eyed every time you watch Titanic. We all know it, and nobody thinks any less of you. It’s one of the things we really like about you.

When it comes to riding your motorcycle, however, where’s that same tenderness? Remember that early ’80s ballad by the Pointer Sisters about having a slow hand and an easy touch? I’m not saying you’re unsafe or dangerous; it’s just that when I watch you ride – mashing the controls and strangling the life out of the handlebar – it reminds me of a grizzled old garbage man beating helpless metal cans into submission as if he’s trying to settle all of life’s injustices. All that blind fury isn’t necessary, and it makes for a lousy ride up the coast.

Similar to your ability to get in touch with your emotions while watching a tearjerker movie, your riding would greatly benefit from cultivating a little more sensitivity to what your bike is doing beneath you. If you’re unable to truly connect with your motorcycle, you’re likely to miss cues and clues – some of which are quite subtle – that will give you better control and help you get more enjoyment out of riding.

Obviously, you understand the basics of using the throttle, clutch, and brakes, but how well do you listen to your motorcycle when it goes, stops, or turns? Are you sensitive to how your bike reacts when you demand action from it?

18th annual Barber Vintage Festival BMW Motorrad Days Americas Quinn Redeker
In this file photo from the 18th annual Barber Vintage Festival, BMW Authority Sales Ambassador and Rider columnist Quinn Redeker gives a demonstration of police‑­style riding.

Case in point: Watch a pro motorcycle racer during a track test. The mechanics will change engine mapping, suspension, handlebar position, chassis geometry, gearing, and about 7,000 other little things to help the rider find comfort, confidence, and cooperation with the motorcycle. Every top-level racer has an incredibly sensitive feel for the smallest changes made to the bike. One minuscule clicker adjustment on the rear shock can be detected after only a few corners, and the rider will provide feedback to the mechanics to let them know if they are headed in the right or wrong direction.

How is this possible? Simple. They listen to the bike. They tune in to subtle communications from the engine, chassis, and tires until they feel and understand what each is telling them. Armed with vivid, unfiltered feedback, they learn how best to squeeze the most performance out of the motorcycle. And guess what? They also pay attention to the environment, including track surface, changes in camber, weather conditions, and more. Racers are constantly in the moment and tuned in to everything around them, yet they are also able to block out distractions and noise to focus on what’s most important.

You don’t have to be a pro racer to get valuable results from sensitivity training. At Total Control Training, where I’m an instructor, we have a drill in our Advanced Rider Clinic that helps students become better “listeners,” thereby developing more sensitivity to the ebb and flow of their motorcycle’s behavior. But before I walk you through it, understand that repetition is key. Unlike your New Year’s resolution to use those cool stretch bands, which you abandoned after a week, you need to stick to the program if you want to see results. You can’t just do it once and complain that it didn’t work. Do it repeatedly, and before you know it, you’ll get there.

Find a smooth, flat, empty parking area where you can ride at least 200 feet in a straight line. From a stop with your bike in 1st gear, accelerate up to about 20 mph in a smooth manner that minimizes fork extension and rear-end squat. Then brake to approximately 5 mph, doing your best to minimize front-end drop. Accelerate to 20 mph again before coming to a complete stop, making a concerted effort to minimize chassis pitch from start to finish. (Note the subtle differences in the photos below)

Motor School Quinn Redeker December 2023
Take it slow when you go. Keep the chassis as composed as possible under acceleration. And listen. What is your bike telling you?
Motor School Quinn Redeker December 2023
Ease into the controls under braking. Feel the suspension and feel the tires. How well are you listening for feedback?

This drill gets harder as your acceleration and braking intensity increases, so start slowly and work up from there. See how sensitive you can be to the rising and falling of the front end, working to eliminate it completely.

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

The post Motor School With Quinn Redeker: Motor (Sensitivity) Training appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motor School With Quinn Redeker: Cover Me, I’m on the Move

Motor School with Quinn Redeker covering brake lever
Police motor school orthodoxy says to use all four fingers when braking and to not cover the lever while riding. Is that the best approach? (Sumo glove from Lee Parks Design. Vario brake lever from Wunderlich America. Photos by Kevin Wing.)

