Quinn Redeker is a police motor instructor and long-time motor competitor with approximately 100 police competition victories to his credit. This channel was established to allow Quinn to post training concepts, evaluations, and tutorials in an effort to make people better and safer riders and competitors.
Fantastic stuff, as always, Quinn. I like how you explained that this isn't an either/or option, but a both/and option. One is superior not as it relates to being better than the other, but in the context of when it's used. When they are both used in the proper context, they offer a superior solution all around! As I've mentioned before, I ride a couch (Gold Wing). It's relatively new to me. I've had it for maybe a year. After watching your video (and taking notes on my riding as per another suggestion you gave in a video), I realize that I haven't employed them both effectively in my slow work. My biggest fail is in the counterbalancing when trying to do tight U-turns. So, back to the parking lot!! Thanks, as always. I am so grateful for your succinct explanations and real-world practicality!!
Thanks for the video Quinn. What's still puzzling me is: if I move my weight over to one side to counter the bike's fall, to which part of the bike do I transfer my weight onto? If it's the seat, fine, but if it's the footpeg, like when we are lifting our butt off of the seat, than that goes against the technique where we push down on the inside footpeg to make the bike drop. Basicaly my confusion is if we are counter balancing on one footpeg and pushing down on the other, aren't the two movements "canceling" each other out?
@@devianthousend you are keeping your butt in the sea, you don’t need to use your foot pegs. So yes, the contact with the motorcycle is through your butt, and our upper torso is shifting to the outside of the motorcycle as it begins to fall in. So just like this little video, you will create a V of sorts. As the as the bike falls over One Direction, we throw our upper torso, the equal and opposite direction to mitigate the amount of weight gravity gets to play with so that the bike falls over slower and settles further leaned over than if we were to stay directly in line with the bike and fall over with it.
I use the Balance Ball 2.0 and weaving you showed me to warm up for counterbalancing exercise. Now my friends and I do those stretch and unlock more of our range of motion. Good stuff!
You covered very well this important topic. If you have ridden bicycles before motorcycles, it's pretty intuitive. Since bicycles are cornering very slowly compared to bikes, counterbalancing is your only option most of the time.
Hi Quinn. Another fantastic lesson, sir! I have more ammunition to bring to my practice sessions now. I hadn't heard the idea of setting up the friction zone and throttle before adding lean angle. Of course, it makes perfect sense, and then it's just a matter of a little fine-tuning of the clutch for the turn, if needed. As I reflect on how I was doing it, I'd be fiddling with the throttle and friction zone after starting my tip-in. No wonder I looked like I was having a seizure when trying U-turns. I could do them wonderfully on my old cruiser, but the new Gold Wing is kicking my butt. However, thanks to your awesome videos, I've been able to identify key areas of weakness that I've somehow developed in switching platforms. Thanks again for all you do!!
I'm trying to understand this one: When practicing U-turns, markers are half-cut tennis balls; when attempting a 36-foot-wide parking space u-turn, I can usually make 5 out of 10. Last week, when distracted, I entered a dead-end street, parked cars on each curb, with a brick wall closing off the street; I made a perfect 24' u-turn and came away as happy as a termite in a lumber yard. My wife's explanation: "With the cones, you have no commitment; on that street, it was either commit to the turn or crash." She may be right; I am back to 5 out of 10 u-turns within 36'!
The wife IS NOT wrong! Let's get that out of the way right now. As for your limited turning when the game isn't on the line, I would say to have her record you making a few u-turns and pay attention to your process- I'm going to bet you A) Slow-turn at the bars, B) Don't turn and KEEP your head focused on where you want to go, and C) don't commit the bike to leaning or dropping over assertively. Our answer is somewhere in here, assuming your speeds are approximately the same in both scenarios. The tape doesn't lie, so let's take a look and see what's going on, I'm confident we can sort you out.
@@davidherringgo hey David so far I’m scheduled to be there, definitely looking forward to it, hopefully they give me a little more room than last year so I can do a few more silly pet tricks ha ha
@@pbourdon231 think of it less about the radius of a turn and more about your approach speed. If you are going 8mph, counterbalance everything until the cows come home, as ground clearance will NEVER be a problem. But if you are moving beyond, say 20mph, start thinking about getting your body’s centerline to the inside, because that bike WILL need lean angle to corner and the faster you go the greater the lean, all other things being equal. So SLOW; tight or not, counterbalance is fine. Fast; move inside of bike’s centerline. A pro could play with these pentameters and make adjustments as necessary- in other words they could contradict what I’m saying just as an exercise in showing it can be done differently, but as a rule speed needs lean angle and inside body position provides more room for the bike to lean over. That’s better performance and safety margin.
