Opinions?

[saleemas]

Does anyone else find learning to ride a bike harder than learning to drive a car?

[Louis]

I wouldn't say harder, different yes and certainly more fun.

[Jonathan]

I agree with Louis. The hardest part that I recall having is just adjusting to be driving and not wearing a seat belt and the using both feet and hands to do something. Does that make sense?

[saleemas]

Yeah, I guess so. I can do things sub-consciously in my car that I wouldn't even think about trying on my bike. I have a favorite twisty here called East and West River Drive. All beautifull park scenery, follows the Schuykill river on both sides for about 10 miles each way. West side is lazy curves, long straights (like a warm up) then I go around the Art Museum circle (where Rocky ran up the steps in the movie) and the East side get's really wicked Full of S surves and 90 degree turns. With my car I can pick my speed, plant my line and hit it outta the curve and get positioned for the next one effortlessly. It's like the car's an extension of myself. With the bike If my lean or speed's not correct I can sometimes find myself drifting through the curve and almost crossing the line into the next lane. It's just a much more intensive cerebral excersise. I haven't clocked the car vrs. the bike but I'd bet my times are way slower with the bike. I still ride almost every day, trying to get my bike experience the 'microwave' way and I'm not really trying to kill myself. I'ts just a little frustrating at times. I know the day is coming when I'll be just as at home on two wheels as four but I surely wish it would come soon! Does this make sense to anyone else?

Kia ora folks,

Haven't been riding long at all but the time I've been riding I've realised:-

Most definitely a difference in skills needed (goes without saying) 'cause there's only two wheels on the road.

Must be an increase in awareness of all things around you at time of riding
(hazards, acute observation of what may be ahead, definite realisation of the level of own personal riding skills, safety, etc).

For myself personally, I don't find sickle riding my best talent but I always try to better my skills each time I ride from smooth gear changing to picking the right lines to leaning a bit more to picking the right speed. If I'm on a busy road one of the main concerns is definitely watching out for other drivers / riders.

All up? Not the best rider you'll ever meet but always improving like we all do and last but not least, enjoy the hell out of riding. I've resigned myself to the fact that one of the reasons I was put on this earth is to enjoy riding a sickle.

Later peeps,

ching_ching

[Uncle Bob]

Of course riding a bike is more difficult and will take way longer to reach the doing things unconsiously way.

A car stays upright by itself, in a car you turn right you go right, not so on a bike actually it's the opposite. Riding a bike is a total body experience, weighting a foot peg can turn a bike, throttle control affects the handling shifting weight of bike from front to back. Dosing front/back braking isn't done in a car.

Drifting over centerline on a bike is caused by the rider not keeping his eyes on the road where he want's to go ( as you near the centerline you must be shifting your eyes to the line out of fear of going over it which of course brings the bike to follow your line of sight ).

The natural reaction we have of keeping our eyes lined up with an obstacle we want to avoid pretty much garantees we will hit the obstacle. Concentrate on looking where you want to go and not where you don't want to go.

[The Chad]

you're right Bob, never look at a spot you want to avoid, if you do, that's where you will end up. I've watched it happen. A small hint for making your transition from a left to a right turn or vice versa, where the corner leads directly into an oposite corner. When you are at a high rate of speed and you need to make a turn in the opposite direction from the from what you are doing now, give the front brake a quick sharp squeeze. What this will do for you is first of all, it will stand the bike up. You then use the momentum or that motion to lay it over in the other direction. This will also suck the front end onto the ground and give you better traction. This is actually an advanced techinc, it takes some getting use to. Once you know how to feel it and use it, this will make you flick a 1000 like most guys on the road flick a 600, trust me I've lost a few guys in tight twisties, We all know the 600 are better in corners.


I didn't find it harder to learn to ride a bike than a car, I'm only in my second year on the roaad with a bike and I'm actually really fast, I just love it.