Covering the front brake is a big no-no at most police motor schools across the country. By this, I mean resting any number of your fingers on the front brake lever when not actuating the front brake. Instead, instructors teach riders to keep all fingers on the throttle until you need the brakes, then all fingers on the brake lever. Having been exposed to lots of motorcycle riding disciplines over the last 40 years, I was always curious where this idea originated, as it seems odd not to have all my tools at the ready while riding.

I’ve heard different reasons from motor instructors over the years as to why covering the front brake leads students to eternal damnation. Here are a few:

  • Heavy police motorcycles require the strength of all four fingers to effectively slow down during an emergency stop.
  • Motor officers will panic and tense up in an emergency, inadvertently jerking the fingers covering the brake lever and causing a crash.
  • If you don’t have all four fingers squeezing the brake lever during a collision, the remaining fingers around the throttle could get pinned between the lever and the throttle, causing them to get crushed or severed.

To find a definitive answer, I decided to confer with my old pal Russell Groover out in Florida. A former motor officer and longtime instructor, Russell was instrumental in the creation of the first Basic Motor School used by the Tampa Police Department and later adopted by most agencies in the Southeast in the 1950s. As a youth, Russell grew up racing scrambles and competing in regional hillclimbs, and he was considered a sand specialist in his day, racing enduros down Daytona Beach on his military surplus 1942 Harley-Davidson 45ci. Yep, Russell is a genuine American bad-ass, and if I’m honest, it surprises me that he still takes my calls. But I digress. What did the Oracle tell me? 

“Well, Quinn, keep in mind bikes back then had clutches on the floor, shifters on the tank, and front brakes on the left side of the bars, so we were busy just getting through a work shift. All these bikes had basic cable drum brakes, and at best, they were lousy if you had them set up perfectly and the roads were dry. It wasn’t unusual to snap a brake lever pulling so damn hard trying to get the bike to slow down.” 

When I brought up the idea of covering the front brake with a few fingers in preparation for emergency braking, Russell just laughed and explained that it wasn’t even a consideration in anybody’s mind back then because even four fingers weren’t enough.

Motor School with Quinn Redeker covering brake lever
Adjust lever
Motor School with Quinn Redeker covering brake lever
Pulled lever should not touch fingers

My takeaway is this: A poor braking system demanded far more work (and more fingers) from the rider back then, so they instructed motor officers to access every bit of braking power they could muster, and the training manual reflected it. It makes sense given the antiquated systems they had at the time, but that was 1955. Unfortunately, even with the adoption of hydraulic disc brakes and riders no longer experiencing white-knuckle pulls trying to stop, motor programs have yet to update curriculums, as if we’re still living in the past.

Let’s pretend we’re in the future…say, 2023. You have a motorcycle with big brake rotors, powerful hydraulic calipers, and ABS. We’ll call this system “Brembo.” I know it’s crazy, but we’re talking about the future, so just go with me here. Let’s also assume that you always cover the front brake while riding your motorcycle.

Are these futuristic brakes strong enough to stop you with less than four fingers? Check.

By covering the front brake, are you minimizing your reaction time in an emergency due to your finger(s) being staged for rapid deployment? Check.

Will this enable you to perform smooth trail braking, creating a far more stable chassis during cornering? Check.

Will you now be able to smoothly overlap your controls transitioning from throttle to brakes, further stabilizing the motorcycle and generating better overall traction? Again, check.

Wow, I can’t wait for the future! 

Related: Quinn Redeker | Ep. 64 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

If I haven’t been clear, let me come out and say it: I am a huge proponent of covering the front brake in all riding situations, on pavement and in the dirt. And dammit, if it were up to me, I would allow anybody in your riding group to smack your hand with a heavy ruler every time you failed to do it. 

I cover the front brake with my index finger alone and have all-day comfort, dexterity, leverage, and enough force to handle any situation, from gentle slowing to threshold braking. And if you’re wondering, my one finger provides enough pulling power on the lever to brake hard enough for my BMW 1250 RT-P’s ABS to kick in, rain or shine. 

