One of the final tests of my motorcycle training course, and this was the beginner's course, was the figure eight. When doing the figure eight, you had to get your eyes and head basically looking over one shoulder to the place where you wanted to go while at the same time sticking your behind completely to the opposite side of the bike. So if you wanted to turn left, you get your head and eyes looking back over your left shoulder with your left thigh crossing the seat with your butt somewhat over the right passenger foot peg. Your body is pretty much perpendicular to your bike. You would start with the white line on your right, execute a tight left turn as described and then reverse that move so that you're taking a right turn for the second half of the figure eight. When completed, the white line of the parking space will be on your left hand side. The training was to execute this figure 8 in the space of a single parking place. And we had to do it. I was stunned that I was able to on my first attempt.
Thanks Joe, this was a great, direct, summary of the u turn process. I do struggle a bit more when turning to the right than turning left. I think it is due to my clutch hand being extended left so it feels like I am going to lose control of the friction zone. But I do practice often and need work on this weak side.
And I love that Road King and color! If I could get a second bike, the King would be it. (riding Fat Bob now, but miss the storage and wind protection at times).
No problem. Everyone has a weak side. You could maybe try adjusting or getting a different set of handlebars to help with your right turns. Thank you for watching and leaving your feedback!
I’m a relatively new rider.. except I was a rider of dirt bikes three wheelers enduros when a kid and I go my late 20s. But hadn’t ridden since till last summer.. I’m 59… do I had a few decades of no riding…. But I wanted to ride again and sat on a big Harley-Davidson.. I was intimidated a bit but I wanted… so I bought a Sportster lol. 3 weeks later traded for a street Bob… 4 weeks after traded for a lowrider st .. I love my lowrider.. absolutely.. I can do uturns full turn figure 8 I practiced every day,, I still do…. Thanks to UA-cam videos Lots of guys doing helpful videos. One you showed in the video..
Yes sir. You can pretty much ride any bike as long as you practice. All the fundamentals are the same. Appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback!
Been riding for 50yrs and these tips are very helpful like most people who never took a riding course we ride by instinct these tips are great and it's never too late to learn.
I just came back to riding after 30 years off a bike. I took the harley riding class and had a great instructor. When i was a young man/boy i did things without much thought...you just did it. Now it all seemed much much harder. On the second day we actually got on bikes. First time in over 30 years. It felt good. Then we had to do figure 8's and i was like, ok, no problem. Well it was a problem. I could do them right without any issues, but i couldn't do a left one to save my life. I actually laid the bike down twice. I could tell instructor was getting annoyed. We took a break and he told me if i couldn't do it tomorrow he was going to fail me. I was very upset with that. Especially since i already bought a very expensive motorcycle. So i got on youtube that night and watched every single riding video i could find. Including some of yours. That next morning was basically practice before we took the riding test. My instructor said he just wanted me doing left hand figure 8. Just do it no matter how big it was. I didn't have any problems right just left. Duing the lunch break i asked if i could just keep practicing. And was told yes if someone else would stay with me. When the instructor left i asked the other guy if i could ride his bike. He had the new 350cc academy bike and i had been on an older street 500. I got on the lighter newer bike and did a perfect left hand figure 8. I was super excited. I then knew it was going to be fine. After lunch and everyone was back i excitedly told my instructor about what we had done and that i wanted to take the test on the other bike. He frowned at me and said no. I was pissed. This 20 year old punk wasn't going to ruin me chance to get my MC endorsement. I insisted and he went inside and came out with the dealership manager aka his Dad!!! I was told because I had a full sized 114 softail purchased i had to do the test on the 500...i still say that was BS. It was that or i was going to have to leave the group. So anyway knowing i could do it had given me new confidence and i did the test on that terrible street 500. I did great on the whole test and a double figure 8 was the 2nd to last thing. I did it but my front wheel touched the line so he dinged me points. I didn't care. I aced the written test and got my endorsement. My point is that im glad they made me face something that was hard for me to do. Out in the wild is a lot different then a wide open parking lot. I got my full license the very next day and went and picked up my bike. I just parked it for the winter here in Michigan just last weekend. I did 5,116 miles in 6 months. I still consider myself a newbie. This next spring, im going to put all your techniques in action and refresh my skills. Thank you for your amazing attention to details and great video's!
Wow, that was an awesome story! Also definitely a great lesson. Sometimes we have to get a little uncomfortable to see our real potential. It makes me so happy that you were able to pass the test! My motorcycles just got parked for the winter too (I'm in Ohio). When you take your bike out of hibernation, your first stop should be the parking lot to refresh your skills. That's what I do every year. These skills are perishable, and it shows when I go out to practice at the beginning of the season. I'm glad that my videos helped you. This is the reason why I keep on putting out videos, to help people. If I only help one person, it's totally worth it. Ride safe brother. Maybe I'll see you out on the road one day!
I’ve gotten comfortable with tight uturns that drag the floorboards, but the 7-12 mph uturns are a lot less wear on the floorboards that get scraped enough on twisty roads
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I'm about to get my riding endorsement, and, a 1981 cb650 motorcycle with only 31K miles on the clock. It hasn't been ridden in the past 20 years. Doug
@@douglasradowick508 very cool! Make sure to go over it really well since it hasn't been ridden for so long. Get a good oil change too. I would also maybe take it to a shop so they can go over it too. Good stuff brother!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Joe Goe, I expect it will need to be disassembled and rebuilt from the ground up, so I'm planning that course of action!🏍️🦅 Doug
Hey JoeGoe, one step closer to that '81 Honda cb650! It will get "babied", BUT NOT trailer queened!🏍️ Once I get it rejuvenated I'll text you some photos of it! The 31K on the clock will quickly be dissolved! No one will be "ragging" on the throttle, I'll see to that. Doug😎👍🎉😁🦅
Thank you for the lesson So helpful in my U turns and turns as well. The visual as well as talking about it really helped me alot, I really like the structure of your videos. Thanks again brother.
The "Head and Eyes" thing is only to prevent target fixation, and driving into oncoming traffic. I suggest learning tight U-turns without cones and when you have that down, and start using cones, bring the "head and eyes" in.
