Just failed Big Bike Mod 1 (UPDATE I PASSED :-P)

[itswoody]

Failed for putting foot down on the U-Turn, no other faults, 50KPH through hazard avoidance and 56KPH through emergency stop.

Gutted!

U-turns are the bane of my life, I don't know what it is but every time I attempt one I tense up and start leaning in and it feels like the bike is falling (which it is) so I put a foot down.

My instructor told me that I should have applied more weight on the outside peg and turned the bars more and if that failed let out the clutch a little. Going to practice this every day until my next test, will not be defeated!!!!

Wish I could practice on a big bike in my own time though, doing it on a 125 doesn't feel quite the same.

[Nick 50]

Bad luck.

I had issues with U-Turns too. It was simple, I just wasn't looking far enough ahead. It really was as simple as that.

When you are coming round find a point around 100 metres away and inline with where you want to finish the maneuver, focus on that and you'll start noticing how much easier it is.


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Current Bikes: ZX7r 97 (Black Beauty), VFR400 NC24 (The banana)
Previous Bikes: Aprilia Tuono 03 (The Beast), CBR600f (97)
First bike: A GZ125 Lemon.......

[Tungtvann]

Practice is key! Even on the morning of the test, do as many as you can, get over that mental block of wanting to put your foot down and know that you CAN do it easily.

[Rigga]

Also keep your revs high!
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Current bike: Honda CBR 1100xx

[angryjonny]

I struggled with U-turns. Rented an XR125 for a few days, found a quiet road with no houses I could practice on and just kept doing them until I could ride in little circles in the middle of the road. I didn't need to be able to do that but I wanted to know I could, so that I didn't stress about it in the test.

[Rogerborg]

I wonder how many riders have been killed, injured, or in any way harmed or inconvenienced, ever, by putting a foot down during a U-turn in the real world?
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[FiBob]

[-Matt-]

[itswoody]

Thanks for the support guys, have cheered me up no end!

Right, now off to practice the crap out of this thing.... or have a heart attack!

[writernick]

Keep the revs up that's the secret - if you feel like you want to put your foot down then it means that you are going too slow so give it a bit more throttle and it will straighten up. Once you've mastered that, u-turns are easy peasy and you will be able to do them in much less space than the wide berth mod 1 allows.

[noobRider]

Happened to me too. I was always dropping my shoulder on the inside that unbalanced me.

Keep the revs up, weight more on the outside peg, look where you want to go. Practice is great but you have to practice doing it right!
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Licence: Nov 2012, Bikes: Suzuki GN125, Moto Guzzi Strada 750, Triumph Sprint ST 955i x 2
AnPhonEh: I need plans, I need contingency plans also, I need back up contingency plans

[MC]

[chris-red]

When it feels like it's falling give it more gas it picks the bike.
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[unluckyluke]

What made it easier for me was to ride up to the u turn exercise about a foot off the left hand white line and then when I was about to u turn I first steered to the left line and then did the u turn round to the right. It may have just been psychological with me but I found it much easier to do the turn this way. A bit like slow speed counter steering.

[darkhorizon]

[-Matt-]

If i do its never in a single fluid movement, just easier to do it in stages especially if its a dodgy road/on a slope, 9 times out of 10 i need to turn the road isn't wide enough to do a single u-turn anyway

[MC]

[CG Sam]

I find the easiest way now is just look where I want to go and the rest just takes care of itself. I have to do a lot as I tend to go the wrong way quite often...
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CG125, SV650S, CBR600F, GSXR600 SRAD

[darkhorizon]

[Pigeon]

Rev's up, look up, drop the inner arm and ride the rear brake. If you're not relaxed and tense, your inner arm can push back on the bars, widening the turn, causing you to lean more to try and make it and then fall forward and foot down.
By bending that inner arm / dropping it, it makes everything much easier.

Just repeating what I was told, seemed to work, could feel the instant difference.

[FriendlyEllis]

Slip the clutch and drag your back brake if you have to.
Let the engine gently pull against the brake using the clutch to control the power.

Once you've past you'll be able to u turn with as much foot work as you want but probably won't need to!

Mod 2 is easier by the way. It's common sense and realistic riding!!

Good luck and keep cool!!

[angryjonny]

[Hefty]

I do one completely unnecessarily every morning coming out of my road, as practice. Sometimes its a breeze, sometimes wobbly as..
However its getting easier.. trying to focus down the street ahead and not down where your feet are really helps. More revs gives you more momentum and keeps you up.
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'13 Honda CBF125 // '99 Suzuki SV650s // '98 Honda CB600F Hornet

[yaigi]

My instructor used to send me across the road from the garage where we started off to a carpark at the beginning of each lesson prior to my Mod 1 and tell me to go practice u turns using only two bays as the space. Turns out that space is less than what you actually get in your mod 1, so if you can practice u-turns on an empty carpark using the width of two bays and get it right, then you'll be fine.

Other than that; look where you want to go and keep the revs up, it really helps balance the bike
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What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[itswoody]

Obligatory message to inform you all that I just passed MOD 1 this morning f*ckin COME ON!!!! Well chuffed. Thanks for your tips guys I now have no fear of the u-turn!!!