Articles

Modifying your Motorcycle

2011-11-21T17:40:52Z

When and if you decide to modify your motorcycle, always keep Isaac Newton in mind. No, not the cookie inventor, that was Harvey Newton, a distant cousin of Isaac’s. Isaac Newton was the physicist who discovered that “for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction”. What does that have to do with motorcycles? I thought you’d never ask.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you’ve got a new Street Glide with the slammed rear suspension right from the factory. On that bike, the rear shocks actually lower the bike about one inch in the rear. That means the rear shocks have only two inches of travel before they bottom out. With just one 180 lb. rider on your average road, that’s not a problem. Put two people on the bike, load the bags and you’re going to have a very stiff, easy to bottom out ride.

But, you like that slammed look so much you decided to lower it even more in the back and an inch or two in the front as well. Here comes the opposite and equal reaction. Hopefully, you won’t go the cheap route and put one of those dog eared twenty five dollar gadgets that just angle the rear shocks. That will destroy the ride altogether and cause the bags to contact the shocks when you go over a bump. If you must lower the rear of the bike, invest in a good set of shocks. Yes, they are expensive, but they’re worth every penny when you hit a bump while rounding a turn at 50 mph. Up front you’ll need a matching set of springs and the proper fork oil. With all this , you’ll have a bike with a stiffer ride than stock and a very limited lean angle. That means hard parts such as the floorboard mounts will hit the ground if you get aggressive in the twisties. The bike will look great though, when parked. Whether or not it’s worth it is strictly up to you.

How about performance mod’s for the motor? Again, keep in mind that extra power comes with a price. Let’s assume you’ve had the modifications done properly and all the parts work together as designed. The drive-ability is perfect and you can feel the extra power. What’s the opposite and equal reaction? More heat from the motor. More power, more heat.

Even the simplest change such as a different seat can cause an opposite and equal reaction. Sometimes for the better. For instance, HD’s reach seat puts you closer to the bars. That’s good for a rider with shorter arms but not so good for a taller rider whose arms may be bent a bit too much. I’ve seen riders put after market lower seats on the bikes…A lower seat will put you further from the bars and along with putting your feet closer to the ground, they’ll also be closer to the floorboards. That means your knees will be bent a bit more when resting on the boards.

Then there’s custom paint. How the hell can paint cause an opposite and equal reaction? Speaking from experience, here’s what happened when I had a beautiful custom paint job done on one of my bikes. First, I never rode it to any bike nights because I was afraid of parking it and getting a scratch on that fancy paint. Second, I had to be careful of what roads I’d ride on, less a piece of gravel might be thrown up by a truck and nick the paint. When the inevitable scratch and nick did appear, it cost a small fortune to repair. I wound up not riding the bike very much and sold it a year later.

Am I telling you not to modify your bike? Of course not. What I am telling you is be aware, give some serious thought to even the simplest modifications because, “for every action, there’s an opposite and equal reaction”.

Traction

2011-11-07T13:56:17Z

Traction, or the lack, there of. I was recently asked by a young lady if the exercises in my video could be practiced on grass. If you’re not familiar, my video consists of a series of tight turns that require the motorcycle to be leaned over near its limits.

The first thing I asked was what kind of bike she was riding. When she replied, a Softtail Deluxe, I immediately said NO. You must practice on a paved surface. Now, you would think that common sense should tell a person that a street bike was designed to be ridden on the street, but, as they say, common sense isn’t very common anymore. This conversation, combined with some of the things I see riders doing when the surface they’re riding on is less than optimal inspired me to write this article.

As a general rule, avoid taking your street motorcycle off the road whenever possible. Of course, if you have to leave the pavement to avoid a crash, go ahead and do it. Keep in mind that once off the pavement, traction will be extremely limited. That means you can’t lean and you must be very careful about applying your brakes, especially the front brake. Let’s say you have to swerve around a vehicle that has pulled out in front of you and your only escape path is a grassy shoulder. Once you’ve swerved off the road, straighten up the bike and allow engine braking to slow you down. As the bike slows, use a little rear brake to come to a stop. When you’re ready to pull back on the road, slip the clutch until you’re back on dry pavement. The heavier the bike, the more difficult it is to control on grass, sand, or gravel.

There are of course motorcycles that can be ridden both on and off road. These bikes are called Dual Sports or Adventure Tourers. Most of these bikes come standard with semi knobby tires. While Dual Sport type bikes do very well on grass or dirt, they can be a handful in sugar sand or mud. Generally, the lighter the Dual Sport, the better it will handle off road. Years ago, I taught my son to ride on a 200cc Dual Sport in a grassy field. I was actually amazed at the lean angles this bike could achieve in the grass, but, the bike only weighed 300 lbs. and the tires were pretty aggressive knobbies.

