Wilsons Sandbox

Gary If and when your brakes aren't enough and experience will tell you this, then its time to choose head first launched, after colliding, or feet first slide, after laying it down. Trouble with launches is clearing the vehicle. Sometimes it doesn't matter how cleverly you apply your front brake, it just isn't enough. The best method is to minimize the exposure to such a situation. Ride anticipating problems, but be prepared to do what it takes to survive, including, laying it down. Good Luck DAngus -----Original Message----- From: Gary Ott [mailto:garyot@...] Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2000 10:07 PM To: DSN_klr650@egroups.com Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: nklr= laying it down

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Dennis Angus" wrote: > Folks, some riders are smart enough to lay a bike down. Maybe those that > question such an action, aren't It doesn't take a ot of "Smarts" to lay a bike down. Inexperience will do just fine. In 41 years of riding I can remember "laying a bike down" only a couple of times. That was when I first started riding. Then I figured out what I was doing wrong. Skip Faulkner describes the dynamics very accurately in post #6633. This also describes a panic stop by someone who has little experience with the front brake, or is afraid of the front brake. A motorcycle doesn't stop very well on it's side. It tends to skitter.I don't know how to even begin to control one on it's side. I didn't have much success those couple of times that I was down. One of the reasons they make tires out of rubber is that they are relatively sticky,ergo-good stopping characteristics. Oh, Yes. If I had known how to use the front brake on that old Triumph, those two times would have been nonevents. Gary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free, Unlimited Calls Anywhere! Conference in the whole family on the same call. Let the fights begin! Visit Firetalk.com - Click below. http://click.egroups.com/1/5476/6/_/911801/_/962510836/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Visit the KLR650 archives at http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... Let's keep this list SPAM free! Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

-----Original Message----- From: Dennis Angus To: Gary Ott ; DSN_klr650@egroups.com DSN_klr650@egroups.com> Date: Sunday, July 02, 2000 1:54 AM

>Gary >If and when your brakes aren't enough and experience will tell you this, >then its time to choose head first launched, after colliding, or feet first >slide, after laying it down.

I gotta throw in my two pennies on this topic! I've been reading all the posts on this matter and there's one thing I don't get. At some point before impact, after you've recognized a 'threat' some folks advocate putting a bike into a deliberate slide to lessen that impact. Here's my question, if you have room( time and distance) to initiate the slide,why don't you have the same room for panic braking? I may be way off base in my thinking,but I believe I'd rather brake hard and hit straight on at a lower speed as opposed to sliding in at a high speed. I think Jeff Walker mentioned in one of his posts the idea of practicing panic stops. I couldn't agree more. I do this every spring when taking the bike out of winter storage or whenever I ride an unfamiliar machine. Take it out to an empty parking lot or deserted street and try braking hard at various speeds.Brake real HARD!!! I also routinely practice counter-steering for avoidence and of course drive defensively. I've unfortunately had the nasty experience many times in 22 yrs of riding to be sliding along next to, or under my bike and I've always been amazed at how far I slid and how long it took to stop. ( And no, I'm not admitting how many times!!) On the other hand, I've also been pleasantly surprised at how quick you can stop a bike if you really clamp those binders! Sorry, but I had to chime in on this one! Steve Pye A7