The head and eyes will definitely help with your handlebar turn too. It's just a natural reaction. Practicing without cones could be good. You can just use the lines in a parking lot. It can turn into a mind game when you're using cones. I like using the cones though because it represents an obstacle like a car or wall.
Last night I almost dropped my 550 lbs bike. It was a steep, sharp turn, small parking spot. I forgot to use friction zone. The engine stopped running due to low speed.
Spot on. No front brake during any manoeuvre under 10mph, always look into the space where you want to go, don't look down! Where you look is where you go! However, I would never intsruct a novice motorcyclist who wasn't wearing a protective jacket and gloves with no finger-protection. Because I would be wearing safety and climate-appropriate clothing at all times, even when doing a UA-cam video. Lead by example because consistency is key. Just saying. Love and peace.
Appreciate your feedback. Everyone has a choice of what they wear while riding a motorcycle. I'm not going to argue that you shouldn't be wearing protective gear all of the time, definitely a good choice especially for a novice. I wear full gear while I'm out on the road. I'm in a controlled environment and willing to take the risk. I appreciate you watching!
Just bought a Livewire One to replace my Zero. Moved from 135kg to 255kg and a steering lock that twice as large! No friction zones on electric😂 Will work on these techniques as much of my riding is in very tight spaces in central Paris! Thanks for the content
Including you, and giving credit to my favorite content creators as well! 😊❤ Excellent video Joe! Excellent! 💯⭐️ Fully stand by all that you addressed!
Thank you Karen. I included all the other content creators that I've learned from. Without them, I wouldn't have gotten any better! Thank you for watching.
Very nice, Joe..ride a Street Glide..been riding since, 73', this video helped quite a bit, considering, as you know, we occasionally make an error, is such tight maneuvers, like when I had a Triumph speed triple, and tried to make a ridiculously tight turn, and ended up, dropping the bike; humble experience..
Hi Joe. I just found your channel this evening. I like what I'm seeing so far. It's VERY difficult to find good motorcycle riding tips and tricks on YooToob. I've scoured tons of them, and most of them are all testosterone and zero brains. I like your no-nonsense approach. U-turns are something I'm very good at on my 1500 Boulevard, but on the new Gold Wing I just bought, I suck royally. LOL The power of that engine coupled with the hair-trigger throttle are going to take some getting used to. I can turn my Boulevard on a dime with my wife on back, but the Wing is a totally different animal. Back to the drawing board on that one. Ride well, sir, and thanks for a great video!
I appreciate the kind words! I try to get straight to the point. I've never rode a Gold Wing, but I've heard that they can be touchy (just like you said). I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback!
been ridding for some 59 + years & yes head & eyes bc one best look when there going right & great for new or exp rider practice & mostly do ..but point is ... I can U turn all day looking the opposite way ..basically to Turn an motorcycle just lean & used to drag break on uies & still do sometimes & clutch control aka friction Zone limit power is also supper important & so is counter steering ...push or pull @ speeds above 20 / 30 mph but IF curve get tight ..just Lean more Thanks Joe new subscriber
You're 100% right. After you get the technique down, you are able to do it without turning your head and eyes. As you said, it's best to do it to see where you're going and lookout for hazards. I appreciate you watching and subscribing!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Middle Ga here & we can ride not everyday of course have some cold & Lot rain winter but a few days ea. month 12 months a year
Great video. I'll have you know that I can execute a 27 point turn just fine! I've practiced those U turn and have it down to 3 spaces wide with a duck walk at best lol.
I wish there was more training for u-turns for sport motorcycles. All day I can do a u-turn in 2 parking spaces on a 250 honda rebel but on my gsxr 600 I can do it in 2.5 parking spaces comfortably. It sucks.
Checkout Robert Simmons’s channel Be The Boss Of Your Motorcycle. He has a whole video doing his exercises on a sport bike. Nothing changes, all the same fundamentals apply!
That I can't answer for sure. I have never rode an automatic. Rear brake will definitely help while putting power to the rear wheel. I would imagine you would have to have a light constant throttle in order to keep putting power to the rear wheel.
Off the topic of U turns, but I see this is one day old so figured it would be a good time to ask - I have a problem. When I try to look through a turn, to the the exit, I ALWAYS end up cutting the turn sharper than intended. I'm not a noob, I've been riding for years (which might make my bad habits worse). I watch these vidz, they say to take your head slightly off centerline and turn to look at the exit. When I do that (on a left, a 40ish mph turn) I end up crowding the edge of the oncoming lane. If I do it on a right, I end up on the white line. I know I'm subconsciously "apexing" to increase the radius (I used to only ride sportbikes) but, because of it, I end up readjusting and changing trajectory in the turn (which sucks). However, if I just focus at what's in right front of me, I can hold a good line all the way through the turn. I don't want to be good at doing it wrong. Tips? Advice? Practice techniques? Help a brutha out PLZ.
It's hard to tell what you're doing without seeing it, but I'll give you some advice. It all starts with proper setup. What works for me is I move to the outside of the curve so I have the best view I can get. Then I'll slow down my speed using my best judgement. I'm pretty much making an educated guess on how much speed I will need for the curve. I am actually still braking while I am entering the curve with my front brake. Once I find a comfortable speed, I'll smoothly let off the brake and maintain that speed (maintenance throttle). If I find myself starting to run wide, I will smoothly apply some front brake to tighten up my turn. A lot of people will say to never use the front brake in a curve, but that's simply not true as long as you're not applying it abruptly. If I find myself turning too sharp and getting close to the center of the road, I will just add more throttle to make the turn wider. When you apply throttle, it makes the bike want to stand up and in return makes your turn wider. One last piece of advice, never overlap the throttle and brake. If you are going around a curve and you're using the front brake and adding throttle, they are working against each other. I would suggest watching some videos on trail braking. Lookup Canyon Chasers, Dave has some great videos explaining trail braking. It has dramatically improved my riding. I hope this helps!
Regarding the friction zone, what do you do if your bike doesnt have a clutch and has an automatic transmission.. I ride a scooter with a twist and go setup, it doesnt have a friction zone.