Now that we’ve established that street bikes should remain on the street whenever possible, let’s talk about traction problems on the street. First, there are wet weather conditions. If the pavement is wet, your traction is reduced by at least 50%. That means you should limit your lean angles to about half the amount you would use in dry conditions. Since the bike must lean in order to turn at speed, you’d better slow down on a winding road.

Your stopping distances will also be about double what they would be in dry conditions. That means your following distance from vehicles in front of you should be about double as well. Avoid leaning at all when crossing painted lines, such as safety zones or cross walks. Make sure that if you’re applying your brakes on any type of painted line, you do so with extreme caution. Painted lines on a wet road are almost as bad as ice.

I just got back from Ohio where they love to patch the roads with tar strips. These strips become very slick even in perfectly dry conditions once the temperature is above 70 degrees. In fact, we were performing my rider skills show in a parking lot at the Mid-Ohio Racetrack, there were tar strips every 20 feet. Even though our speeds were low, the lean angles we use are extreme. Every time I crossed one of these tar strips, I could feel the front tire slip out a few inches. On a high speed turn on one of these tar strips, the bike could easily low side.

There will be occasions where the road is perfectly dry, but, as you round a curve you suddenly see some sand or gravel in your path. The only way to avoid a low side crash in that situation is to straighten up the bike before you cross the sand or gravel. To avoid that situation altogether, which of course is the best policy, scan the surface well ahead of your path of travel. Make sure you are able to stop within your sight distance.

Till next month, use a little common sense and you’ll keep the shiny side up. My just released, Ride Like a Pro, The Book is now available. You can go to my website, www.ridelikeapro.com or call our toll free, 866-868-7433 to order your very own copy. My website is a wealth of information for all riders, you can view video clips, order any number of my DVDs, view my safety tip of the week articles and much, much more.

Copyright 2009 Jerry “Motorman” Palladino

It’s time to become an aggressive rider

2011-11-07T13:54:54Z

It’s time to become an aggressive rider. Not on the street, of course, but, under controlled conditions. That means your favorite parking lot. With the downturn in the economy, finding a deserted parking lot is pretty easy. The exercise I’m about to lay out for you needs to be practiced aggressively.

This exercise is called the Intersection. This exercise will have you practicing quick left to right transitions as well as U-turns all at the same time. In addition, you’ll also have to use your head and eyes, the friction zone (clutch and throttle) and the rear brake in order to perform it correctly. Why are these things important? When a car violates your right of way, you need to make a quick left to right or right to left transition to avoid that vehicle. Using your head and eyes allows you to put your motorcycle exactly where you need to be. The friction zone and rear brake allow you to take advantage of your bikes’ built in maneuverability. Knowing how to make a U-turn without dropping the bike, duck walking it or backing up a 900 lb. motorcycle in order to turn it around, is self explanatory.

Where does the aggression come in? Here it is. You must attempt to perform the intersection as quickly as possible. You must aggressively use all the techniques at once. If you try to creep through the intersection at a slow walking pace, you’ll have no momentum and gravity will force you to the ground. If on the other hand, your average speed through the exercise is 10 to 12 mph, you will develop a rhythm and actually enjoy the feeling you’ll get as your bike reacts as it was designed to be ridden. In other words, you’ll become one with the bike.

Here’s what you’ll need to set up the intersection. Chalk or marker paint, six tennis balls cut in half or 12 plastic cones and a 100’ measuring tape. Each leg of the intersection should be 24’ wide X 34’ long. Set up two cones or tennis balls at the end of each leg at the corners and four more cones at each corner of the center of the intersection. At 12’ from the end of each leg, put an X. That X is your pivot point. The pivot point is where you’re going to place your front tire in order to make a U-turn.

Enter the intersection so that your first turn is to the right—that means all your U-turns will be to the left. Now, here’s the trick to the intersection. As you approach the first right turn, DIP the bike to the left first. In other words, make a wide turn like an 18 wheeler. This dip to the left before making the right turn aligns the rear tire with the front tire and sets up the chassis for the U-turn. As soon as you dip to the left, SNAP your head and eyes and focus on that pivot point. If you wait until after you make the right turn to find the pivot point, it will be too late. The sooner you snap your head and eyes and look for the pivot point, the better. As the bike heads for the pivot point, but before you actually get there, SNAP your head and eyes as far to the left as possible. Once the bike starts heading to the left of the next cone, SNAP your head and eyes to the right and find the next pivot point.

