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Roseville PD did a slow speed maneuvers demonstration at A & S BMW last Thursday. These guys are amazing.

My pics are here: http://gallery.mac.com/dan.albertson/100406

Here is one:

You know. I just don't get the whole counter-lean thing that he is doing in the photo. The angle of lean is less if you, as the rider, lean into the turn. Why do they lean in the other direction? That just means they have to lean the bike more and possible run out of ground clearance sooner.

The angle of lean is less if you, as the rider, lean into the turn. Why do they lean in the other direction? That just means they have to lean the bike more and possible run out of ground clearance sooner.

Ves you are right...as long as he is moving fast enough to provide enough centrifugal force (lifting the bike upright) to counteract gravity (pulling it down onto the low side). This ultra slow speed stuff is different because he is not moving fast enough to provide enough centrifugal force to balance gravitational force.

To compensate he shifts weight to the outside to lessen the gravitational force.

In those slow and tight situations, he does not want to lean the bike less...he wants to lean the bike MORE. The bike will turn sharper the more he gets on the edge of the tires. If he doesn't get the tires on their edges...he goes outside the cones...and loses admiration of the crowd.

At that speed, if he touches parts on the ground...he is calling for his buddies to come and help lift the bike.

I was just trying to explain this to my brother two days ago. He bought a used '94 Harley Electra Glide and his son who was a Colorado HP motorcop had tried to tell him about countersteering and leaning, etc. He was confused since he has experience with riding horses and supposed it similar to riding a horse. I had to go into the whole centrifugal gyroscopic forces explanation exactly the way you just explained it to Ves.
The whole lesson is never better understood than when one goes straight from slow, close-in manuevering up to speed manuevering and swerve practicing.
That guy in the picture is doing it on what appears to be an RT. The ones I really admire are the ones who master the same manuevers on one of those Road King monstrosities.

So here's the real question - how/where can an average joe like us learn to handle our bike like these guys? I happen to live in Roseville and agree, these guys (and girls) are amazing!

Steve

when i was a kid i practiced this on my honda elite scooter. getting the bike to lean way over while i counter leaned , basically keeping it off the ground.

i then graduated to myh dad's harley flhp police special and learned to do the same thing. believe it or not, those 800lb harleys are easier to do it on than our R's due to their lower COG. they have less clearance and more weight, but have less distance to drop and break!

Hmm...how to learn?

Join a police force, get assigned to the motor squad. Have bikes that can be dropped and fixed on someone else's dime?

Honestly, a little levity. Those LEO folks can do some serious riding. One b-in-law of mine is a retired motor officer (and CHP motor school graduate). Twenty some odd years ago he showed me how to do this on my Suzuki 850 shafty. Takes some doing, and a willingness to drop the bike a couple of times! All about clutch control, use of the back brake, counterweighting and commitment. He could U-turn a Kawi Copbike in the width of a standard parking stall. Can't quite do the same with his personal Honda Valkyrie, but he can come damn close.

Cheers, BJ

If you want to learn how to countersteer, it is simple. Take an ERC (experienced rider course) offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Go to www.msf-usa.org to find one near you. I know, I am a police officer and a ridercoach.

sattwood wrote:So here's the real question - how/where can an average joe like us learn to handle our bike like these guys? I happen to live in Roseville and agree, these guys (and girls) are amazing!

Steve

I'm not at home to nail this down but; there is a guy who sells slow speed manuver training videos in Motorcyclist magazine. I'm pretty sure it's motorcyclist, may be cycle world. He offer 2 versions if I remember correctly.

The Indianapolis Police Department had a very top notch drill team until they mergered with Marion County Sherrifs Dept. I think they now have a combined team but haven't seen them since. The IPD guys used to go all over the country for parades and such, had 2 or 3 semi's to haul their bikes. At a charity ride this December one of them was gripping about the merger and was upset because their bikes were no longer IPD blue. He insisted that the moco blended a special paint just for their bikes.

I believe BigEasy is referring to the How to Ride Like a Pro series by Jerry "Motorman" Palladino.

Skid is right, and the advert was in Rider magazine. Here's a linkhttp://ridelikeapro.com/

But the PD guys are the 'creme de la creme' of that low speed tight maneuver stuff. Practice, talent, commitment, more practice.

"The eyes determine the outcome," said my rider coach. Look where you want to end up. You will end up there. Don't look down.

Throttle, clutch, rear brake, weight (as stated above) in a delicate balancing act of control, knowledge, confidence and skill.

I recently took one of these courses, it's amazing what you can do one a bike. Recommend taking the course using the schools ex-police bikes or equivalent (one tends to drop the bike the first day or so getting the hang of it). Those hefty roll bars really work well. Here's a video from the school I attended. Note the use of walls and other natural obstacles to get to you look where you really need to go.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ibWAqIk58So