As does the running engine add gyroscope effect.
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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I believe I can possibly figure out why. At slow speeds especially when turning or slightly leaned and a situation occurs where you get surprised you maybe possibly panic breaking. This is a sudden hard squeeze of the brakes usually the front. Because your going slow you start to tip and you already have your feet going for the ground. So all the weight goes for the front tire, gripping hard with the handles turned makes you fold and dump the bike.
At faster speeds you have inertia helping you stay upright and time to use the rear brake more more with the front so you slow and stop vs just quick stop on the front tire.
Its hard to progressively stop at say 10mph vs 60mph.
So even though its a quick, short stop, if your legs are up you quickly put them down because the bike wants to tip.
I would suggest more counter balance when going slower. Anticipate the unknown. By this i mean if there is a corner you can't see around, assume its a car with a teenager going fast waiting for you. 🤣
What seems to happen is the bikes forks sort of scissor and since your already in a leaned angle the braking which is mostly front or all if you dont have time to also apply the rear (or your putting your foot down to the street to catch yourself.) Then 100% brake is going to the front.
So the forks scissor, hit their limit and something has to give to let that energy out. Either the tires traction will give and slide out or the rear bucks a bit sending you into the pavement with bike on top.
Now i am probably not explaining this in the best way. But in short, hard braking while turning is usually not good because all the forces keeping you up come from the inertia generated by the rear tire pushing you.
When that suddenly stops, nothing is keeping you up right other than counter balance.
At faster speeds you don't need it so much.
Now this problem you have of falling over could be countered by putting a foot down but if your going more than 3 or 4mph you could snag and snap an ankle easy.
I tend to only put my foot down to stabilize right as i get to a full stop. Otherwise I use throttle and counter lean.
These are just my thoughts. I don't claim to be right, just right for me. 😆
Im at about 6yrs riding, on my 3rd bike. Zero crashes or drops. Restored my last two bikes and sold them and now on a 2014 Valkyrie. So im not new but im not seasoned rider either.
At faster speeds you have inertia helping you stay upright and time to use the rear brake more more with the front so you slow and stop vs just quick stop on the front tire.
Its hard to progressively stop at say 10mph vs 60mph.
So even though its a quick, short stop, if your legs are up you quickly put them down because the bike wants to tip.
I would suggest more counter balance when going slower. Anticipate the unknown. By this i mean if there is a corner you can't see around, assume its a car with a teenager going fast waiting for you. 🤣
What seems to happen is the bikes forks sort of scissor and since your already in a leaned angle the braking which is mostly front or all if you dont have time to also apply the rear (or your putting your foot down to the street to catch yourself.) Then 100% brake is going to the front.
So the forks scissor, hit their limit and something has to give to let that energy out. Either the tires traction will give and slide out or the rear bucks a bit sending you into the pavement with bike on top.
Now i am probably not explaining this in the best way. But in short, hard braking while turning is usually not good because all the forces keeping you up come from the inertia generated by the rear tire pushing you.
When that suddenly stops, nothing is keeping you up right other than counter balance.
At faster speeds you don't need it so much.
Now this problem you have of falling over could be countered by putting a foot down but if your going more than 3 or 4mph you could snag and snap an ankle easy.
I tend to only put my foot down to stabilize right as i get to a full stop. Otherwise I use throttle and counter lean.
These are just my thoughts. I don't claim to be right, just right for me. 😆
Im at about 6yrs riding, on my 3rd bike. Zero crashes or drops. Restored my last two bikes and sold them and now on a 2014 Valkyrie. So im not new but im not seasoned rider either.
"As does the running engine add gyroscope effect. " ~ this depends on the way the crankshaft is oriented .
In the main, the single most important issue here is : PRACTICE and PAY ATTENTION as clueless, cell phone texting or simply plain old envious and angry cage drivers can and will kill you if they get the chance .
Riding Motocycles keep you brain sharp because you have to juggle multiple sensory inputs faster....
In the main, the single most important issue here is : PRACTICE and PAY ATTENTION as clueless, cell phone texting or simply plain old envious and angry cage drivers can and will kill you if they get the chance .
Riding Motocycles keep you brain sharp because you have to juggle multiple sensory inputs faster....
Actually no, test it out, a gyro likes to stay where it is, my BMW is no different then all the rest, harder to stationary balance if an engine is not running.
If I don't crash once in a while I figure I must not be trying hard enough stuff.
If I don't crash once in a while I figure I must not be trying hard enough stuff.
I've been riding for 14 years now, and I do know two things that are major problems; one is riding slowly and the other is stopping with the front wheel turned. Sounds like here you have done both. When I first started riding, I was limited to a parking lot at my complex, which actually gave me the perfect scenario for riding rarely out of 3rd gear, watching cars in and out in tight places, and remembering to break with the wheel straight (the MSF course insisted on that one). So, by the time I got to the open road, I had my slow manoeuvres down, which helped with the right hand turns, and my confidence. You may just want to go to an open parking lot, use cones or whatever markers you may have, and practice your riding slowly, swerving, stopping when you are NOT on the road. 6 months is not a long time to be riding with all that motorcycle riding (and crazy car drivers) requires mentally and physically. Good luck and stay calm!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!
Actually yes ~ I've been riding BMW AirHeads since 1979 and just blipping the throttle causes then to try and tip over .
Their fantastic basic balance and super low center of gravity means they're rather hard to drop and rather easy to stand still with both feet up but facts and physics are just that .
FWIW, anyone here who's never seen a trials rider do their thing, GO WATCH IN PERSON .