Remember to stay in the friction zone and have a little pressure on the rear brake the entire time you’re in the intersection. Your rpm’s should be 2000 to 2500. Don’t try to idle through the exercise, use that throttle aggressively. Turn your handlebars quickly, snap your head and eyes as fast as you can. Make a game out of it. Have a friend time you through the exercise. Try to beat your previous time or your friend’s time. The more you practice it the more confidence you’ll have and the better and safer rider you’ll become.

Copyright 2009 Jerry Motorman Palladino

Is Counter Steering Instinctual

2011-11-07T13:53:53Z

Is Counter Steering Instinctual

There’s only one aspect of riding a motorcycle properly where your instinct is actually correct. Actually, semi-instinctual, that’s counter steering. Before I go any further I’ll define what’s commonly known as counter steering.

I actually prefer the term “push steering” since it’s a lot less confusing. What push steering/counter steering means is in order to change direction at speeds above 15 mph as in; when rounding a curve, you must push forward on one of the grips. To go left, you push forward on the left grip; the motorcycle leans left and goes left. To go right, you push forward on the right grip; the motorcycle leans right and goes right. Under normal conditions, the majority of riders have no problem push steering/counter steering even though most riders don’t even realize they’re doing it. If you’ve ever rounded a curve at speeds above 15 mph on your motorcycle, you’ve push steered/counter steered.

So, why do I say push steering/counter steering is only “semi-instinctual”? Because if you have to push steer/counter steer in a hurry, as in an emergency situation, chances are you will do the opposite. Here’s the scenario---You’re cruising down the left lane passing a vehicle in the right lane. The driver in the right lane starts to drift into your lane. About half of you will attempt to turn your handlebars to the left, away from that vehicle. That is mainly due to being used to driving a four-wheeled vehicle and it works great in a four-wheeled vehicle. However, on the two-wheeled vehicle, that quick defensive turn to the left amount to a push forward on the right grip. That of course will cause the bike to lean right and go directly into that vehicle. Here’s another scenario. You’re speeding straight down the highway when a vehicle pulls out from your right in an attempt to cross the highway and your path of travel. You try to steer to the right to get around the back of that vehicle, that quick reflexive turn of the bars to the right causes the bike instead to lean left and go left directly into the vehicle you were trying to avoid.

I’m aware that many of you out there riding motorcycles for years don’t believe a word I’ve just written. If you’re one of those riders that doesn’t believe me or, don’t understand the push steering/counter steering phenomenon, here’s any easy way to prove to yourself how it works. Get on your motorcycle, get above 15 mph and give a little push forward on one of the grips. I’ll wait right here while you try it. Ok, you’re back. Now that you understand how it works and that I’m not feeding you a line of bulls%&! let me show you how to use push steering/counter steering to your advantage all the time, even in an emergency situation.

First, find a deserted road or a parking lot with enough space to get to 15 mph or above. By the way, the reason you can’t push steer/counter steer below 15 mph is that the gyroscopic effect of the two spinning wheels of the motorcycle is not strong enough to overcome the force of gravity wanting to pull you down to the ground. Now all you have to do is push forward on the right grip, then the left grip and feel the bike lean and swerve from side to side. Next, set up five or six cones or any kind of markers you have at 30’ apart and weave through them at 20 mph. Do this until you avoid all the cones without slowing down or using any braking.

To see how push steering/counter steering can help you on a winding road, start turning some big circles. When I say big, I mean at least 50 feet in diameter. The bigger the circle, the higher the speed you can obtain. As you’re circling, notice that if you push forward on the low side grip, the bike will lean further to the low side and the circle will tighten up the harder you push forward on that grip. At these counter steering speeds, it’s helpful to lean your body slightly toward the low side as well. Just make sure your head is level with the horizon.

You may have seen racers leaning so far off the low side of their bike that they can even drag a knee on the ground. While I don’t suggest you go any where near the “hanging a knee off” extreme, you will definitely find how much faster you can round a curve using this technique, (notice the body position in the pictures). Make sure you practice in both directions. The more you practice these simple exercises, the sooner push steering/counter steering will truly become instinct “all the time”.

I would like to remind you to check out my website, www.ridelikeapro.com and buy one of my Ride Like a Pro DVDs or Book for a Christmas present for a friend or loved one. In this economy, my DVDs are a gift that is truly worth it. You can call and order toll free, 866-868-7433 or order directly from my website and make sure to use this coupon code, IS-17-RIDER to receive a 5.00 discount when you order my Ride Like a Pro V DVD. Merry Christmas to you all! My first event in the New Year will be in Norcross Georgia, January 22nd – 24th, 2010 at the Great American Motorcycle Expo, stop by and see my shows and pick up one of my Ride Like a Pro DVDs or my Ride Like a Pro, The Book--- in case you didn’t receive one from Santa!

