bull7419 Posted June 30, 2009 Report Share Posted June 30, 2009 Brand new to the forum. I have been reading the cornering posts for a couple of years and it has helped me a great deal. I really appreciate all the info put out here it has saved my A@# on more then a few occasions. I have been riding (all Harley Road Kings) for almost 7 years now and for the past 4 years I have been a full time motorcycle officer in a fairly large southern city. I average around 2000 miles a month maybe more. Almost all of it in the excitement range. In my opinion we have one of the best training programs in the nation in place. 120 hours of intense training followed by several qualification runs for time and accuracy. Only about 2-3 out of every class ever see a motor. We learn all the standard stuff braking, curve negotiation, rear wheel lock ups, lots of slow stuff and track work (a very small off cambered track). However, the track can only handle speeds up to 50-55 mph in the straight away and about 20-25 mph in the curves. The problem with this is that most of the work we do is well above these speeds 70 and up. All of our experiences above 55 mph have been on the job in the real world and aside from this forum trial ny error. I have been in a wobble in a curve at 80 mph on the Road King and settled the bike down with a little throttle thanks to this forum. One of the motor officers and I were discussing this void in our training and the liability it presents. We are working on a proposal for some track time(hopefully with an instructor) at a race track with our department Harley Road Kings. I just finished Twist II after finding it by chance at the book store. What a wealth of knowledge. Most of the stuff is news to me, but some of it I have learned thru my experiences and by observation. Mostly slides and rear wheel lock ups. I say ALL of that to ask this: Is there anything that I have read in Twist II that should not be done on a Road King? anything that flat out wont work? I really enjoyed the book and will start practicing on the street as soon as my motor is out of the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 I just finished Twist II after finding it by chance at the book store. What a wealth of knowledge. Most of the stuff is news to me, but some of it I have learned thru my experiences and by observation. Mostly slides and rear wheel lock ups. I say ALL of that to ask this: Is there anything that I have read in Twist II that should not be done on a Road King? anything that flat out wont work? I really enjoyed the book and will start practicing on the street as soon as my motor is out of the shop. Hi Bull, Thanks very much for your post. Very glad you enjoyed Keiths book, though it can be a little tough going in times, it's also can't put down reading as well in places too. It's really the bible of what we teach at the school and the technology and techniques that Keith talks about in the book are just as applicable on a Harley as much as any sportbike. Clearly there are limitations on lean angle with the footboards, and you're unlikely to be leaning off much, but certainly countersteering, all those technologies certainly are just as applicable on that bike as any other. Bullet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bull7419 Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Thanks for the info. I have already felt the difference and the speed increase in the corners. I'm also begining to see where I have more room and could have gone faster which in my work translates to a safety margin. The big bike seems more stable too. Ride safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 Thanks for the info. I have already felt the difference and the speed increase in the corners. I'm also begining to see where I have more room and could have gone faster which in my work translates to a safety margin. The big bike seems more stable too. Ride safe! We used to do Harley only schools, and the exact same material was used. As Bullet mentioned the bike limitations are one thing, but the rest is completely applicable. We trained fairly quite a number of North Carolina motor officers a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bull7419 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 Cobie & Bullet thanks for the replies. I had my first monthly training day since reading Twist II. I gained about 4 seconds maybe more on the track by the end of the day (I started at a 1:19 and ended with a 1:15 maybe faster; we were racing and not timing at the end). I caught myself doing so many bad things that I have been doing since day one and never knew. The biggest was tensing up, but when I relaxed I could feel the difference. I also caught myself using the rear brake alot especially after the turn in, kind of trailing it like a safety blanket or something trying to slow myself down while rolling on the throttle thinking I would run wide into the grass. Even after I realized that I was doing it it was nearly impossible not to do it. I found that by the end I had made good progress, but I could really benifit from working the turn-in portion. Every one of our turns are decreasing radius turns so it was challenging getting set up, but I know I could shave seconds by getting a faster turn in, going deeper and getting rolled on faster. I am thinking of going to a parking lot and setting up cones. A brake cone and a turn-in cone and keep moving them closer as I progress. What do you think? I did have a few turns where I felt the rear tire kind of squish right after turning in and rolling on the throttle pretty hard. Is this what I am looking for right at the verge of wheel spin. It was kind of unnatural at first, but the bike held its line as I rolled it wide open. The track terrifies me on that road king, but man is it fun!!! I can't imagine racing like you guys do. I have a lot of schooling to do. One other thing. We have a new guy who is not yet on a motor. He passed our motor class, but is not a full time motorman yet. He was consitently turning 1:15's on the track today. When he told me he rode sport bikes prior to this and has a bunch of friends who race it all made sense to me; which reinforced the need for Twist training in our program. Now the question is how to implement it. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Hi bull, I sent you a pm. CF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kane Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 I can't imagine racing like you guys do. I have a lot of schooling to do. Bull; I love reading your posts...they really get to the core of how much fun riding a bike is and how all of us need to "learn" how to do this properly. What would be even a better post to read will be the one you put up here the day after your Level I day at School on a ZX-6R. If you enjoyed taking that roadbike around the course and shaving 4 seconds off your lap times, you are just scratching the surface my friend. Be warned however, you will never be the same once you do so. Just ask around... ; ) Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bull7419 Posted July 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Thanks Kevin, I wish I could get to the school, but right now with two kids in private school and a host of other priorities, I will have to live those dreams vicariously through all of you guys. One day hopefully. I may break a hip LOL, but it would be worth it. Unfortunately, my training ground is the street while at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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