The best Moto content on RUclips right now. This content is gold. As a fairly new rider of 5 years, your advice on body position through corners has without doubt made me a better rider!
Re age and motorcycle racing… I’ve spent two weekends in the past few weeks at historic race weekends in western France. There I’ve spent a fair bi5 o& time with a lovely British couple, Dennis and Christine, who compete on a Gilera sidecar outfit. They are both in their 80s and run around with the faster bikes. I can imagine how Dennis would react if someone asked him if 30 was too old, mind you he’d have a big smile on his face and would probably be laughing when he told you a definite no!
Northwich thundersprint was a fantastic free event just a pity somebody got greedy and moved it elsewhere to charge money for entry and then it died a death!
I think that the major killer of sports bikes was the speeding camera..... As a young rider, my reference of fun machines are duke's and mt's... There are a younger generation. I think that rs660, r7, zx4rr, is the right direction... Bikes that you can enjoy in the speed limit.. Thanks a lot😊
Most obvious. I HATE right hand corners and always have. I LOVE left hand corners and always have. I won't tell you which "superstar" Moto GP rider told me why this might be. He said all throttle grips are on the right and I was not comfortable modulating throttle when taking right handers because of impingement of right throttle when heeled over right side. IE: I felt less accurate on throttle and yes it was understandable to a non pro and he advocated more practise on rights "but not gripping throttle like grim death!" It worked. That's all I was doing. Right arm pump just from taking rights while exerting a vice grip on a poorly controlled throttle! But it took over two years until I was used to this. Cheers.
Roundabouts! Definitely. When i started riding lefts were more natural (most comfortable with the controls that matter mid corner.. rear brake and throttle less cramped up) but... After several decades of doing righthanders and scratching knee round roundabouts far far more more than amy left corner (the oncoming traffic thing on lefts if you run wide means i am less committed) so it changed.. Practice practice practice
I like your idea on which we find the best side for cornering, I don't go nuts now I'm 66 years old . However I've always found left handed turns and banking over much easier on my left, I've put it down to I'm left footed, the vision in my left eye much better than my right eye , Since the age of 16 left side works better when riding,
It true tho your dominant side (right or left handed) is what what you are going to prefer. Naturally if you are right handed your body is weighted favored to the right. I actually had the same problem and the way to fix this, either if you are in EUR or USA is go Ski or ride a longboard and favor the recessive side. The whole goal is to train the brain to re equalize the motion. In the US what we do is sk8 or Snowboard switch. So for instance if your regular footed you ride Goofy and if your goofy than ride regular. You will be shocked but within a few months your brain will start to equalize your central body so direction is not an issue.
After 10 years of living and riding in the UK, I developed a slight hesitation for leaning left, which was then cured during my first ride to France. The first few hours were not easy. I had a pathetic technique for taking left turns: leaning first, then shifting my weight toward the right, and finally leaning more until the pegs started scraping :D . I fixed this by forcing myself to shift weight towards the left and sticking my knee out as far as I could before making the turn. With that adjustment, I didn't need as much lean angle to complete the turn. This approach helped train my brain, and as I increased speed without changing my position, leaning came naturally.
Re braking. Elsewhere you mentioned you could tell inexperienced riders by the front brake lever span. I found your comment interesting in that you suggested less experienced riders don’t have the lever engaging close to the bars. I’d class myself as experienced having competed in various disciplines, coming up 55 years riding and around 50 bikes - but I always have my levers down as you suggested, but I have span at max and levers more inboard as I always like the brake engaging almost immediately. Maybe it’s because of large hands and drum brake and cable days but I can’t get on with the lever engaging close to the bars. I usually two or three finger brake with an ice cream cone relaxed grip on the bars. So, maybe it’s just personal preference rather than beginner or experienced?
Yet another brill-tastic Neeeeevesy Q n A vid.....and mucho thanks for answering my question mucker! Please don't forget Mr Michael Sir......if you do ever need a new bike launch virgin to accompany ya to that exotic far away race circuit and sample all da 'delights'......I'm here, ready, oh so willing, and sorta able!!!!! hehe. Yeah yeah I can dream can't I???? As someone else has already said.......the very best biking content on RUclips, bar none. Thank you kind Sir.