Hi Quinn. Great common sense stuff right there! I have trouble looking backwards because I broke my neck in three places years ago, but I do what I can. I use my mirrors a lot to compensate, but everything else being equal, there is no substitute for getting our eyes in the right direction! Have a great week, sir!
This is one of the hardest techniques to teach BRC students but as soon as they start doing it, all of their paths of travel problems disappear. It amazes me at how lazy the head turns of 10+ years or more experienced riders are too. I see it regularly.
Hey Bill thanks for the comments- Yeah I think its just maybe a bit unusual in the "normal" course of daily riding so we go with what we know. But yes-HUGE benefits!
I agree with this, furether more depending on the bike without the adjustment you will lock your arms before you can 100% lock the bars. I am still working on figuring out my 100% go to techniqe I feel like using 2 fingers gives me much better friction zone control but on the street when stopping or shifting I use 4 fingers so I want to make that conistent between the two. Just got my first bike with a bit more of a sporty setup with clip ons, that has been the biggest challenge in these slow speed full lock I almost feel like my hands will hit the tank before I can lock the bars. You almost need to be holding the bars from above rather than behind if that makes sense.
Kind of going in a different direction from note taking. But have you ever heard of HoverAir? It's a handheld size drone that follows you up to 15 mph through your phone. I'm thinking this is an opportunity for us to video ourselves from a birds eye view doing patterns. I would love for you to do a review of this product and see if it's worth purchasing one. The problem for most of us is that it's very difficult to review our techniques while we practice on our own. It's kind of pricey, about $400-500. What do you think?
would have been a lot more illustrative with a camera off the bike too. Another big advantage of counterbalancing is vision. When you're leaned into the curve you can't see as much. In town, around lots of traffic I try to counterbalance so my head can stay up and on a swivel.
@@useless274 yes I agree, having a stable outside camera would’ve had more illustrative value, sometimes I just don’t have the extra equipment, assistance, or gumption ha ha. as for vision improvement with counterbalance I definitely agree however, at road speeds I no longer use that technique (2nd gear and beyond) due to much needed ground clearance at anything over 30 miles an hour. Now depending on the bike you ride, ground clearance may not be an issue, but for me on the RTP I want it!
Thank you for the great advices. However, I'd like to add that using all four fingers on the levers significantly reduces control of the motorcycle. There is no benefit to using all four fingers (trust me, I ride a motorcycle with a very tough clutch lever, I'm not a gym guy, and I can still control the clutch with just two fingers). Allowing the ring and little fingers to grip the handlebar provides more force and precision for steering, while using the other two fingers on the levers results in much better precision for operating the clutch and brake.
@@AlexS-gn9tq I think the general consensus with the “why” related to four fingers, it’s a combination of dexterity and endurance for the clutch hand. Depending on where the friction zone is, four fingers can provide arguably, better fine control, and more strength over time-so in that way I wouldn’t say four fingers is “wrong .“ I need three for solid modulation and fine tuning. As for the question of endurance all day every day working the clutch, I have found two fingers is just not enough over the course of hours and hours living in the friction zone. But to each his own, whatever works for you.👍
@@minwoncho5395 I appreciate the compliment, and thanks for your support. That particular helmet is made by HJC, it is a full carbon three-quarter helmet and it is light as a feather. I primarily use it for clinics and demonstrations because it has communications equipment built into it. If I wear a full helmet, teaching a Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic I use a KYT carbon, they are new to the United States, but make some damn nice helmets at a great price. For a modular helmet I also have HJC, carbon but my favorite is probably the Shoei Neotec II. When I go back east and compete I often wear a carbon half helmet, and those are made exclusively by Seer👍
@@PoliceMotorTraining Thank you so much! I look forward to watching your next videos. Unfortunately, I missed your recent seminar in NH, but I will try to attend one next time.
This is amazing advice and has become a valuable tool to improve my skills, just when I was ready to give up or think that I couldn’t level up. thanks Quinn 🙏
This is gold, Quinn! Two things I grabbed from your instruction that I think are timeless are the idea of not just saying, "I suck today" without quantifying that statement by identifying WHY and thinking of a possible solution, and the second was the idea that the blacktop is our laboratory and we are like scientists. Over my almost 40 years in the workforce before retiring, I've lost track of the number of times people sat around complaining about the high level of "suck" at work, but never offering any solutions. I'm just reminded of another timeless adage that says we should be a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem. We do that by annotating observable discrepancies, formulating a plan, and putting it into action. Thanks, Quinn!! This is a fantastic reminder to all of us!!
Hello, Can you make a video explaining everything about your term "over the bike", please. I am a beginner on a rt1200. I see you do it when you transition, so i guess, in short, it would be: about to open throttle to stand the bike up, so lean over and meanwhile push feet down. What else are you thinking when you say, over the bike.
