Learning to ride this bike: my progress so far

[Snoking1127]

What he said!!!

And then good tires!

 

[Monk/Bob]

I'm getting used to the casual pull to steer, rather than the instinct push to countersteer. But in a panic situation reflex comes into play and I start to do it wrong, which activates heart/mouth interface. What you haven't mentioned is the unsettling feeling of a rise in the road surface under one tyre. For the first time this morning a became aware of it in the car and I tried to analyse what I did about it. I don't think I do anything - except allow it to throw me around in the seat. But on the bike it feels like I am going to be toppled over.

To give my brain some information, I tentatively parked the Spyder sideways on the slope as our drive meets the road. Put the park brake on, and got off and had a good look around it. From the back there was hardly any lean at all - much less than my solo on its side stand. Yet when I rode it the very first time, turned left across the slop, my right leg shot out in panic to try to keep the bike tyre side down !!

Yes, my first experience with an uneven road surface happened on one of our Arkansas back roads. I went through a curve, I think it was a left hand curve, the right track was lower than left. It scared the fire out me!! Thought I was going to roll over, it felt terrible!! Several of those situations during my first 500 miles had me riding very cautious and wondering if I had made a mistake. I was not having fun!!

As others have said, the only solution to that muscle memory is riding and riding, more riding!! After about 1,000 miles I began to get accustom to the way the bike handles uneven surfaces. To me the big difference, on two wheels we had to counter all those problems with the road surface mostly through the handlebars, on the Spyder we have to trust the bike to handle that!! I guess I'm slow to trust ... but the feeling of getting there is coming along nicely.

Like you said, "its brain stuff" is very true!! But we can do this, and over come that stuff, then start having fun!!! Hopefully, that is where I am.

You can do this!! Just have to over ride some of that brain stuff!!

 

[jjc54]

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned engine braking when negotiating a curve. Using your right wrist to control your speed is safer than brakes. sometimes you need to grab two gears! Won't hurt a thing and you will find that you have way more control at the higher revs.

 

[Monk/Bob]

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned engine braking when negotiating a curve. Using your right wrist to control your speed is safer than brakes. sometimes you need to grab two gears! Won't hurt a thing and you will find that you have way more control at the higher revs.

I’m real big on using the engine and staying off the brakes. That was my main means of controlling my speed in curves when I was riding the Goldwing. There is a big difference in what I could do with the Goldwing vs the Spyder. It is going to take a lot of practice to duplicate that on this bike.

The engine braking on the Spyder is not as dramatic, so improving my curve entry speed is first on my agenda. But that will come with practice.

I don’t believe a new beginning Spyder rider should be getting very serious about those skills until they are VERY comfortable with the ride and handling on three wheels. I’ve had this bike since July (1800 miles), today will be my first ride into the Ozarks on some of the more technical roads. I probably still won’t get into that skill set very deep.

Still got a lot of learning to do.

 

[Cobranut]

Racing taught me many years ago that brakes slow the vehicle.
You select the gear based on acceleration out of the corner.
Spyders have pretty good brakes, don't be afraid to use them.