I wish I could ride that well , I'm certain it'd make my regular riding much easier .
Their fantastic basic balance and super low center of gravity means they're rather hard to drop and rather easy to stand still with both feet up but facts and physics are just that .
FWIW, anyone here who's never seen a trials rider do their thing, GO WATCH IN PERSON .
I wish I could ride that well , I'm certain it'd make my regular riding much easier .
Has Burke been back on since he started this post?
I hope he didn't give up nor get hurt .
Maybe he was a bit embarrassed .
Maybe he was a bit embarrassed .
;-) Have you tried putting your foot down when you stop or turn when goiing very slowly ??? ;-) ;-)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!
The FRONT brake is the MOST EFFECTIVE brake which is why most front brake grabbers tend to fall often. SUDDEN PANIC braking breaks a lot of things - not least of which is the ego. ;-)
I took the skills course a couple months back and the rule about not grabbing your front brake was proven again and again by this kid in the course - let’s call him Eddie - who bailed over and over doing just that.
We would come to a slow speed stop, he’d have his bars turned just a teeeeeeny bit, grab the front brake and smack! hit the ground. Again and again.
The instructor told us all that GRAB stood for Get Ready to Abandon Bike, and not to do it.
I swear I haven’t touched the front brake in a parking lot since, and I have yet to fall off!
We would come to a slow speed stop, he’d have his bars turned just a teeeeeeny bit, grab the front brake and smack! hit the ground. Again and again.
The instructor told us all that GRAB stood for Get Ready to Abandon Bike, and not to do it.
I swear I haven’t touched the front brake in a parking lot since, and I have yet to fall off!
Maybe, just maybe, you should only use the rear brake at low speeds since you seem to not have the feel for the front brake. And it does take the right feel not to have the brake grab and bring you down. All your crashes seem to be very low speed crashes so the rear brake only shouldn't be a problem. At least you would have a different kind of crash and maybe one you could recover from rather than go down. That or hang up the keys before you get seriously injured. 
And how many fingers did the instructor want you to use to apply the hydraulic brakes, All of them? I bet they did.I took the skills course a couple months back and the rule about not grabbing your front brake was proven again and again by this kid in the course - let’s call him Eddie - who bailed over and over doing just that.
We would come to a slow speed stop, he’d have his bars turned just a teeeeeeny bit, grab the front brake and smack! hit the ground. Again and again.
The instructor told us all that GRAB stood for Get Ready to Abandon Bike, and not to do it.
I swear I haven’t touched the front brake in a parking lot since, and I have yet to fall off!
... and did they teach you to cover your brake with that one brake finger? I bet they did not.
Some motorcycles have a one finger front brake like a trigger and some have mushy leather like binders that slow you down a little, ymmv. They teach new riders to grab a whole fist full of front brake but by the time you become a skilled rider, you won't be doing that any more.
Hmm....I hope he didn't give up nor get hurt .
Maybe he was a bit embarrassed .
I've taught a lot of people to ride over the years and I've found that there are three types....
1. Those who are naturals and "get it" right away.
2. Those who take a bit more time, listen to what I tell 'em, and eventually become good riders.
3. Those who don't belong on a bike at all.
I've known all three.
Maybe he's number 3?
Wondering that myself. I’d hate to see anyone get hurt but especially someone that’s ask what he’s doing wrong. Choosing not to ride might very well be the best choice.Maybe he's number 3?
Too much motorcycle, not enough riding skills.
Get a small dirt bike and practice off road lots, you'll learn fast and get way better at crashing, guaranteed.
Whoa!!! Everybody had supplied what I consider good advice. But this, to me, is the best. Keep your head up and you'll see 90% of the problems before they actually become problems. Good stuff, all!While being taught to drive tractor trailer, we learned the Smith System. One of the 5 keys is to "aim high in steering".
When entering any sort of parking lot, scan the entire area. Look for potential things that might make you suddenly stop. Keep watching for vehicle movement as the scene can change in an instant. If you're looking at the ground around you, you won't be able to keep scanning.
Plan where you want to go in the parking lot (or gas station), look for things that might get in your way and plan for it. And by all means try not to stop while your bars are turned.
One bad habit I recently got out of (I've been riding almost 50 years) is when I enter a parking area from the street, there's usually some sort of small concrete step, maybe an inch or two. I used to focus on that step to make sure I don't go up it too fast. My speed was slow and sometimes too slow so I had to speed up quickly once the front tire got over it. Very awkward.
Now I go over that "bump" at a normal speed while looking where I want to go. Much safer for me.
OK, well, maybe not the best advice. Yeah? I don't know if any of us were actually "born to ride". Just not sure this was really helpful.After 6 months of riding, you shouldn't be falling so much. You were not born to ride.
No, I take that back. I'm sure.
This was not helpful.
And, that, sir, was a true statement. And helpful!Front brake + turned handlebar = falling down
The OP has proven that he lacks the coordination and learning ability to ride a motorcycle.
If you keep hitting your thumb with the hammer, maybe you shouldn`t be a carpenter.
Maybe a motorcycle riding course would help...
If you keep hitting your thumb with the hammer, maybe you shouldn`t be a carpenter.
Maybe a motorcycle riding course would help...
When your leg hurts you tend to think about it; if you fall you will injure to some level and tend to look at the possible situation that caused or causes the problem. Maybe you need to start looking where you want to go instead of where you have been going. A lot of info in this thread, the one I liked was getting a dirt bike and riding off road and practice the proper riding technicalities such as physically turning your head and looking for escape routes rather than the in coming dangers, ie the ground or threatening cars, just learn to ride. Be safe.
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