"Over the bike" is much simpler than that- All I am referring to is getting my body (head/shoulders/arms/chest) further forward during the tight turning maneuver so that when the bike turns around, our combined mass is more centralized to the axis of the spins. Think of an ice skater when they go into a tight spin and pick start picking up speed within the rotation- they start pulling everything in towards the axis, the center of the rotation. This is basically what I'm trying to help effect by getting over the bike. There are other components that are positively impacted as well, like front tire traction, quicker transition speeds, etc. But if you are just getting your feet wet with all this stuff, I would recommend not worrying too much about this component of a turning movement, and focus on good clutch/throttle and counterbalance. Watch "Balance Ball 2."0 when you have a few minutes, that will create a solid foundation for slow-speed control, then you can play around with other fun stuff!
I watched balancing ball several times. I like that exercise. When i rewatch some videos after practicing, I hear things i didn't hear the first time. Thank you for the lessons.
Hi Quinn. The idea of repeatability is a great one for many reasons and in myriad applications. Repeatability is what makes franchises so successful, and why the concept was almost banned by Congress many years ago when it surfaced. It's why you can buy a hamburger at McDonald's in Maine and it'll taste exactly the same as the hamburger you buy at McDonald's in southern California. They found a process that worked, and they just keep repeating it at every store. In a nutshell, it means not having to reinvent the wheel over and over again. I love that adage you shared about professionals practicing until they can't get it wrong. I'm no pro, but that is the absolute best corollary to the first part about amateurs practicing until they get it right. That's so simple, and yet so perfectly brilliant! I will never be a pro, but I want my new riding mantra to be just that: riding and practicing those skills until I can't get them wrong (barring any unforeseen mechanical failures). Thanks as always, sir!! You are the Yoda of riding! Have a fantastic week!! Mike
Great stuff, Quinn. The mental struggles can really be crippling. I know that it's real for me. My struggle with riding this new Gold Wing is, I think, the fear of tipping it over when practicing control drills. I hate that feeling, and I know it causes me to tense up something fierce. I never did that with my cruiser. I also know I'm probably being way too hard on myself because I KNOW I have the skills, but the execution is waning because of the new platform. It'll just take some more time to become proficient. Your videos are a fantastic inspiration, and they give me that glimmer of hope I need to just keep pressing forward because it always takes practice. It doesn't come by osmosis. Thanks for all you do!!
@@soujrnr you are absolutely right, it just takes acclamation time. Walk into the new situation, don’t get frustrated with wherever you were on the old platform. Apples to oranges. Enjoy the new bike and enjoy the day and start making friends with her. It will all come together in time.
@@MentalMath1 RPMs vary, but usually I’m fluctuating between 1500-2500 at various points of a counterbalance move- depending on speeds, cambers, total drop amount VS transitions back and forth.
I tried this today (Sunday in Australia) at my favorite industrial car park and instantly felt an improvement. It felt like my legs were much more connected to the bike as well. I love your tips coach.
@@gravyau hey that’s fantastic to hear! I come up with this stuff and it works great for me, but it’s so much cooler when it gets shared out there and it benefits lots of people. Very, very cool to see.!
Hi Quinn. You recommended this video based upon my comment from another video, and this one was awesome as well! Your explanation is totally excellent! I'm navigating my way through the nuances of my new Gold Wing, and I know that also involves how I distribute my weight on the pegs. Dave at Canyon Chasers is the only other person who has made mention of how we engage our feet as a part of the mechanics of riding. What I'm finding out is that the use of our feet in this manner transitions seamlessly into the need for some degree of physical fitness. I am not overweight by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm very much out of shape. I broke my neck in three places some years ago, and so going to the gym and lifting weights is not high on my list of things because of the pain it causes. However, my doctor recommended low weights and high repetitions for muscle tone, so I'm going to start doing that. My daughter-in-law is a fitness trainer, so I get that service for free!! All that being said, thanks so much for your always-excellent explanations that involve not only the execution of any given skill, but the benefits of it as well! That's a win-win every time! Ride safe. Ride safe, ride well, and ride often, sir, and please be careful out there.
Im happy it's making sens! Couple thoughts- YES its more physical for sure, but remember that ANY additional leg-based force on the pegs is a bonus in a slow environment like this, so don't kill yourself! And lastly, the faster we go, the less this plays a significant role, so if you find yourself past 1st gear, I wouldn't wast the energy-By then, centrifugal force is in full swing and that's a battle our legs will lose to a greater degree as the speeds pick up.
@@PoliceMotorTraining Oh yes...great point about centrifugal force. Sitting atop two fast gyros is a wonderful thing! LOL I hadn't factored in the speed variable in my thinking. Thanks again!!
