2nd time out on new bike tonight!

[trustno1]

Hi all, im Mark, 27 from Watford.

Did my CBT a couple of weeks ago, plan was before hand was to do CBT then go on to DAS soon as possible but felt I need to get a 125cc for a couple of months first so went out and brought a Honda CBF 125cc "58 Monday.

Had the phone call to pick the bike up at 5pm on Wed, was shitting myself when I got there as it was rush hour and the only way home was round this four lane one way system so was shitting a brick.

Went round a quiet road for an hour getting used to the bike. Stalled it a couple of times round corners but soon got in to it, pull over had a quiet word with myself i.e grow a pair then went for it! Best buzz in ages!

Went out again tonight but ive seemed to developed a fear of big roundabouts seem to be avoiding them taking longer route where I can any tips? I think half the problem is my only real weakness is going round corners the bike ends up going wide and I seem to be moving the bars a tad and leaning is the normal? Will I need to lean more? As for me just sitting up right and turning the bars like a bike doesnt feel natural.

But overall loving it 125cc engine feels more than enough for me at the moment!

[arry]

Congratulations on the new bike

Learn to embrace countersteer - relax your grip on the bars, grip the bike with your knees and then most importantly look where you want to go, as in on roundabouts you need to be craning your neck round quite a way to the right to look towards the exit you want. If you start running wide, push the right hand bar which will lean the bike over further and sharpen your turn.

All practice mate, nothing more Enjoy

[Gashead Harry]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but what are the benefits of gripping the bike with your knees?

I've never done it or felt the need to.
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98' Honda CG125W --- 03' Yamaha DT50SM (Gone!) --- 05' (55) Suzuki GS500 K5

[DrDonnyBrago]

As above, do some reading into counter steering and actively practice it round bends. Try the roundabouts in the evenings when it is quieter - go round and round them picking up a bit of speed each time until you are at a decent speed to get used to leaning the bike. The bike needs to lean to corner, just lean with it - you don't need to hang off though unless you want to.

Try countersteering on long wide straights to see how quickly it affects the bike - again just build it all up gradually.

[arry]

[trustno1]

Cheers arry, countersteer is that where you turn push the bar the other way? i.e wanting to go right so push the right handle bar forward and lean?

mmn will give that a try after work tomorrow!

[arry]

[DrDonnyBrago]

[deanoet]

Pressing the opposite knee into the tank to the way you are turning keeps the 3 points of contact (2 hands + knee against the tank) to the bike when you are hanging off like a loon and your arse is no where near the seat. Steadies your body so you dont shift around on the bike mid corner of just fall off it.

Riding normally half your arse will likely stay on the seat, on track or when really going for it round corners for more lean you can hang totally off the seat using your knee to steady yourself.

Watch GP racers, they tend to do this as they use extreme lean angles as they are on the limit or what the bike can do. A wobble at them speeds ends in a tyre wall.
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CBT Passed 18th July 2007 : Previous Bikes> CG125 : Current Bike> Hornet 600 : PASSED DAS 30th Oct 2007
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[trustno1]

Tried it out tonight and your right I was already countersteering a bit! I found thought only had to nudge it the other way and felt the bike go into a tight angle round the bend is this right?

Should I be countersteering at every corner bend? Or do I have to be doing a certain speed for it to work?

So far so good, next thing for me to ask is filtering? Havent tried it nor do I have any idea how, feel like a right prat sitting in a mile long traffic bike behind cars doesnt feel right

How should I be doing it? I.e only when traffic has stopped? And on the right hand of the lane?

Ta

[neil.]

Filtering:

Advanced motorcycling trainers will say use the 20:20 rule - i.e. if traffic is doing up to 20mph, filter up to 20mph faster than it.

I tend not to filter much on single carriageways as you can often get stuck out with oncoming traffic in your path and nowhere to tuck in, plus there's the problem of junctions where if you filter past one you may get taken out by a dosey cager who's been waiting to pull out and hasn't seen or taken you into account and your insurance will probably not side in your favour (50/50). So only do it when you know the path ahead is clear and you have an escape route. As for dual carriageways, if there are 3 or more lanes, I tend to sit between next to the last lane on the outside (right) unless it's an exit etc. Don't filter on the inside (left) ever).

