Man, let me know which State to never visit!!
Why do I keep going down?
Well I did it again tonight! I fell down for my 8th time now!!! I’ve only been riding for maybe 6 months or so and have fallen down 8 times now and I can’t figure out why I keep falling? I feel like I’m a good rider I really do but for some reason I keep falling down.! Tonight I was driving around a gas station store and a car came around the other side kinda fast so I guess I pulled the front break while making the turn and like always I was on the ground! I must have the best luck ever because I have never been seriously injured actually in all but one of my falls I’ve jumped back up and rode off with out a scratch on my body! I’m just confused on why I keep falling down? If anyone has any ideas on why I’d love to hear them. Thanks in advance!
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Hey, I AM saying I brought some of it on myself but not all. They will help you right to jail if you are begging for it. The idea now is to curve that behavior to your benefit instead of setting them on yourself. I've learned to do that pretty well now.
A cop walks up to a car and the first thing he hears from the driver is;
A. Good morning Officer. Can I help you?
B. What the hell do you want?
Which one gets a ticket and which one gets a warning?
A. Good morning Officer. Can I help you?
B. What the hell do you want?
Which one gets a ticket and which one gets a warning?
Doesn't really matter, he has already made his decision.A cop walks up to a car and the first thing he hears from the driver is;
A. Good morning Officer. Can I help you?
B. What the hell do you want?
Which one gets a ticket and which one gets a warning?
He might be persuaded to change his mind.
He might be persuaded to change his mind.
not likely, I'm not pretty enough. But I can balance a motorcycle on its wheels.
Feet out for balance in slow ride/turn situations. I have been riding for 30 years on cruisers. I got a sport touring bike recently and dropped it 3 times in 3 different parking lots. Make a V with your feet/legs out to keep balance. After a while you'll do much much better. No shame. Enjoy riding!Well I did it again tonight! I fell down for my 8th time now!!! I’ve only been riding for maybe 6 months or so and have fallen down 8 times now and I can’t figure out why I keep falling? I feel like I’m a good rider I really do but for some reason I keep falling down.! Tonight I was driving around a gas station store and a car came around the other side kinda fast so I guess I pulled the front break while making the turn and like always I was on the ground! I must have the best luck ever because I have never been seriously injured actually in all but one of my falls I’ve jumped back up and rode off with out a scratch on my body! I’m just confused on why I keep falling down? If anyone has any ideas on why I’d love to hear them. Thanks in advance!
Been riding for 60 years.But don't give up because nobody is born a motorcycle rider it's an acquired skill, you have just not been riding the right motorcycles for one and you haven't had a mentor. Lessons are good, good minders or trainers can tell you what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. Formation following an experienced rider is good too because they can set the pace appropriate to the conditions.
Started falling too many times.
Finally gave up on 2 wheels, bought a Ural and never looked back.
Ragman
That's gotta be the most ridiculous advice I've ever read " Make a V with your feet/legs out to keep balance"Feet out for balance in slow ride/turn situations. I have been riding for 30 years on cruisers. I got a sport touring bike recently and dropped it 3 times in 3 different parking lots. Make a V with your feet/legs out to keep balance. After a while you'll do much much better. No shame. Enjoy riding!
R U serious!Why not just permanently install outrigger wheels, no shame in that either
I tend to do it too if the surface I'm on seemed flawed, not nearly all the time though. I'm commonly at crawling speeds doing it. NOT for balance, rather to be able to kick up if needed. I usually do not lock the knee doing it.
This might be helpful to solving your problem
Perhaps you might want to think about getting a three-wheeler? One or two times, I get, maybe three, but eight times in 6 months? It makes me think maybe you have an undiagnosed inner ear issue, or neurological problem affecting balance.Well I did it again tonight! I fell down for my 8th time now!!! I’ve only been riding for maybe 6 months or so and have fallen down 8 times now and I can’t figure out why I keep falling? I feel like I’m a good rider I really do but for some reason I keep falling down.! Tonight I was driving around a gas station store and a car came around the other side kinda fast so I guess I pulled the front break while making the turn and like always I was on the ground! I must have the best luck ever because I have never been seriously injured actually in all but one of my falls I’ve jumped back up and rode off with out a scratch on my body! I’m just confused on why I keep falling down? If anyone has any ideas on why I’d love to hear them. Thanks in advance!
He is ok but I don't generally agree in methods, maybe with the big hogs he deals with. Motojitisu is the one to learn from.
kk
kk
I'm gonna be the one that says it - you're not a good rider. You only get to be a good rider by practicing the right skills and it seems that whoever taught you to ride didn't do a great job - not your fault but it means you need to find someone who will teach you some of the basics you are missing.I feel like I’m a good rider I really do but for some reason I keep falling down.!
Find an instructor who will give you a few lessons in counter steering, slow maneuvering and the physics of how a bike works.
There's a whole bunch of great advice already in this thread (and some not so great advice) but you will never improve without understanding that right now there are things you need to learn.
