In this video I'll show you the easy way to make U-turns both in a parking lot and on the street. www.ridelikeapro.com motorcycledropguards.com use coupon code RLAP2022 for 10 bucks off. www.tabperformance.com / ride.like.a.pro.inc
I personally started at 50’ and after practicing With Motorman’s video and can now do it within 2 parking spots now and I am leaning slightly. Thank you Motorman.
I watched this an hour I went for my ride. Funny enough I'm not confident in U-turns. Was confronted by it and before entering my U-turn I did exactly what you said. I was so impressed, that I did it. Thankyou 🙏
new rider here. About 3 weeks (just under) of riding so far and roughly 2,000 miles ridden. I practice daily in local parking lots and can comfortably do U-turns and S-turns using parking spaces like you're highlighting here. Can't thank you enough for looking out for people like me.
Motorman! Glad to see you and the Mrs. are ok after the storm. Thanks to you and your videos and with practice, I no longer fear u-turns. I still practice them, though so I don’t lose the skill.
Awesome, I hear you in my head everytime I need to do a sharp turn, "TURN YOUR HEAD" Works like a charm 😎 Definitely need to turn those bars but that usually follows automatically as you turn your head. I still feel some fear on tight u turns from a stop. Thank You for all your great videos, helps So much.
Hey Jerry, just wanted to thank you for your video,s . I have been riding most of my life. Everything from mini bikes to Harley’s (65yrs) , And your video s have showed me tips that have made a much better rider, Thank you.
This is a great video. To be completely honest I've been riding for over 30 Years and all my bikes have been big heavy baggers. I do sometimes struggle with making a U turn and find myself putting my foot down
One of the best videos I've watched lately! I used to be pretty proficient but I haven't been on the bike a lot the last couple years and just bought a new bike, it's almost like starting over when come to slow maneuvers. Thanks!
I love this guy! As a great instructor, he teaches and demonstrates the stuff most of us have been doing for years; the newbies can easily grasp! Good job, Jerry!👍Keep up thr great work!
Motorman, Great instructor! That technique works. My son and I have what we call training days. We get to visit and enjoy a little competition while honing our riding skills. What has happened is we both are rapidly becoming more proficient. I've notice that I now will make 18ft U-turns with very little forethought. Before employing your techniques there was always a bit of anxiety when a U-turn was needed. Thanks for share all those years you have in the saddle.
'ey, Motorman; glad to see that you and docdonna are doing okeeday after the storm; fabulous! Thanks to you I have no intimidation any longer on my Heritage Springer in the U turn; very comfortable (healthy respect) but no fear! Thanks marcus
I'm gonna have to learn a lot of this over after my hip replacement......But I'll have a pretty good while to watch your video's, I'm 7 weeks in on my rehab. But I've settled in with the "Motorman", a Sweet Tea in hand, and I'm watching the rain from the remnants of the hurricane, so I'm set. I pray you and Donna and all of Florida are doing ok, and I pray the cleanup goes smoothly for y'all. God bless y'all and all of Florida, from Southern Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, the REAL VIRGINIA🙏🤠
Thank you Motor Man. :) I enjoy to watch your video in South Korea. It is very helpful for me to watch your video and then practice it. It is hard to learn a slow-speed manuever in Korea because the riding histrory is too short for Harely. Anyway, now I can do the U-turn with my Road King 2022. THANK U :))))
Glad to know my Drop Guards primary protection plate screws aren't the only ones showing oxidation. I think I noticed that the dip was not an exaggerated maneuver. That helps.
Thanks Jerry for this video! Wrote to you earlier in the week, I think my problem is maintaining my speed while negotiating the turn, my rpm’s are falling, back to practice!!
At work, if I park facing forward, then the quickest way out of my parking spot is with a tight U-turn from a stop. Doing this every day, I now find it actually easier to make a U-turn from a stop instead of a usual rolling U-turn. I put the handlebars in full lock, lean the bike as much as I can, then I put my feet on the pegs. Then the bike is "falling" from standstill. Then I roll on the throttle/clutch and the bike makes a fast U-turn. If the bike is "falling" too far mid-turn, then I simply add more throttle/clutch. I really enjoy doing this, it's fun to feel the bike falling over, and then halting the fall with throttle/clutch. But I have to make sure the bike leans way over before putting on the throttle, otherwise I'll hit the curb on the other side of the turn because it's a really tight turn.
