Help: Doing Figure 8s

mattew · Post by **mattew** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 5:51 pm

Gday,
Im a new rider from WA, and im in the process of getting my restricted 250 license. I have the test booked for the 23rd March and ive had 4 lessons. I have 3 more lesson this week. And im a bit worried.
Im having troubles with my turns/figure 8s.

Is there any ways i can teach myself how to do the turns and firgure 8s perfectly or satisfactorily. I always either go too slow, or too fast and have to put my foot down - which means i fail the test.

If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Lainie · Post by **Lainie** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 5:52 pm

Hello and Welcome

Sorry can't help with ya 8's though

Pabs · Post by **Pabs** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:09 pm

http://www.bikepics.com/movies/000453/
Like this??

Bionic · Post by **Bionic** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:10 pm

I find riding the back break allways good. Also To remember to keep you body near straight Vertical and lean the bike.

TMO82 · Post by **TMO82** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:52 pm

Make sure your in second gear. If the bikes they test you on in WA are anything like inQLD going too fast wont be a problem.

Also sounds like your looking at the ground and not where you want the bike to go you will get it so just stick with it and be confident don't let it get you down.

Good luck in your test let us know how it goes.

mattew · Post by **mattew** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:56 pm

Howcome keep it in 2nd?

Tones · Post by **Tones** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:04 pm

Only one rule - look where you want to go. That is to say keep your eyes up (to help with balance) and turn your head so you can look as to where you want to go.

The moment you look down you will loose a proportion of your balance. The fluid in your ears helps your balance, but your brain needs a reference point to go by. That is why looking up is so important to get that reference point. You look down and your balance fails = foot down. You need to turn your head and look to where you want to go so that your body will accomodate the turn. Many people look to where they ARE going, and not where they WANT to go. What happens is their turn is only slight compared to what it could be. To turn sharply you need to turn your head so that you are trying to look over your shoulder to where you want to go and you will turn sharply.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

ozx6r · Post by **ozx6r** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:20 pm

i agree with tones! looking down was one of my probs and as soon and i started looking up i stopped putting my feet down

Kishy · Post by **Kishy** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:44 pm

Do ya test in Vic.. Lot easier

U dont get tested on that, & U dont fail for simply touching
grounding ya foot

photomike666 · Post by **photomike666** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:00 pm

All everyone else said and keep the revs up a bit and use the clutch to control speed. you can get far more precise control of speed with the clutch that you can with throttle alone

stevew_zzr · Post by **stevew_zzr** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:08 pm

I find doing it in 1st gear isn't so bad if you really ride the clutch and rear brake (hard) !

As the other people said, definitely keep your head UP!!! Most important thing, and don't be afraid to really turn your head right around when you do it. Helps alot with getting full-lock and keeping your balance. Every time i do a crappy figure of 8, or U-turn it's because i wasn't looking in the right place.

Keeping the body upright also helps. Usually when fanging thru the hills i'll lean very much with the bike, or off it, but when doing slow stuff you have to lean in the opposite direction ...

TMO82 · Post by **TMO82** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:56 pm

Howcome keep it in 2nd

Thats what i was taught at Q-ride and i found it made the throtle control heaps easier.

circlework · Post by **circlework** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:47 am

Kishy wrote:Do ya test in Vic.. Lot easier

U dont get tested on that, & U dont fail for simply touching
grounding ya foot

bloody oath, i rocked up hungover and hadnt ridden a bike in 4 years, had to borrow a rider book off the instructor too. :twisted:

and just listen to what your told by the instructor and you'll do fine.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:37 am

With practice, dragging a little rear brake has a few effects. It can control speed, it can settle the bike, it can make it turn tighter. Figure 8's are just two u turns really. Try to ride it more like a dirt bike at these low speeds. Sit more on top of it than leaning in with it. If you are falling off the inside and having to put yr foot down, you may just need to turn the bars in a little more in the direction you're wanting to go.

ie- doing a right U-turn, Set speed, Counter steer with the right hand bar, then once the bike is banked to the right, turn the bars to the right until the bike balances. Once again dragging a little back brake (not too much, just lightly so you can only just feel the resistance) , will assist in keeping the whole plot stable. HTH

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:53 am

TMO82 wrote:
Howcome keep it in 2nd

Thats what i was taught at Q-ride and i found it made the throtle control heaps easier.

i woulda thought 2nd was harder as ur labouring the engine more.....

look where u wanna go, ride the rear brake, and use ur clutch...thats wot its there for...