In that situation you will have power to the rear wheel as long as you're giving it throttle. I have never rode a motorcycle that's an automatic. I know that is definitely a lot more difficult. You don't have as much control.
Nicely done brother. You have really stepped up your skills since i rode beside you at Run 2 Hills 2. I was like, this Army guy caint ride. Pie in my face now. You rock.
I can’t say for sure because I haven’t ridden one before. However, I’d imagine everything else applies. Handlebar turn, head and eyes, proper speed, drag the rear brake
I agree. That should be the goal for everyone. However, the tighter you can get the more options you'll have in different situations. Never know what you'll find yourself in.
That I can't answer. I'm sharing what I've learned. It would be foolish to pull in the clutch all the way during a U-Turn though. The friction zone is the bread and butter for riding a motorcycle at slow speeds.
If I absolutely had to master this, I'd give up riding motorcycles. Fortunately, there's other ways to turn around than making tight slow speed U turns which are always a recipe for disaster. Give me a bucket full of pea gravel to throw out on your course in your U turn box... or like I had to do yesterday, turning around on a deep sandy dirt road with a big heavy bike.
It's never a recipe for disaster if you learn the technique and perform it properly. I welcome your bucket of pea gravel. You can definitely still do the U-Turn! I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I've wiped out on parking lot gravel before while turning, or worse, hitting those blasted yellow painted cement curbs before, it's not fun!
So the first turn I stay in the friction zone. While you're in the friction zone it supplies power to the rear wheel. This makes the bike much more stable. The second turn I have the clutch completely pulled in and relying on my momentum to get me through the turn. Relying on momentum will make the bike much less stable and if you end up going to slow, you're going to drop the bike. I hope this helps. Appreciate you watching!
With my Honda Grom I can make 15 feet U-turns all in idle as the bike will go about 3 to 4 mph just in idle. so no need to use the clutch at all as in the friction zone. I now assume that a big bike cannot do that.
Oh, the engine also lugs with the Grom at that speed. I see now to prevent the engine lugging you keep it at say 2000 RPM and with the clutch in the friction zone adjust your speed to 6 or 7 MPH with no engine lugging. I am new at this and I kept wondering why use the clutch, just go with idle. You were the first guy now to tell me the reason with your message and I appreciate that and finally learned the reason..
I suggest getting some drop guards for your bike then. Those will give you more confidence. It's better to drop your bike in a parking lot then out on the road!
turning head and eyes. Im new rider, but i will tell you its mistake to tell new rider to do that because, you need to learn the balance first, if you move your head and you dont have a balance you are gooing to fall. So this tip would be good for people that are already dooing u turns kind of good and wanting to improve and dont have a problem with balansing bike, not for new riders learning how to do it.
@@goranmajnaric556 I don’t believe it’s a mistake to tell them to turn their head and eyes. If you’re moving 5mph or more, the bike doesn’t need you to balance it. As long as you stay in the friction zone and have sufficient power (throttle) to the rear wheel, the bike will not fall over. By practicing incorrectly, you will start to form a bad habit. Bad habits are hard to break! Appreciate you watching
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I agree about the habit, i dont know about the speed i drive by feeling, if i make u turn i want to lean, i dont want to drive vertically, and if i lean i need balance, if i dont have propper balance i cant look all the way on the other side, its maybe easy to say when you know how to do it all together, but not for me as a new rider. Im learning how to position my body and trying to lock wheel one way, looking other way didint help me, but when i get to learn balance without thinking about it, i know that would be a good thing to learn as well.
@@goranmajnaric556 so for slow speed turns, you should be counter balancing. Your body stays perpendicular with the bike and the bike leans underneath you. Give that a shot, it might help you
I knew it was going to come up about the front brake. Got to be just me then. 40 plus years riding off road and on road. Always using the front brake. All about technique. Another subject. Target fixation. You are correct. Turn your head and look where you want to go. Don't get fixed on a subject in your path. It's not what you ride..it's that you RIDE!! I'm a short guy. 5 foot 3. Last dirt bike I had was a CRF450r. Did a lot of 1 legging on that bike. I've had sport bikes..CBR600F3 .. and the last bike I had was a CB900(919) when I let it go. I had 56K miles on it. I now own 2 bikes. CRF230L dual sport and a Shadow phantom. I call them my mini-bikes. The 750 is the first bike I've owned that I can get both feet flat on the ground! And the funnest bike I've ever ridden..my sisters little rebel 250. Slow...but what a blast to ride! Don't just be a weekend warrior. Get out..practice and ride! Oh..one of my biggest pet peeves! People that ride with their toes pointed towards the ground. Get your feet up on those pegs. Don't be a toe dragger!!
This is the most basic stuff... How do these people get their licence? All of this should've been taught by your driving instructor + failing to do any of these things, should've been a fail on your exam.
I get what you're saying. However just because you passed doesn't mean you're proficient at it. I know after I took the test, I never really practiced again until I realized how important it was. I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback
@@Dr.BenjiBuddy explore Reddit threads and Facebook chats. People pay anywhere from $175-$400 for MSF courses and fail. And a student can only learn as much as they are taught. A lot of the students have never ever touched a motorcycle before. And they sign up for this “class” that offers “lessons”.. But in reality, the scenario is this.. “Hey, we’re going to teach you this skill.. we’re also giving you a test while you’re learning this skill. So if you can’t do this brand new skill correctly right away, you can’t pass.” That’s absurd.
Thank you! I have drop protection on my bike. You'd be amazed on how much more confident it will make you. You don't have to worry about damaging your bike!
For those of you who don’t know what the friction zone is… go get your riding lessons before thinking you know how to ride cuz you can go straight and fast 😂
Head and eyes is nonsense advice, from my experience. I can look over my own shoulder without moving my upper body, meaning my body weight does not shift at all to help guide the bike into the tight turns. Too many times I have practiced turning while looking where I want to go, only for the bike to go wide. You need to turn your whole body as a unit. Head movement isn't sufficient.