OP has a Suzuki C50 Boulevard which is a big cruiser type bike like a Harley.He is ok but I don't generally agree in methods, maybe with the big hogs he deals with. Motojitisu is the one to learn from.
kk
@ Burk ~ are you still with us ? .
The Suzuki weighs 611 pounds and that's a LOT plus the steering angle makes it not easy to handle at low speeds .
However, you're obviously keen to learn and improve so listen to (much of) the advice given here, lots of long time riders and heavy bike operators too .
Basically, keep at it and as soon as the wheels are turning you feet need to be on the pegs or floorboards as this helps you balance .
I agree you prolly just used too much front brake in the turning situation, it could have been far worse like clamping the front brake hard in a high speed turn or in the rain....
FWIW, I'm the most graceless person I have ever met yet I learned how to ride and am still riding 50 + years later and still loving it .
Good on you for wearing a leather jacket, there are also good Ballistic Nylon jackets that won't cook you to death in Summer heat, helmets are mandatory at all times ~ your head only needs a slight bonk to kill you or worse turn you into a vegitable on the 7th foor who can't talk, can't walk, can't even take a dump without help and 50 years of life ahead of you....
Don't be afraid but DO BE AWARE ! yes, the other drivers are often trying to kill you .
With freedom comes great responsibility .
Maybe post some pix of your bike ? I googled it and they look nice to me, I'm a Cruiser typ .
I don't think anyone remembered to say : WELCOME, NEWBIE ! .
The Suzuki weighs 611 pounds and that's a LOT plus the steering angle makes it not easy to handle at low speeds .
However, you're obviously keen to learn and improve so listen to (much of) the advice given here, lots of long time riders and heavy bike operators too .
Basically, keep at it and as soon as the wheels are turning you feet need to be on the pegs or floorboards as this helps you balance .
I agree you prolly just used too much front brake in the turning situation, it could have been far worse like clamping the front brake hard in a high speed turn or in the rain....
FWIW, I'm the most graceless person I have ever met yet I learned how to ride and am still riding 50 + years later and still loving it .
Good on you for wearing a leather jacket, there are also good Ballistic Nylon jackets that won't cook you to death in Summer heat, helmets are mandatory at all times ~ your head only needs a slight bonk to kill you or worse turn you into a vegitable on the 7th foor who can't talk, can't walk, can't even take a dump without help and 50 years of life ahead of you....
Don't be afraid but DO BE AWARE ! yes, the other drivers are often trying to kill you .
With freedom comes great responsibility .
Maybe post some pix of your bike ? I googled it and they look nice to me, I'm a Cruiser typ .
I don't think anyone remembered to say : WELCOME, NEWBIE ! .
Like Trials said "you have just not been riding the right motorcycles". Honestly you should have started out with something smaller for the first year...or two and practiced your slow riding, or parking lot maneuvers skills. Go to a large empty parking lot, take some time and practice, practice, practice your stopping skills. You will get better!
Exactly the reason I had to convert to trike. Look left, look right and look left again and everything starts spinning around. At least now I can just sit there and not worry about falling down. After thousands of miles I'm just not ready to stop. But slowing down and taking it easier I can still do. Now I wish I had gone to 3 sooner. It's different but a lot of fun too.It makes me think maybe you have an undiagnosed inner ear issue, or neurological problem affecting balance.
Is it possible you also have some balance issues?Well I did it again tonight! I fell down for my 8th time now!!! I’ve only been riding for maybe 6 months or so and have fallen down 8 times now and I can’t figure out why I keep falling? I feel like I’m a good rider I really do but for some reason I keep falling down.! Tonight I was driving around a gas station store and a car came around the other side kinda fast so I guess I pulled the front break while making the turn and like always I was on the ground! I must have the best luck ever because I have never been seriously injured actually in all but one of my falls I’ve jumped back up and rode off with out a scratch on my body! I’m just confused on why I keep falling down? If anyone has any ideas on why I’d love to hear them. Thanks in advance!
There are just so many factors it's hard to narrow it down without riding with you.
Some rookie mistakes are:
On pavement stay in the left tire lane, not the center of the lane where there may be oil from cars.
Stopping too quickly - heavy handed on the front brake.
Pulling the front brake without letting off the gas - as they are on the same control hand. it happens.
- this one is even worse on Dirt, because the front wheel is stopping while gas is still spinning the back wheel.
Turning the wheel as you come to a stop or while moving too slow.
The most important thing to remember is to keep the bike as straight as possible when stopping and for now, maybe both feet should be out.
As you get better, the general rule is to only put only the left foot down, leaving the bike in first gear and the right foot on the rear brake.
That allows you to be always ready to get away and the right foot on the brake for hill starts.
'BALANCE ISSUES' ~ Yes ! I have only 36% of my hearing left and because of inner ear damage have had balance issues since child hood .
I stumble and fall or bump into things endlessly but you can overcome this .
Remember : the wheels of your bike act like a gyroscope so keep your feet up and keep practicing .
I stumble and fall or bump into things endlessly but you can overcome this .
Remember : the wheels of your bike act like a gyroscope so keep your feet up and keep practicing .
41 - 60 of 125 Posts
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