machine control course that I would recommend

[esullivan]

I spent today on a windswept airfield in Bovington, doing a course on motorcycle control through i2i. Recommended, even if you think you have no issues with control. I did the first, basic course (Machine Control 1).

The instructor started the day by demonstrating pretty convincingly that the most unstable part of the motorcycle is the rider. We went through some exercises, culminating eventually with me standing up on the pegs, arms spread, turning right and left, while doing 30-35 down the landing strip. He showed us that cross winds have basically zero effect, even if we don't believe it, and demonstrating why we seem to get pushed to the side (hint: it's the rider).

We also did emergency stops, counter steering, slow control and swerving around hazards, but at a much higher speed and level than on the mod 1.

I didn't know what to expect. I was actually more interested in some of their higher level courses, and MC1 is a prerequisite, but I was pleasantly surprised. Even on slow control, which I do daily, I learned a thing or two.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[FLV]

sounds interesting,

but their fact sheet states there is no pre-requisite for each 1-4

Also they state that they provide a bike for levels 2 and 4, seems weird.

Its certainly got my attention though, might give them a call
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parp...brap....parp

[Rogerborg]

[Vincent]

If side winds have zero effect, why do they drill holes in the fairings at windy Philip Island?
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Space Is Deep

[esullivan]

Yes, the one I was first interested in (MC3) seems to be the only one with the requirement to take MC1 first. They are actually running MC3 tomorrow at the same spot, but I don't have the time spare. I will probably do MC3 next year, after I've had more practice on what I learned today.

I should mention that there were some downsides: There were 12 of us (eight men and four women), and two instructors. Eight or 10 in total might have been more manageable, because we were queueing on some of the exercises.

I initially thought there was too much lecture and not enough practice for my liking -- I got a sunburn from having my lid off for too much of the day -- but in hindsight that was probably not far off the right ratio. He was making points that many of us were having difficulty believing, and convincing us took time.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[esullivan]

On the wind, it was a good day for it because there was a strong, gusty crosswind. No one believed him when he said the wind has no effect.

He took a tyre and before rolling it down the runway, asked us which way it would eventually fall. All of us pointed in the direction of the wind. All of us were wrong. It actually fell into the wind.

The reason is physics -- an action causes an equal and opposite reaction. A motorcycle, with two spinning gyroscopes, will go straight as an arrow in all but hurricane-force winds. But it does react to the action of the wind by leaning into it. The rider, thinking the wheels are being swept out from under them, will counteract this by trying to straighten the bike up, leading to the bike seemingly get pushed over the road by the wind.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[Pete.]

So motorcycle have some magical properties that make them immune to Newton's third law? Don't think so.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[badgermat]

[Islander]

[Islander]

[Pete.]

[badgermat]

[esullivan]

[anthony_r6]

How did you find this course?
Who runs it?
How much?
Where?
Website?
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Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[esullivan]

Another point I found interesting: A Frisbee is a gyroscope. You throw it (assume correctly) and it has a nice stable spin. Now, what happens if someone hits the Frisbee with their fingertips? It wobbles for a while before finding its balance again and straightening out. That's what happens with the front wheel sometimes, such as in a crosswind or even a tank slapper. The wheel will find its balance again on its own, almost instantly. Consider the youtube video with the tank slapper on the Isle of Man TT. After finally spitting off its rider (who is fighting the bars so much his arse and legs are flying through the air), the bike straightened up immediately (albeit briefly).

The main point he was making and reinforcing with the exercises was to let the gyroscope do its work -- have an extremely light touch on the bars. Don't fight them.

The other interesting aspect of gyroscopes is that they apply any force against them at 90 degrees off (some physics law again that I don't remember). To demo, he put a bicycle tyre in our hands with a long axle and asked us to turn it right and left. No problem. Now he spun the wheel and asked us to do it again. Instead of turning right and left, the wheel leans. It's hard to believe unless you try it, but your right hand is pushing forward and your left hand is pulling back, but the wheel is leaning to the right (and still pointing straight ahead) and you can't help it. Hence, counter steering.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[esullivan]

[Pete.]

[Pete.]

[esullivan]

[barrkel]

Re wind: a side wind will push the bike into a bit of a lean, the steering (through rake and trail) will turn into the lean to steer the bike back towards upright, but the bike's vector will have changed direction away from the wind. But it has to be a pretty strong wind to affect a bike (or tyre on its own) doing any speed. Also, the movement of a tyre on its own isn't like a bicycle - bicycles have a hinge between the two wheels.

To keep on a straight vector in strong wind you do need to apply some input. But it's not a lot, and I've never been blown around much, even when my GF feels like she's being blown around on her bike. I'm not sure why that is. It might be that she's gripping the bars too tightly.

If I'm travelling slowly enough for the wind to have a bigger effect, I tend to just countersteer to lean the bike into the wind like it's a big cushion, but being ready to countersteer back upright if it stops. Gusty winds require more focus, but that's about it. The wind is at its most annoying when I'm completely stopped and I need to switch feet on the ground to keep the bike balanced.

I'd like to try the experiment with the wheel on the long axle.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[tbourner]

[map]

Late to the party about crosswinds.

Apology if mentioned above (I skip read) I have found that the real problem lies with gusts of crosswind. A constant force can be countered, bugger all you can do if it's unpredictable.

A bit like overtaking lorries on the motorway. Their wake can be a bit unsettling.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Pete.]

[esullivan]

[tbourner]