@@MrJo1340 You should allow the bike to "fall" to the inside of the turn, and when it's way leaned over, then power the rear wheel to make it come back up again. If you want to practice this in a parking lot, you can do the following. From a stop, put your feet on the pegs/floorboards while the bike is still standing still. Now the bike starts to fall to one side, don't put a foot down, instead, use clutch/throttle to prevent the bike from falling. Repeat this exercise but each time, let the bike "fall" a little bit further before you start moving. This way you can build up the confidence that if the bike is well leaned over at low speed, you can raise it back up again with clutch/throttle. Once you have this, then you can apply it in a U-turn from stop. Full lock, lean to the inside, then start moving the bike, not too fast (that way the bike will "fall" further to the inside). Once it "falls" to a nice big lean angle, put more power on the rear wheel, this raises the bike, and at this point, you've made a very tight U-turn from a stop.
@@MrJo1340 So in summary, if it feels like the bike is going to fall towards the inside, that feeling is what you're aiming for. But do this after the practicing that I mentioned, so that you know for sure that you can make the bike come back up again with clutch/throttle. You have to be particularly sure of your clutch/throttle when you try this on a heavy bike, because there, you cannot stop the fall with your foot, you can only stop the bike from falling further by using the clutch/throttle.
@@mhoeij I think my biggest problem is very afraid to drop the bike not because of Injury because I ride a victory cross country and they don't wanna have any damage on it. But thank you I am gonna try because this is one skill I know I need to get better at
2:42 Thanks for the tip! With my 2017 Goldwing, I need to keep the bike moving on 2nd gear. It's possible to do a stationary u-turn at the traffic lights, but I'd rather not do that, if I can avoid it.
Hi Jerry. Brand new rider here (one week). Just retired 3 weeks ago so I've got time and have been practicing like a wildman in parking lots and have logged around 350 miles in one week (not just parking lot miles!!) and totally loving it. My slow turns are much smoother and tighter going to the left. I can pretty easily do left turns between 20-24 feet already but am struggling more with the right turns.. typically at 26-28 feet. I rev the throttle occasionally to the right and have been trying to roll off it and am really focusing on using the rear brake as well, but when I try to keep it under 24 to the right, I sometimes need to drop my foot, which ticks me off. Any other tips to help a newbie rider.. make better counterbalance, etc.. or just keep practicing?! I'm riding a Honda CTX700. Thanks a ton and am so glad I found your channel. Love the videos!!!
I have always had regular motor bikes. Now I have a stretched out Sabre 1300. It is hard to turn sharp, but I will do some practice. It should be possible.
Hey Jerry, I have the same bike as you, a 2021 Icon Electra Glide. I have been riding for 50 years, and use most of the same techniques you highlighted in your videos. My question to you is this: I also ride a 2017 Street Glide. It has aftermarket bars that cost me a fortune. The problem is, the pull back on these bars is too much, meaning that the hydraulic clutch reservoir and the front brake master cylinder impede the adjustment of the bars. I would like them a little further back, but that makes the levers point too high, and nearly impossible to operate. Do you have a recommendation for aftermarket bars that are fully adjustable for this bike. Thanks for the advice, and keep up the great videos. I always find them spot-on and very instructional.
It's a 2022 police Electra Glide. It comes standard with the 114 motor, ABS, cornering ABS, traction control, hill hold and even heated grips. All for about 20K. I'll be doing a video on that bike and comparing it to a Street Glide ST and a Street Glide Special tomorrow evening. Make sure to subscribe and click the notification bell to ensure you see it.
Quick question. In another videos when your in the friction zone I can see your brake lights pulsating as with your throttle. Maybe I'm mistaken but In this video you make a clean and smooth turn without ever letting up on the throttle or break. Maybe it depends on the bike you're riding I don't know but thought I would ask.
Thanks for this video, this is something I'm still working on. I feel like my bike makes it a little more challenging because it has a slightly longer wheelbase and several degrees more rake (32 degrees) than the big Harleys and most other big bikes, it's a Kawasaki Nomad 1600. But I refuse to just use that as an excuse, I know I can improve.
@@motorman857 I'm not all that far away, defnitely under 30, so I'm confident I'll still get there. I took part in an advanced skills class the local PD put on last year and they wanted us to do figure 8's in a 20x40 space, I didn't get close to that one.
