barkingllizard
Well-Known Member
a simple hello, roddesu.....
B
ballisticexchris
Guest
Hi there Roddeso. Good luck on your adventures.
Show her one of these. This is what my wife rides. She can touch the ground, and she feels confident. TW 200, it's like a mini-Tenere.
roddesu
Active Member
That's pretty much exactly the bike used in the beginner course I took, and she will take...so she will hopefully be familiar with it.
roddesu
Active Member
90 miles going round and round 1 acre—that's great! Unfortunately for my wife's ability to learn to ride and learn to love it, we live in the dense part of Chicago...no acreage, only traffic and pedestrians.
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Just watched the video. Well done, and I have nothing negative to say about their technique and comments. Another excellent reason for your wife to learn to ride. She will better understand why you are doing what you do, and help you, rather than fighting you with different body motions.
Other techniques for different conditions. If you have a curb next to the bike, that often makes an easier transition for the passenger to mount from the high side. It's nearly always easier for the passenger to mount first, then move back into position. If you have no luggage on, it's not as big a deal for the rider to mount first, then the passenger to mount and throw a leg over the back of the bike. Leave it on the side stand doing this. It's easier than you might think to throw the entire bike on the ground when the passenger mounts the bike with the rider already on and attempting to brace the bike.
Techniques to discuss with your wife after she takes the rider course. And for you to practice, if you're not already. Look thru the corner, where you want to go. (Look at the tree, crash into the tree = bad.)
Weight the outside pegs, both of you, and shift your shoulders to the inside of the corner. Think of it this way; If you're going strait, you're looking thru the middle of the windscreen. When you're going around a left corner, you should be looking thru the left side of the screen or even slightly around it. Going thru a right corner, you should be looking thru the right side of the screen or slightly around it. Doing this right helps you shift the bike more upright and your body weight to the inside, making the bike more stable and giving you more ground clearance at speed. Handy if there is an unexpected dip in the road mid corner. It feels like you are pushing the bike to the outside of the corner, standing it more upright. This technique is like a dance in the twisties when the corners are going back and forth.
There are other terms to describe this technique, that apply more visually to other styles of bikes. (Point your elbow at the turn - Sport bikes, etc.)
B
ballisticexchris
Guest
I love that bike!!! My sister had that one. I rode the piss out of it. I’m actually thinking of getting one for myself.
Madhatter
Well-Known Member
roddesu, first a warm welcome , and I am excited for you and your wife ….... be careful , this is not a car , the first 6 months of riding is statistically the most dangerous time of a riders life . find a parking lot some where and practice, practice and practice some more.... you already ran a stop sign.... there is a lot to take in …… add a very large city …. almost all the riders who post here are very experienced riders , and they sometimes crash too.... and I will add leave your wife off the back till you have some more time and miles behind you... we would like to enjoy your post for along time....
I'm too heavy for it, but when my son rides, he just keeps laughing. It will go anywhere. Found an '01, in show room condition, with 1,400mi. Cost me $1,400.00.
Wellcome from Mexico.
Ian new with a S10 and I think it was THE BEST bike I could have, I got a great deal an also my wife is exited, for sure you will enjoy it as e will do!
I will be following you videos of your adventure!
Take care of your self and enjoy it!
Ian new with a S10 and I think it was THE BEST bike I could have, I got a great deal an also my wife is exited, for sure you will enjoy it as e will do!
I will be following you videos of your adventure!
Take care of your self and enjoy it!
roddesu
Active Member
Wow! Really excellent advice. I was picturing this as I read and I can really imagine the impact of weighting the outside pegs and both "looking where you want to go" and the resulting shift in shoulders.
Thank you!
roddesu
Active Member
Thanks for your note! Yep, going to take this very slow and get more proficient at the bike before adding her to the mix. She's reading all of these comments and we're researching "pillion best practices." She is going to be out of the country for about two weeks, so I'm hoping to get a lot of miles in during that time...if it will get above 55°F and stop raining in Chicago.
roddesu
Active Member
Thank you pilleway. I hope you and your wife are having a great time.
The silver lining of "city driving" is that the stop-n-go traffic will calibrate your clutch & throttle action; many people don't like the sensitive throttle. The pedestrians & heavy traffic will hone your "risk assessment" skills.
roddesu
Active Member
I am finding power in the low RPMs to be a challenge. I know a lot of people remap the CPU...any thoughts?
I just "recalibrated" my right wrist. That's where the practice comes in; specifically "city practice" because you get plenty of "gray area" practice. I now prefer/love the instantaneous throttle response, and engine braking. She has plenty of "grunt", so she doesn't require much throttle. I use "S" all of the time; turns the bike from a sledge hammer into a scalpel. If I use "T", I will stall when I take off. I'm also a cheapskate, and remapping can get expensive. (in my opinion)
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Down shift, don't lug the big bike at low rpms. You should be running over 3k rpms most of the time when you are moving at a set speed. Below 2500 rpms you will notice slower response, you are simply out of the torque curve. Re-mapping will not change this.
Thanks , YESSSSS GREAT TIME!!!
roddesu
Active Member
I've been out for two rides since you posted this and it was very useful information. Thank you.