need a riding suggestion to stop crashing

"res055a5" <res055a5.DeleteThis@gte.net> wrote in message
news:e_jwc.6498$AU1.3172@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
 > both times I've crashed bad (hurt myself and the bike), it has been from
the
 > same thing.

The secret to not crashing is that when you're heading into the ground
face first, simply miss. It's also the secret to flying.

 > have much time because i didn't expect the tire to catch a rut edge and
take
 > the tire the wrong

You hit it on the head. You need to learn to anticipate ruts & hit them a
little more squarely when needed. It's all part of learning to read
terrain. How long have you been riding?

-Jeffrey Deeney- ©2004 DoD#0498 NCTR UTMA BRC COHVCO AMA
jldeeney@c om c ast d ot net '99 ATK 260LQ-Stink Wheels '94
XR650L-DreamSickle
We don't stop riding because we get old, we get old because we stop riding.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

If I do this I crash, well don't do that! If I understand you correctly you
are in a rut and try to exit and one or more tires don't want to exit
causing seperation of the operator? When I try that, depending on the size
of the rut I will go faster and try to jump out of the it. Heh, but what do
I know, I crash alot! Do you have any tips of not crashing going up medium
size muddy hills with angry pit-bulls at the sides and bottom!


"res055a5" <res055a5.TakeThisOut@gte.net> wrote in message
news:e_jwc.6498$AU1.3172@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
 > both times I've crashed bad (hurt myself and the bike), it has been from
the
 > same thing.
 > i was riding on a forest service road put in for logging and moving fast.
i
 > tried to switch
 > from one tire track to the other and a ridge of dirt that i didn't see
 > stopped my tire from
 > moving over. i kept going but the bike didn't and down i went. my
 > protective equipment
 > stopped most of the damage to my body...except my hands are swollen twice
 > normal size.
 > and bike mirrors are both gone.
 > So the question is: In that situation, what do you folks do? fall? give
 > it gas? brake? i didn't
 > have much time because i didn't expect the tire to catch a rut edge and
take
 > the tire the wrong
 > way.
 >
 >
 > --
 > tmh.rservatius.TakeThisOut@verizon.net
 > bass hopeful
 > atv rider polaris 500
 > glass creations
 > trail rider dr350
 > wood carver
 > spode
 >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

Oddly enough, I've never crashed at speed in this manner. Except
for sliding off the road a few times, I seldom crash at speed. I
usually crash in first or second gear stuff. It's sort of hard to
visualize the kind of "ridge" you describe, but it may be like the 8"
high trail embankments up at Red River that have tripped me up a few
times in the same fashion. You get the front tire up against them at
the right angle and the tire slides inside of climbing over. Of course
I'm never *intentionally* trying to go over them!

I think like others have said, you need to see/judge the terrain
and attack the median at the most severe angle possible. Maybe shift
down for more power first and try to "float" the front wheel over the
ridge? Beware though, if it's a substantial ridge you may be in for a
surprise when the *back* tire hits it at an angle too! I've lost it on
slimy roots in this manner.

If all else fails, hold your line in the lane your in or slow down
before attempting the switch. Good luck!

Fred B. - DFW Area
'85 RM 250
'81 DT 80
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

Hunting for clues here:

res055a5 wrote:
 > both times I've crashed bad (hurt myself and the
  > bike), it has been from the same thing.

Clue 1

 > i was riding on a forest service road put in
 > for logging and moving fast.

Clue 2

 > and bike mirrors are both gone.

Clue 3... Mirrors?

And, the correct answer is.... Go get yourself a trials bike. That is,
"trials" not "trails."

This is the kind of bike that will teach you EVERYTHING about balance
and throttle control.

Then, go back where you crashed, and do it slow, then slower. Once you
have nailed it, then speed up, little by little.

If it were me, and I may be there also in a week or two (new bike and I
haven't rode for years), I would simply go slower and slower. MX crash?
Get a thumper, go slower. Thumper crash, get a trials bike, go
slower. If your going slow enough, it's not called "crashing," it's
just "falling."