Hi Quinn. So good to see another fantastic educational video from you. I always look very forward to getting that notification that you've posted another video! You can do in three to four minutes what many others can't seem to do in 30 minutes in their "instructional" videos. When it comes to instructional videos, there are only four people I'll watch. You, Dave at Canyon Chasers, Kevin at MCrider, and Jerry at RLAP. I'm not discounting others, but in my book, you four are the only ones that warrant my time. I wanted to ask you about your use of the foot pegs and weigh distribution, but I think you answered it in another comment below. It's something I've only seen mentioned by one other rider (Dave at Canyon Chasers). I'd love for you to do a video on that aspect of riding. I think by and large, we tend to focus on our arms and hands (and perhaps body position), but often lose sight of how integral our feet are in the equation. That's my experience, anyway. If no one else is guilty of that, fine, but I know I am. LOL Thanks again for a superb video!! I'm looking forward to the next one! Mike
@@soujrnr hey Mike really appreciate your comments and huge. Thank you for your support. To answer your question specifically regarding feet use, I have a video where I talk specifically and only about the use of feet as it pertains to slow speed skills. If you go to my website under instructional videos, scroll through there, and you will find the video related to using your feet. Then you can also go to riding notes and print out the specific notes related to working on that technique. It’s all free, so anything you want on there just grab it. Let me know if you have any questions or this doesn’t answer the details that you were hoping to get from me.
I really like that you utilize the front brake to drag the bike down quicker. I have always done that and get chewed out for it every time I get caught by a training partner.
@@glennjaffas6242 yes it’s been in my bag of tricks for years. My argument is that it works based on the way I interface with the motorcycle. In the same way the throttle has a range of applications and inputs, so does the front brake. Why wouldn’t you want to explore all the things a motorcycle can do? I just don’t understand passing up the opportunity to evolve in your skills by looking at the controls and asking how you might be able to use them in a different way or a new way to accomplish a specific goal. I do tend to think, however that people get comfortable with whatever level of skill they currently possess and to romance new technique ideas will mean they have to question their current process and I think a lot of people don’t like having to do that. It’s threatening. Essentially they ride just fine as it is so why explore anything new. I get it. It’s comfortable and much easier. I get plenty of crap from instructors around the world about my various techniques, they seem almost angry at me, ha ha. But it challenges their current way of thinking, and who the hell wants that? Just remind them when they give you crap that as it turns out, the earth is not flat after all ha ha. evolve. 👍
My buddy and I were doing offset weaving yesterday. 10 feet apart and 3 feet offset. As I was riding home I thought about the Balance Ball 2.0 since we had trouble in doing the weaving. I told him to practice static Balance Ball 2.0 again and this video is just perfect timing!
Great video…! Question, when I watch motor officers in competition, I see them moving their butts when counterbalancing so is there a time and place to do it versus keeping your butt planted in the seat….?
@@rayweeks1056 well you need to determine if in fact, they are moving their butt in the seat or if what’s happening is that they are more or less staying put and the motorcycle is moving around underneath them. The reason it matters is because if it’s the case that the motorcycle is moving around underneath them, that would imply they are using force on the foot pegs and helping the motorcycle speed up its transitions back-and-forth. And none of their body weight is meaningfully contributing to the motorcycle moving weight around-and in this way it’s efficient. on the other hand, if they are just sitting their butt on the corner of the seat and resting all their bodyweight on their butt, this can be slow when it’s time to quickly head the other direction and throw the bike over the other way. Hopefully, that makes sense? I’ve had many people ask me about why I move my butt around on the seat, but then they see me live and in person and realize I’m just throwing the bike around underneath me and not actually weighing the seat down. Keeping your weight on the corners of the seat while the bike is counterbalancing is not an issue If you are going to be in that position for any period of time, like a dirt track racer or a road racing situation where you’re moving around on the seat but locked in a position for a few seconds. Same goes for general Street stuff. But once you need to throw it around back-and-forth and so on, it can get slow… it might feel great the first time you throw the bike over to do a circle or a U-turn, but if you have to immediately change directions again, it can be problematic.
@@PoliceMotorTraining Not a motor officer myself, but just trying to get more proficient in general with precision maneuvers. I personally use the edge/ridge of my own seat as a physical reference point for where the bike and I need to be in relation to each other. Sorta like hovering over a portajohn seat.
Thanks for another great tutorial, Quinn. Always invaluable intel, and in this I particularly appreciate your advice to keep our butts in the seat and lean with our upper body. I'm guilty of initiating my leans by first putting my butt on the outside shelf of the seat, and you're right - it DOES make for slow transitions (explains why the Figure-8 is my Achille's Heel). I'm going to try this tomorrow. Thanks again for the nugget! 🤘😎