Copyright2009 Jerry Motorman Palladino

ABS: Stop It, Now

2011-11-07T13:52:54Z

Stop It, Now

At the present time, there is a new study being conducted on motorcycle crashes and their causes. The last time such a study was conducted was back in the late 70’s, early 80’s and is known as the Hurt Study; named after the recently departed Dr. Hurt. (Do a google search on the Hurt Study, it’s a very interesting Read). While the new study has not been completed, some of its findings have been released. I recently read the section on ABS brakes. Just as I suspected, ABS is a life saver. Since so many crashes occur due to improper braking, i.e., the rider puts too much pressure on the rear brake and not enough or none at all on the front brake, this finding is not a surprise to me.

Luckily, more and more manufacturers are offering ABS as an option, even on cruisers. Harley’s entire line of touring bikes has the ABS option. Honda also offers ABS on their new Fury chopper and four of their 2010 cruiser models as well as just about all of their sport and sport touring motorcycles. BMW, the first to have ABS on a motorcycle, has the option on its entire lineup.

Why is ABS so important? That’s simple. Anti-lock braking systems keep the tires from locking up. Since you only have two small contact patches and two wheels, if you lock them, you’re going down. Since most motorcycle riders spend a lot more time driving their four-wheeled vehicles and since they’re used to slamming on that brake pedal in a panic stop in the car, they tend to do the same thing on their bikes.

On the bike, when you slam on that brake pedal, you’re braking only the rear tire---consequently, the rear tire locks and the rider slides onto the ground. Even if the rear tire doesn’t lock, the rear brake only gives you 20% of your stopping force. That’s why you should of course, use both brakes. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, since most riders rely on their instincts, which by the way are completely wrong when it comes to motorcycles in a panic, they lock that rear brake every single time.

By now you must be saying, “what am I supposed to do if I can’t afford to buy a new bike with ABS?” “What am I supposed to do, quit riding?” Ok, simmer down now. Here’s what you can do and it won’t cost you a cent. PRACTICE stopping and DO IT NOW! Find an empty parking lot or a deserted road and practice stopping quickly from various speeds. Start at 20 mph and work your speed up in 5 mph increments. The idea is to be able to stop quickly without locking the tires. In 15 or 20 minutes, you can improve your braking ability tremendously.

Now that you’ve got your straight line braking down pat, lets try swerving, then braking. Remember, you can’t do both at the same time. All you need to do is get up to 20 or 30 mph and start weaving back and forth. At some point, straighten up the bike and apply both brakes. You must straighten up the bike before applying the brakes and don’t forget to downshift. Last but not least, lets try braking in a curve. Again, get up to 20 mph and start turning a big circle at least 100’ in diameter---then, straighten up the bike and stop quickly. This skill will come in very handy on a winding road when you come around a turn and suddenly find an obstacle blocking your way.

If your bike does have ABS, you still need to at least practice your swerves then braking and your braking in a curve since ABS can only be activated with the bike straight up. That’s because you can’t press hard enough on the brakes to activate ABS when the bike is in a lean. Maximum braking can only be performed with the bike straight up, with or without ABS. Everything I just described can be done in 45 minutes to an hour of practice. If you practice just one hour a month, your chances of avoiding a crash will greatly improve.

Now, for those of you in the frozen part of the Country whose riding season is still a couple of months away---how about getting that bike completely detailed and looking better than new? Here’s a product I recently tried. It’s called Chrome-It Super Polish. Chrome-It is a liquid that works on chrome, aluminum, brass, stainless steel and even plastic headlight covers. It works in half the time and with half the effort of anything else I’ve ever tried. An 8oz. bottle will set you back $15.00 or $25.00 for a 16oz. bottle. To get yourself a bottle, call Wes at 352-279-9556 or www.chromeit.us Tell them Motorman sent ya.

For more tips, log onto my website, www.ridelikeapro.com You can also order my brand new Ride Like a Pro, The Book as well as all my Ride Like a Pro DVDs right from my website or you can call toll free, 866-868-7433. I also have all my YouTube video clips of my safety tips of the week and much, much more. Until next month, get out there and PRACTICE.