I'd like to do my first track day, and my only bike is my 2020 Panigale V4R. I know it's not ideal for a beginner track rider, but it's what I've got. I've watched MCN's "first track day" video and appreciate the tips found in there, but are there any additional words of wisdom you'd offer specifically for someone riding way too much bike, and possibly the V4R in particular? It's on factory tires and pads with good life left on both. A more suitable bike is unfortunately out of the question for the time being. As others have said, your Q&A and memory lane videos are among the best and most impactful motorcycle content being put out today, and one of the very few good things to have come out of the pandemic. So thank you and keep them coming!
It's possible that a significant portion of the reasoning used to move away from sport bikes to hyper adventures, is the push factor created by legal implications for exceeding posted speed limits. In the past, speed limits were, on average, higher on many roadways, and the amount of exceedance of the posted limit, to reach a dangerous operation category, was significantly higher. As an example, a road that used to have a 100kmh limit, has now often dropped to 80kmh and the exceedance to dangerous was 60 over and has now dropped to 20 or 30 over. So, it's far easier to end up catching a bus, even while were relatively speaking 'taking it easy'. The above may push riders to head for roads less travelled. These, less travelled roads, are maintained to a lower standard and require a bike that can accommodate a higher degree of surface variation than a sportsbike can.
I always enjoy neevesys vids and am old enough to remember him winning the competition to work for mcn. A question. Your helmet design, your idea ? For me the most recognisable lid in the industry, followed by the professional northerner Chad's lid . Thank you neevsey.
Hi Michael. Always enjoy your Q&A videos. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have a request rather than a question. As an old timer who started riding in the early seventies, I'm amazed and surprised at the number of not only new riders but those who have ridden for decades the lack of knowledge regarding 'counter steering'. Some say they're scared to try it and others don't know it exists. Could you explain what 'counter steering' is and why every rider should be using it. Thanks.
Fantastic Q & A. My tuppence on left verses right. I've never riden on track but in old days I thought I was worse on rights. Then I moved to the USA and found it was lefts I struggled with. Recently came back to riding having returned home and, yes, it's the rights I find less confident now. I figured it is something to do with the road positioning, ie. on rights you have no run off and when picking a line through the corner, no apex edge to guide you. So it is easy to turn too early as you fear the grass verge more next to you than spare tarmac on lefts. Hard to explain in short. BUT. When I came back to riding I reaserched on youtube and the like for tips. OMG there is a lot of bad advice out there. HOWEVER. One guy said if you do one simple thing it will help in your cornering feel no end - lean forward and bend your inner arm at the elbow to get your body in the most advantageous position. Step forward Mr Neaves. I did it and still do ever time I ride and it invariable helps!!!
Some of these questions would pass me by, sports touring and track days are apparently my thing. But the answers are surprisingly interesting. Vespa in Italy is a new idea, and does excite.
Brilliant as always Michael. It's refreshing getting advice from a normal, sensible, experienced bloke. A lot of advice videos on RUclips are done by ego trips or dickheads.
For anyone with cornering problems. Make sure you go on advanced riding courses on pitbikes. They are a ton of fun, they don't go too fast so when you fall off your ego hurts more than anything else. AND you get to practice all of the techniques you use on big bikes in a much smaller package that react so much quicker to your every single input because it's lighter. =D
Hi Michael, I don’t remember how I became your fan, but it did. I got my motorbike license when I was 40. That was 2008 and I started following MCN shortly after. Maybe that’s why. One of the videos ingrained n my head is you teaching how to knee down on a roundabout. But also another one about how to wheelie 😱 I must say I failed miserably at both, but I keep on trying. Anyways, my question to you is this: imagine you’re a lot shorter (1,65mts short) and you live in Holland (think mostly boring square roads) and you commute a lot more than you tour. You have a bmw k1300r and your back is starting to feel uncomfortable after some rides. You still love the adrenaline much more than the comfort. What would you do?