@@tjl4688 what works for some may not work for others. I can tell you it definitely helps though. It naturally makes you turn the handlebars the way you’re looking. Can you make a turn without turning your head and eyes? Sure. Can you make a 18ft U-turn looking straight up? Absolutely! Turning your head and eyes is just one of the keys to success, it’s not the end all be all. Counter balance, friction zone, speed, lean angle, and throttle are also very important. Appreciate you watching!
The expression, "at all costs" makes me nuts. Is, say, your child's eyesight too dear of a cost? How about your own life? How about the destruction of the entire human race? I mean, those things would be included in "all costs". I can only speak for myself, but I'd gladly settle for a few scratches on my motorcycle over any of those things. "At all costs" is right up there with "near-miss" in the stupid english expressions category.
I broke my neck years ago and cant turn my head fully. My back has been broke twice and i dont have a problem foing u turns. Cut the wheel, rear brake and gas and im good. Its a feeling like everything else in life. Just feel it
One of the final tests of my motorcycle training course, and this was the beginner's course, was the figure eight. When doing the figure eight, you had to get your eyes and head basically looking over one shoulder to the place where you wanted to go while at the same time sticking your behind completely to the opposite side of the bike. So if you wanted to turn left, you get your head and eyes looking back over your left shoulder with your left thigh crossing the seat with your butt somewhat over the right passenger foot peg. Your body is pretty much perpendicular to your bike.
You would start with the white line on your right, execute a tight left turn as described and then reverse that move so that you're taking a right turn for the second half of the figure eight. When completed, the white line of the parking space will be on your left hand side.
The training was to execute this figure 8 in the space of a single parking place. And we had to do it. I was stunned that I was able to on my first attempt.
Great work! How big was the parking spot? They are typically 9ft (in the U.S.) That would pretty much be impossible!
Joe, I appreciate the content. Spent thirty years on sports bikes and recently purchased a street glide. A different experience, for sure.
My pleasure William. That's a long time on a sport bike! Welcome to the dark side 🤣
Thanks Joe, this was a great, direct, summary of the u turn process. I do struggle a bit more when turning to the right than turning left. I think it is due to my clutch hand being extended left so it feels like I am going to lose control of the friction zone. But I do practice often and need work on this weak side.
And I love that Road King and color! If I could get a second bike, the King would be it. (riding Fat Bob now, but miss the storage and wind protection at times).
No problem. Everyone has a weak side. You could maybe try adjusting or getting a different set of handlebars to help with your right turns. Thank you for watching and leaving your feedback!
I love my RK! I used to have a fat bob and loved that too. For long trips though, there's nothing like a touring motorcycle!
Great video brother!👍🏾 Very nicely done and the Road King looks nice!
Thanks brother! I'm loving the road king!
I’m a relatively new rider.. except I was a rider of dirt bikes three wheelers enduros when a kid and I go my late 20s. But hadn’t ridden since till last summer.. I’m 59… do I had a few decades of no riding…. But I wanted to ride again and sat on a big Harley-Davidson.. I was intimidated a bit but I wanted… so I bought a Sportster lol. 3 weeks later traded for a street Bob… 4 weeks after traded for a lowrider st .. I love my lowrider.. absolutely.. I can do uturns full turn figure 8 I practiced every day,, I still do…. Thanks to UA-cam videos Lots of guys doing helpful videos. One you showed in the video..
Yes sir. You can pretty much ride any bike as long as you practice. All the fundamentals are the same. Appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback!
I was not able to differentiate between your slow and fast handlebar turns. I do agree that a fast handlebar turn is better. Thanks.
The second one is slightly faster. It's hard for me to demonstrate a slow handlebar turn because I'm used to doing it fast 🤣
I agree with stube. They both looked exactly the same to me.
Been riding for 50yrs and these tips are very helpful like most people who never took a riding course we ride by instinct these tips are great and it's never too late to learn.
Thank you! You're definitely right, you're NEVER too old to learn something! I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback!
Really liked this one. Great filming work to make your points clear.
@@maddogrk1 I’m glad you liked it. Thank you!
I just came back to riding after 30 years off a bike. I took the harley riding class and had a great instructor. When i was a young man/boy i did things without much thought...you just did it.
Now it all seemed much much harder. On the second day we actually got on bikes. First time in over 30 years. It felt good. Then we had to do figure 8's and i was like, ok, no problem. Well it was a problem. I could do them right without any issues, but i couldn't do a left one to save my life. I actually laid the bike down twice. I could tell instructor was getting annoyed. We took a break and he told me if i couldn't do it tomorrow he was going to fail me. I was very upset with that. Especially since i already bought a very expensive motorcycle. So i got on youtube that night and watched every single riding video i could find. Including some of yours. That next morning was basically practice before we took the riding test. My instructor said he just wanted me doing left hand figure 8. Just do it no matter how big it was. I didn't have any problems right just left. Duing the lunch break i asked if i could just keep practicing. And was told yes if someone else would stay with me. When the instructor left i asked the other guy if i could ride his bike. He had the new 350cc academy bike and i had been on an older street 500. I got on the lighter newer bike and did a perfect left hand figure 8. I was super excited. I then knew it was going to be fine. After lunch and everyone was back i excitedly told my instructor about what we had done and that i wanted to take the test on the other bike. He frowned at me and said no. I was pissed. This 20 year old punk wasn't going to ruin me chance to get my MC endorsement. I insisted and he went inside and came out with the dealership manager aka his Dad!!! I was told because I had a full sized 114 softail purchased i had to do the test on the 500...i still say that was BS. It was that or i was going to have to leave the group. So anyway knowing i could do it had given me new confidence and i did the test on that terrible street 500. I did great on the whole test and a double figure 8 was the 2nd to last thing. I did it but my front wheel touched the line so he dinged me points. I didn't care. I aced the written test and got my endorsement. My point is that im glad they made me face something that was hard for me to do. Out in the wild is a lot different then a wide open parking lot. I got my full license the very next day and went and picked up my bike. I just parked it for the winter here in Michigan just last weekend. I did 5,116 miles in 6 months. I still consider myself a newbie. This next spring, im going to put all your techniques in action and refresh my skills. Thank you for your amazing attention to details and great video's!