I learned to ride on a trials bike... And I wouldn't have wanted it any
other way!<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

What I do is ........Wait, I crash alot too!
So I guess I'm not any help either.

 >
 >
 >"res055a5" <res055a5 RemoveThis @gte.net> wrote in message
 >news:e_jwc.6498$AU1.3172@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
  >> both times I've crashed bad (hurt myself and the bike), it has been from
 >the
  >> same thing.
 >


Fred
'03 WR450F<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 13:35:06 GMT, "res055a5" <res055a5.RemoveThis@gte.net> wrote:


 >So the question is: In that situation, what do you folks do? fall? give
 >it gas?

When crashing, the answer is always more gas. A motorcycle on the
brakes will usually crash, one that's on the gas wants to stand back
up.

steve
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://stevejamison.homestead.com" target="_blank">http://stevejamison.homestead.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

sTeVe? <njicLESSTHIS.RemoveThis@optonline.net> wrote in message news:<r895c0htqqemhpq89tlh72st9slkk06135.RemoveThis@4ax.com>...
 > On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 13:35:06 GMT, "res055a5" <res055a5.RemoveThis@gte.net> wrote:
 >
 >
  > >So the question is: In that situation, what do you folks do? fall? give
  > >it gas?
 >
 > When crashing, the answer is always more gas. A motorcycle on the
 > brakes will usually crash, one that's on the gas wants to stand back
 > up.
 >
 > steve
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://stevejamison.homestead.com</font" target="_blank">http://stevejamison.homestead.com</font</a>>

Oddly enough, this is what my XR650L needs to stay upright in this
kind of situation. I think the guys at WUDI 6 were getting queasy from
watching the back wheel not track the front by a few feet.

Could be the choice of tire, as well. My MT21s would climb out of ruts
and shallow ditches at an angle like this, but my more knobby-like
tire at the moment "cogs" into the rut and actually pushes the back
end of the bike out as the rear tire rotates. The key to this as well
is GAS IT! because it forces the knobbies to climb out (good) or spin
without cogging (controllable).

If you sense the back end trying to stay in the rut, you can turn the
front wheel in that direction and ride it out. Its unnatural, but can
be done.

-DDave<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

i have figured out how to ride the back tire over ruts and don't crash when
the back tire
gets offset from the front. it's when i'm expecting to turn one way, don't
see the rut, and the rut
prevents the front tire from turning (doesn't climb out of the rut) so that
the bike is continuing straight
while i am leaning over to turn and the bike doesn't stay upright anymore.
i think that if i react quick
enough and give it lots of gas, then the front tire may lift and climb out
of the rut, but i may lose steering
at the same time. the one time i tried the maneuver, i ended right side up
but facing backwards and my bike
stalled....better than crashing but if i had been on the edge of the road, i
would have gone over the edge.

 > visualize the kind of "ridge" you describe, but it may be like the 8"
 > high trail embankments up at Red River that have tripped me up a few
 > times in the same fashion. You get the front tire up against them at
 > the right angle and the tire slides inside of climbing over. Of course
 > I'm never *intentionally* trying to go over them!
 >
 > I think like others have said, you need to see/judge the terrain
 > and attack the median at the most severe angle possible. Maybe shift
 > down for more power first and try to "float" the front wheel over the
 > ridge? Beware though, if it's a substantial ridge you may be in for a
 > surprise when the *back* tire hits it at an angle too! I've lost it on
 > slimy roots in this manner.
I like the severe angle idea...like going over a log at 90 degrees to it,
but
it depends upon you seeing the rut in the road in the first place. the
grass
and weeds in the center of the road camouflaged the rut.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

i like the idea of learning to ride on a trials bike...if you bought me one,
i'd come and pick it up and you could
teach me...lol. i have troubles in my line of work just saving up enough
money to keep my bike repaired.
 > And, the correct answer is.... Go get yourself a trials bike. That is,
 > "trials" not "trails."
 >
 > This is the kind of bike that will teach you EVERYTHING about balance
 > and throttle control.
 >
 > Then, go back where you crashed, and do it slow, then slower. Once you
 > have nailed it, then speed up, little by little.

my speed was only about 20mph on a forest service road...but when i hit the
ground, it felt like 40 and i slid for quite a ways, bumping my chin on the
gravel...glad i have a good helmet.