I find the bike much easier to ride unconciously than driving the car, but my car is definately faster in the curves than my bike (except tight slaloms ).

[Jonathan]

Learning to do corners will take some time. I think riding the bike is more of an unconscience state, like above, but you have to do a few more things than you do in your car to make a turn work and not to "drift" in the other lane.

It all takes time. Once you get the hang of it, you wont even think about it when you approach a corner.

[Keith]

it depends really, imho. for one, most bikers already have street experience from the car. when you are learning to drive a car, you are a virgin in all aspects. with bikers who have cars, they just need to adjust to the controls, physics, and emergency tactics of a bike over a car.

[Jonathan]

I agree with that post. You have to adjust to many different variables.

[bat4255]

Grew up with bicycles, so its natural for me but more attention is required for defensive driving. Even when I'm in my car, Motorcycles are still harder to see than other vehicles. It's kind of odd when you think about it, but facts are facts, you have more respect for a 18 wheeler on the road than a 2 wheeler. So be carefull out there, espically when your on a Bike.

[87gsxrnut]

Car and bike are different worlds. Ride enough and your bike and riding skills will be second nature.

Here are some riding tips to help you get there:

1. If you get scared through turns, relax. That is the single most difficult skill to master when riding a bike, especially a sport-bike or standard at a brisk pace.

To do this:

- Do not tighten up on the bars. Tightening up on the bars transfers any type of front-end disturbance through your body to the rear wheel. This creates an unstable situation (like a tank-slapper in a severe circumstance)
- Let your upper body go somewhat "limp"
- This allows the bike to sort itself out. It is funny, but it really works. I have had the bike shaking and squirming underneath me before, and have come out of it just fine. When I was younger and more "spirited," this technique saved my life more than once.

2. Don't ride when you are tired. Seen too many crashes because the rider was worn out. If you are tired, slow down. Unfortunately on the street, there are no fixed markers like on a track so that you can overcome fatigue by braking, turning etc. at the same point. I pulled a fellow rider out of a ditch in Oct. because he didn't slow down when he was exhausted. He is lucky he is here with us today.

3. When riding in unfamiliar territory, SLOW DOWN. Ride the road a couple of times first before picking up speed. Make mental notes always about everything on the road, beside the road, and the road surface.

4. Don't skimp on gear. Spend at least 2K on leathers, gloves and helmets. You will be glad you did when you go down. I recommend new riders buy the gear before they get the bike.

5. Do some track days if you can. Learning how to ride your bike without the worry of speeding tickets, crashing into fixed objects etc. makes you a much better rider. It will greatly improve your learning curve.

6. Practice "panic stopping" in a deserted parking lot. Get used to how your bike feels and reacts when full-on the brakes. Don't be scared to grab a handful of that front brake. It will save your butt later on.

- Ross

[bat4255]

This is a great link for ALL bikers. It gets about as techinal as you want. http://www.msgroup.org/DISCUSS.asp

[saleemas]

Good Stuff appreciate it...

Great link, Jim. I bookmarked it. Thanks!

[Dwayne Hicks]

I don't know so much, comparatively to a car, as I don't drive. And also having about 15 years cycling experience, I didn't have that much of a problem learning to ride my bike. With bicycle riding, you always have to concentrate on those around you and be wary of people chaging lanes without signalling etc.

I feel though that with my limited driving experience (about 4 lessons) I would be a bit better at negotiating traffic. Though in a car, you can't shoot up the middle of the lanes past the stationary traffic!

Regards
Dwayne

[Jonathan]

Though in a car, you can't shoot up the middle of the lanes past the stationary traffic!

Thats the best way to get through traffic and also the best way of getting a $175 ticket! I DONT speak from experience, just something that Ive been told.

[Uncle Bob]

Probably not a problem for Dwayne since the cop cars have their wheels stolen so often .

[Jonathan]

Thats right.....I totally forgot about that one! That still makes me laugh when I think about that.