[chuck807]

Ok, I'm taking the MSF class in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, as a 6-week owner of a new Burger 650, I drove to the DMV during off-hours to see if I could do that circular turn thing that they make you go through if you use the DMV skills test rather than the MSF class. Even though I'm taking the MSF class I'd still like to master that circle thing on the 650.

But here's my question. I can seem stay within the double-lines of the circle in a left circular turn (couldn't do that a couple of weeks ago). But for the life of me I just can't quite do it in a right circular turn. I don't know if this has something to do with which half of your brain is more active than the other, or what.

Anyone have any kind of logical answer to this? Or is this a normal thing? I'be been riding on main roads for about a month now (including mountain roads). And what that circular test at the DMV is telling me is that I'm somehow having a harder time with right turns than left turns. And actually, when I'm on the mountain roads (twisty/curvy), I'm noticing the same thing.

- Chuck

 

[abm]

Anyone have any kind of logical answer to this? Or is this a normal thing? I'be been riding on main roads for about a month now (including mountain roads). And what that circular test at the DMV is telling me is that I'm somehow having a harder time with right turns than left turns. And actually, when I'm on the mountain roads (twisty/curvy), I'm noticing the same thing.

- Chuck

Look in direction of turn, turn your head, keep your head up - do not look at ground. Bias your weight towrards oppositie side of lean, with opposite arm applying pressure. Drag rear brake if it helps with lurching.

Practice Practice Practice Practice.Look straight ahead, not down, look in direction of turn - shift weight to opposite side and apply some handlebar pressure to opposite bar end.

 

[Randy]

Chuck wrote

But here's my question. I can seem stay within the double-lines of the circle in a left circular turn (couldn't do that a couple of weeks ago).

I would bet you have been practicing your left more then your right,
like abm said

Practice Practice Practice Practice.Look straight ahead, not down, look in direction of turn

 

[Burgermiester]

Its a male thing.. Most males do better on left turns, most females do better on right turns. Ask around and you'll see what I mean. Even when you are doing slow (walking turns) you will probably do better left than right.

 

[allwalk]

When it comes to the right turn test, dismount bike and restraddle facing backwards....then perform another left turn......voila





Ok don't use this advice........I've been baking all day in the sun at the water park and am being smarty pants .

 

[BobG]

Its a male thing.. Most males do better on left turns, most females do better on right turns. Ask around and you'll see what I mean. Even when you are doing slow (walking turns) you will probably do better left than right.

You're are probably correct. When I had the right turn problem during my MSF class and asked the instructor about it he said it was because the throttle was on the right. :roll: Other than that I thought he was a pretty good instructor.
Bob

 

[DonRich90]

Be patient, they'll teach you how to make your turns in the class. The "trick" is to look part-way around the circle at where you want the bike to go and maintain steady throttle pressure. By "looking" that means actually turning your head - not keeping your head straight ahead and "peeking" with your eyes. It's easy with some practice.
Like abm said, you can also "drag" the rear brake to help maintain a steady speed. Don't grab the brake levers (and risk locking either the front or rear wheel), just apply a steady pressure.
As far as left vs right turns, most of us find left turns to be easier and more natural. In my experience, I believe that some of the problem in right turns is because that is the throttle hand. I think we find it more difficult to press right on the grip to turn right at the same time we are trying to control the throttle by turning or trying to hold the grip steady.

 

[mactd83]

im a male here and i seem to turn right better than left....but im also left handed when i write but i do everything else with my right hand....does that make any sense?

 

[Brian]

...But here's my question. I can seem stay within the double-lines of the circle in a left circular turn (couldn't do that a couple of weeks ago). But for the life of me I just can't quite do it in a right circular turn. I don't know if this has something to do with which half of your brain is more active than the other, or what. ...

The "Throttle Side" situation is part of the answer. Also, in parts of the world where we sit on the left side of cars and drive on the right side of the road, we have lots of neural pathways developed for making sweeping, circular left turns, but mainly for sharper, squared right turns.

As mentioned, practice makes perfect. Find an empty parking lot or cul-de-sac and practice those slow right turns until they're second nature.

And don't worry too much about what kind of "equipment" God gave you. The "Male/Female" thing is overstated. :roll:

 

[captainfish]

how big of a circle is it? I am thinking of doing some homework myself.

 

[Brian]

how big of a circle is it? I am thinking of doing some homework myself.

We don't do the circle here in Washington. We have a slalom through cones, a braking exercise, and an "emergency avoidance" manouever.

The Washington Motorcycle Guide available at DOL shows it, I think, and the MSF Web site for Washington might.

When I get home from work (at 3AM) I'll look it up and post the specs so you can see them in the morning.

HTH.

 

[chuck807]

Wow... lots of answers here! Thanks guys! I like Allwalk's idea of dismounting, then remounting facing backwards...

During my daily ride today, I noticed it again... wider right turns, but left turns like a true pro.