 >
 > If it were me, and I may be there also in a week or two (new bike and I
 > haven't rode for years), I would simply go slower and slower. MX crash?
 > Get a thumper, go slower. Thumper crash, get a trials bike, go
 > slower. If your going slow enough, it's not called "crashing," it's
 > just "falling."
 >
 > I learned to ride on a trials bike... And I wouldn't have wanted it any
 > other way!
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

"res055a5" <res055a5.DeleteThis@gte.net> wrote in message news:e_jwc.6498
 > i was riding on a forest service road put in for logging and moving fast.
i
 > tried to switch
 > from one tire track to the other and a ridge of dirt that i didn't see
 > stopped my tire from
 > moving over. i kept going but the bike didn't and down i went. my
 > protective equipment
 > stopped most of the damage to my body...except my hands are swollen twice
 > normal size.
 > and bike mirrors are both gone.
 > So the question is: In that situation, what do you folks do? fall? give
 > it gas? brake? i didn't

Do the same thing as in every other situation - WFO.

Weight back and pinned throttle allows the front to float up and over
hazards. Virtually every biff in some way involves having the front wheel
go somewhere other than you intended. Full throttle gets the front floating
so it can free itself - once the front end goes where you want, the back
will usually follow.

Unfortunately, it is hard to train the brain to mat the throttle when
trouble starts - instincts tell you to do exactly the opposite - but it
almost always works.

Jay<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

Damn, that's what I have been doing wrong. WFO in a bad situation
always seems to get me going faster when I finally eat it! LOL



"Jay C" <jwcNOSPAM DeleteThis @NOSPAMsysmatrix.net> wrote in message news:<ibqdnfOJyL_iBlndRVn-tA DeleteThis @sysmatrix.net>...
 > "res055a5" <res055a5 DeleteThis @gte.net> wrote in message news:e_jwc.6498
  > > i was riding on a forest service road put in for logging and moving fast.
 > i
  > > tried to switch
  > > from one tire track to the other and a ridge of dirt that i didn't see
  > > stopped my tire from
  > > moving over. i kept going but the bike didn't and down i went. my
  > > protective equipment
  > > stopped most of the damage to my body...except my hands are swollen twice
  > > normal size.
  > > and bike mirrors are both gone.
  > > So the question is: In that situation, what do you folks do? fall? give
  > > it gas? brake? i didn't
 >
 > Do the same thing as in every other situation - WFO.
 >
 > Weight back and pinned throttle allows the front to float up and over
 > hazards. Virtually every biff in some way involves having the front wheel
 > go somewhere other than you intended. Full throttle gets the front floating
 > so it can free itself - once the front end goes where you want, the back
 > will usually follow.
 >
 > Unfortunately, it is hard to train the brain to mat the throttle when
 > trouble starts - instincts tell you to do exactly the opposite - but it
 > almost always works.
 >
 > Jay<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

"Jay C" wrote in message
<SNIP>
 > Unfortunately, it is hard to train the brain to mat the throttle when
 > trouble starts - instincts tell you to do exactly the opposite - but it
 > almost always works.

Except when it does'nt.

 >
 > Jay

SloCalSpode.Jeff
The road rash is almost gone! whoohoo!<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing 

XR650L_Dave wrote:

 > I think the guys at WUDI 6 were getting queasy from
 > watching the back wheel not track the front by a few feet.

Nah...it was the duct tape....duct tape on your hands....duct tape on
your bu.....uhhh, wherever....that was the queasy part. You making that
pig go where it went was impressive...not queasy!!<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: need a riding suggestion to stop crashing