Here’s the thing: Motorcycle riding takes loads of coordination, skill, concentration, practice, more practice, good judgment, and maybe even a dash of psychic ability. If you think that by covering the front brake, any unexpected event will overwhelm your senses and cause you to go “condition black,” blindly grabbing a handful of brakes and crashing in a panic, I suggest you consider scrapbooking instead of motorcycling. And because I’m supportive, feel free to use the photos we took of you skipping around in the butterfly sanctuary a few weeks back. 

So yes, covering the front brake it is! Great decision. And while this article is more about wrapping your head around the idea of covering the front brake than it is a how-to guide, let’s discuss a few details if you don’t currently employ this technique and want to time warp yourself back to the future.

First, let’s decide what finger(s) we will use. As I mentioned, I use only my index finger and can achieve effective and comfortable braking results on all but my old drum-equipped racebikes, on which I use only two. I recommend you let the overall strength of your braking system be your guide. 

We want to make sure we have constant contact with the lever regardless of throttle position so that at any time during the manipulation of your controls, you can effectively apply the front brake. This means the lever needs to be close enough to reach when you twist the throttle, yet far enough to have adequate travel for maximum braking force. A great way to check if your lever is set in a good spot is to give it a firm squeeze and see if it “cages” the remaining fingers you have wrapped around the throttle. In other words, we don’t want the lever to touch your throttle fingers when you apply the brake. 

Lastly, you need to familiarize your hand with this new way of interacting with your bike. My recommendation is to sit in your garage with your bike shut off and practice keeping your finger rested on the lever while manipulating your throttle throughout its range of travel. You should be comfortable with this in about the same amount of time it would take you to eat two large chimichangas with an ice-cold beverage. Pay attention to ensure you are manipulating your front brake at all throttle positions. If you can’t apply the brake at a moment’s notice, all is lost. 

Motor School with Quinn Redeker covering brake lever
One finger on lever, throttle closed.
Motor School with Quinn Redeker covering brake lever
One finger on lever, throttle open

Once you feel comfortable with this technique in a static setting, ride your bike at slow speeds in your neighborhood or an empty parking lot, working this drill over and over. Keep focus on smooth throttle roll on and smooth front brake application.

Now that you’ve heard my pitch, I’ll make a few assurances should you choose to put on your spacesuit and give this a try. I promise you a greatly increased sense of security, knowing you are ready for an emergency stop at any moment. More critically, your overall braking distances will decrease because your reaction times will improve significantly. And I guarantee you will feel more confident about yourself as a rider the moment you start covering the front brake. Call it Quinn’s win-win-win. 

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

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Source: RiderMagazine.com

19 Common Motorcycle Myths

Lane Splitting Lane Filterning
Photo by Kevin Wing. Motorcycle Myths illustrations by Hector Cademartori

As a rider for over 50 years and writer for motorcycle magazines for more than 25 years, I’ve heard motorcyclists spout some bizarre beliefs. Here are some of the most enduring motorcycle myths. Each is bogus.

1. Loud pipes save lives. Loud pipes mean more power.

The first of my motorcycle myths is a twofer. First off, loud pipes don’t save lives, but becoming a better rider can. Some people also assume a louder exhaust (one with little or no baffling) makes more power. While a less restrictive exhaust may add a bit more horsepower at the top of the rev range, they often perform poorly unless corresponding changes are made to the intake side. OEM exhausts are designed to provide horsepower and torque where it matters – in the midrange where you spend most of your time riding.

2. Open-face helmets are just as good as full-face helmets.

Full-face motorcycle helmets provide better protection than open-face helmets because they cover the entire head, including the chin and face. Seeing photos of riders with the bottom half of their face torn off convinced me.

A meta-analysis in Preventive Medicine Reports found that full-face helmets reduce the risk of head injuries by 64% and neck injuries by 36% compared to open-face helmets. A full-face helmet’s faceshield protects the face and provides a clear view, and the fully enclosed design reduces noise by up to 30 decibels. Overall, full-face helmets provide better protection, more comfort, and increased safety.

