Riding Skills

[rickyboy]

I posted a couple of times in the last few days about a course I have been taking this last weekend. It was using the same principal as this C.O.P.. One of the best most fun things I have ever done on the Nomad. By day two I was doing "two parking spots" wide, up hill figure eights, small circles, U-turns in two and three wide parking spots. Just a great course. Was I as fast or as smooth as as the C.O.P. ??? No! but I got it done.
Have a look at the link to the web page of the place I took the course from. http://www.roadcraftacademy.com/
The guy in the video was one of the instructors I had teaching me. 14 bikes and not one of us dropped our bikes or even came close, to my knowledge. Once you have the principles down it's not too hard. I think everyone should have to take the course before they do the road test for their license.
I will be taking a look at my rear brake pads when I get home from the cabin

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by Dave

Greg,

Since you have the lowering kit on your Ultra, doesn't the floorboards scrap often?

I suppose; but I don't seem to have it occur all that much; even in tight turns. Maybe it happens more in faster tight turns; but certainly not in slow, critical speed turns.

If you watch the video in this post you'll see that this officer doesn't rub his boards like you would think -- although I realize his bike is likely not lowered -- but also he is turning that bike as tight as it physically can be turned.

It all seems to be how you angle the bike I guess -- not sure.

[captj3]

I wish there was a course like this here in Florida.

[flavor]

That guys real good.


I'd want someone elses bike to practice on as Steve said. I think I'd want the course loosened up to start with and work my way into those maxed out turns.


I'd be dizzy going through that course.

[rickyboy]

Originally Posted by flavor

That guys real good.


I'd want someone elses bike to practice on as Steve said. I think I'd want the course loosened up to start with and work my way into those maxed out turns.


I'd be dizzy going through that course.

In the course I took you start out real simple with push turning and trying to do the U-turns at 4 parking stalls wide. More than enough for our Nomads. But without putting a foot down is the objective. That's when you get into the technique of friction zone, throttle and rear brake pressure. The thing that was stressed on us was keeping the power to the rear wheel. The moment you think the bike is getting heavy or that you might fall over/drop it, you need to let the clutch out a hair with the revs constant. .......but I mean a hair on the clutch. You're still in that friction zone. At first I had a hard time trusting I wouldn't fall over and on top of that you have your head cranked over one of your shoulders looking to where you want to be/go. A little unnerving at first, but once you make the first couple of U-turns you realize you won't fall over as long as you keep power to that rear wheel. And don't ever!! touch the frt. brake. Don't think that I believe I'm an expert at doing this, now that I took a 3 day course. I just understand the principles in doing these sharp turns, slowly and that we can all learn to ride this well. Remember not one person dropped their bike during this course. There were small and lrg. people male and female accomplishing these kind of turns {not at the speed in the video} on H.D. bagger's, "wings", sport bikes, and one Nomad.

[roadcraft]

Thanks for the excellent review of our course, Rickyboy!

[rickyboy]

Originally Posted by roadcraft

Thanks for the excellent review of our course, Rickyboy!

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