Most importantly, it takes time to gain the confidence to filter, erm, confidently so don't feel bad as you sit in traffic for a while. Only do it when you're ready, don't be pressured into it, don't give a toss what other road users might think if you're not etc. If you push yourself too soon you could panic and land up in trouble.
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[skatefreak]

Hey,
I spent a fair while sitting in traffic without the confidence to filter and that was on an NSR125 with 125 4t's and scooters plodding by (i know my bike isnt that amazing but it looks like a lot more than it is and that made it feel all the worse, if that makes sense lol), think of how much of a muppet i felt :p

To be honest after a while of riding things seems to slow down a little... Maybe its just the brain getting more comfortable and up to speed with thinking processes required (i spent 4 years in a car prior and never bothered checking roads joining or payed quiet as much attention as i do on a bike lol) and your jelling with the bike better so theres more time to think about the road instead of working the bike etc but once i got there i found i was a LOT happier about filtering/riding in general.

Without worrying about "riding" the bike and just doing it i have so much more concentration to sit up on the bike and assess the road ahead/conditions/traffic etc.

Give it time, once you get up to speed with handling the bike you will find filtering a lot less daunting. Nothing stopping you from trying it now but make sure you get a good idea of how much space you have/traffic coming the other way and junctions etc


-Jvr

[swampy]

I found a useful way to gain confidence filtering is to wait until you get a short queue before a set of traffic lights on a two lane road, and then filter between two lanes of traffic up to the lights.

Start off doing it with short queues to get you used to passing stationary cars, and then build up.... Obviously you need to bear in mind that the lights may change, so build this into your obs when you approach.

You will also need to be confident enough to pin it away from the lights, but even on a 125 you will beat most dozy OAPs away from the line 9 times out of 10....
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"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." Hunter S Thompson
"Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death..." Hunter S Thompson

[Nai]

On filtering even on a bicycle I only do / did it when the traffic was near stand still. I would poolte along slowly even on a bicycle in traffic at times. I started filtering the last few days on my motorbike (newbie too, just lots of road experience). I like the 20:20 rule posted above, after 500 mile so far on the bike filtering in traffic that's moving at 20mph isn't so much of a worry (don't think id do 20mph faster than the traffic quite yet ).

[ajbsmirnoff]

filtering - blimey thats a lark.

Before I started filtering, my commute was an hour - same as in the car, now its 30mins,

I'd done the same commute for 10 years - so knew where the traffic would move quickly/slowly/crawl/gridlock, and thats helped with learning to filter, watching what other chaps do, and starting with immobile queues on dual carriageways (eg Penistone Road in Sheff is great - widish, 30mph limit, lots of traffic lights and always gridlocked).

the above advice is good - only do it when you are confident, and have an escape/place to tuck back in. watch out for surprise lane changes, right turns and u turns - not involving flashing yellow lights.

a loud exhaust seems to help. today an HGV moved over to let me through traffic.

[dextersaurus]

Check out my youtube channel, almost every video where i'm on the bike has filtering in it...

Not that i would copy ANY of it...

Nice on on the bike - the CBF is a lovely 125, nice and big. Pretty much the same as the CG so it's bulletproof
Dunc

[Clanger]

Don't beat yourself up about duff approach to roundabouts...I still stuff them up now and then, especially if I'm in the wrong gear...

Just make sure (if possible) you are in the right gear before you enter the roundabout, then as has been mentioned above with the knee grip and counter-steering method, you should do fine.

Often helps if you can get out and about and follow a couple of bikers, watch what they do (just don't pick a bright pink sv to follow - that's me - )... you can pick up tips from observing other good riders.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[trustno1]

Thanks again all for the tips all!

Wanting to go out this morning soon as I woke up, but was pissing down still is now lunch time hoping it clears up a bit this afternoon so that I can go out for a quick blast.