Mod 1 training day - U Turn woes - Updated with Mod 1 result

[ipip]

Did a 1 day big bike conversion/mod 1 training today. Not too bad, a couple of clipped cones, a couple of attempts to beat the speed trap and the road riding was generally all good.

But, the u-turn is my enemy

I either go far too wide, just not applying enough turn, or lean into the turn and (almost) drop the bike, occasionally saving it with a quick dab of the foot. 1 in 10 it's fine and on the dummy, end to end test, I just made it. However, that's not enough for me to be confident.

I think I know what's wrong, I just can't seem to put it right.

Any tips?

[ipip]

Spent the day on one of these by the way

[BrownTrousers]

Plenty of revs and keep turning your head to look as far back up behind you as possible (in the direction you want to be going) the bike will follow.
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[lihp]

More practice and training required.

Unfortunately, no amount of reading about it will help, the only thing that will help is getting out there and practicing it.

[esullivan]

Plenty of revs. Control your speed by slipping the clutch and using the back brake. The u-turn is a test of your ability to balance those three (revs, brakes and clutch) while looking where you are going.

You will do this manoeuvre almost every day when out on your own, such as when pulling out of parking space or making a sharp right or left. Once you pass your test, no one's going to care if you dab a foot down. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do. But not while on test.

I failed my first mod 1 on the u-turn (dabbed my foot). On my second, successful attempt, I relied a little too much on the back brake and juddered around the u-turn. Buy, hey, it worked.

I still dab my foot once in a while.
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[pinkyfloyd]

Going too wide is not turning your head 9 times out of 10. Turn that head.

Too much lean, counter it by leaning the other way or even turning your body a little to put your weight on the far side. Takes practice.

The most part is slow control with the clutch, you are working with millimeters of clutch and if you find yourself going a little heavy a tiny dab of the brake.

Or as the boss says.

Just get on with it!

(wont show you what I was riding around on for a bit today but there is a thread going up on it.)
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[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

What BrownTrousers said - 90% of it is where you're looking. You've got to look where you want to go, not where you're going. Not down the end of your nose, at the ground, or a few feet ahead of the front wheel. Your head's go to be up, and almost swivelling ahead of where the bike's turning, anticipating the completed manoeuvre.
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[ipip]

All wise words I know and I do have a habit of looking down. In normal riding my clutch control is pretty good, but getting it all balanced within 7.5m is proving a challenge.

Might go and have a practice on the CBF; more lessons tomorrow.

On a different note, I was loving the stretches of open road where I could make progress without making an appointment for 60/70

[DottyDuck]

make sure you get a bit of speed before starting the turn. Remember to have enough revs to prevent stalling and the dropping of the bike and good clutch control. You will get it just stick with it
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CBT- 2012 Theory- 18/12/13 Mod 1- 07/01/14 Mod 2- 15/01/14
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[i.p.phrealy]

Keep your head up and look where you will be going after you've finished the turn, i.e don't look at the lines, look up the "road".
i had the same issue, you need to look where you will be going next and it will click.
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[marsden1967]

I had my first off practicing a u turn. Someone on here (can't remember who, sorry) recommended going around in ever decreasing circles, then practice u turns after doing a few of them. It worked an absolute treat for me, so give it a go
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[covent.gardens]

Almost everything has been said already, the only thing I would add is make sure you're not tensing right up when you're on the bike because your nervous, you will struggle with the delicate movements required to balance if your muscles and body is all stiff with fear, relax.

[noobRider]

U turn was my nemesis too Lots of good advice here.
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[G30]

High revs, clutch control, look where you want to go. Always do left-to-right u-turns, well I would assume the test is always left-to-right even though you may a right-to-left u-turn on the road when no one is about then go across to the left side or just turn around in a 3 point kinda manner at the side of the road. Practice makes perfect. Go go go.
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[yen_powell]

Move your bum off the seat a little, opposite side to the direction you are turning.
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[Robster]

Don't go mega slow, remember when the engine revs its helping hte bike stabilise - having a gyroscopic effect, so loadsa busy engine and clutch.

btw, nice bike to learn on! bit powerful no?

[Rigga]

Loads of revs and get your knee down









Erm, ignore the knee down comment.
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Current bike: Honda CBR 1100xx

[Ribenapigeon]

Make sure you go forwad a bit before the turn to get momentum then as others have said TURN YOUR HEAD. If in doubt as with most situations on a bike, give it some beans!just try not to doughnut it. Having said that if you can doughnut a Uee and get it on video you could probably make back the test fee by sticking it on youtube

[map]

[j.silvs]

a few things that I found made it easy:

1. Look where you want to go and not at the line/kerb
2. Use your hips to turn
3. If the bike feels unbalanced then it means your going too slow. Speed up bitch

HTH

[Sabs]

Looking where you are going to go is was the big point for me. I've only ever ridden in lessons, not got my own bike yet so am very inexperienced. For some reason I concentrated a lot on right in front of me but once I managed to look where I wanted to things like the U turn went a lot easier. Same for figure of 8.
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Theory in the bag, Mod 1 passed 28/3/2014, Mod 2 passed 9/4/2014 - Let loose
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[Andy_Pagin]

Strange choice of school bike, Fazers aren't the easiest bikes to U turn and the lack of bottom end torque doesn't help with the low speed stuff.
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[Matt B]

[ipip]

The bad news? I took the Mod 1 the day after posting this and failed on putting a foot down during the U turn
I also didn't make 50kph on the 2nd swerve avoidance.

The good news? Did it again today and passed with a clean sheet

I haven't booked Mod 2 yet, but I know there's a test slot available next week...

[Sabs]