From: lotto@laura.harvard.edu (Jerry Lotto)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: body leans & swerving (was The DoD ERC (was RSS))
Date: 29 Sep 92 19:46:57 GMT
	<1a9u28INNm8e@fido.asd.sgi.com>
Followup-To: rec.motorcycles
Organization: Chemistry Dept., Harvard University
In-reply-to: cj@eno.wpd.sgi.com's message of 29 Sep 92 15:51:36 GMT

>>>>> On 29 Sep 92 15:51:36 GMT, cj@eno.wpd.sgi.com (C J Silverio) said:
CJ> Can you talk about (swerving) some more?  The instructor at my RSS
CJ> course this weekend was very upset with our swerves.  We went

Swerving is really two sequential turns.  The technique for turning is
SLOW, LOOK, LEAN, and ROLL - so each of these relates to swerving.

SLOW - The important thing about braking and swerving is to SEPARATE
the two!  Swerving uses a lot of traction, and there is not much
reserve.  If you want to slow (braking), do it before or after
swerving.  Brake, then swerve; or swerve, then brake.

LOOK - When turning, you look through the turn.  This is called
"visual directional control", you go where you look.  The same
principle applies to swerving.  Look where you want to go.  This is
often tougher than it sounds.  If a car in front of you stops suddenly
and there are two big bright tail lights shining in your face, you have
to train your eyes to look at the clear path of travel to one side or
another.  NOT at the thing you are trying to swerve around.  This
takes PRACTICE, but it is practice well spent!

LEAN - The mechanics of swerving.  The fastest way to lean the
motorcycle is by countersteering - pressing on the handlebar in the
direction you want to go.  To swerve right, press and hold right, then
press and hold left.  To swerve left, press and hold left, then press
and hold right.  Letting the motorcycle lean independently of the
rider allows it to swerve more quickly.  If you lean with the bike,
you are creating a greater CG displacement.  Let the motorcycle lean
beneath you and control the lean with handlebar pressure alone.  One
common problem is failure to HOLD the pressure.  How hard you press
determines the rate of lean, but the duration on the press is they key
to how much you lean.  Another common problem is failure to make the
second countersteer.  To swerve effectively, you want to restore your
original direction of travel.  This means that the second countersteer
has to match the first in duration and intensity.

Finally, ROLL - Hold a steady throttle in a swerve.  Just like
braking, driving or engine braking can use additional traction.  Try
to maintain enough power to the rear wheel to just hold your speed
constant.  If you are in a lower gear, or have a touchy throttle, this
may not be easy.  In a word, practice!

Empty parking lots with painted spaces make a good practice surface.
Try swerving at speeds of about 15 mph or less.  Use the width and
depth of a parking space space as a template:  they are about 20 feet
deep and ten feet across.  Approach the space in the center and try to
swerve outside of it:

                           -------------|-------------
                                        |
                                        |
                                   ------------------------->
                           ------/------|-------------
                                /       |
        -----------------------         |
                           A  B  C      |
                           -------------|-------------
                                        |
                                        |
                                        |
                           -------------|-------------

Make sure to pick a space without concrete tire stops or puddles of
car juice :-) Improve your performance by delaying the initial swerve
on later runs (swerve at A, then at B, then C) and trying to end up
parallel to the space afterwards.  Don't push your limits.  Work on
perfecting the technique will pay off more in the long run than trying
to push some time or distance goal.
--
Jerry Lotto <lotto@lhasa.harvard.edu>         MSFCI, HOGSSC, BCSO, AMA, DoD #18
Chemistry Dept., Harvard Univ.  "It's my Harley, and I'll ride if I want to..."
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