Wow, that was an awesome story! Also definitely a great lesson. Sometimes we have to get a little uncomfortable to see our real potential. It makes me so happy that you were able to pass the test! My motorcycles just got parked for the winter too (I'm in Ohio).
When you take your bike out of hibernation, your first stop should be the parking lot to refresh your skills. That's what I do every year. These skills are perishable, and it shows when I go out to practice at the beginning of the season.
I'm glad that my videos helped you. This is the reason why I keep on putting out videos, to help people. If I only help one person, it's totally worth it. Ride safe brother. Maybe I'll see you out on the road one day!
I’ve gotten comfortable with tight uturns that drag the floorboards, but the 7-12 mph uturns are a lot less wear on the floorboards that get scraped enough on twisty roads
Thank you sir! I am due to get my motorcycle license here soon and U turns scare me.. I'm going to practice what you showed me. Have a great day sir..
@@dumpsterwitch good luck! Let me know how it goes!
Thx Brother. I appreciate all you do us!
Thanks brother!
These manuvers are ones that EVEN seasoned riders need to keep sharp! Great video JG👍🏍️🦅🇺🇸 Doug
You are 100% correct! These skills are perishable! Thanks for your feedback and watching Doug!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I'm about to get my riding endorsement, and, a 1981 cb650 motorcycle with only 31K miles on the clock. It hasn't been ridden in the past 20 years. Doug
@@douglasradowick508 very cool! Make sure to go over it really well since it hasn't been ridden for so long. Get a good oil change too. I would also maybe take it to a shop so they can go over it too. Good stuff brother!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Joe Goe, I expect it will need to be disassembled and rebuilt from the ground up, so I'm planning that course of action!🏍️🦅 Doug
Hey JoeGoe, one step closer to that '81 Honda cb650! It will get "babied", BUT NOT trailer queened!🏍️ Once I get it rejuvenated I'll text you some photos of it! The 31K on the clock will quickly be dissolved! No one will be "ragging" on the throttle, I'll see to that. Doug😎👍🎉😁🦅
Thank you for the lesson
So helpful in my U turns and turns as well. The visual as well as talking about it really helped me alot, I really like the structure of your videos. Thanks again brother.
No problem brother, glad I could help! I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback
Very nice video Joe!
Appreciate it brother. Hope to see you at Roberts anniversary in November!
Great tips Joe!
Thanks brother! I appreciate you watching! Now you better start practicing for the slow race
I’m practicing
Joegoe bringing out the big guns !!!! Thanks for helping beginners like me !!!
No problem! Glad I could help. Appreciate you watching!
Nicely done Joe this will be helpful for a lot of riders.
Thanks brother. That my goal, to help other people. Appreciate you watching as always
The "Head and Eyes" thing is only to prevent target fixation, and driving into oncoming traffic. I suggest learning tight U-turns without cones and when you have that down, and start using cones, bring the "head and eyes" in.
The head and eyes will definitely help with your handlebar turn too. It's just a natural reaction. Practicing without cones could be good. You can just use the lines in a parking lot. It can turn into a mind game when you're using cones. I like using the cones though because it represents an obstacle like a car or wall.
This was a very good presentation on U turns. Thanks.
No problem Rick. I appreciate the kind words! Thank you for your feedback a d watching!
Last night I almost dropped my 550 lbs bike. It was a steep, sharp turn, small parking spot. I forgot to use friction zone. The engine stopped running due to low speed.
That will happen. Gotta make sure you have enough throttle and be in the friction zone. The great part about this is that you know what you did wrong!
Spot on. No front brake during any manoeuvre under 10mph, always look into the space where you want to go, don't look down! Where you look is where you go!
However, I would never intsruct a novice motorcyclist who wasn't wearing a protective jacket and gloves with no finger-protection.
Because I would be wearing safety and climate-appropriate clothing at all times, even when doing a UA-cam video.
Lead by example because consistency is key. Just saying. Love and peace.
Appreciate your feedback. Everyone has a choice of what they wear while riding a motorcycle. I'm not going to argue that you shouldn't be wearing protective gear all of the time, definitely a good choice especially for a novice. I wear full gear while I'm out on the road. I'm in a controlled environment and willing to take the risk. I appreciate you watching!
And here in the UK, helmets are compulsory and the weather is generally wet and cold!
Thank you very much this was extremely helpful
No problem Nick. I'm glad I was able to help!
Super cool video! Added to my "Moto" playlist! Thank you
No problem, thank you for watching!
Just bought a Livewire One to replace my Zero. Moved from 135kg to 255kg and a steering lock that twice as large! No friction zones on electric😂 Will work on these techniques as much of my riding is in very tight spaces in central Paris! Thanks for the content
No problem Tony! Hope you enjoy your livewire!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures totally amazing so far 😀 take care and ride safe
Including you, and giving credit to my favorite content creators as well! 😊❤ Excellent video Joe! Excellent! 💯⭐️ Fully stand by all that you addressed!
Thank you Karen. I included all the other content creators that I've learned from. Without them, I wouldn't have gotten any better! Thank you for watching.
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures 😊
Very nice, Joe..ride a Street Glide..been riding since, 73', this video helped quite a bit, considering, as you know, we occasionally make an error, is such tight maneuvers, like when I had a Triumph speed triple, and tried to make a ridiculously tight turn, and ended up, dropping the bike; humble experience..
Thanks Michael! These skills are perishable, that's why we need to practice. I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback!
Excellent u-turn tips, thanks!
No problem tony! Thank you for watching!
Another great video thank you sir
Thank you so much!
Hi Joe. I just found your channel this evening. I like what I'm seeing so far. It's VERY difficult to find good motorcycle riding tips and tricks on YooToob. I've scoured tons of them, and most of them are all testosterone and zero brains. I like your no-nonsense approach. U-turns are something I'm very good at on my 1500 Boulevard, but on the new Gold Wing I just bought, I suck royally. LOL The power of that engine coupled with the hair-trigger throttle are going to take some getting used to. I can turn my Boulevard on a dime with my wife on back, but the Wing is a totally different animal. Back to the drawing board on that one. Ride well, sir, and thanks for a great video!