Copyright 2010 Jerry Motorman Palladino

Motorman’s Tips – Surviving the Mean Streets

2011-11-07T13:52:13Z

Motorman’s Tips – Surviving the Mean Streets

The biggest benefit we have here in Florida is of course, the weather. I’ve been here for 32 years. With the exception of this winter, generally from October through May is the best time to ride. This year though, I’ve gone as long as two weeks without riding. I know what you’re thinking, “40 degrees is too cold for ya?”....Well, yes, yes it is. I’ve been spoiled all these years and my blood must have thinned because I really don’t enjoy riding when the temps drop much below 50 degrees.

I remember when I lived in Upstate New York back in the 70’s---We’d occasionally get a day or two in February if it was sunny and 40 degrees, I’d be out riding. The reason I bring this up is because this past winter, while cold here in Florida, it has been absolutely brutal pretty much anywhere north of the Georgia line. So, I’d bet that many of you up North are really dying to get out and ride. That means you may be so anxious, you might forget to do a safety check on your bike that’s been sitting for so long in the garage. At the very least, check the tires for proper pressure. Don’t just look at the tires, squeeze them or kick them, check them with a gauge. Also, look at the wear indicators. If you’ve got spoke wheels, make sure they are tight, all of them.

Check the headlight, both high and low beams. Make sure the signal lights and brake lights are all working. After starting the bike, turn the bars from lock to lock making sure the idle doesn’t rise or lower. If it does, check your throttle cables. Of course, check your fluids as well. If everything checks out, remember as you pull out of your driveway, your tires as well as the pavement will be cold. That means a reduction in traction. Once out on the street, weave back and forth a bit to warm up the tires. Test the brakes by applying some pressure on both the front and rear. Gradually at first, then do a few quick stops and starts.

Keep in mind rider skills are perishable. If you haven’t been on the bike in a few months, you’ll be rusty. Find an empty parking lot and spend at least a half an hour doing a few quick swerves, U-turns, circles and side to side quick transitions. Increase your speed gradually. Once out on the road, remember to keep your head and eyes up and look at least 12 seconds ahead of your bike. If you’re up North, watch out for sand, salt or wet spots on the road. Keep in mind also that the cagers are even less likely to notice a motorcycle than usual. So, cover your brakes at all times.

I just got back from Daytona Bike Week. More than half the people there are from Northern cities and States and probably hadn’t been riding in months. That would account for some of the amateur mistakes I observed. Turning wide from a stop and crossing the centerline caused more than a few crashes. I also saw a couple of riders attempting a U-turn on A1A and running right into the curb they were staring at---If these riders can’t turn their bikes in 40 feet, what chance do they have when a car turns left in front of them?

Remember, most crashes occur at intersections and at less than 20 mph. Consequently, everyone should practice their low speed skills on a regular basis. Till next month, get out there and practice. For more tips log onto my website, www.ridelikeapro.com
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I’ll be performing my Rider Skills shows at the Leesburg Bike Fest on April 23rd, 24th, 25th. Stop by and see the shows, you’ll have fun while learning something that just may save your life. I’ll have all my DVDs and Book available at my booth for sale before and after all the shows. My newest and youngest rider, Victoria, will be performing with the Ride Like a Pro Team, she’s only 16 years old and can handle an 850 lb. Harley-Davidson with skill and confidence.

Copyright 2010 Jerry Motorman Palladino

Overcoming your Fears

2011-11-07T13:50:44Z

Overcoming your Fears

Spring is finally here. It’s time to get out and ride, and a great time to get some exercise. With that in mind, I’ve got a way for you to improve your riding skills, get some physical exercise and to overcome your fears, all at the same time.

I’m assuming you already have a motorcycle, so, all you’ll need is a bicycle. Any kind of bicycle will do. By now you must be thinking, “bicycle, overcoming your fears, what the hell is this guy talking about?” Alright, here’s the story. I’ve noticed in my riders’ skills classes that many of the students have a fear of leaning their motorcycles, especially when it comes to leaning quickly in one direction and transitioning quickly to the other direction; in other words, a left to right or right to left transition. That quick transition is exactly what you’ll need when you have to avoid a vehicle that suddenly pulls out in front of you. The reason people fear this maneuver is because they’re afraid of dropping their motorcycle. So, to avoid that drop, the student’s slow way down, lean as little as possible, and then attempt to steer the bike slowly as possible from complete left to complete right.

Since they barely have any forward momentum, they wind up putting a foot down and having to abort the maneuver. While training in a parking lot under controlled conditions, this is no big deal. However, out on the road, aborting the maneuver can get you killed. In the course, after three or four tries, most riders realize that a little speed is all that’s needed and that the motorcycle will not fall over as long as you have some forward momentum. It even feels good physically when it’s done properly. The reason it feels good is because they now are maneuvering the bike the way it was designed to be maneuvered.

