Who rides motorcycles?

[LouNY]

Yea the gas it and go doesn't work real well on 900# touring bikes.
I started out riding dirt and dual pupose when my Norton single was considered dual purpose.
And I used to live on a dirt road with a steep 1/4 mile dirt driveway, they paved the road but my driveway is still dirt.
My main rides have been touring bikes for the last 30 years, Yamaha Ventures, a few Honda 4 baggers and now a Harley Ultra Limited.
The counter steer and keep your seat and keep power on a bit if the rear kicks out.

 

[90cummins]

2002 BMW R1150GS

90cummins

 

[dfkrug]

I don't think a person understands a motorcycle unless they have had experience in off road riding first.

I agree that dirt bike experience is a big plus when going to street bikes. With the exception of putting your foot down in a slide. Don't do THAT on the street.

I remember the first time I got to ride 4-wheel ATVs, back in '83 when Suzuki first offered one. My dirt bike experience actually hurt me there, since I reflexively put my foot down when sliding. That causes the rear tire to hit your calf. Nerf bars came out later to limit that problem.

 

[om21braz]

I remember the first time I got to ride 4-wheel ATVs, back in '83 when Suzuki first offered one. My dirt bike experience actually hurt me there, since I reflexively put my foot down when sliding. That causes the rear tire to hit your calf. Nerf bars came out later to limit that problem.

The end result on a 3-wheeler is even worse - ya run over your foot! My cousin had one years ago and got pretty adept at riding it quickly. My first time on it was bad, but not as disastrous as others as he exclaimed when I got off "Well, you're the only one that tried it besides me that didn't break a bone."

 

[hunt4570]

Qualification for MC endorsement is sort of stupid in the US. There should be a pre-qualification before a road test, and that being a dirt bike pre-qualification. I don't think a person understands a motorcycle unless they have had experience in off road riding first. i had the privilege, to ride off road, well before I got my DL for car and motorcycle. Its that instantaneous skill of counter steering that people need to have if the road just goes to marbles, which I've encounters many times, and reaction with out thought, just reacted the right way. I can't ride with people that don't have a dirt bike background. If they've only driven on pavement, I can't trust them and the slightest bit of debris on a road sends them a crashing and messes up the day. They don't have that reflex to recover. I live up a 1.5 mile gravel road up to the house. And I now tell people wishing to visit, that they should take their cars. Cause i got tired of them spinning out and dropping their bikes on what is really, a very easy, gravel road to navigate.

I completely disagree, two different sets of skills. I never rode a dirt bike and have done just fine. Yes you have to learn how to deal with loose substrate beneath you but you have to learn that with a car also. I've ridden in sand and gravel, and snow and even hard frost on the ground, driving rain and hail.. no big deal, just something you have to learn.

 

[dfkrug]

The end result on a 3-wheeler is even worse - ya run over your foot! My cousin had one years ago and got pretty adept at riding it quickly.

Yeah, I have had 3 Honda 3-wheelers, and it can be worse. If you learn to ride them fast, you can operate them on 2 wheels like a motorcycle.

 

[JasperFrank]

"I completely disagree, two different sets of skills." Hunt,... wha?. What skill do you think is entirely not needed, by not having a back ground in dirt bikes? I entirely, do not understand your statement. What "Other" skills are you addressing that are unique to people that have no experience on dirt, that would exclude those skills learned on roads? This is an honest question. And by the way, cars and motorcycles are entirely different, if a car looses traction, it sides a bit sideways. If a motorcycle looses traction, or control, it falls down.: There is a difference here. You have to agree that there is a difference. Most people, I know, that have large touring style bikes, can't pick them up; can't lift them back to level if they've fallen over.

 

[hunt4570]

"I completely disagree, two different sets of skills." Hunt,... wha?. What skill do you think is entirely not needed, by not having a back ground in dirt bikes? I entirely, do not understand your statement. What "Other" skills are you addressing that are unique to people that have no experience on dirt, that would exclude those skills learned on roads? This is an honest question. And by the way, cars and motorcycles are entirely different, if a car looses traction, it sides a bit sideways. If a motorcycle looses traction, or control, it falls down.: There is a difference here. You have to agree that there is a difference. Most people, I know, that have large touring style bikes, can't pick them up; can't lift them back to level if they've fallen over.

I'm just saying the "dirt experience" is not needed for learning to ride on the street!!

"If a motorcycle looses traction, or control, it falls down.: " Not necessarily the case, I remember one time going around a curve hit some shade which caused a hard frost on the pavement, caused my 850 pound full dress Road Glide to lose traction, slid about 8-10 feet semi sideways toward the side of the road at which time moved out of the shade, regained traction and went on my way..

And if you think that that is the case, maybe you need to take a class or two...or more, more is always better!

If they have a large touring bike and cannot pick it up if it falls over they should do one of two things in my estimation... 1, get a bike they can pick up by themselves, or take a class and learn how to do it!! I'm 64, about 5'10" and 190 pounds, and I can for sure pick my 850# bike up by myself.. if I couldn't I'd get a smaller bike!

 

[3930dave]

2002 BMW R1150GS

90cummins

Quite the ride 90. PM'ing you some questions.

Rgds, D.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I never put my foot down on the street when I ride....