Greetings from Poland Mr Neeves! Glad that I found your personal channel. This form of communication with us is even better than the MCN content. What are your recommendations for a new sport/naked bike for a big guy like me (190 cm 90kg)? Busa maybe? I love motorcycling but I'm getting the feeling it's a sport for smaller guys. I've been riding Honda cbf500 and currently Ktm 790 Duke. I feel like I'm on a rodeo with a mouse instead of a bull.
Took your left/right advice from an earlier vid. I'm missing a ligament in one arm so thought I'd always be an asymmetrical cornerer. I'm still a circus freak, but the cornering is better, and just making the subtle body moves to prep - gets you to focus that much more. Nice. Windscreens.... My naked is quieter than my screened bike, and the air is smoother - it has a slight forward lean, it is comfy on the highway as the you balance with the wind. Not sure how this would work out in the rain and cold - but always good to dress for the occasion.
Hello Neevesy. Absolutely fantastic content. Please keep up the great work. Commenting all the way from Canada. (Small town of Midland, Ontario). I’ve been riding now for nearly 15 years, primarily sport bikes. I’ve only worn and purchased Shoei helmets. Nothing else. I’ve been contemplating buying an Aria for my next helmet. My question is which do you prefer, Shoei or Aria? I’ve obviously noticed the current Aria collection behind you and I can see you are wearing a Shoei in some of your latest riding videos with MCN. Thanks for your time.
Hi Neevesy, love all the episodes. Question? Why are there no motorbike ads on the TV anymore as they do with car ads. Do you think that this is a faux pas by manufacturers. Surely this would aid the increase in sales and also get younger potential riders interested?
How do you adjust to hanging off one cheek etc with correct body position on track, to not hanging off on the street and just moving your upper body etc? And thank you for the videos!
Always love the content Michael. You are one of the pioneering OGs of RUclips motorcycle content. I have what's hopefully a simple question. I'm in the US and looking to upgrade from my old ER6 for commuting and track days. ZX6Rs and GSX-Rs grow on trees here but I really love the sound of a triple. Is it worth holding out and probably paying more for a 2013+ Daytona 675?
Thanks very much for answering my question Neevesy. Times sure have changed, on a recent trip to France I was the only guy in the Ferry lane in leathers and my ZZR1400 the nearest thing to a sport bike. All the others were on Adv, naked, Harleys or commuter type bikes and all in textile. Apart from a cool old guy going to Turkey on his Harley and me to Brive, all the others were staying in Normandy. Ironic that back in the day it was all sport bikes with tail packs or addidas bags bungee'd and MCN discounts on the ferry but in the age of the hard luggage and ADV bikes it's quite different.
@@johnnyblue4799 Are they the only two p;osters your carer lets you have on your wall? Everything is either a sportsbike or a motocross bike. You didnt have a category for megafast tourers with the wheelbase of a Routemaster bus that only seem to appeal to short guys in camouflage trousers that are scared of corners and compensating for something lacking in the Y Fronts?
@@johnnyblue4799 Great bike, I had a 954 in the metallic blue colour, did 26,000 miles on it, loved it ! Me and two mates toured France all on Fireblades and it was the best trip I’ve ever done, great memories of the 954. Leathers for me every time as well, a mate of mine has just lobbed his BM and the body armour shifted in his textiles and he now has a nice hole in his kneecap 😳
Thanks for the amazing riding tips Michael! Very nice to hear these hints from an experienced rider/racer! Interesting to hear the different gears,and revs, and tire spin effect , that could ruin or praise the day. I actually figured it out by myself, as I'm riding approx 500Kms/week on my GSXR, on twisty roads that a lower gear and higher revs make the bike more stable in corners. I also have more engine braking as a result, which is a good thing IMO.. The other feature on some modern bikes is the counter rotating crank, which stabilizes the bike even further.. Have You ever felt the difference of that? If I'm not mistaken the S1000RR race bike You ride has the reverse spinning crank too..
You could probably use the clutch on a supermoto if you feel you’re in slightly too high a gear. That was certainly the norm in motocross, although I think the newer riders like Lawrence and Sexton and Prado don’t use it as much (?). I could be wrong. Supermoto’s don’t really highside, do they? If anything, you could probably use the throttle to help the bike turn.