See all of Rider‘s Helmet reviews here.

3. Using car tires on motorcycles is fine.

Does anyone still buy this myth? Using car tires on motorcycles can be dangerous. The Motorcycle Industry Council warns: “Never mount a passenger car tire on a motorcycle rim; the flat profile of a car tire is incompatible with the dynamics of a vehicle that leans as it corners, and the section of the tire in contact with the rim (the ‘bead’) is incompatible with motorcycle rims.”

Motorcycle Myths

Tales from the Dark Side, Eric Trow’s feature in Rider on this topic, includes a quote from motorcycle safety expert and AMA hall-of-famer David Hough: “Motorcycle engineers get up awfully early in the morning to calculate what works best for bikes. An owner who disregards the engineers’ advice should think carefully about his or her talents in being more clever than the engineers. The owner who installs tires not designed for the task must take full responsibility for the results.”

Related: Tales From the Dark Side: Putting Car Tires on Motorcycles

4. The rear brake stops a bike better than the front brake.

Using the front brake to stop a motorcycle is more effective and safer than relying on the rear brake. No exercise was practiced more and drilled into us harder during police motor officer training than proper braking. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the front brake provides over 70% of a motorcycle’s stopping power. It is more effective because as you brake, a motorcycle’s weight shifts forward, giving the front tire more grip. The front brake also provides better control and stability, especially in emergency situations, whereas the rear tire can lock up and skid, leading to loss of control. Using both brakes together provides the shortest stopping distance.

5. “I had to lay it down.”

This refers to intentionally laying a motorcycle on its side to avoid an impending crash. In other words, crashing to avoid a crash. This is not only pointless, it’s dangerous. Every millisecond of braking before impact reduces speed and the severity of damage. Experienced riders and safety organizations such as the MSF emphasize that riders should maintain control of the motorcycle and try to avoid an accident altogether through proper use of the brakes. Laying the bike down is a sign of panic and lack of proper training and experience. It can result in road rash, broken bones, and even death.

6. Lane splitting is dangerous.

Research has shown lane splitting reduces traffic congestion and improves traffic flow. A study by the University of California Berkeley found that lane splitting reduces traffic delays by up to 40%. Lane splitting can be safer for motorcyclists because it reduces the likelihood of being hit from behind by distracted or inattentive drivers. The study also found no increased risk of crashes for motorcyclists who practice it safely and responsibly. Once only allowed in California, it is now legal in various forms in four states. For more on this topic, check out Eric Trow’s feature, Split Decision: Are Lane Splitting and Lane Filtering Safe?.

7. BMWs are more reliable than other motorcycles.

I own a BMW motorcycle, and I’ve owned, ridden, tested, or rented bikes from nearly every major manufacturer. As you can expect, I have opinions about brand reliability, but don’t take my word for it. A 2015 Consumer Reports survey of 11,000 motorcycle owners provided the following ranking of brands in terms of reliability: 1. Yamaha, 2. Honda, 3. Suzuki, 4. Kawasaki, 5. Harley-Davidson, 6. Triumph, 7. Ducati, and 8. BMW.

See all of Rider‘s BMW coverage here.

8. Leather motorcycle apparel offers the best protection.

Motorcycle Myths

In truth, the best protective gear is the gear you use and wear all the time. In some instances, Kevlar (a synthetic material five times stronger than steel and with excellent abrasion resistance) and Cordura (a durable nylon that’s also resistant to abrasion) are considered superior to leather. They also weigh less than leather and can keep you cooler, a significant benefit in hot weather.

See all of Rider‘s Apparel reviews here.

9. Being a passenger on a motorcycle is just like being a rider.

Early in my riding days, I gave little thought to what my passenger was experiencing. Eventually, I wised up, and an article I wrote about riding with passengers became one of my most requested reprints. A passenger’s perspective on a motorcycle is very different from the rider’s. If you have any doubts, hop on the passenger seat and ride for 50 miles with someone else at the controls. Passengers can impact the bike’s handling. Riding with a good passenger is wonderful; riding with those who are scared or unfamiliar with how a motorcycle handles can be a total disaster.  

