An Introduction to Beyond the BRC with GoldwingRon
Hi, my name is Ron and I just passed my one year anniversary on
July 10th. Yes, it’s been just over one year
since the first time I straddled my slightly used Yamaha V-Star
650 Midnight Custom. This motorcycle would see the first
moment for me to ever roll on the throttle and begin motoring
down a public road under power. It seems silly now how
afraid I was to take such a leap of faith considering I was, at
that time, 38 years old and had never ridden a motored two
wheel vehicle before. I remember the feeling of complete
exhilaration, fear and joy, wondering why it had taken so many
years to try this new endeavor. Truth be told, I had a
few medical reasons that had to be taken care of and had a
small chat with my doctor to get clearance to begin
riding. Needless to say, a year and twelve thousand miles
later, having passed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic
Rider Course, Experienced Rider Course, Ride Like A Pro NJ
course, and having done tons of motorcycle safety reading, my
doctor cleared me back then.
Motorcycling for me has become a way of life, a true passion
like no other. I feel so honored to have had the staff of
2wheeltips.com offer me the opportunity to
write a column for beginner motorcyclists to help them in their
transition from that proud moment of receiving that little card
after passing the Basic Rider Course to the real world outside
your door. I will help you with some things to practice
in your local parking lots (a critical step in your advancement
beyond the BRC) to some life saving advice out on the
highways. The rule for me is to understand that no matter
how many years you ride, or how much you have been taught by
your friends, family or the mailman, you will never live long
enough to know it all. This is my first installment in
what I am hoping to be a long and regularly updated
column. I come to you with many stories from my miles of
traveling alone and with groups. I have witnessed quite a
few accidents (all of which could have been avoided) and even
more near misses. So I hope you check back regularly to
make your ride safe.
I would like to begin this column referencing a particular problem that can be quite a problem for new riders. I remember it was of particular concern to me because I realized immediately l just how dangerous this new hobby of mine was and that it could become downright deadly if I didn’t find a solution. I am talking about the dreaded right hand turn from a stop.
In the BRC, they teach you so many new skills; some are easy to master, some take a lot longer. If you recall how many people there were in your Basic class, how many skill levels and how many different steps there were to get through, and just two days to get through them all, it’s understandable why so many people ride away to find they are dropping their bikes or crossing those center lines when they are making that turn.
This is where those empty parking lots come into play and why
they are such an important part of your motorcycling life, and
will be for as long as you ride. I
remember while I was taking the Experienced course, a rider of
more years than I have walked this earth asked the question
“why do we need the slow maneuvering stuff”. Before the
instructor answered, my response was “every time you make a
right hand turn from a stop, it’s a slow speed maneuver”
. Think about it, in order for you to make that turn, you
need to slowly turn your bike around an obstruction and direct
it ninety degrees from your original position at not much more
pace than a brisk walk; all within a relatively small
radius. A standard street is thirty feet across so you
need to get that motorcycle out and to the Right in under half
that distance. I don’t know about you, but I would rather
get it right every time and not chance that head on collision
with an oncoming garbage truck or drop my bike avoiding that
center line. So take your bike to the parking lot and
begin practicing your turns from a stop.
Do you remember your BRC coaches yelling at you to “LIFT YOUR
HEAD!”…I’m going to let you in on a little known motorcycle
secret, but shhhh, don’t tell anybody…they were right, it is
the key to successful motorcycling. If you never read
another word that I write, it is that in order to make a turn
in any direction, from a stop or while speeding through your
favorite twisties, you must lift your head and look at where
you wish to go. My simple rule for making those tight
turns to the right from that stop sign or red light is to look
way down the road (about 200 feet or more) to the right hand
side and keep my eye on that point throughout my turn.
You also need to trust that during this turn, the bike will not
tip over. The only thing that will bring that bike
crashing down is if you press the clutch all the way in or you
hit the front brake mid turn. When you go to your parking
lot, stop the bike (first gear) with your right foot on the
rear brake, your left foot firmly on the ground, look to your
right and pick a target that is at least ninety degrees off
your right shoulder, it can even be further back. While
looking in that target, slowly roll on the throttle and gently
release the clutch as the bike begins to pull, release the back
brake and start your turn. Once your motorcycle has
completed the turn, adjust your focal point back to the road
ahead…That’s it, it’s that simple. The more you practice,
the better you will get, the better you get, the smother it is;
and remember what they said, smooth is cool. Nothing
looks smoother that a person who can truly control their bike.
3 Comments
Excellent article and truly the perfect message for new riders. I almost T-boned a another motorcycle while making a particularly tight right hand turn and fixated on the bike and not where I was going. I'll never forget the look on the couples face as I missed their bike by inches!! I was so embarrassed I couldn't get out of the town fast enough!! Live and learn.
Reggie
I know you are going to get many new riders who visit the website interested in your articles and that's wonderful. If I could recommend two books that I found very helpful when I was getting back into riding. The first is "The complete IDIOT"S guide to Motorcycles". It covers the entire scope of motorcycling from what to wear to how to pick a bike. A very easy and enjoyable read with a ton of good tips and info. The last publication was 2004 so some of the info on gear and there appendix on buyers guide of new and used bikes is severely dated. Put that aside because everything else is very well done and it really gives you an overview of the sport. The second book is David Hough's "more Proficient Motorcycling". David is a down to earth rider that writes like a knowledgeable friend would talk to you. The book has great pictures to illustrate his points and effectively covers what you need to do to become a competent rider. I read both these books at least a half a dozen times in my first two year of riding and they helped me a lot!! Reggie
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