Great content. Took your advice about bent elbows. Went from the straight arm ‘ death grip ‘ to soft relaxed bent elbows. Worked a treat. Keep the videos coming. 👍
Hi Neevesy, Thank you for the excellent videos. Your riding tips have been quite useful and have made my life on the bike a lot easier and your trips down memory lane have prompted me to dust off my old copies of bike magazines too. I have a track bike question if I may. I run a mostly stock 2000 model ZX6R (except for front calipers and rear sets) on S22s. I'm an early 40s fast slow-group rider/ mid inter-group rider. I love the feeling of sweeping through corners but straight line speeds don't really do much for me. Every now and then I find myself looking at other bikes; newer, hopefully lighter and maybe with some nicer/ more adjustible equipment and maybe with some safety nets like cornering ABS or traction control. Lately these have been the 2018 onwards R6, the current R7 or even the ZX4RR. So to my question; What are your thoughts on upgrading an older bike with better parts; suspension, exhausts, ergonomics, wheels etc to reduce weight and improve feel vs starting again on newer machinery? Thank you for your thoughts. Tharanga (Melbourne, Australia)
Thanks for another great video. My knowledge levels have gone through the roof since watching your videos. Incredible what you know and even though I'm really a rookie on bikes it all makes sense. So amazing that you are sharing all this info with us for free. I'd never have known any of this otherwise. The tip about bending the arm and applying rear braking...That is gold. 👍
Hello Neevesy, thanks for these great videos! As I'm sure you have reconned, I live in Norway. That means there isn't exactly a "smörgåsbord" offered when it comes to track tuitions, people are more concerned with skiing and trekking🥱 So I have to look elsewhere, hence this question. Can you recommend any schools/tutors for track riding? I would be travelling by plane, so I would need to rent a bike as well. Thanks:)
Always very informative as ever. Ride a Gen4 S1000RR mainly on road and even after a remap find the engine braking v poor compared to Gen1 thru Gen3 and my ZX10R track bike. On the road I’m often in 3rd when mates are in 4th or 5th on similar kit. Is my obsession for engine braking on road and track unhealthy. JR
Hi neevsey great videos these are my favourite Monday night vids to watch with a cuppa. I’m thinking of attending a wheelie school and wondered if you ever done one yourself or reviewed a day there for MCN? Keep the vids coming !
Hello Micheal! Greetings from a German living in New Zealand. Thanks for creating this platform. I have one question. What can I do OFF the bike to become a better track rider, apart from the obligatory fitness? Thanks!
Loving the Q&A and trip down memory lane uploads, keep them coming. Afyer a 5 year brake from riding sports 1000's I'm m currently trying to decide on weather to buy a gen 3 s1000rr or a 2018 gixer 1000r. Both are great bikes but I've heard rumors of poor reliability on the BWM and a couple of reports of sketchy handling on the gixer at high speeds, whats you experience/knowledge in this please ? And which would be your choice ?
Thanks for awnsering my question on left handers, will try be more natural with the elbow 😊, another question, with the price of Trackdays, fuel, new bikes , cost of living , where do you see our industry/hobby in 10 years, more and more people leaving club racing and Trackdays because its simply not sustainable even for above average earning guys now, i am worried !
I absolutely love these videos, please never stop! I'm trying to decide on a bike upgrade (to a 1000cc sports bike, since 600cc supersports aren't really a thing in europe anymore). Currently I ride a CBR650R and I'm a huge fan of parking lot style slow speed trainings as well as track days with instructors. In your experience, which 1000cc sports bike behaves well when you're trying to go slow (I'm sure they're all amazing when you get up to speed on the track)? I'm talking about figure 8s, U turns, slaloms, things like that (or even just filtering in traffic). Physically I fit the best on the Yamaha R1 and the BMW S1000RR. The Fireblade and the ZX10R are too cramped for me (I'm 188cm and around 100 kilograms). Thanks for your input!
For what you want a bike for you dont need 1000cc or a sportsbike. That said, a Ninja 1000SX or GSX S1000GT would be best but a Tracer 9, hypermotard etc would be better still.