10. Real riders never wash their bikes.

Motorcycle Myths

A good friend and fellow motorcycle journalist never washed his bike. He bragged that every bug he ever hit was still there. It was a case of pride over performance. My post-trip habit is to thoroughly wash and detail my motorcycle. In the process, I examine every cable and fastener to ensure it is snug and in its proper place. Going over the bike inch by inch, I often find little things wrong that, if unaddressed, could have caused big problems later. Riders should take the time to clean their own bike and know what to look for. This is the motorcyclist’s equivalent of a pilot flight pre-check. It can save your life.

11. Aftermarket performance accessories improve performance.

My friend Kevin Brown says one of the first things he learned at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute was to ask the following questions of a rider who complained his bike was not running right: “What did you do to it? Did you add any accessories or make any performance enhancements?” Turns out a high percentage of bikes could be fixed by simply removing the addition. The chances you’ll improve the performance of your bike by adding something is highly unlikely. Usually it runs worse.

See all of Rider‘s Parts & Accessories reviews here.

12. Turn your handlebar in the direction you want to go.

Motorcyclists control the direction of travel by using “countersteering.” This means the rider turns or pushes the handlebar in the opposite direction of the turn. In other words, steer left to turn right, and vice versa. This works because as you turn in the opposite direction, the bike and rider will lean in the direction you wish to go. Many riders are unaware of this but make the correct movement unconsciously.  

Related: Stayin’ Safe: Countersteering

13. Car drivers see motorcycles and will stop for you.

Automobile drivers don’t look for motorcycles the way they watch for other cars. They often will look directly at you yet fail to register the presence of a motorcycle. I credit a good part of my surviving so many motorcycle miles without incident to pretending my bike and I are wrapped in an invisibility cloak and no one can see me. Because of this mindset, I expect cars to pull out in front of me and am always prepared with a “Plan B.”  

14. Only wusses wear protective gear.

Those who have had accidents often credit their protective gear with saving their lives. My riding friends operate with the motto ATGATT, meaning “All The Gear, All The Time.” Full protective gear includes a good helmet and armored jacket, gloves, pants, and boots. Some riders now use airbag vests or suits. Many seriously injured bikers lament from a hospital bed: “But I was only going three blocks to the store. I didn’t want to get all suited up just for that.” 

Motorcycle Myths

15. Raingear keeps you dry in the rain.

I’m told some raingear works well. My experience, however, is that rain almost always seeps into small cracks or seams, and before I know it, I’m soaked. I’ve owned at least five pairs of “waterproof” gloves and only one pair worked. Same for boots. If you are riding in the rain, prepare to get wet.  

16. Interstate highways are dangerous.

Interstate highways, while certainly not the most fun, are generally considered the safest place to ride a motorcycle due to their consistent speeds and limited access, which minimizes cross traffic. According to the NHTSA, interstates have the lowest fatality rates per mile traveled compared to other road types. Two-lane roads pose a higher risk due to their narrow lanes and lack of barriers between opposing lanes of traffic. City streets and parking lots pose the highest risk of accidents for motorcyclists due to higher levels of congestion, frequent intersections, and obstacles.

17. Riding side by side within a lane like Ponch and Jon on CHiPs is the best way to ride.

Motorcyclists are safest when riding in a staggered formation. It provides greater visibility and more space for emergency maneuvers and stopping. It also makes it easier to signal your fellow riders should the need arise.  

Related: Stayin’ Safe: Group Riding Tips

18. Faced with a potential accident, you can avoid injury by jumping off your motorcycle.

Like “laying it down,” this may be tempting if it appears you are about to crash, but it’s a bad idea and will likely result in serious injury or death. Sticking with the motorcycle, attempting to control it, and having faith in its ability to stop, rapidly change direction, and get you out of a tight situation is nearly always the better choice. Motorcycles are far more capable than we give them credit for. 

19. Once you set the correct tire pressure on your bike, you can forget it.

Tire pressure has a significant influence on the performance and safety of a motorcycle. Keeping both tires at the correct pressure provides the best ride quality, traction, stability, and control. Incorrect tire pressure negatively impacts wear on the tires and hurts your mileage. All motorcycle tires lose air to some extent, so it is imperative to always check for correct pressure before every ride. 

