Slow Riding Advice

[simtrain]

I passed my CBT back in May, and now have a CG125, my problem is that when in traffic, and having to stop and start I'm crap I wobble all over the place . Even trying to ride slow and doing maneuvers I'm crap.

Any advice on how to improve? e.g. exercises I can do out of harms way? (sarcastic comments also welcome )


Cheers in advance

Simtrain

[.....]

Rev the engine fairly high and slip the clutch. Drag a bit of rear brake as well to help control your speed. Control your speed with the clutch not the throttle

The revving of the engine helps balance the bike.

[Walloper]

Practice.
Keep relaxed.
Look ahead.
Don't go fast.
'Initial' balance on a bike is due to the mass moving through balanced and un-balanced states.
This is controlled primarily by minor steering inputs.
Practice
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[Liono]

The further ahead you look the easier it is, so try not to look right down at the road in front of you. If you are close to a car in front, I find looking through the car helps a bit, obviously paying attention to the brake lights though.

[Stevie GooGs]

yeah if you are heavy on the throttle in lower gears, move up to 2/3 dependant on ur speed and if the bike slows clutch in and more revs and let the clutch back out that way you are not going to be up and down with ur 125 screaming. I find if your front will go through the back easily will remember ur mirrors can also move in closer to your bike. All in all take ur time if you are going slow then cover the clutch, you should practise doing slow control, i find it much easier on my 600 than when i was on the 125 varadero. You will get used to it, wait till u pass ur test and take a pillion just starting to get used to slow control with someone on the back
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
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[stinkwheel]

[loply]

Find a car park and have a "play"

Try doing things like slow speed side-to-side swerving, tightest possible circle you can do (try kneedown), etc, just mess around for a few hours in a quiet car park.

Helped me a lot when I first passed, and was good fun too (slow riding can be quite entertaining and satisfying, and is coincidentally safe!).
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[mchaggis]

In moving traffic, try slowing down gently before you really need to, then crawl forwards to the rear of the vehicle in front. If it hasn't moved by the time you get there and need to put your feet down, it either isn't going to move in a hurry and you'd need to stop however good you were or you went too fast. You can hover at a snail's pace without putting your feet down for quite a while if you get it right.

No doubt doing that might annoy people behind you who want to charge up and put the brakes on, but I find always moving slowly is much better than going in fits and starts.


If all else fails, don't stop at all (mostly), just filter past everything.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Knowlsey]

during instruction, the main point that i made to pupils is look where you want to go, never look down, never look away for a long period, only to do head checks and safety checks, looking down will knock you off balance, looking away will knock you off line, and follow the tips above for clutch,brake,and throttle technique

[BenBray]

Dont get into the habbit of putting a foot down and trailing it on the floor, it doesnt really do anything that keeping your foot on the peg wont. All it does is anchor into your brain that foot down = balance, when thats not the case. Then you need to break another mental barrier.

As has been said before, practise is the key. I tend to look at the top of the car in front, if I'm in traffic. Might not be the best thing to do, but if you're just stopping and starting for miles, I dont see the problem. Of course, this doesnt happen very often cause you should be filtering

The first gear on my bike is just there for me to start the bike moving/make a lot of noise. It doesnt really help with much else. I'll often slip the clutch in second than use a juddery and iffy first gear. Especially pulling out of junctions when I'm rolling slowly, but not dead slow.

Essentially its just practise. Doing a shedload of miles in the first few weeks of having my bike helped no end. If I ever feel like my skills are flagging, I'll go out for a long ride to hone my skills a bit.

Hope that helps.
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Current Bike: nc30

[craigs23]

[firefox]

When i did my cbt the bikes were bust shall we say the throttles kept sticking one woman went into the fence



.... off topic i no

[stinkwheel]

Before they brought in a minimum speed requirement for the bike test which meant training schools had to start using 4-stroke 125s. Many peoples very first experience of motorcycling way wheelying a Honda H100 into a fence.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[mchaggis]

My mum passed her test on a Suzuki 50, and was then allowed to ride anything she wanted. She scared herself on a Triumph 500 twin (ex police bike) and then got a GT250 instead.

And yes, the test was the go around the block and then stop when I step into the road type.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[akaDAVE]

The back brake is the best way to smooth things out and control slow riding.
As your throttle/clutch control gets better you won't have to rely on it so much.
I've also found it's important to make a firm decision to stop and put your foot down rather than hover until you have to rush it.
I'm not expert as I've only been riding a few months but I had the same problem when I got my bike, I forgot how important the back brake was.
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GSXR600

[EDBANGER]

Not sure if others would agree but I find gripping the tank a little tighter with legs helps. As also said, it's about practise.
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If you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, you are the sucker.

[simtrain]

Thanks for all the advice, found that part of the problem was a loose chain, I'd twist the throttle and and the bike chain would suddenly "catch" and I'd jerk forward. Though I'm still a pratt at slow speeds, so when I get time its the local industrial estate for me. Oh and I've started to filter, save me sitting in the q - boy what fun


simtrain

[Knowlsey]

[huggy]

You can usually spot the bikers in cars when in slow moving traffic. They're the ones that give you the most room to pass.

The slack chain wouldn't help, look ahead, be aware whats where, and plan your filter.

Lots of clutch revs and rear brake, all in all just stay calm.

After years you'll slow and filter instinctively. I was trying to think How I slow ride, and to be honest Its hard to describe , I just do it!!!

[strag]

Advice I would give you is, relax. If you need to drop your feet down off the pegs, it will make you feel safer. Make sure you get used to your clutch bite point, use the back brake, and you will be fine. I often make a game of seeing how long I can last without putting my feet down in traffic. You will get used to it.
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