Thank you for these amazing Q&A's! to further explore lefts versus rights. I thought I was better at going left than going right because of my left chicken strip being smaller than my right one, always. Without further reopening that debate ;-) , I got my first, second, third, ... knee down on my right side to the point I never have gotten my knee down on left turns yet. Must be a body position thing like you mentioned. I mostly have struggles with throttle control on the left side, as the right side I can naturally grip better with bending my arm. Thoughts?
Thank you for all these great videos and pls keep them coming. I am relatively new to riding, doing normal riding and occasionally do track days. Recently saw a video of fortnine doing the police bike course and also consulting with one of my instructor what I came to understand is that this is very safe on the public road. As someone who rides a lot what is your opinion of this style of riding? And will it effect my track day riding as I understand there is some fundamental difference between these two riding style? (or maybe my understanding is wrong) Just wanted to know your thoughts.
Great video Michael. Thanks for your advice on track riding in previous video. I completed the training at Donnington in early July and had a blast. Incredible track. So much fun that I’ve gone and bought a 1st Gen SV650 for track riding. Any thoughts on upgrades required (have new forks lined up)? Or is rider training the most important upgrade! In that vein could you rank the UK training schools? Controversial!
I wonder if the problem with left or right corners could do with what handedness you are. I am right handed and always feel more confident doing left handlers. I wonder if this is something to do with the dominant hand being on top.
Mate I’m at the Nürburgring, in my bus camping, its pissing down and I’m watchin all your ‘thanks for asking vids’ - having the best time and getting great tips from the very best. Did a 7:52 btg today on the S-thou, very happy!! Cheers for all you do. Love ya !
@@neevesybikes That means a lot coming from you. Thank you. My take is that this place really lets you know where you are ass a rider. You ride it like a fast road, not like a circuit. For me I always saw 9:00 mins Fast, 8:30 very fast and under 8 was for racers really. what's your take? Cheers
Serious question (this time): heading back to the UK in a year or two and struggling to convince the other half of my existential need to get back on two wheels. She's said she'd have no problem with a track bike but my previous two (one in the UK and one in Qatar) were both trailer-mounted to get to the tracks. My sneaky idea is to get a small-capacity track bike (probably a 600 like my last two but possibly a 450-ish as there are a few decent-looking ones coming out) but keep the road bits on so I can ride to the tracks, our closest being Oulton Park and Ty Croes, both of which I really like. I figure that this will ease her back into the idea of me road-riding. As a track-instructor, would you advise against this though? I once heard the late Jim Stock talking about this to a track rider and telling him he was daft to do it if he had any choice (the guy had ridden from Carlisle to Oulton and was riding back the same day). I'm not too bothered about high straightline speed, hence having had an R6 and a CBR600RR and happy to go even slower (not that they were exactly slow) as I just like putting corners together so I don't see track days as being TOO physically exhausting but do you have any advice about the ride home and if it's a good idea to try this approach? Many thanks indeed. Sorry for the long message on here but I've lost your phone number ......... just kidding ;-)
You can buy a new Hayabusa for under £17k. Although a lot of money, it compares well with adventure bikes financially. The GSX-S 1000GT has deals of almost down to £11k. Surely it's the best old man's sports bike for us?
What are your thoughts on the changes proposed to the licensing for riders. A2 riders not having to take the same tests again and better improvements to the CBT training courses. Should they more thorough. When i passed my CBT some of the riders who passed had never ridden on the road now they were free to get on the road.
Whats your opinion on Ruroc Atlas 4.0? It is the only motorcycle helmet brand that has D30 rheon armour inside the helmet. Why do no other more experienced brands like Shoei or Arai not have any armour in their helmets?
Another good video mate, if you were spending your own money and was only going to have one bike what would you get. I have done a few track days and not interested in doing anymore of those, I am 51 and sports bikes on the roads are too uncomfortable, last one I had was an rsv4 factory which was a dream bike I always wanted, had a test ride and loved it, by the time I got it home from the dealer I was already starting to regret it. Had it for over a year and hardly used it. I went to sit on a new hypermotard and fancy one of those but the seat is bloody rock hard, I had a ktm950 sm years ago and it was the most fun bike I have ever owned, I am looking for something which is good fun without having to do 100+ mph everywhere to enjoy it. Cheers.
