MOD1 U-Turn Fear
Discussion
Hi all,
How the hell do I get over this fear of the MOD1 U-Turn?
When I was having lessons I did the first day on a CB650F and came off twice during the u-turns. The second day I switched to an MT-07 which worked so much better for me with it being lighter and easier to manoeuvre. Didn’t come off.
Failed my first MOD1 attempt on the slalom (Nerves got the better of me, I went too fast and missed a cone) but that’s not even entering my head for my second attempt this Wednesday.
Tried to practice a u-turn today on my CB125R and literally froze. I think it’s partly because I’m scared to drop it and damage it, partly because I’m scared to come off and partly because I’m just scared!
It’s so frustrating because I only need to do it once on the day!
Send help!
How the hell do I get over this fear of the MOD1 U-Turn?
When I was having lessons I did the first day on a CB650F and came off twice during the u-turns. The second day I switched to an MT-07 which worked so much better for me with it being lighter and easier to manoeuvre. Didn’t come off.
Failed my first MOD1 attempt on the slalom (Nerves got the better of me, I went too fast and missed a cone) but that’s not even entering my head for my second attempt this Wednesday.
Tried to practice a u-turn today on my CB125R and literally froze. I think it’s partly because I’m scared to drop it and damage it, partly because I’m scared to come off and partly because I’m just scared!
It’s so frustrating because I only need to do it once on the day!
Send help!
It’s easy for us all to just say ‘look where you want to go’ but in reality, when you’re learning it’s not always easy to actually do. And obviously, throttle and clutch control comes in to it as well as being relaxed on the bike.
But ….
I heard someone say this to a new rider once and after trying it out for myself out of curiosity I thought it was great, simple advice.
Imagine the zip puller on your jacket, try to point that in the direction you want to travel.
From now going forwards, even when driving the car, constantly repeat in your head ‘point the zip where you want to go’ and do the action, by the time it comes to doing it on the bike it will become more second nature to you.
But ….
I heard someone say this to a new rider once and after trying it out for myself out of curiosity I thought it was great, simple advice.
Imagine the zip puller on your jacket, try to point that in the direction you want to travel.
From now going forwards, even when driving the car, constantly repeat in your head ‘point the zip where you want to go’ and do the action, by the time it comes to doing it on the bike it will become more second nature to you.
Thank you both!
I get the look where you want to go theory and it does work! My partner and I have been out today (He has an XR1000 and me on my little 125), to Stokesley, Helmsley, Whitby, Redcar and back to Hartlepool and all the while on roundabouts and turns I ve been looking far down the road in the direction where I want to which has made the manoeuvre much smoother. It s the under 10mph stuff that knocks my confidence so much, especially on the 125 as it s so jerky so practicing is so much harder. Other than that it s paying for lessons on the bigger ones which is quite costly and at this time of the year everyone wants to be learning so there’s a wait to getting booked in.
I get the look where you want to go theory and it does work! My partner and I have been out today (He has an XR1000 and me on my little 125), to Stokesley, Helmsley, Whitby, Redcar and back to Hartlepool and all the while on roundabouts and turns I ve been looking far down the road in the direction where I want to which has made the manoeuvre much smoother. It s the under 10mph stuff that knocks my confidence so much, especially on the 125 as it s so jerky so practicing is so much harder. Other than that it s paying for lessons on the bigger ones which is quite costly and at this time of the year everyone wants to be learning so there’s a wait to getting booked in.
Good luck. Cool little bikes those CB125R.
I like crash bars. it doesn't make me reckless or less careful, it's just if it does go over the side in protected. Hepco Becker do a tubular protector for the handlebars and dash.
I dropped my L plated bike when I was younger at least four times It was a 2 stroke and light, I am including mishaps as 'drops'.
I like crash bars. it doesn't make me reckless or less careful, it's just if it does go over the side in protected. Hepco Becker do a tubular protector for the handlebars and dash.
I dropped my L plated bike when I was younger at least four times It was a 2 stroke and light, I am including mishaps as 'drops'.
Practice. I've been riding for 30 years, but every once in a while I take my 1000cc sportbike to the quiet corner of a big carpark to hone skills.
Ride in straight lines at 2-3 mph. Wide turns at each end.
Once it's working, tighten the turns until they are within the width of, say, two parking spaces.
Get used to turning in, then increasing throttle to pull you through. The bike won't drop unless you close the throttle.
It's confidence through practice.
Also, just practice riding around in big circles, then when happy, gradually tighten them. Just go round and round. It will become easy.
Ride in straight lines at 2-3 mph. Wide turns at each end.
Once it's working, tighten the turns until they are within the width of, say, two parking spaces.
Get used to turning in, then increasing throttle to pull you through. The bike won't drop unless you close the throttle.
It's confidence through practice.
Also, just practice riding around in big circles, then when happy, gradually tighten them. Just go round and round. It will become easy.
Edited by Mr Squarekins on Monday 6th April 20:21
You might want to consider deliberately practicing what happens when it starts to go wrong, and learn how to get out of it. Going too slow is also unhelpful and if the fear of destabilising sets in the temptation is to go slower still, when what you need to do is accelerate a little.