With that said, here’s where the bicycle comes into play. Since the bicycle has two wheels, one in front of the other, it reacts exactly like a motorcycle. Since the bicycle is so light, you don’t have to worry about dropping it. In other words, with the bicycle, your fear factor should be zero. Having no fear will allow you to try all kinds of maneuvers you wouldn’t try on your motorcycle. Plus, the sensations you’ll get as you lean, turn and swerve the bicycle will be exactly the same as on your motorcycle. When you realize that nothing terrible will happen to you when you turn those handlebars from side to side quickly, and it actually feels good to dip into the turns, you will be able to duplicate the maneuvers on your motorcycle. You’ll then be a better, safer, and more confident rider.

You’ll also understand exactly how it should feel when you get it right and through muscle memory, everything will start to fall into place on the motorcycle. While you can set up specific exercises, (you can download a practice guide free at www.ridelikeapro.com) to start with, just get out on a straight road and start weaving back and forth. Get as aggressive as possible with the weave. Keep you head and eyes up and look straight ahead as you row the handlebars back and forth. That motion will teach you the dip.

Next, try a few U-turns to the left. Aggressively dip the bike to the right side of the road and snap your head and eyes all the way to the left. You can even put a little pressure on the rear brake as you pedal through the U-turn. That’s the same thing you should be doing on your motorcycle. A little pressure on the rear brake while applying power to the rear wheel with the pedal stabilizes the bicycle and the motorcycle. Lean aggressively as you make the U-turn.

Next, try the quick left to right transitions. Think of it as a quick U-turn to the left in half the lane, then a quick transition to the right in the other half of the lane. Again, do it quickly and aggressively. The more you lean in each direction, the better. In 30 minutes you’ll have a much better understanding of the dynamics of a two wheeled vehicle and you’ll be getting some aerobic exercise at the same time. When you transition to your motorcycle, you should be able to repeat the same maneuvers and little by little get more aggressive on the motorcycle----while at the same time, gain confidence in your abilities and lose your fears.

Till next month, get out there and practice. For more information, log onto my website, www.ridelikeapro.com We are offering free shipping on my Ride Like a Pro DVDs this month, call toll free, 866-868-7433 or order online at my website. Do yourself a favor, get some skills, it will save your life.

Copyright 2010 Jerry Motorman Palladino

Got Skills?

2011-11-07T13:48:57Z

Motorman's Tips, Tricks and Techniques

Being a skillful rider is 90% mental and only 10% physical. Here’s the mental part, knowing the proper techniques and how to use them. The 10% physical part simply means the size and strength of the rider has no bearing on their ability to be a skilled rider. I think I’ve proved this over and over again with some of the riders I’ve trained---two of which are featured on YouTube, 15 year old, 4’11” Victoria, and 19 year old, 100 lb. Stephanie. Both of these young ladies can maneuver an 850 lb. Harley-Davidson with such ease, men that have been riding for 30 years envy their skills. And, they learned these techniques and skills in just a matter of hours, not months or years.

To see these young ladies ride, go to YouTube and type in Ride Like a Pro Victoria and Stephanie learns to Ride Like a Pro. How is it possible that these ladies can out-ride men who have been riding for 20 or 30 years, or even longer? That’s simple; they know the three techniques that Motor Officers have been using for over 60 years. Not only do they know these techniques, they use them to the extreme and they practice them on a regular basis just as Motor Officers do.

I’ve heard many people say, “Why do I have to practice or train, I ride just fine and I’ve never had any training at all.” What these people are actually saying is, “I can ride straight down the road and make great big wide turns every once and a while and as long as nothing gets in my way, I ride just fine”. The fact is, sooner or later something WILL get in your way. It may be the car that suddenly turns left in front of you or the vehicle that pulls out from a side road on the right and on and on. When that happens, if you’ve never had any training, you will rely on instincts alone---when it comes to riding a motorcycle properly, it’s the exact opposite of your instincts. For instance, when that car turns left in front of you, instinct tells you to stare at that car and at the same time slam on the rear brake. What’s going to happen next is your motorcycle is going to slide onto the ground and crash right into the vehicle you are staring at. To avoid this type of situation, you must know what to do and how to do it.

Here’s the good news, it just takes a few hours to learn the proper techniques and after the initial three or four hours of training, you’ll quickly realize that the skills you’ve learned under controlled conditions can of course be applied and practiced every time you get on your motorcycle and ride out in the real world. I guarantee you, if you think riding a motorcycle is fun now, it’s going to be a hell of a lot more fun when you actually know what you are doing.