Hi Michael. I'm looking to do my first track day but I'm struggling to work out the best way to get my bike there. My van is slightly too small to shove the bike in the back but I have a towbar. Hire a van or hire a trailer? With work, I'd like to take as little time off as possible and make it stress free! Thanks for the great videos
I have done both, van is cheaper, more readily available, you can carry more kit, bike is more secure plus you can sleep in it when you arrive early. The trailer is a pain in the arse for many reasons, slow to tow around, bike never seems secure enough, exposed to weather, thief attractive, plus expensive to hire due to minimum hire periods,
A Question for your Next session I used to Love Riding at Night in The Dark , now I find it not so Great I think about Nocturnal Animals running out on the Road Car Lights Dazzle me. But the Bikes I have now have Far better Lights than yèars ago Do you Do much NightTime Riding? Any Tips ?
Good clip at 2 mins into this video showing what the Honda BSB team do to help scrub in their tyres. They go over them lightly with a scotch pad to remove the shine, which is caused by the release agent used during the moulding process: ruclips.net/video/WUGkRhBt1e8/видео.html For brake pad break-in, it’s important if you’re changing pad compound or manufacturer to run over the discs with a high grit (400) scotch pad (the red or brown one) or sand paper to remove the old pad material from the disc. Then with the new pads installed, a bit of gentle riding at first (100 miles on the road, say) followed by a few heat cycles to get the new pad material onto the disc - e.g., 80 to 20 mph three or four times in succession. Again, if you’re replacing your old pads with the same brand and model then all that’s needed is the gentle brake-in, as Neevesy mentions.
Hi Neevesy, I only started riding 3 years ago, when I turned 50. I’ve progressed to the the fastest group (red) on my K67 and try to do at least one track day per month here in Sydney, where I live. However, I’ve now hit a plateau and am finding it very difficult to reduce my lap times. Since I ride the bike to and from the track, I am stuck with street tyres (SuperCorsa SP or Rosso Corsa 4) and often without warmers. Some people tell me I need to move to slicks to progress much further, but I have seen plenty of much faster riders than me on street tyres so I don’t think that is my problem. Do you think doing too many track days is counter productive? Maybe they are not special enough to me, so I am not putting in 110% effort every time? I’m not sure.
Similar story here, though I've ridden for many years but only 1yr on track. I plateaued, went to slicks, found 4 seconds 1st day. Just inspired confidence for me. Not sure it made me any better a rider but I can sure feel the extra grip.
Great advice on the topic of braking position on the bike. Toprak’s advice on braking in this short video is also worth a watch - he basically says don’t ever brake with the bike perfectly vertical/perpendicular to the track. Instead, always have a slight lean (into the corner) when braking 💡 ruclips.net/video/lq54aJSlckw/видео.html
America is a small pond. Miladin was pissing all over them for years. Their best Spies and Hayden never really cut it in WSB or Moto GP. If Rossi or Pedrosa went racing in America they would still be winning championships when they were 99 years old.
@@terrynicholson9273 he’s still racing and those guys aren’t lol what’s your point? I don’t care about motogp & WSBK 😂 your literally over here trying to start a fight in RUclips comments smh, all I’m saying is age doesn’t matter for racing so go talk to someone else who gives a fook
“The Haze of Magnificence” what a wonderful way to describe a day competing in motor sport , it’s spot on ❤
The best Moto content on RUclips right now. This content is gold. As a fairly new rider of 5 years, your advice on body position through corners has without doubt made me a better rider!
“A haze of magnificence” has to be my favourite phrase of the year so far. Chapeau!
Re age and motorcycle racing… I’ve spent two weekends in the past few weeks at historic race weekends in western France. There I’ve spent a fair bi5 o& time with a lovely British couple, Dennis and Christine, who compete on a Gilera sidecar outfit. They are both in their 80s and run around with the faster bikes. I can imagine how Dennis would react if someone asked him if 30 was too old, mind you he’d have a big smile on his face and would probably be laughing when he told you a definite no!