Someone asked how wide the DMV circle is. I'm not sure (didn't have my measuring tape with me). Its really tight. Somewhere around 8' (maybe 12' tops). The only thing they care about during the actual test within this circle is that your front tire never leaves the double lines that draw the circle (which is like 6"... they don't care what your rear tire does), and that your foot/feet never touch the ground. They have you approach the circle in a straight, double-line (6" between the lines your supposed to stay in). Then, you go around the circle counter-clockwise (left) twice and emerge traveling that straight line again. Then, you do the same thing again but this time clockwise (right). If you pass those two tests, there's two more: The same as the first two, but instead of approacing and exiting the circle between the straight lines, you weave in and out of a series of dots on the ground. Again, they only care about your front tire, not the rear.

I know this because I figured I'd take my 50cc scooter to do the test and get an M1. Turns out that's not the case. They only grant an M1 if you take (and pass) the test with a minimum of 150cc.

- Chuck

 

[Brian]

...Someone asked how wide the DMV circle is. I'm not sure (didn't have my measuring tape with me). Its really tight. Somewhere around 8' (maybe 12' tops). The only thing they care about during the actual test within this circle is that your front tire never leaves the double lines that draw the circle (which is like 6"... they don't care what your rear tire does), and that your foot/feet never touch the ground. They have you approach the circle in a straight, double-line (6" between the lines your supposed to stay in). Then, you go around the circle counter-clockwise (left) twice and emerge traveling that straight line again. Then, you do the same thing again but this time clockwise (right). ...

I think the California test is really unrealistic. Hardly any relationship to real-world riding.

Washington's is much better, IMNSHO. You do a slalom through evenly spaced cones (and you can take them as wide or close as you want, within reason), you run a U-shaped course with cones spaced a realistic distance apart (about a half-lane's width, I think), you accelerate to a given speed then stop within a marked distance, and you drive at the examiner and then swerve left or right at his command to simulate an emergency avoidance. All much more important than being able to creep along and keep your front tire (which you can't see from the rider's position on many bikes) between two lines spaced a mere 6" apart.

But you gotta do what you gotta do in the place where you live.
(Hmmm. Sounds like a Lerner and Loewe lyric. )

 

[MikeLucey]

I had (still have, really) a similar problem. I find I can pretty much solve it by consciously relaxing the grip of my left hand, leaving it almost loose on the handlebars. I tend to grip too tightly and fight with the steering being provided by my right hand. Give it a try and see; it might work for you, too.

 

[Bleeder]

Maybe it's just because I've ridden mc's far longer than scooters, but I can operate my big cruiser just as tight and slow, if not more so, as the scooter and here's why: On the mc, you can get the rev's and clutch into the "friction zone" and then apply back brake only, allowing you to go VERY slow and turn VERY tightly without touching a foot to the ground. With the cvt and linked brakes it's a bit more difficult, I find.




Peace.

 

[Brian]

...On the mc, you can get the rev's and clutch into the "friction zone" and then apply back brake only...With the cvt and linked brakes it's a bit more difficult, I find....

I have a 650, which does not have linked brakes, and haven't ridden a 400; but I thought the right brake lever applied both brakes but a left lever was there for rear brake only for just such situations. Or maybe I'm thinking of a different bike.

Anyway, on the 650 I can manouever at 5 - 7MPH very easily by shifting the CVT into manual mode "1st range" and riding the right brake slightly as needed for speed control; always keeping a little throttle on so the clutch doesn't disengage.

 

[Bleeder]

Hi Brian,
On the 400, the left lever operates the linked brakes while the right lever is front only. I hear you about 5-7 mph, that's easy with the 400 also. I'm talking about 2mph or less, like when you're crawling up to the front at a crowded stop sign que, or making a U turn on a tight 2 lane road, or in parking lots, etc.





Peace.

 

[Stormsteed]

Never mind.

 

[khelton]

This is not a gender thing, I too had a hard time with tight circles. The Texas version of this skill a figure 8. Thankfully you could pass the coarse and not pass one skill. My husband had me go to the High School parking lot and start with a circle however wide I was comfortable with and each rotation try to get tighter and tighter. I was riding a mc at the time and had to ease the clutch to handle the slow small circles. I haven't tried this skill on the scooter. Hopefully if I have a need to make a tight circle the Black Beauty will make the job easy for me! :roll:

 

[captainfish]

The only thing they care about during the actual test within this circle is that your front tire never leaves the double lines that draw the circle (which is like 6"... they don't care what your rear tire does), and that your foot/feet never touch the ground. They have you approach the circle in a straight, double-line (6" between the lines your supposed to stay in).

Good Lord in Heaven!!!! Would this not be equivalent to do an eye test where the card is in another state?!? Who has passed this torture test? I'm sorry, I just started riding the burgy, but at that circumference wouldn't the bike be skidding on its side plates?