Thanks Motorman! My problem is consistency; I can make beautiful tight u-turns when there’s plenty of room, but when the road is narrow, I lose my nerve, even though I know I’ve made tighter turns many times before. I pride myself on being an experienced and skilful rider, and I hate the idea of harbouring irrational fears, so I really need to take your advice and spend time practicing until I correct this. Better to look like a fool for an hour in a parking lot than to look like a novice when making u-turns.
I tried doing this on the local school parking lot. I found that the front wheel almost slid out from under me, 2 different times. I found that the parking lot cracks had been filled with tar. I call them, "tar snakes." I have to find another parking lot. thanks for the video. I've learned alot from them. I wish that I lived closer.
Officer Palladino, those metal drop guards have got to be miles better than the black plastic ones I used. Too bad I ain't buying them on account of trading my King for a Wing. I would pick those up in a hurry otherwise. Thanks for making them available to King riders. And for your continued patience as we learn from you.
@@motorman857 Thanks for the pointer. I checked out the web page and saw they have them for Harley and Indian. That's cool; I'll just check from time to time and see if they post them for Wings someday. BTW, yea they are pricey. So I'll look at the cost to just replace the ones I got now. Who knows, maybe it would work out if I make a lot of practice time this fall, then replace them in spring. Either way, great ideas, Officer Palladino.
Thank you for your instructing video. So to sum it all up, speed about 8 to 10 miles, clutch a little bit slipping, do the dip, turn your head, stear in with a little bit of back brake pressure. Am I right?
Wear bright colored gear. Don't be timid, practice hard braking, and make sure to cover the brakes at every intersection, and any time a car is nearby. Keep more following distance than you would in a car, because cars can stop faster than we can. And even if you have the right of way, always look both ways, just like kids crossing a street. Make sure to move in your lane when approaching an intersection, first, to maximize vision, then when you get close, move to maximize distance from vehicles that could cross your path if they don't see you. The movement itself also helps you to be seen.
Funny.. didn't get to ride much this season with a new job en all.. but was out practicing U-turns today.. and what video do I get to come in and watch?? Thanks guys! (that includes gals for you snowflakes)
@@motorman857 Well, I haven’t measured it. Pretty close. I can turn as well as you can. Ride every day and practice all my slow maneuvering and life saving skills everyday. Even Sundays and holidays. Everyday. No days off. Rain or shine. My FXFBS is unbeatable as far maneuverability. Arizona has unbeatable weather. Also practice several times a week on my Honda Stateline which is 104 inches long and much tougher to slow maneuver than almost any bike on earth. I don’t ride cross country with a big bulky bagger. I take short, technical and intense rides aside from commuting to and from work. Peace!
Hi there, great Video, I am an older rider who hasn't driven much over the past few years, and I have purchased my first cruiser, a 08 Vulcan 900. I know I will have to basically learn how to ride again. Have never even driven a vtwin before and especially not a bike that is 8ft long. One of my main concerns is scraping or hooking my floor boards. I feel like I will not have much ground clearance, but you are doing it on a Harley very easily. Will I have any issues with the floor boards?
The Vulcan 900 has floor boards that fold up once they touch the ground. When you hear and feel scarping sound, take it as a warning not to lean any further.
@@motorman857 so the expectation of doing circles in a single car garage is a bit outside the box then? Lol so do you think a U turn in 2 parking spaces is achievable?
Now, are you using counter steering at 8 to 10 mph, or just turning the handlebars? I know you want the bike to lean (or fall away in your turning direction)....so I assume counter steering works better for that? I'm just not clear on the breaking point of when you turn the handlebars or when to counter steer for better control/results.
This is handlebar steering. The transition to push/counter steering comes at about 15mph and it is seamless. It's nothing you have to think about. Watch this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QpqdNFltG4A.html
I ride a chopper. Jerry’s techniques work on her too. My driveway slopes seriously one way, the street another. Yes I live on a hill. Fear is going to hurt you.
If you're asking about the link I showed in the video and the link I put under the video for the motorcycle drop guards, the link is motorcycledropguards.com and the coupon code to save 10 bucks for the motorcycledropguards.com the code is RLAP2022.
Why... why are head and eyes so important? Does it reduce fear and looking at what's happening... big thanks to you for your DVD "ride like a pro". Taught me how to get a motorcycle license.... way before RU-vid days.