Absolutely, you nailed it! It’s bikes that keep you young, not just the racing. (we’re about the same age btw). Great content, cheers! 👋
Northwich thundersprint was a fantastic free event just a pity somebody got greedy and moved it elsewhere to charge money for entry and then it died a death!
I think that the major killer of sports bikes was the speeding camera.....
As a young rider, my reference of fun machines are duke's and mt's...
There are a younger generation. I think that rs660, r7, zx4rr, is the right direction...
Bikes that you can enjoy in the speed limit..
Thanks a lot😊
Most obvious. I HATE right hand corners and always have. I LOVE left hand corners and always have. I won't tell you which "superstar" Moto GP rider told me why this might be. He said all throttle grips are on the right and I was not comfortable modulating throttle when taking right handers because of impingement of right throttle when heeled over right side. IE: I felt less accurate on throttle and yes it was understandable to a non pro and he advocated more practise on rights "but not gripping throttle like grim death!" It worked. That's all I was doing. Right arm pump just from taking rights while exerting a vice grip on a poorly controlled throttle! But it took over two years until I was used to this. Cheers.
Roundabouts! Definitely. When i started riding lefts were more natural (most comfortable with the controls that matter mid corner.. rear brake and throttle less cramped up) but... After several decades of doing righthanders and scratching knee round roundabouts far far more more than amy left corner (the oncoming traffic thing on lefts if you run wide means i am less committed) so it changed..
Practice practice practice
I like your idea on which we find the best side for cornering,
I don't go nuts now I'm 66 years old .
However I've always found left handed turns and banking over much easier on my left,
I've put it down to I'm left footed, the vision in my left eye much better than my right eye ,
Since the age of 16 left side works better when riding,
It true tho your dominant side (right or left handed) is what what you are going to prefer. Naturally if you are right handed your body is weighted favored to the right.
I actually had the same problem and the way to fix this, either if you are in EUR or USA is go Ski or ride a longboard and favor the recessive side. The whole goal is to train the brain to re equalize the motion.
In the US what we do is sk8 or Snowboard switch. So for instance if your regular footed you ride Goofy and if your goofy than ride regular.
You will be shocked but within a few months your brain will start to equalize your central body so direction is not an issue.
After 10 years of living and riding in the UK, I developed a slight hesitation for leaning left, which was then cured during my first ride to France. The first few hours were not easy. I had a pathetic technique for taking left turns: leaning first, then shifting my weight toward the right, and finally leaning more until the pegs started scraping :D . I fixed this by forcing myself to shift weight towards the left and sticking my knee out as far as I could before making the turn. With that adjustment, I didn't need as much lean angle to complete the turn. This approach helped train my brain, and as I increased speed without changing my position, leaning came naturally.
Re braking. Elsewhere you mentioned you could tell inexperienced riders by the front brake lever span. I found your comment interesting in that you suggested less experienced riders don’t have the lever engaging close to the bars. I’d class myself as experienced having competed in various disciplines, coming up 55 years riding and around 50 bikes - but I always have my levers down as you suggested, but I have span at max and levers more inboard as I always like the brake engaging almost immediately. Maybe it’s because of large hands and drum brake and cable days but I can’t get on with the lever engaging close to the bars. I usually two or three finger brake with an ice cream cone relaxed grip on the bars. So, maybe it’s just personal preference rather than beginner or experienced?
Completely irrelevant to the content, but I love the mini helmets on your shelf.
Hi Neevesy,
Can't wait for a detailed video on the H2 SX
Northwich Thundersprint - that brings back memories, what a great event that used to be.
Yet another brill-tastic Neeeeevesy Q n A vid.....and mucho thanks for answering my question mucker!
Please don't forget Mr Michael Sir......if you do ever need a new bike launch virgin to accompany ya to that exotic far away race circuit and sample all da 'delights'......I'm here, ready, oh so willing, and sorta able!!!!! hehe. Yeah yeah I can dream can't I????
As someone else has already said.......the very best biking content on RUclips, bar none. Thank you kind Sir.