I appreciate the kind words! I try to get straight to the point. I've never rode a Gold Wing, but I've heard that they can be touchy (just like you said). I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback!
Great tips Joe. Thanks for sharing it. Ride safe and enjoy. 👊✌️👍
No problem brother. As always, I appreciate you watching and commenting!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures 👊✌️👍
Real nice explanations! Thank you! 👍✌
No problem at all! I appreciate you watching!
Thank you, between all the different motorcycle You-tubes, your production is at the top of my list.
No problem Deborah! I appreciate the compliment. Thank you for your feedback and watching!
been ridding for some 59 + years & yes head & eyes bc one best look when there going right & great for new or exp rider practice & mostly do ..but point is ... I can U turn all day looking the opposite way ..basically to Turn an motorcycle just lean & used to drag break on uies & still do sometimes & clutch control aka friction Zone limit power is also supper important & so is counter steering ...push or pull @ speeds above 20 / 30 mph but IF curve get tight ..just Lean more Thanks Joe new subscriber
You're 100% right. After you get the technique down, you are able to do it without turning your head and eyes. As you said, it's best to do it to see where you're going and lookout for hazards. I appreciate you watching and subscribing!
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Yes Sir Thank you Hope to see more ...Love to Ride almost daily
@@jmead6121 oh yes, more to come! I ride as much as I can. Winter is tough because I'm in Ohio
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Middle Ga here & we can ride not everyday of course have some cold & Lot rain winter but a few days ea. month 12 months a year
Nice job on the video brother! Sonic looks nice!
Thanks brother! I absolutely love sonic!
Yup , drag the back brake and feather the clutch to avoid the transmission lash/lurch .
Exactly! 💯
Great video , Thanks
No problem Bill! I appreciate you commenting and watching!
Great video. I'll have you know that I can execute a 27 point turn just fine! I've practiced those U turn and have it down to 3 spaces wide with a duck walk at best lol.
Thank you. 😆 I appreciate you watching!
I had learned from Jerry P ride like a pro to inflate front tire to 40lbs from the standard 36 on HD touring bikes helps front tire pivot easier.
Yes, I've heard him say that. I keep mine at about 39. It does make a difference
Great explanation thanks
No problem, thank you for watching!
I wish there was more training for u-turns for sport motorcycles. All day I can do a u-turn in 2 parking spaces on a 250 honda rebel but on my gsxr 600 I can do it in 2.5 parking spaces comfortably. It sucks.
Checkout Robert Simmons’s channel Be The Boss Of Your Motorcycle. He has a whole video doing his exercises on a sport bike. Nothing changes, all the same fundamentals apply!
as someone with absolutely 0 riding experience aside from bicycles in high school, how easy will i manage the MSF course?
The MSF course is made for beginners. People with zero experience pass all of the time. It lays the foundation.
Really great video Joe. Very helpful, excellent visual camera clarity and a BEAUTIFUL bike you have! Love that color 👍
Appreciate it brother! The color is what sold me!
Well done Joe! I learn a lot from your videos. Ride safe ride often and keep motorvlogging!
Thanks glen! I always appreciate you watching brother!
Great stuff brother.
Thanks brother
Excellent information but I consider one more is important. NEVER LOOK DOWN because that is where you will go.
Exactly. Gotta keep those head and eyes up and look where you wanna go! Appreciate you watching!
Good advices, Tks !
Thank you! I appreciate you watching!
Great video 👍
Thank you very much! I appreciate you watching!
Thank you joe
No problem! I appreciate you watching!
great info my friend
Thanks Lee! I appreciate you always watching brother!
That a fine looking bike Joe!
Thank you! Absolutely love it!
best course and you mentioned it ! LOCK AND LEAN
One of my favorite courses for sure!
Love the content. New rider. New sub. Bell rung.
Thank you so much Dave!
I always have a hard time doing right U turn than left U turn..
Everyone has a weak side. Just have to practice harder! My weak side is to the left. It will never be as good as my right
The same for me, left is okay and right is not happening. 😃
@Jeff82556 just gotta practice more. You can do it!
How do i do it w/o a friction zone, with an automatic trans.? Rear brake?
That I can't answer for sure. I have never rode an automatic. Rear brake will definitely help while putting power to the rear wheel. I would imagine you would have to have a light constant throttle in order to keep putting power to the rear wheel.
Off the topic of U turns, but I see this is one day old so figured it would be a good time to ask - I have a problem. When I try to look through a turn, to the the exit, I ALWAYS end up cutting the turn sharper than intended. I'm not a noob, I've been riding for years (which might make my bad habits worse). I watch these vidz, they say to take your head slightly off centerline and turn to look at the exit. When I do that (on a left, a 40ish mph turn) I end up crowding the edge of the oncoming lane. If I do it on a right, I end up on the white line. I know I'm subconsciously "apexing" to increase the radius (I used to only ride sportbikes) but, because of it, I end up readjusting and changing trajectory in the turn (which sucks). However, if I just focus at what's in right front of me, I can hold a good line all the way through the turn. I don't want to be good at doing it wrong. Tips? Advice? Practice techniques? Help a brutha out PLZ.
It's hard to tell what you're doing without seeing it, but I'll give you some advice. It all starts with proper setup. What works for me is I move to the outside of the curve so I have the best view I can get. Then I'll slow down my speed using my best judgement. I'm pretty much making an educated guess on how much speed I will need for the curve.
I am actually still braking while I am entering the curve with my front brake. Once I find a comfortable speed, I'll smoothly let off the brake and maintain that speed (maintenance throttle).
If I find myself starting to run wide, I will smoothly apply some front brake to tighten up my turn. A lot of people will say to never use the front brake in a curve, but that's simply not true as long as you're not applying it abruptly.
If I find myself turning too sharp and getting close to the center of the road, I will just add more throttle to make the turn wider. When you apply throttle, it makes the bike want to stand up and in return makes your turn wider.