Motorcycle Myths

In his book The Power of Myth, Joseph Cambell wrote that mythologies have value because they “support our quest for wisdom and happiness.” Loud pipes may make you feel cool, and backroads may be the most fun, but don’t believe loud pipes will save your life or that backroads are safer. Motorcycle myths are still myths – widely held but false beliefs.

See all of Rider‘s Tips & Tricks articles here.

The post 19 Common Motorcycle Myths appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motor School: What Does a Green Light Mean?

Motor School Green lights
Green lights look friendly but can’t always be trusted, but in this Motor School installment, riders are advised to be cautious and scan the intersection before proceeding. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

I’ll assume that most of you have quite a bit of motorcycle riding experience under your belt, and I bet you’ve logged some heavy miles and had a few near misses over the years. Given your vast experience, you’ve probably learned a few things along the way. Over the years of riding as a motor officer, I have managed to learn some habits that maybe you haven’t heard about and could benefit from.

Related: Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Hi, My Name is Quinn

This first one came to me via a salty old motor cop addressing a room full of other salty old motor cops, and it absolutely woke up the room. He asked, “What does a green light mean?” And while your brain, like mine, probably thought it means you have legal right-of-way to go through the intersection, this guy dropped a bomb and answered, “A green light means the bulb is working.”

Think about that for a minute: The bulb is working. That’s all it means. He went on to demand that we trust no traffic signal and remain colorblind, making damn sure to clear every intersection lane-by-lane before entering it. In the end, he made believers out of every one of us old motor cops: A light bulb has no mystical power to keep you safe. 

Motor School Green lights

From that day forward, I never went through an intersection without diligently assessing the cross-traffic during my approach. Had I not, on three separate occasions I would have been seriously injured or worse due to oblivious drivers blowing stale red lights. And if you are wondering, no, I didn’t let them off with warnings.

Related: Quinn Redeker | Ep. 64 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

Other Motor School Intersection Tips

In addition to assessing each intersection before going into it, it’s also good practice to avoid being the first vehicle into the intersection. Think about it: How many times have you watched vehicles run the red trying to “make the light”? You don’t want to rip out there as soon as your light turns green, only to come face-to-face with Bruce The Crossfit King, hopped up on pre-workout caffeine on his way to The Box to smash some PRs. Better to slow your roll, assess, and then proceed. Let everybody else risk the wrath of Bruce.

Another habit? When approaching a green light, I speed up or slow down a little bit to pace next to vehicles headed in the same direction as me until I clear the intersection. It just takes a few seconds, and by having a nice big car or truck on my side, I have a “blocker” to protect me. Once out of the intersection, I go on about my business until the next one presents itself.

Motor School Green lights
Whenever possible, use a car or truck in the adjacent lane as a blocker when you ride through an intersection.

Although this next tip is not related to intersections, it has saved my skin more times than I can count. I worked traffic in the hilly beach town of Ventura, California, which means I made lots of stops on steep slopes. I was not interested in having my bike run away without me or roll off the kickstand during a traffic stop, so I always kept my bike in 1st gear as an improvised motorcycle emergency brake. My ritual consisted of clicking down to 1st, shutting the bike off, letting the clutch out, allowing the bike to roll forward and settle, then putting the kickstand down and stepping off into the great unknown. The settle part is key because the bike typically rolls a few inches after you let the clutch out, which can be just far enough to roll it off the stand and hit the ground. Ask me how I know this… 

Motor School Green lights
No need to be strong to rest your steed on an incline. Just put it in 1st gear, let it settle, and then drop the kickstand.

These are just a few ideas that might benefit you from time to time. For those of you who already know these things, thanks for listening politely as I preached to the choir. Most importantly, for all the elder statesmen out there who have, in one form or another, helped save my life, I leave you with this:

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” –Mark Twain

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all of Rider‘s Tips & Tricks articles here.

