Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Im a fairly new rider. Brand new to sportsbikes. I don't wish to injury myself or my bike. I am new to this forum and cant read everypost thats been entered. I have read about dangerous new bike riders here. Question - This may save my skin. What is the top few stupid traits new riders tend to have over experience riders? Please list I feel I may have a bit to work on. My current riding ambitions are to stay alive and learn to do wheelies.

IMHO the biggest trait is over confidence. They think they learn everything in a few rides and try things outside their skill level, which comes to disastrous endings. These things mY go ok once or twice but as soon as something outside the box occurs e.g car on the wrong side of the road, branch on road, wet surface and so on, they have nothing left to deal with it. Not enough experience to just tip in harder, emergency brake, not target fixate change body positions mid corner. These are skills learnt over time.

There are reasons that the good guys don't crash, and it's not because these things don't happen or they are going slower, it's just that they know what they can do when it does and they will do it instinctively.

Stay calm, stay level headed and you'll be fine.

I have a dream where i do a wheelie at balance point at about 70kph for as long as I want (usually sporting a fake lasso in the left hand ). I have had this for 25 years. I don't know if i'll ever be that good but would love to be that good.

JStewart wrote:I have a dream where i do a wheelie at balance point at about 70kph for as long as I want (usually sporting a fake lasso in the left hand ). I have had this for 25 years. I don't know if i'll ever be that good but would love to be that good.

Haha stellar! Welcome to the club mate!

#1 mistake is to not leave a buffer with everything you do - ride within your ability, leave plenty of room to the cars around you especially in front, be able to tighten ip your line in a corner if you need to etc etc

We all have to push our limits to improve at things but it's best to do it gradually and with some knowledge and support.

Wear the proper gear, even if its 40 degc in the shade, especially if you are going to muck around with wheel lofting:

Look 10 cars ahead of you. Works well in the car too. Gets you a few steps ahead of the rest in emergency situations.

When you're our riding, you need to drive every other car around you and anticipate what they might do and be ready act on it. Be aware of what and who is in front, beside and behind you and prepare for anything.

Other than that, have fun!

Ride like every other motorist hasn't seen you, even if you have the right of way, continuously prepare an escape route.
Say to yourself if that guy pulls out on the right, where am I going, or if that guy turns in front of me where am I going. Don't get too anal about it, but after a while it will become second nature and remain with you as instinct.

Ride at your pace dont ever think you need to keep up, think about what you are comfortable and safe with i.e. 6/10ths of your ability.
10/10ths is really for the race track. Leaving a few 10ths of ability on the road allows you to deal with those unexpected moments more effectively.
This varys from one rider to the next and in time your 6/10ths now might be 3/10ths later on.

Dont look in your mirrors or hit the front brakes hard in corners, this is sure to stand you up and spear you off the corner into a tree, just lean the farker more in this situation and a light dab on the rear will slow you a bit and help tip it in more. Braking should be done before entering the corner.

Be aware of where everyone is around you by checking regularly so you know where they are if you have to move suddenly, dont ride too close to vehicles in front.

Don't go hard on the straights trying to catch up, you will only arrive at the corner faster than you are used to. More crashes in the twisties are going in too hot and trying to scrub off speed, something unexpected in the corner and trying to scrub off speed, or getting on the gas too early and sliding out

Approach corners at a sensible speed, adjusting with throttle and a light rub of the brake if needed before turning in. Enter with a wide line for best visibility, apex with room to spare (head in side the white line) and cruise out.

Trust your tyres, good condition tyres have more grip than you expect. Even over damp patches! If you hit a small gravel patch, don't panic! Tensing up will force the bike off line. Soft hands even if it slides. It will grip once past the gravel.

Keep your elbows low and counter steer, this allows more control of the turn in. Practice this lots.

In traffic try and see drivers faces, both through windows and mirrors. If u can't see their face, they can't see you. Adjust your lane position accordingly.

As for wheelies, buy a cheap dirt bike and practice on grass. Wear a back protector. A cheap dirt bike & back protector will be cheaper than fairing repairs when you flip it. Perhaps practice on a mountain bike first to get used to feeling a balance point. Once on the dirt bike the trick is to clutch it up and catch it with the rear brake. Varying throttle and brake balance the bike. You could power wheelie and try and get the power matched for a balance point, but you will be going faster and not learning to prevent flipping using the brake. Again, lots of practice & probably a few crashes

The advice is endless...
my 2c

Just because your in the right doesnt mean you "safe"..
Always place yourself where you have "out" if things go to shit

I have credible experience riding in traffic. 2 years filtering through slow moving cages during construction of an underpass in Adelaide. So apart from traffic issues. Are there any more technical type mistakes novices make.... say in the country or in the hills? (apart from over confidence) as that has been covered. i.e. not trailing rear brake into corners - using front brake midcorner - selecting wrong lane position? I guess this could be more of a moderate experience level question.

Arriving 1 minute later to a destination aint the end of the world...........so
ignore the taunts of the hypocritical people who tell to ride within your own limits!

every big stuff up I've seen has been someone thinking they're too fast into a corner, turning too early, panicking and hitting rear, target fixation, big long skid, hit armco or do a somersault or just disappear over the edge. wait for truck and/or ambulance. moaning and groaning can be involved. the ones I've seen have been left handers. often just after lunch.

stoppies are good too.