One last piece of advice, never overlap the throttle and brake. If you are going around a curve and you're using the front brake and adding throttle, they are working against each other.
I would suggest watching some videos on trail braking. Lookup Canyon Chasers, Dave has some great videos explaining trail braking. It has dramatically improved my riding. I hope this helps!
@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Awesome, thank!
Thank You
No problem. Thank you for watching!
Regarding the friction zone, what do you do if your bike doesnt have a clutch and has an automatic transmission.. I ride a scooter with a twist and go setup, it doesnt have a friction zone.
In that situation you will have power to the rear wheel as long as you're giving it throttle. I have never rode a motorcycle that's an automatic. I know that is definitely a lot more difficult. You don't have as much control.
EXCELLENT!!
Thank you!
What do you recommend? 1st or 2nd gear?
I always recommend 1st gear.
Nicely done brother. You have really stepped up your skills since i rode beside you at Run 2 Hills 2. I was like, this Army guy caint ride. Pie in my face now. You rock.
Haha I appreciate it brother. Practice is key!
What about DCT, any tips
I can’t say for sure because I haven’t ridden one before. However, I’d imagine everything else applies. Handlebar turn, head and eyes, proper speed, drag the rear brake
Good stuff
Thank you!
If you can make a U turn in the width of an average two lane road, it’s all you’ll ever need.
I agree. That should be the goal for everyone. However, the tighter you can get the more options you'll have in different situations. Never know what you'll find yourself in.
So, why some moto instructors in some European moto riding schools says not to using friction zone at figure 8 and at U-turns, at all? Weird...
That I can't answer. I'm sharing what I've learned. It would be foolish to pull in the clutch all the way during a U-Turn though. The friction zone is the bread and butter for riding a motorcycle at slow speeds.
If I absolutely had to master this, I'd give up riding motorcycles.
Fortunately, there's other ways to turn around than making tight slow speed U turns which are always a recipe for disaster.
Give me a bucket full of pea gravel to throw out on your course in your U turn box... or like I had to do yesterday, turning around on a deep sandy dirt road with a big heavy bike.
It's never a recipe for disaster if you learn the technique and perform it properly. I welcome your bucket of pea gravel. You can definitely still do the U-Turn! I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I've wiped out on parking lot gravel before while turning, or worse, hitting those blasted yellow painted cement curbs before, it's not fun!
5:00
I’m a little confused. What did you do differently in the two turns?
So the first turn I stay in the friction zone. While you're in the friction zone it supplies power to the rear wheel. This makes the bike much more stable. The second turn I have the clutch completely pulled in and relying on my momentum to get me through the turn. Relying on momentum will make the bike much less stable and if you end up going to slow, you're going to drop the bike. I hope this helps. Appreciate you watching!
Thanks god bless
No problem John. I appreciate you watching!
I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I can do uturns on a country road but I can’t keep my eyes off of those cones!!😭
@@Dogatemyhomework927 they are definitely easy to stare at. Just have to force yourself not to look!
2:09, You said added speed would cause you to lean the bike more and therefore have a larger turning radius. Shouldn't it be a smaller radius?
Nope! If you used the same lean angle at slow speed compared to a faster speed, the turning radius will always be tighter with the slow speed.
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures Ah ok. Speed makes the difference. I just got my motorcycle endorsement a couple days ago. I'll have to practice! Thanks.
@@all4fitz no problem at all, and congrats!
With my Honda Grom I can make 15 feet U-turns all in idle as the bike will go about 3 to 4 mph just in idle. so no need to use the clutch at all as in the friction zone. I now assume that a big bike cannot do that.
Yes, if I tried that on my two bikes, the engine would be lugging.
Oh, the engine also lugs with the Grom at that speed. I see now to prevent the engine lugging you keep it at say 2000 RPM and with the clutch in the friction zone adjust your speed to 6 or 7 MPH with no engine lugging. I am new at this and I kept wondering why use the clutch, just go with idle. You were the first guy now to tell me the reason with your message and I appreciate that and finally learned the reason..
@@erwinerwin1245 no problem at all. You want to avoid lugging the engine at all costs. This can really do some damage.
Thanks for that tip. I did not know there would be damage so thanks again for that great advice.@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures
@@erwinerwin1245 not a problem. Glad I could help!
So, you're saying to slip the clutch?
Yep. This will put you in better control of the motorcycle.
Going full lock it's when it gets technical 😢
I get what you're saying. But full lock doesn't have to be that technical!
Try that on a gravel rode
If I did it on a gravel road, I'd still be applying the same techniques, but eliminate the lean
Great video sir and man I looked good Ha Ha🤣🤣🤣
Thanks brother. And that's debatable! 🤣 haha just kidding!
I’ve tried for years and I still can’t figure 8 on a cruiser
Start with mastering the U-Turn. The figure 8 is essentially 2 U-Turns with a transition. Just gotta practice, you'll get it!
Probs same problem as me. Too worried about dropping it while practicing.
I suggest getting some drop guards for your bike then. Those will give you more confidence. It's better to drop your bike in a parking lot then out on the road!
Practice is fun
That it is! I appreciate you watching!
turning head and eyes. Im new rider, but i will tell you its mistake to tell new rider to do that because, you need to learn the balance first, if you move your head and you dont have a balance you are gooing to fall. So this tip would be good for people that are already dooing u turns kind of good and wanting to improve and dont have a problem with balansing bike, not for new riders learning how to do it.
@@goranmajnaric556 I don’t believe it’s a mistake to tell them to turn their head and eyes. If you’re moving 5mph or more, the bike doesn’t need you to balance it. As long as you stay in the friction zone and have sufficient power (throttle) to the rear wheel, the bike will not fall over.
By practicing incorrectly, you will start to form a bad habit. Bad habits are hard to break! Appreciate you watching
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I agree about the habit, i dont know about the speed i drive by feeling, if i make u turn i want to lean, i dont want to drive vertically, and if i lean i need balance, if i dont have propper balance i cant look all the way on the other side, its maybe easy to say when you know how to do it all together, but not for me as a new rider. Im learning how to position my body and trying to lock wheel one way, looking other way didint help me, but when i get to learn balance without thinking about it, i know that would be a good thing to learn as well.