I’ve heard from some people with disabilities who are unsure if they can really learn to ride well. For instance, I received an email from a rider that said he was blind in one eye and is it possible he could still learn the head and eyes technique. The answer is yes. In fact, I’ve trained riders on my course with vision in only one eye. They actually picked up the head and eyes technique even quicker than the rest of the class simply because due to their disability, they couldn’t rely on their peripheral vision; they had to turn their head to the extreme.

I’ve also been contacted by riders with a missing leg and using a prosthetic leg. They wondered if they could use the rear brake technique to assist them at low speeds. The answer is of course, yes. The fact is the rear brake is just a helper and needs very little pressure, most of the control is in the clutch and throttle. In fact, a young man that I know named Brian Wright, age 23, lost his right leg below the knee and has a prosthetic leg and asked that very question after watching my DVD. I assured him that the technique would work for him but it may take a little more effort on his part. Brian is a Firefighter in Illinois and of course had to pass some grueling physical agility tests, so learning to ride a motorcycle properly was no big deal to him. I assured Brian that it was 90% mental, 10% physical. Brian put in a lot of practice and became so good a rider, he met up with us at the Illinois State HOG Rally this year and actually performed in my rider skills shows with me and my Ride Like a Pro team. Brian’s father Bob is in his 50’s and practiced right along with his son; he too displayed enough skill to perform in my show. (See attached picture of Brian).

The point is, just about anybody can become a highly skilled rider. All it takes is the desire to do so. I’ve heard all the excuses, “my bike is too big, my legs are too short, I got a headache, my bike won’t do that, etc., on and on, bla, bla, bla. Everybody that rides a motorcycle needs to be the best rider they can possibly be. Again, that takes practice and knowing the proper techniques. Even the best professional riders, I’m talking about the ones that win big prize money in races all over the world, practice on a regular basis. Motor officers, though they ride 10 to 12 hours a day still have monthly 10 hour practice sessions. Let’s face it; it’s a jungle out there. Most drivers are so distracted by loud stereos, cell phones, texting and navigation devices, they’re not going to see you when it really counts. It’s up to you to obtain the skills you need to avoid all the hazards you’ll find waiting for you out there on the mean streets.

For more information, log onto my website www.ridelikeapro.com my Ride Like a Pro Book and DVDs are available from my website. You can order toll free by calling 866-868-7433. Do yourself and a friend a favor and get them, they just may save your life. Till next month, get out there and practice!

Copyright 2010 Jerry Motorman Palladino

Will these techniques work on a Sport Bike?

2011-11-07T13:46:40Z

Will these techniques work on a Sport Bike?

Here’s a question I get quite often. “Will these three motor officer techniques you show on your Ride Like a Pro videos work on a Sport Bike?” Then there’s the same questions except instead of a Sport Bike, the question refers to Scooters.

Before I go any further and not to keep you in suspense, the answer of course is YES. As I state in both my videos and in my Ride Like a Pro Book, the three motor officer techniques work on all two-wheeled vehicles.

In case you happen to be a new reader to the column, the three motor officer techniques I’m speaking of are; the proper use of your head and eyes, the proper use of the friction zone and the proper use of the rear brake. Once these techniques are mastered, and they can be mastered in as little as four hours, any rider, male or female, big or small, can handle even the heaviest motorcycle with the ease of a child’s toy.

While most of the demonstrations I show in my video and book are performed on big touring cruisers, I also show the exercises being performed on a few Sport Bikes as well. The reason I use heavyweight cruisers is because that type of bike is 70% of the market here in the USA...plus, due to the weight of the cruiser style motorcycle, a low speed tip over is more likely to occur. Of course a Sport Bike can tip over at low speeds just as quickly as a cruiser, but because they weigh less than half of what a cruiser weighs, most Sport Bike riders can hold the bike up should it start to go down.

I’ve had quite a few people tell me they’ve mastered the techniques on their cruisers but recently purchased a Sport Bike as a second motorcycle and are now having a difficult time with U-turns, etc. Here’s the reason for that situation. First, whenever a person gets on a new motorcycle, they tend to revert to their instincts. What that means is looking down and or at the very thing you don’t want to hit. While attempting a U-turn, if you look at the opposite curb, your hands follow your eyes and you will steer right towards the curb. If you don’t realize your mistake, you tend to think the new Sport Bike has a much bigger turning radius than the cruiser.