The post Motor School: What Does a Green Light Mean? appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle Camping Tips…From the Backyard?

motorcycle camping tips
Setting up camp in your backyard first will make things easier once you get to the campsite.

You’ve packed your moto camping kit. You’ve loaded up your luggage. You zip up your moto jacket and step out into…your backyard? When it comes to motorcycle camping tips, this is perhaps the best place to start.

Regardless of whether you’re an experienced motorcyclist or a skillful camper, there’s something about combining the two that enhances the adventure – and the challenges. Your backyard might seem like an odd place to camp, but if you’re new to motorcycle camping or trying out equipment for the first time, there’s no better place to practice than at home.

Motorcycle Camping Tips 101: Checking Your Kit

motorcycle camping tips
Camping at home can be a fun mini “staycation.”

Unlike car camping, tossing everything in the back of your vehicle is not an option when traveling on a bike. Motorcycle camping requires more attention to organization and efficient packing. You not only have limited space, but often you need to unpack and set up camp when you’re worn out from a long day of riding. You then must pack everything back up again the next morning – and that tent never wants to go back in its stuff sack just right, does it?

It can take time to figure out how new equipment works. After upgrading to a larger tent, I embarked on a moto camping trip before trying it out first. When I arrived at my campsite in West Virginia, exhausted from riding since dawn, I realized the new tent’s guy lines were different than my usual setup. Without internet access, I had to guess how to tie them. I made it through the night, but the clear light of morning revealed I had tied them incorrectly. Had I tried to stake down those lines at home, I could have quickly determined the correct method by pulling up a video on my phone.

Related: Camping Challenge: Roughing It ‘Rider’ Style

The Benefits of the Backyard

Testing your camping gear and learning the proper approach for set up and break down in your backyard saves headaches in the backcountry. Practice makes perfect. Can’t figure out a piece of gear? Read the instruction manual or find a tutorial on YouTube. Is something broken or missing? Find a replacement before you need it most, and get your packing list dialed in from the comfort of home.

Lucky are those who can sleep through anything. For the rest of us, a sagging sleeping pad or too-puffy pillow can make for a miserable, sleepless night – and fatigue and soreness the next day, which affects your riding.

motorcycle camping tips
Try sleeping overnight in your backyard to test out the comfort of your sleeping bag and pad.

One night while camping in the early spring, I discovered that my idea of a comfortable sleeping temperature differed significantly from my sleeping bag manufacturer’s rating. After shivering for an hour in 35-degree temperatures inside my 30-degree bag, I donned every piece of clothing I had, including three pairs of socks and my motorcycle gloves, before I finally fell asleep. Had I tested the sleeping bag at home at that temperature, I could have simply gone inside – and opened a browser tab to order a thermal sleeping bag liner.

Waiting to Wander

After testing out your gear, packing methods, and camping setup, you might be ready to head out on that long-distance motorcycle trip. While you would be better equipped than you were before the backyard practice, another of my motorcycle camping tips I might offer is that it’s still a good idea to do a shakedown run with your loaded motorcycle and perhaps spend a night at a campsite close to home, especially when trying out new gear or luggage.

motorcycle camping tips
It’s also a good idea to pack everything on your bike ahead of time to make sure everything fits and is secure.

I purchased a set of universal-fit Sedici saddlebags for my Kawasaki Ninja 400, and after loading them up, I hit the road. When I arrived at a campground a couple of hours later, I smelled something odd. After examining my bike, I discovered that hot exhaust gas from the muffler had burned a gaping hole in the corner of the saddlebag.

Related: Take It With You: Motorcycle Luggage Buyers Guide

Molten sunscreen and soap were dripping out of the singed tarpaulin, and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to ride home like that – not without my stuff falling out of the hole or being melted or burned on the way. I called my husband and asked him to drive to the campsite so we could load my gear into our truck. Had I tried those saddlebags around town before heading out, I could have saved us both time and hassle.

Don’t think of setting up camp in your backyard as a chore or a waste of time. Have fun and use it as an opportunity to get excited about the adventures to come. Play with your gear, enjoy the outdoors, and if something goes wrong, you can always sleep in your own bed.

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Source: RiderMagazine.com