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What did you do wrong on your bike today?

3K views 35 replies 21 participants last post by  Leathel 
#1 ·
It seems every day I manage to screw up once or twice while riding. Whether it's turning further out than I should have, kicking into neutral instead of second gear, or starting off in second gear, there always seems to be some little nuance that ticks me off. I'm a perfectionist and I hate when things haven't gone by the book.

Though the specific things I mention may only happen once in a blue moon, it's inevitible that some other little things will take their place on the road.

What did I do wrong today? I was in a tight circular turn in a parking lot getting close to a low angle curb. I got a little lax and decided to ride over part of the curb instead of slowing down a bit and readjusting my turn. It thew off my balance a bit but it wasn't enough to make me tip the bike. Next time I will be sure to reevaluate.

Oh, and I hate when I don't land in second gear on an intersection turn. This happens on occasion too. Grrrrrrr :twisted:

Does anyone else have any "foopah" moments during a day of riding?
 
#3 ·
Well brother, I only have just over a hundred miles on this new to me bike, after at least a 30 or so year layoff. So yea, I am still having issues every time I go out, but they are all rapidly getting better. First it was my blinker staying on. And of course, you can imagine my wide turns! Luckly, I am working hard every night on these issues, staying in big parking lots etc. back roads... In fact, I have made new parking lots a speciality! I especially love brand new HEB parking lots on a Sunday morning! This one is fantastic!

 
#4 · (Edited)
Awesome that you have a place to practice. I do the parking lot thing too to practice real slow circular turns. Oh, and the blinker? I forget to cancel that on a daily basis at least once. Very very annoying. I'm just glad the cagers were paying attention during these times. Not to mention how uncool it looks riding the crash bar pegs while cruising with a blinker on. :roll:
 
#5 ·
Yep! I have places to go for sure. Unfortunately though, I live in what I like to call, the gauntlet... In any direction out of my hood down here, I have to turn onto a two lane road, and the speed limit is 65! Kinda scary for sure! But it is what it is I guess. As of late though, I am getting much more comfortable with everything. I was scared to death when I picked this bike up though. All looked fine, but in my noobness, the bike felt VERY heavy! I mean to the point I thought I was crazy for buying another bike. The tires looked real good I thought. But when I finally got her home, they only had 9 PSI in each! No wonder! Now it drives like a dream.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I forgot to cancel the turn signal. I swear that mistake is going to be the one that kills me someday.

Edit: Dang Lonnie Mac, I never would have thought it, but that pink bike is just plain classy. I'd ride that one. Beautiful bike.
 
#8 ·
I accidently pulled a breather tube out of somewhere and now its is sputtering down the highway! this is what prompted the OH WELL tear the thing apart thing im on. I was going to do this over the winter but what the hell do it now!
Ah, so that's what got ya goin'? The only thing I did wrong on the bike today was park it after 40 mi. If I hadn't had 5 ac of grass to cut, I'd have ridden all afternoon.
 
#12 ·
Dude, that's hilarious! I've done that too ( more than once), but I was lucky enough to be on the road. The patio is just so funny. :lol:

Sorry, I hope you don't take offense.
 
#13 ·
Yesterday I missed the shift to second right in front of a BBQ place. No patio, though. And left my blinker on. I can honestly say that even being a noob rider my turns are fairly tight, most of the time. Since I have said that, the next time I ride I'll make every turn wide. Might even hit a curb and dump it like I did in the MSF course. :)
 
#15 ·
These posts are so funny I've gotten out the popcorn. Yea, playing off a f-up is always in order.

Shadow_noob ....don't dump that beautiful bike! :D
 
#17 ·
Yeah what I did wrong today was not ride to work. But in all seriousness being new at this there is always something. But I always see myself improving in areas. The slow speed stuff is always the hardest. I have been avoiding the practice, because last time I was trying to do a uturn and dropped my bike. I need to get back to gettin'
 
#19 ·
Yea, maybe we can get pointers now and then on how to not do the wrong things on our bikes. By the way, I put it in neutral instead of second again today and a lost a bit of balance on a one right turn. Grrrr...again.:roll:
 
#22 ·
My biggest problem was the slow stuff. But I am getting MUCH more comfortable with it now. As I had said in another post, my tires looked good when I brought the bike home, but crap, they were at 9 PSI each! So for two weekends I took this bike out doing slow stuff and man, I just thought there was no way it was me now. The bike just felt so heavy I couldn't turn at all. Well with that problem fixed, obviously it is much better! But I still need more practice. Once I learned the friction zone, power and rear brake trick, I can just about do the tightest figure 8s I think this bike can even do now, as slow as it will go. But I am to the point where it is fun, and I am not letting the bike ride me as much as it was, now I am starting to ride it.
 
#24 ·
The slow stuff sucks, I agree with you guys. I think the main thing to remember when practicing tight circles or figure eights, is to not clamp down on the front brake. That's likely to cause a drop. In fact both times I dropped a bike it was because I used the front brake while I was in a turn.
 
#30 ·
It's pouring here today so I can't even get out to do anything wrong on the bike today. I'd rather be doing things wrong on the bike today. :-(
 
#36 ·
My mistake was I didn't put my leathers on for a trip to drop some parts of, turned out to be a mistake, warmer conditions now as we leave winter but not warm enough, got bloody cold riding so only went the direct way instead of the long way I would have gone if I was toasty warm in leather :p
 
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