People on these forums have told me to start of slow with my sixxer so that when I get good at low speed manuvering, then it'll be a sinch at high speeds. But how slow is slow enough? don't wanna down a bike on a 2mph turn! cuz then i'd be like http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wtf.gif hope you guys can give me some insight

if you cant manuver your bike at 2 mph then you shouldnt be on a bike at all http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/squid.gif. i can balance my bike moving with 0 mph indicated on th speedo (no its not disconnected) and the bike moving forward. its all about balance. most of the motorcycle testing (in CT anyway) is at speeds below 5 mph. if you dump your bike you fail the test http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/plthumbsdown.gif. you can put your foot down but you loose -1 point. you are alolowed -10. go to an empty parking lot and ride the bike real slow (under 5mph) and make a bunch of turns without your feet touching the ground.
perform a bunch of u-turns (left and right), also practice slow speed slolums sort of like below ride to the out side of the dots.

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/crude_slolum.jpg


remember keep your balance and relax. anybody can drop a bike. just about everyone here has. if they didnt then they will eventually (shit happens) http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. remeber wear your gear and be safe.
good luck and i hope this helps.

Rick

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Start off slow??? is this your first bike???? have you taken a MSF course???? best advice put the bike away and take a riding course on someone elses bike like the schools!!!!! go spend a few hundred on the class and a few more on a cheap bike and practice on the cheap bike for a few months before you jump on your GXR, she don't deserve it!!! treat her with the respect she deserves. READ the post "why not to get a sportbike for first" in this section this is a great post.

sorry if I misread post!!!!!

Just because i have squid status doesn't mean that i haven't taken a motorcycle course like the MSF one. You're like the 12th person to recommend that. Anyways, i was just looking for some feedback for what speeds are good to go at for slow manuvers in order to know that you can handle it. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif

mastaboywonder said:

Just because i have squid status doesn't mean that i haven't taken a motorcycle course like the MSF one. You're like the 12th person to recommend that. Anyways, i was just looking for some feedback for what speeds are good to go at for slow manuvers in order to know that you can handle it. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif



mmmmk

But you asked a squidly question http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

low-speed balance is fairly hard, add to that the paranio about dropping your shiny 600, and people avoid it. Fast is dirt easy, slow is hard.

Try walking pace, literally.

Learning low-speed moves is hard, but extremely valuable, as others have said, you are trying to learn on the wrong bike, if you are serious about learing, get more training, and get a beater bike to learn on....

Or just accept that you will probably drop your 600 a few times, and prepare for teh worst - crash bungs, old rashed plastics, and lots od decent gear.....

mastaboywonder said:

Just because i have squid status doesn't mean that i haven't taken a motorcycle course like the MSF one. You're like the 12th person to recommend that. Anyways, i was just looking for some feedback for what speeds are good to go at for slow manuvers in order to know that you can handle it. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif



not trying to diss you, I understand you are a new rider and I love to hear that new people are entering the sport, however, you have been posting some questions that are leading me to believe that you have never taken a course and that this is your first bike and that you have never riden a bike before including a dirt bike! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I know how this can be I was right there with you about 15 years ago and I am of the strong opinion that you have a bike that is great, just not for someone that has never been on a bike, there are a few guys I ride with that have SV650's as first bikes because they know that they will learn more and faster on these rather than jumping on a modern 600 sportbike and I have much respect for them because of it they are usually the last ones up the hill but they make it up safe and we always wait for them and never give em a hard time about it. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/applause.gif The MSF course will be a good start and mastering low speed manuvers are also a good idea specially in wide open spaces with NO cross traffic. The throtle is VERY touchy on the GXR especially in the lower gears making accidental loops http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif , a lot more likely than say an old EX500 or SV650. I have just seen too many people get all excited about riding and 6-9 months never ride again because they didn't take the time to learn the skills http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/squid.gif and they get into trouble and decide to cary on that old "IT SO DANGEROUS" line to there grave http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/bash.gif, instead of haveing years of safe riding and lots of fun, I have also see and heard the stories of too many guys that wad up a first bike within the first couple of months, weeks, days, because "they are http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/squid.gif fast learners, and they can handle it!!!" http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/bash.gif Not to mention these are the very same guys that increase my insuranse rates http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/plthumbsdown.gif, and get the media and politicians on the anti bike gottat protect these people from themselves kick http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, and I want this sport to be about having fun http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/idea.gif not fighting for my right to ride or having to pay out ragous premiums to ride the bike I choose to ride. Sorry for the tangent, anyways learn to ride and be safe take the advice you get around hear and get into a course and DON'T RIDE OVER YOUR HEAD!!!! just because your buddies are being stupid or can do a corner faster don't mean that you have to. Also take a race school after you get the basics down like KEITH CODE, REG PREDMORE, ect they will take you to the next level much safer and faster http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/burnout.gif well worth the money especially for a rider in their first couple of years plus they are a blast.
JUST MY LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG TWO CENTS!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/piss.gif

Somthing you need to understand is the differences between Low speed (under 10mph) and Higher speed (above 10mph)
Low speed counter-steering has no effect and you also need to counter-balance to allow the bike to make your turns.
Higher speeds you must counter-steer (press right,lean right,go right. press left, lean left,go left) to turn. You also lean with the motorcycle.
I can do a u-turn with just about any bike in 20feet. When developing the BRC we (MSF) only two bikes we could not do it with were both Ducati's and that is why in the ERC it is 24'. On my Trials bike I can do it in under 16' because I can basicly lay it on its side and really counter-weight it. As part of the MSF BRC you will learn to do this both directions in 20' and in the ERC you will do it on your bike in 24'.
Bones