[XooMZ]

Okay guys so I didn't ride for over a year ..so now that I am on my R6 I find that I have basically lost the ability to do the tight U turn and figure 8s that we learned in the MSF course.

I could easily do it in the course but on the R6 I feel like the front is going to "tuck under" me does anyone else have this problem? I know it sounds silly but I just don't want to drop the bike .

Any insight or tips to whatever may help me in what I am not doing or forgetting may help ..

I remember lock to lock with the bars ,no front brake of course, drag the rear brake and use the clutch and gas to pivot around the rear wheel. i just can't get it for some reason!

 

[Turbo-Joe]

Counterweight. Turn bike to the left, shift your body to the right, look where you want to go.

 

[snowbizx]

trust urself and don't use the clutch. keep 1st gear completely engaged. your speed can be controlled using the rear brake. use it throughout the entire turn to stabilize the bike. good luck!

 

[Paytheon]

You counter steering? Put your shoulder into the direction you are turning and counter steer (push the handle bar in the direction you want to go). It will all come back to you. Just takes practice.

 

[ChrisV]

You counter steering? Put your shoulder into the direction you are turning and counter steer (push the handle bar in the direction you want to go). It will all come back to you. Just takes practice.

Not with Slow U-turn's and Fig 8's. Counterweight your body to the outside weight on outside peg, look through turn, turn wheel in direction of turn.

Coutersteering is for speeds over 10-15 due to centrifugal force, which is not present at real low speed

 

[Chango]

You've also got to remember that it's a lot easier to do those MSF maneuvers on the MSF bikes. They're a lot harder on a sportbikes, and of the sportbikes I've done u-turns on, the R6 is the hardest one. I could do a u-turn in one lane with my Bandit, which is a huge tank compared to an R6. However, it was a tank with the bars above the gas tank instead of beside it... I just had to practice again and again and relearn some of my body positioning before I could do a good u-turn on a sportbike.

 

[Paytheon]

Not with Slow U-turn's and Fig 8's. Counterweight your body to the outside weight on outside peg, look through turn, turn wheel in direction of turn.

Coutersteering is for speeds over 10-15 due to centrifugal force, which is not present at real low speed

Oh really? It depends. 10-15 mph is a bit slow.

You've also got to remember that it's a lot easier to do those MSF maneuvers on the MSF bikes. They're a lot harder on a sportbikes, and of the sportbikes I've done u-turns on, the R6 is the hardest one. I could do a u-turn in one lane with my Bandit, which is a huge tank compared to an R6. However, it was a tank with the bars above the gas tank instead of beside it... I just had to practice again and again and relearn some of my body positioning before I could do a good u-turn on a sportbike.

I agree. I did my course on my DRZ400. Made it a lot easier. But to be honest with you, I would have no problem passing it with my Six.

 

[snowbizx]

Not with Slow U-turn's and Fig 8's. Counterweight your body to the outside weight on outside peg, look through turn, turn wheel in direction of turn.

Coutersteering is for speeds over 10-15 due to centrifugal force, which is not present at real low speed

centrifugal force doesn't exist. u prolly meant centripetal force but it doesn't really apply to what ur talking about.

anyway, although the wheel might be turned in the direction of the turn, ur still applying pressure to the bar in the direction u wanna go - hence counter steering.

 

[yammie6]

On top of the above... look where you want to go...not where your going

 

[Chango]

I agree. I did my course on my DRZ400. Made it a lot easier. But to be honest with you, I would have no problem passing it with my Six.

I can too. Now. I took the basic MSF twice: once before getting a bike and once after I had been riding the Bandit for a few months. The instructors allowed me to try out the u-turn with the Bandit and I didn't have much trouble with it. But when I got my first GSXR it took me a while to be able to do a u-turn in one lane again. And the R6S was even worse. But now I could do it.

 

[R6SSV650S]

Turn your head as far as you can, look up (not at the ground), keep the bike moving at a steady controlled speed, push your outside shoulder out, and slide your butt slightly to the outside. Everything should come together as long as your vision is correct, so turn your head and do not look down.

It's funny that each of us that took the MSF class was taught slightly different. The class I took did not teach riding the rear brake during u-turns or any other turn. It taught never brake while turning. Also, we were taught to use the friction zone via the clutch for very slow u-turns (walking speed).

Anyway, I hope some of our advice helps.

 

[XooMZ]

Hey thanks for the tips guys I'll definitly try them all a few jogged my memory a bit ! Its mainly the feeling of the front tire tucking under . I remember to look where i want to go just as you would while doing any turn /corner . I forgot the counter weight foot so that could be a big part of it .

Now is it best to drag the rear brake and stay in first gear engaged or hold the clutch in the friction zone with no rear brake ?.

 

[yammie6]

Feather the clutch in the tight areas...

 

[rhouck]

Strangely enough I've never had to do a figure 8 in a real world situation so I don't think you're missing much if you've forgotten how to do it lol...

 

[XooMZ]

its mainly the uturns thats getttin me lol..i'll get them though just gonna take time to get back into the rhythm .