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Bad habits?

8K views 92 replies 29 participants last post by  MONK 
#1 ·
Bad habits?
What are some of your riding bad habits and are you doing anything to try and break em?

For example, one of my bad habits was rolling my foot over the edge of the footpeg. Damn toe sliders got worn down just about every race. I tried to adjust my feet and keep my toes tucked in but for some reason they kept creeping out over the edge of the peg....

Misti
 
#2 ·
I have toe kicked the ground more than a few times on the right side. This has more to do with my knee and ankle being out of alignment (it hurts to actually pull my toes in straight under my knee).

This is also the reason I can't corner as hard to the right as I can to the left. Too many close calls with that foot (some of them hurt!) and I have to strive to be conscious of where I place said foot before entering a corner I want to take fast.

I also tend to coast into a corner, I need to learn to brake smoother and get on the gas right after the brake, instead of coasting to the apex and then hitting the gas. Again, maybe the above scenario has scared me too much.
 
#5 ·
I'm am one of the few that does not have that problem very often of forgetting to cancel my turn signals. I have a habit of pressing the "cancel button" quite a bit while I'm riding, I guess its something for me to fiddle with lol.
 
#6 ·
Speeding, but I'm not doing anything to correct that.
One bad habit, is not keeping track of what gear I'm in. So I'll be going 90 down the highway and I'll pull in the clutch to check if I have another gear to go. I'll do this all the time.
I've considered buying one of those little guages that show what gear you're in.
 
#10 ·
I do this shit ALL the time. I only forget the signal when turning into parking lots, because I'm paying way more attention to other people. Parking lots are where people pay the least attention.

My WORST habit is passing passing people on the right shoulder... But when they're making a Polish road block, what else am I supposed to do?!?!:banghead:
 
#8 ·
K1w1Boy said:
Yeah, me too, same same same.

I once test-rode a PC800 Robocop bike, which had self-cancelling turn signals - anyone know the technology behind that?

I'm wondering if it could be a retro-fit.
My brothers Harley had those.
It simply turns off the signal when a sensor recognizes the bike is level after leaning for a turn.
 
#9 ·
yelling at the asshat drivers in this state as if they could hear my rantings,lol:banghead:
 
#17 ·
1. trying for 7th ... do it all the time even tho i know im in sixth, i still try
2. not canceling turn signals... i have a moto license plate frame that has my nickname of blinky on it.... this was in the early days of street... since that i have started using turn signals less so this does not happen and being anal about hitting the cancel button... ill do it even if i know i didnt use the turn signals.

but honestly im not trying to break those... nothing bad there.

the bad ones.

1. wheelies.... i like doing em, i want to do em... i love the way the girls look when i do em... but they draw unneeded attention.
2. speeding.... its just so easy to cruise at 5-10 above the speedlimit.
 
#23 ·
Turn signals. Do it too, everyone does, including cagers. Don’t get me wrong, I think they are a good thing by letting everyone know what to expect from you but it also can be more dangerous if people assume you are turning right when you are actually going straight. Much more dangerous on the bike.
I had a moment when I was coming up to T intersection going straight on the main line when a car was at a stop sign waiting to make a left on the main. Person saw my right turn signal which I forgot to cancel and assumed I was making right on the street he was sitting at. Long story short he pulled out and I almost T-ed him. Can’t blame the cager, he saw my blinker, unfortunately.
Lessoned learned, ride under assumption that no one can see you. If no one can see you there is no reason to use your blinkers as they can’t see them too. I also don't trust anyone else using blinkers until I actually see them slow down and beginning to turn. How many times any of you followed a car/bike with their blinkers on for miles? People forget.

I still use blinkers however once in the while, when absolutely needed.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Lessoned learned, ride under assumption that no one can see you. If no one can see you there is no reason to use your blinkers as they can’t see them too. I also don't trust anyone else using blinkers until I actually see them slow down and beginning to turn. How many times any of you followed a car/bike with their blinkers on for miles? People forget.
should this have the opposite effect? i.e. you would try and make yourself MORE visible via said assumption? what people dont understand about turn signals is that it is not a declared intent. it is communicating a potential intent until it actually happens. once it is actually happening, the signal loses all contextual meaning and purpose. it is simply a communication tool that some people take too literally.

it should be viewed in the relevant context the signal is being used in. for example, you can tell the person forgot to turn off their signal if they're driving for a mile or longer on the freeway without any attempt made to change lanes, slow down, or exit the freeway. because of the context, the meaning of the signal is non-existent in that specific moment in that specific situation. when you see a signal, you cannot make an assessment solely on the meaning of the signal, you have to look and see if there are signs of braking, attempting to turn (look at the wheels), nearby places that the person could potentially turn into, etc etc.