@@goranmajnaric556 so for slow speed turns, you should be counter balancing. Your body stays perpendicular with the bike and the bike leans underneath you. Give that a shot, it might help you
One more tip. Never, never, never wear shoes with shoestrings. Accident waiting to happen.
I can see that. However, In my +10yrs of riding, I have never had an issue. Definitely see your point though.
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures I have been riding since the 70s. Have had my MC endorsement since 1982. Trust me loose the shoe strings. Ride safe!
I don't know how a I managed to survive riding these last 50 year's!
There's still plenty of time for some idiot to kill ya.🙂
Basic ridding class day 2
Lol
I'm 57, riding since 16 without a endorsement. Going today to get it. Don't know why I haven't! 😂
@maniacrider2598 good luck!
Quick to full lock is a problem....... probably not turning head fast/far enough
I knew it was going to come up about the front brake. Got to be just me then. 40 plus years riding off road and on road. Always using the front brake. All about technique. Another subject. Target fixation. You are correct. Turn your head and look where you want to go. Don't get fixed on a subject in your path. It's not what you ride..it's that you RIDE!! I'm a short guy. 5 foot 3. Last dirt bike I had was a CRF450r. Did a lot of 1 legging on that bike. I've had sport bikes..CBR600F3 .. and the last bike I had was a CB900(919) when I let it go. I had 56K miles on it. I now own 2 bikes. CRF230L dual sport and a Shadow phantom. I call them my mini-bikes. The 750 is the first bike I've owned that I can get both feet flat on the ground! And the funnest bike I've ever ridden..my sisters little rebel 250. Slow...but what a blast to ride! Don't just be a weekend warrior. Get out..practice and ride! Oh..one of my biggest pet peeves! People that ride with their toes pointed towards the ground. Get your feet up on those pegs. Don't be a toe dragger!!
Thanks for your feedback Raymond! My first bike was a Honda rebel 250. It was a great little bike. I appreciate you watching!
you forgot one stay locked
Why is. It. Hard to turn. All way. Around. On right side then. Left.
Everyone has a weak side. My weak side is the right. Just gotta practice that side more
ALWAYS LOOKING AHEAD IS THE WAY BEEN RIDING 45 YRS .... NO PROBLEMS
Yep, look where you want to go
This is the most basic stuff... How do these people get their licence? All of this should've been taught by your driving instructor + failing to do any of these things, should've been a fail on your exam.
I get what you're saying. However just because you passed doesn't mean you're proficient at it. I know after I took the test, I never really practiced again until I realized how important it was. I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback
Dunno about the US of A but people here (Oz) take tests on small learner approved bikes not a 800lb Road King.
@@Dr.BenjiBuddy explore Reddit threads and Facebook chats. People pay anywhere from $175-$400 for MSF courses and fail.
And a student can only learn as much as they are taught.
A lot of the students have never ever touched a motorcycle before. And they sign up for this “class” that offers “lessons”..
But in reality, the scenario is this..
“Hey, we’re going to teach you this skill.. we’re also giving you a test while you’re learning this skill. So if you can’t do this brand new skill correctly right away, you can’t pass.”
That’s absurd.
Yep ,,, momentum is a built in crash
You got that right!
I had no training. The salesman said there's your motorcycle , there's Highway 41. You ll figure it out. He was right l did.😂
🤣🤣
@@JoeGoeMotorcycleAdventures That's the way it was 50 years ago.
Actually there is one more reason Fear of dropping a $90,000 bike Other than that great points.
Thank you! I have drop protection on my bike. You'd be amazed on how much more confident it will make you. You don't have to worry about damaging your bike!
For those of you who don’t know what the friction zone is… go get your riding lessons before thinking you know how to ride cuz you can go straight and fast 😂
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
no BMX bike experience, stay off motorcycles, you missed to boat , go buy a guitar. great content value
I used to play guitar. I got rid of it after I discovered motorcycles 🤣
The best maneuver is buy a bike that's built to handle, not these floorboard dragging tubs.
I love my floorboard dragging tubs!
Head and eyes is nonsense advice, from my experience. I can look over my own shoulder without moving my upper body, meaning my body weight does not shift at all to help guide the bike into the tight turns. Too many times I have practiced turning while looking where I want to go, only for the bike to go wide.
You need to turn your whole body as a unit. Head movement isn't sufficient.
@@tjl4688 what works for some may not work for others. I can tell you it definitely helps though. It naturally makes you turn the handlebars the way you’re looking. Can you make a turn without turning your head and eyes? Sure. Can you make a 18ft U-turn looking straight up? Absolutely!
Turning your head and eyes is just one of the keys to success, it’s not the end all be all. Counter balance, friction zone, speed, lean angle, and throttle are also very important. Appreciate you watching!
So many know-it-alls. This just another one.
Never said I knew everything, just sharing the knowledge I've learned. Just trying to help others. Appreciate you watching!
The expression, "at all costs" makes me nuts. Is, say, your child's eyesight too dear of a cost? How about your own life? How about the destruction of the entire human race? I mean, those things would be included in "all costs". I can only speak for myself, but I'd gladly settle for a few scratches on my motorcycle over any of those things.
"At all costs" is right up there with "near-miss" in the stupid english expressions category.
Lol. Thank you for your feedback. Just sharing some tips to help people with U-Turns.
I broke my neck years ago and cant turn my head fully.
My back has been broke twice and i dont have a problem foing u turns.
Cut the wheel, rear brake and gas and im good.
Its a feeling like everything else in life.
Just feel it
Basic stuff…be sure and turn your shoulders with your head and handlebars
Yes it's basic, but you'd be surprised on how many people struggle with this.
Nah bro I point left or right and give it full gas, turns on a pin
Lol 😆
Funny i always looked where i was, am going....bike board, boat...track,pick your line...riding 101🫣🫣🤫🤐🤣🚳🚲🛹⛵🚢⚒️⛏️ ride fast and take chances 😉🤣🤣🤣🤔💯👌