Some things I have noticed while riding.

[JWR]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

One last tip that can't be emphasized enough, and it's very simple and can be disastrous if ignored. No matter where you ride, but especially in turns and curves, LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. If you think you are going wide on the turn and you look that way, if you target fixate on something across the other side of the road, or at an oncoming car, that's where you will wind up. Keep your head level, turn your head and look through the turn to where you want to go. Your gaze and line of sight should be the track that the bike will follow. There's an old saying, look down, go down. Just keep looking through the turn and you will make it.

And the only type of bike where the front brake may not be the most effective or important in stopping the bike and providing most of the stopping power may be in a custom chopper with a very exaggerated front fork length - that general adage applies to practically every bike, every book you read, every training program. If your front brake doesn't stop the bike dead real quick with a moderately tight squeeze on the handle, you need to get it checked. Soon. You should not be able to even move the bike with a tiny weak application of the front brake.

This is the most important piece of information in all the post on this subject.

Skill is more important than the bikes handling.

[mrlmd1]

Here's just one video of a great series from Keith Code's Twist if the Wrist series from his superbike school.
Some of the things we talked about here are on this video and it's worth watching.

[Water Warrior 2]

Very good training film. Tire temp does make a big difference to me. I have noticed the bike isn't near as planted on cooler tires when playing in the twisties. On warm tires I will never get to the limits of the bike before I get to my own limits.
Picking the proper line is a fun ride but can lead to some really excessive speeds and luckily I haven't won any performance awards yet. The one thing I try to maintain is not to go faster than my line of sight around a curve as their is always a chance of wildlife out for a walk.

[dentheman]

mrlmd 1, thanks for that video. I will watch it a few more times when I can kick back in my recliner and take notes.

Concerning my brakes: The mechanic rode my bike up and down the parking lot a few times and said the brakes are OK, I just need to practice applying a little more front brake and a little less rear brake. He said many people think that drum brakes are weak compared to disc, but that isn't necessarily true for the Shadow.

I really do enjoy the twisties and ups and downs, I see an 'adventure' bike in my future. But for now, the Shadow is doing a great job of teaching me rider skills.

[JWR]

You are just going through a learning curve.

I think you are being safe and cautious and that is good.

More miles = more fun.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by dentheman

I see an 'adventure' bike in my future.

Hang in there with that idea. The market is swinging over to do it all adventure bikes. They are the Swiss Army Knife in the moto world.

[Skunkhome]

The effectiveness of the front brake is more dependent on the location of the tire than the type of brake. The front tire is going to have more grip in a braking situation as the harder you brake the more weight is transferred down on the front tire and inversely the rear tire looses traction the harder you brake as the weight of the bike and rider is lifter off the rear tire and transferred to the front tire.

[varangianknight]

As a new rider i found my self "50 centing" it. An Australian fifty cent coin is twelve sided so as i was going around the corner i would aim at a spot, find i was wrong correct, get it wrong again and so on. It was quite annoying but as i was riding along a road every day i got to know it well and was able to practice doing a smooth corner. Along unknown roads i still occassionaly 50 cent it as sometime you cant see all the way through a corner so i usually just slow down a bit more but it is a good feeling to know that im not doing it so much anymore. Guess thats what practice will get you - better!

[sam88]

Thanks for sharing such interesting experiences. :cool:

[PG tips]

I must have a look out for those books mentioned earlier, need to look over the bike before venturing out after the winter.