in other words, use your fucking signals! make yourself more visible in every possible way, but still assume they cant see you. because you assume they cant see you, u need to try and communicate your intent as clearly as possible. if a person doesn't understand your intent when you attempted to communicate it, that's your fault not theirs. its your responsibility to communicate what YOU mean, what YOU intend. however, if the person understood your communication and disregarded them, that's on them.

in summary, you have eyes, USE THEM! dont make such quick and blind-judgments based on minimal observation (if any at all). want to test yourself? count how many passes you see in this video to ensure you're actually using your eyes.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJv3QW6Un2w&feature=related
 
#30 · (Edited)
Pvster, you don't include people factor in your perfect logic. Where I live, your turn signal meant to others "This guy is trying to merge, turn, change lane. DO NOT let this guy do whatever he is trying to do".

You will never be able to change lanes using turn signal in this state, cagers see that signal of yours and just close the gap.
 
#31 ·
Pvster, you don't include people factor in your perfect logic. Where I live, your turn signal meant to others "This guy is trying to merge, turn, change lane. DO NOT let this guy do whatever he is trying to do".

You will never be able to change lanes using turn signal in this state, cagers see that signal of yours and the just close the gap.
Time to move, lol....
 
#37 ·
Ok, here's MY mentality:

1. I signal for those FEW riders that actually notice AND for the fact that if someone DOES hit me, I might have the video or witnesses to prove that "Yes, that guy on that sweet red 919 did IN FACT signal, and that Blue Hair did in fact run him over and his poor bike - she needs to replace him and his bike".

2. I fully EXPECT no one to see my signal.

3. I ride every corner and lane change LIKE I FORGOT TO CANCEL my signals (although I usually go thumb crazy and cancel often).

4. I fully EXPECT cagers to NOT see that I did NOT cancel my signal and to also SEE when I FORGOT to cancel my signals and to suddenly get BLUE HAIR and pull out in front me, cancelling my signals for me in a most brutal fashion.

5. I FULLY expect PVSTER to rip me apart because I used CAPS in this post. Wait a minute, he's Deaf, he can't hear me yell anyway. :laugh:

nm, carry on. :whistling:
 
#42 ·
:lurker-eating-popco
:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco:lurker-eating-popco
you guys! quit egging him on....... and googl3 even YOU know better since you've met me personally :laugh:

zaq just curious, where do you get the reference that i'm edgy or cant speak? are you discriminating against Deaf people now? what, you dont like people who have blue hair, much less one that's Deaf? :rolleyes:












:laugh::whistling::hello::flowers:
 
#51 ·
I had a comment, but I won't go there...:no:. No sense in being outright rude.

Unless we had a guy on here who was blind and didn't mind the occasional razzing such as PV with being Deaf.

And yes, PV can talk, we talked both our ears off WAY too late last time I was in Portland :laugh:
 
#54 ·
well I'll get us back on track here with a bad habit of mine....


Continuing to sing loudly inside my helmet while listening to my ipod without realizing I'm at a stop light and the person next to me has their window down....I've done this quite a few times.
 
#56 ·
Trying to find 7th
Putting the bike in neutral at lights
Constantly cancel the turn signals, then when i force my self to chill out i find they've been on for a mile =\
Occasionally i realize i've made it nearly the whole ride without giving the front a break from its contact with the ground
And, not to open a whole 'nother can of worms but...I have something against using the clutch, so upshifting and downshifting most of the time without it (though i will use it when downshifting more often)
 
#57 ·
I love listening to music when I ride. On the open road I can listen and smack my hand on my leg to the beat, wiggle my toes and even dance on the seat a little.

Back roads is the problem with the music. I want to play in corners with one hand on the bar which means you lean differently than normal and next thing I know I am almost in panic mode because the different leaning left me unprepared for the corner.

This comes from a dipwad that already has cornerphobia and rides by himself because of it. It has always been embarressing to have everybody wait for me.
 
#58 ·
This comes from a dipwad that already has cornerphobia and rides by himself because of it. It has always been embarressing to have everybody wait for me.

I had cornerphobia as well I'm finally starting to get over it a little I think. Once I got confidence enough to try getting a cheek off the seat and hanging off slightly it feels so much better.
 
#59 ·
I guess I will be the first to admin it.

Girls.

If I die on a bike it will be from me staring gape-mouthed at a pair of legs waiting at the corner. Like that Allstate mayhem commercial. I try and try, but most of the time I just can't help but steal a look.
 
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