Spring Tune Up

OTB · 03-20-2008, 07:48 AM

Weather was nice the other day, got to go off and shake the cobwebs off. I did what I have done for the better part of 30 some-odd years of riding; did a check out of the bike (tire pressures, pulled on the brakes to make sure they were attached to something, took a couple of wrenches and did a walk-around to make certain important things were still screwed on tight, checked chain tension and condition, ect.) . Then I went out to my "shakedown" route.

My shakedown route is a stretch of semi-residential-semi rural streets/roads a couple miles from my house. It's really nothing more than about a two-mile loop of a mixed bag of right and left hand right angle turns with a couple of low-speed (under 30 mph) sweepers thrown in. If you live in Florida or North Dakota, yours might be a couple of seldom-traveled suburban streets and an off-ramp or two. As long as it has some non-heavily trafficked rights and lefts with a moderate-speed sweeper or two thrown in.

The purpose of the "shakedown route" is for me to reacquaint myself in a non-threatening environment with the basics of motorcycle control and to reorient my brain to the four dimensional aspects (up and down, left/right, bankleft/right, and speed/time) of my beloved avocation, so that I don't spend my spring picking gravel out of my hide and mending busted bikes.

My tactic is to take a very gentle (read SLOW) tour of my loop....both to get comfortable and to scout the road surface for changes/hazads/gravel. I then make several circuits of the loop, slowly increasing velocity, but more importantly, increasing precision. I talk NOTHING like a fast pace; from slow to legal speeds....the purpose is not to set timed laps; the purpose is to get me into the zone, where braking, shifting leaning and throttle control are automatic; and I do it in my boring loop so that errors and bobbles stand out like a sore thumb. I can't concentrate on my technique if I'm concentrating on what shape the road is in around the next blind/unfamiliar turn.

It's kinda boring, but after a few laps, it becomes challenging to get smoother and more precise.

Which will pay off everyday on the street or track.

Just a suggestion on something passed on to me.

Happy riding.

marko138 · 03-20-2008, 08:46 AM

Excellent point.

OneSickPsycho · 03-20-2008, 09:05 AM

I need to find a shakedown route.

fpzx10 · 03-20-2008, 09:34 AM

Good read

Cutty72 · 03-20-2008, 11:51 AM

Great read... and yeah... gotta find an on/off ramp for the sweeper

vabarber2 · 03-20-2008, 04:09 PM

Good thread. I cant wait to get home and know these cobwebs off!

03-20-2008, 07:48 AM	#1
OTB The Man Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: CrabTown USA Moto: 00 Bimota DB4 Posts: 823	Spring Tune Up Weather was nice the other day, got to go off and shake the cobwebs off. I did what I have done for the better part of 30 some-odd years of riding; did a check out of the bike (tire pressures, pulled on the brakes to make sure they were attached to something, took a couple of wrenches and did a walk-around to make certain important things were still screwed on tight, checked chain tension and condition, ect.) . Then I went out to my "shakedown" route. My shakedown route is a stretch of semi-residential-semi rural streets/roads a couple miles from my house. It's really nothing more than about a two-mile loop of a mixed bag of right and left hand right angle turns with a couple of low-speed (under 30 mph) sweepers thrown in. If you live in Florida or North Dakota, yours might be a couple of seldom-traveled suburban streets and an off-ramp or two. As long as it has some non-heavily trafficked rights and lefts with a moderate-speed sweeper or two thrown in. The purpose of the "shakedown route" is for me to reacquaint myself in a non-threatening environment with the basics of motorcycle control and to reorient my brain to the four dimensional aspects (up and down, left/right, bankleft/right, and speed/time) of my beloved avocation, so that I don't spend my spring picking gravel out of my hide and mending busted bikes. My tactic is to take a very gentle (read SLOW) tour of my loop....both to get comfortable and to scout the road surface for changes/hazads/gravel. I then make several circuits of the loop, slowly increasing velocity, but more importantly, increasing precision. I talk NOTHING like a fast pace; from slow to legal speeds....the purpose is not to set timed laps; the purpose is to get me into the zone, where braking, shifting leaning and throttle control are automatic; and I do it in my boring loop so that errors and bobbles stand out like a sore thumb. I can't concentrate on my technique if I'm concentrating on what shape the road is in around the next blind/unfamiliar turn. It's kinda boring, but after a few laps, it becomes challenging to get smoother and more precise. Which will pay off everyday on the street or track. Just a suggestion on something passed on to me. Happy riding.

03-20-2008, 09:34 AM	#4
fpzx10 Rides a Crotch Scooter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: shitville Moto: 2007 GSXR 750 Posts: 714	Good read __________________

03-20-2008, 09:05 AM	#3
OneSickPsycho Ride Like an Asshole Join Date: Feb 2008 Moto: nothing... Posts: 11,254	I need to find a shakedown route.

03-20-2008, 04:09 PM	#6
vabarber2 ICON FTW!!! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: VA, but currently in the sand Moto: 00GSXR6 Posts: 1,380	Good thread. I cant wait to get home and know these cobwebs off!