You have given yourself a great opportunity if you have a 125 to practice on, make the most of it.
You have given yourself a great opportunity if you have a 125 to practice on, make the most of it.
Neal H said:
If you keep the revs up a bit and control the speed by slipping the clutch then it won't be jerky. If you're trying to get round with the bike at tick over then it will be jerky and you always risk a stall mid turn.
Beware too many revs - for CBT on a 125, DVSA seem to like a lot of revs. That's fine for 125, but for a 650 lots of revs can mean too much power. Cooking the clutch and smoking the rear disk (yes, I've see it) doesn't help. Revs should be a little above tick over and so the back brake will then only need gentle pressure to control the speed.Turn you head and look to the "Kerb" where you plan to stop.
Counter leaning. if you lean the bike into the U turn, your body will naturally have to move "out" of the corner, hence the name counter lean. A bike's steering geometry encourages the bike to turn the way it is leaning.
I found the best way to teach this was to suggest pushing the bike down into the turn with the hips and keeping the body upright.
Have you tried moving your arse to the side of the seat? I found that moving my arse to the left when I did the shoulder check made me lean the bike over further without feeling like I was going to drop it.
I've since learnt not to be a pussy but it made me feel much more confident during the test
I've since learnt not to be a pussy but it made me feel much more confident during the test
Couple of thoughts from doing my test two years ago - I was by no means a natural at slow speed riding:
- it’s not as hard as you make it in your head: my instructor would get us to try (and fail…) to do a turn, then ask us off hand to ride round and join the back of the queue to try again. He’d then point out we’d just done a u-turn easily without thinking about it.
- I found shouting loudly at myself ‘look up, look round you bell end’ quite effective…
- as others have said, practice is all.
Final thought: chin up, it’s worth it when you get it done.
- it’s not as hard as you make it in your head: my instructor would get us to try (and fail…) to do a turn, then ask us off hand to ride round and join the back of the queue to try again. He’d then point out we’d just done a u-turn easily without thinking about it.
- I found shouting loudly at myself ‘look up, look round you bell end’ quite effective…
- as others have said, practice is all.
Final thought: chin up, it’s worth it when you get it done.
I did my Mod 1 four years ago, the U turn was the most troublesome bit - I understand the worry...
Turn your head and look up to where you want to end up.
Sufficient revs and slip clutch - maintain a decent pace.
Back brake can help
Try to relax your arms - bend your inside arm, I think there is a tendency to be a bit to rigid.
All this stuff is known - but actually doing it is another matter.
I did lots of practice on my 125 - my DAS was on an SV650; lovely bike - I bought one when I passed. Thing is the SV felt very different to my CB125, the practice was somewhat irrelevant. On my DAS we got lots of opportunity to practice all the mod 1 stuff - even got to spend an afternoon riding at the test centre - this helped.
Good luck.
Turn your head and look up to where you want to end up.
Sufficient revs and slip clutch - maintain a decent pace.
Back brake can help
Try to relax your arms - bend your inside arm, I think there is a tendency to be a bit to rigid.
All this stuff is known - but actually doing it is another matter.
I did lots of practice on my 125 - my DAS was on an SV650; lovely bike - I bought one when I passed. Thing is the SV felt very different to my CB125, the practice was somewhat irrelevant. On my DAS we got lots of opportunity to practice all the mod 1 stuff - even got to spend an afternoon riding at the test centre - this helped.
Good luck.
Re the many helpful “turn your head to look where you want to go” comments (which are right!), I’ve found when trying to help mates improve their cornering by telling them to look through the corner, they never turn their head far enough at first. So, swivel your neck round more than you think is natural, and then it’ll probably be in the right place.
But practice this first!
But practice this first!
The techniques for U turns and other slow speed manoeuvres are the hardest thing to learn, and the the easiest to forget.
As everyone is saying it's just a matter of practice until balancing throttle, slipping clutch and rear brake becomes second nature. That rear brake is essential, don't use the front brake.
Practice very slow riding in a straight line initially, once you're comfortable with that start making turns, and then start tightening the turns. It takes time so don't try and rush it.
You'll get there, don't worry.
As everyone is saying it's just a matter of practice until balancing throttle, slipping clutch and rear brake becomes second nature. That rear brake is essential, don't use the front brake.
Practice very slow riding in a straight line initially, once you're comfortable with that start making turns, and then start tightening the turns. It takes time so don't try and rush it.
You'll get there, don't worry.
Practise is of course the main one, but the thing that transformed my riding...RELAX! Which is what the trainer screamed at me during my figure of 8 riding. The difference was immediate, I relaxed my arms and shoulders and the bike reacted immediately and the figure of 8 went from being a struggle not to fall/stall to a smooth flowing experience.
Now when ever I'm in a tense situation I remember my instructor scream and I relax, its surprising how much tension gets built up.
Another one that helped was gripping with thighs and again relaxing hand grip. Ooer.
Now when ever I'm in a tense situation I remember my instructor scream and I relax, its surprising how much tension gets built up.
Another one that helped was gripping with thighs and again relaxing hand grip. Ooer.
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