Another thing to consider is the handlebars on most Sport Bikes don’t turn as far as the cruiser handlebars. The good news is the Sport Bike has a superior lean angle to the cruiser. Remember, the further you lean the bike, the tighter the turn you can make. In addition, Sport Bikes also have a much lighter fly wheel. That causes the throttle to be much more sensitive than the typical throttle response of a V-twin cruiser. To overcome that sensitive throttle, use 2nd gear when making tight, low speed turns. Using 2nd gear will allow you to slip the clutch with much more control.

The bottom line, the three techniques work just as well on a Sport Bike as a cruiser. We had a Ducati rider and a Kawasaki Z1000 rider at our last Ride Like a Pro class (see attached pictures of these riders in this article) and we took some video of them going through the most difficult exercises. If there’s any doubt in your mind about the techniques working just as well on Sport Bikes, go to YouTube and type in Ducati_Rider_Sal or Kawasaki_Tony_intersection Ride Like a Pro and put your doubts to rest.

While I don’t have video of motor scooters running through my course, take my word for it, the techniques work just as well on the Scooter. Believe me when I say the size and strength of the rider means nothing, nor does the type of bike you ride. It’s all technique. Learn the three techniques and you can ride anything with two-wheels like a PRO.

Copyright 2010 Jerry “Motorman” Palladino
Ride Like a Pro, Inc.

Clutch and Throttle

2011-11-07T13:43:41Z

Clutch and Throttle

I hear from so many riders with heavyweight bikes such as Harley Ultra’s, Honda Goldwings, Yamaha Ventures, etc., that these bikes are heavy and clumsy. A lot of riders tell me they’ve been riding motorcycles for 20 or 30 years and just purchased their big dream bike but believe they may have made a mistake as they find the bike nearly impossible to handle at low speeds, especially when creeping through traffic or maneuvering through a crowded parking lot. They all want to know what they can do to make maneuvering the bike less of a handful. The answer is right there in their hands.

It’s the clutch and throttle. I’ve seen so many riders make the same mistake over and over again; and that mistake is, letting the clutch out all the way and opening the throttle while attempting to turn from a stop. Once the clutch is fully engaged or released, the slightest movement of the throttle will cause the bike to leap ahead. Let’s say a rider is making a right hand turn from a stop sign. He smoothly releases the clutch all the way out, feeds a little throttle, the bike leaps forward even if the rider had his head and eyes turned to the right. When the bike leaps forward instinct tells the rider to look straight ahead. Since the bike goes where you look, you’ll be going straight instead of turning.

To overcome this, simply stay in the friction zone, feed a little throttle and look where you want the bike to go. The clutch should never be fully engaged until the turn is completed. This technique can also be called “slipping the clutch”. That’s exactly what you have to do at low speeds to smooth out forward progress. Most riders, even ones that have been riding for many years have it in their head that the clutch should be released as soon as possible. While that works fine if you’re starting off from a start and going straight, if you’re attempting to turn from a stop, you must slip the clutch. Also, if you’re maneuvering and turning in a crowded parking lot, use that friction zone and throttle the entire time. If you put a little bit of pressure on the rear brake while slipping the clutch, you’ll have even more control. If you’ve ever witnessed a slow race, that’s exactly what the riders are doing. However, even if you’re not going extremely slowly, say, 8 to 10 mph, that clutch and throttle will be your best friend if you learn to coordinate them well.

Learning to use the friction zone and the rear brake properly will also keep you from having to drag your feet along the ground in an attempt to balance the motorcycle. Dragging your feet, especially on a heavyweight motorcycle, that is, anything over 300 lbs. is not going to help you. In fact, if you’re going slow and turning and your feet are dragging on the ground, you may find yourself having to stop quickly. If your foot is not on the rear brake, you’ll have to use the front brake. Of course, if you use that front brake with the handlebars turned, you’ll quickly find yourself and your motorcycle flat on the ground.

Easy ways to practice using the clutch, throttle, and rear brake is while riding in traffic and approaching a red light. Simply slow down a little sooner than you need to and leave four or five car lengths between you and the car in front. Then try to inch your way up toward that vehicle with your feet on the pegs or floorboards and manipulate the clutch and throttle to maintain your balance. Make sure to keep your head and eyes UP. If you look down at the ground directly in front of the motorcycle, you will have to put a foot down.

With a little practice, you’ll find that you can almost bring the motorcycle to a complete standstill with your feet still on the pegs and the rear brake. Once you feel comfortable doing that, try turning the motorcycle while going as slow as possible and keeping the bike straight up. When you can complete a 24’ circle at 2 mph without leaning the bike and without dabbing a foot to the ground, you’ll have a good handle on clutch and throttle control. For more tips, tricks and techniques, log onto www.ridelikeapro.com

Copyright 2010 Jerry “Motorman” Palladino