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Rolling To A Stop And Balancing


hrmad
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Hi all.

I can balance well with the engine off, on full or double pressures.

What I struggle with is balancing with the engine on. Especially trying to balance whilst rolling to a stop.

I also struggle with full lock turns, I'm not at the point yet where I can stop and balance mid turn.

Mags has suggested in another thread to balance with the bike in gear, full lock and use the clutch/throttle to move the bike forward and then to stop and balance again. I've tried, but it's quite difficult.

Does anyone have any tips? Why is it harder to balance rolling to a stop? Should you keep your body upright and the bike upright when doing a full lock turn or use the leaning the bike, knee out technique? Should I keep attempting these exercises on concrete or a softer surface?

And yes, I realize you can't stop under no stop rules, but I feel learning these techniques will improve overall balance and cornering ability.

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Why don't you try balancing constantly while riding very slowly, keeping the wheel straight and using your balance to stay on line, that way you are not using the bike to balance, you are balancing the bike

So when you stop you are not changing from one to another

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It's a feel that will grow on you ... Learn to balance the bike with your pegs in most situations , You and the bike will become one before you know it ...:)

alot of the other techniques are to regain balance , or to set up for a maneuver , learn to let the bike float between your legs and you will learn to steer and balance with peg pressure , a little bit is all it takes and it will become second nature with time . I learned it when I was 12 and weighed about 90lbs , the rest comes easier after that , you will learn how to react to bike inputs to your body and to keep the bike going where you want it with minimal effort or thought .

Best of luck and I'm glad your sticking with it ... Just remember , going FAST is easy , any twit can twist a grip ! :)

Glenn

Happy New Year to all ! :)

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Heather,

One thing that I learned, but still struggle to do, is this:

Pick your spot where you want to stop & balance well ahead of where you are as you are slowing down. Begin slowing VERY GRADUALLY. The transition from moving to stopping is tough for us folks learning this sport; it's a little easier if you slow very gradually, then stop with as little front end dive as possible. Stopping quickly seems to make the transition much less "fluid". And the advice from 0007 to simply ride slowly is very good advice.......

Now, if only I can take this advice, and simply learn to "Ride Slowly!!" to begin with. :rolleyes: I pretty much "motocrossed" my sections at today's trial, and my crummy scores reflected that. :stupid: Learning to ride slowly, or while not moving, is tougher than I'd figured it would be......

Jimmie

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Why don't you try balancing constantly while riding very slowly, keeping the wheel straight and using your balance to stay on line, that way you are not using the bike to balance, you are balancing the bike

So when you stop you are not changing from one to another

That's a good idea, riding in a straight line as slowly as possible is something easy to over look. There are lines between the concrete in the yard I practice on I could use. I've also got a very long plank I could try balancing along. It's going to be an effort not to use the bars for balance, thanks :)

It's a feel that will grow on you ... Learn to balance the bike with your pegs in most situations , You and the bike will become one before you know it ... :)

alot of the other techniques are to regain balance , or to set up for a maneuver , learn to let the bike float between your legs and you will learn to steer and balance with peg pressure , a little bit is all it takes and it will become second nature with time . I learned it when I was 12 and weighed about 90lbs , the rest comes easier after that , you will learn how to react to bike inputs to your body and to keep the bike going where you want it with minimal effort or thought .

Best of luck and I'm glad your sticking with it ... Just remember , going FAST is easy , any twit can twist a grip ! :)

Glenn

Happy New Year to all ! :)

Thanks Glenn :) I fella I met at an off road fun day yesterday said something similar 'to let the bike move underneath you and to loosen up a bit on the bars' It'll come, just not in five minutes!

Heather,

One thing that I learned, but still struggle to do, is this:

Pick your spot where you want to stop & balance well ahead of where you are as you are slowing down. Begin slowing VERY GRADUALLY. The transition from moving to stopping is tough for us folks learning this sport; it's a little easier if you slow very gradually, then stop with as little front end dive as possible. Stopping quickly seems to make the transition much less "fluid". And the advice from 0007 to simply ride slowly is very good advice.......

Now, if only I can take this advice, and simply learn to "Ride Slowly!!" to begin with. :rolleyes: I pretty much "motocrossed" my sections at today's trial, and my crummy scores reflected that. :stupid: Learning to ride slowly, or while not moving, is tougher than I'd figured it would be......

Jimmie

Speed and momentum can be good in the right places, I would have liked to have seen you motocrossing the sections :D probably an easy thing to do on a 280 txt haha, ta for the advice

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hi

if your turning with proper technique then balance while stopped is easy. if while turning you come to a stop and fall over your not using proper turning tech. head over the bars. shoulders square with the bars, hips and bent knee to the outside of the turn. proper foot peg weight. if while turning you fall to the inside then your not outside body enough and vice versa. same for balancing. balancing requires small input of foot pressure and small amounts of handle bar pressure and slight movement. remember you may not be going anywhere with the bike while balancing but your body never stops making adjustments. just like standing you really move around with your whole body just to maintain balance right?

also you can use the clutch against the brakes to move the bike to help balance. if you watch top riders balance the bike almost always move forward and back against the clutch and brakes.

not sure if i explained it properly but hope this helps. watch a top rider balance with front wheel up on an obstacle they work the clutch against the brakes while forcing the front wheel into the rock, etc.

rob

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Also try just stopping for a split second while riding slow, balance for a moment and then move again, don't worry about getting the steering turned, just stop, balance, move

It gets you in the habit of forcing you to balance rather than the bad habit of putting your foot down just because you are not moving, it's as much habit as Anything

Matter of fact every time you stop see how long you can balance before putting a foot down

I'm not sure purposely stopping and balancing is really important as a junior (like me) but accidental momentary stop without a dab due to an error is very useful even if it only buys you one or 2 seconds

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