I'd like to do my first track day, and my only bike is my 2020 Panigale V4R. I know it's not ideal for a beginner track rider, but it's what I've got. I've watched MCN's "first track day" video and appreciate the tips found in there, but are there any additional words of wisdom you'd offer specifically for someone riding way too much bike, and possibly the V4R in particular? It's on factory tires and pads with good life left on both. A more suitable bike is unfortunately out of the question for the time being.
As others have said, your Q&A and memory lane videos are among the best and most impactful motorcycle content being put out today, and one of the very few good things to have come out of the pandemic. So thank you and keep them coming!
Watch all ur vids, really enjoy listening to you cheers. Brill advice on left han d corners, i struggle on rights will be giving ur advice ago.
Clive Padgett, what a guy. 👍
It's possible that a significant portion of the reasoning used to move away from sport bikes to hyper adventures, is the push factor created by legal implications for exceeding posted speed limits. In the past, speed limits were, on average, higher on many roadways, and the amount of exceedance of the posted limit, to reach a dangerous operation category, was significantly higher. As an example, a road that used to have a 100kmh limit, has now often dropped to 80kmh and the exceedance to dangerous was 60 over and has now dropped to 20 or 30 over. So, it's far easier to end up catching a bus, even while were relatively speaking 'taking it easy'. The above may push riders to head for roads less travelled. These, less travelled roads, are maintained to a lower standard and require a bike that can accommodate a higher degree of surface variation than a sportsbike can.
I always enjoy neevesys vids and am old enough to remember him winning the competition to work for mcn. A question. Your helmet design, your idea ? For me the most recognisable lid in the industry, followed by the professional northerner Chad's lid . Thank you neevsey.
Hi Michael. Always enjoy your Q&A videos. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have a request rather than a question.
As an old timer who started riding in the early seventies, I'm amazed and surprised at the number of not only new riders but those who have ridden for decades the lack of knowledge regarding 'counter steering'. Some say they're scared to try it and others don't know it exists.
Could you explain what 'counter steering' is and why every rider should be using it. Thanks.
Fantastic Q & A. My tuppence on left verses right. I've never riden on track but in old days I thought I was worse on rights. Then I moved to the USA and found it was lefts I struggled with. Recently came back to riding having returned home and, yes, it's the rights I find less confident now. I figured it is something to do with the road positioning, ie. on rights you have no run off and when picking a line through the corner, no apex edge to guide you. So it is easy to turn too early as you fear the grass verge more next to you than spare tarmac on lefts. Hard to explain in short. BUT. When I came back to riding I reaserched on youtube and the like for tips. OMG there is a lot of bad advice out there. HOWEVER. One guy said if you do one simple thing it will help in your cornering feel no end - lean forward and bend your inner arm at the elbow to get your body in the most advantageous position. Step forward Mr Neaves. I did it and still do ever time I ride and it invariable helps!!!
Tell him to go to a Nascar track.......left....left
Some of these questions would pass me by, sports touring and track days are apparently my thing. But the answers are surprisingly interesting. Vespa in Italy is a new idea, and does excite.
Brilliant as always Michael. It's refreshing getting advice from a normal, sensible, experienced bloke. A lot of advice videos on RUclips are done by ego trips or dickheads.
For anyone with cornering problems. Make sure you go on advanced riding courses on pitbikes. They are a ton of fun, they don't go too fast so when you fall off your ego hurts more than anything else. AND you get to practice all of the techniques you use on big bikes in a much smaller package that react so much quicker to your every single input because it's lighter. =D
Another fascinating & interesting vid. I imagine you could do these Q&A vids on a weekly basis forever. You've created a monster Neevsy!
Hi Michael, I don’t remember how I became your fan, but it did. I got my motorbike license when I was 40. That was 2008 and I started following MCN shortly after. Maybe that’s why. One of the videos ingrained n my head is you teaching how to knee down on a roundabout. But also another one about how to wheelie 😱
I must say I failed miserably at both, but I keep on trying.
Anyways, my question to you is this: imagine you’re a lot shorter (1,65mts short) and you live in Holland (think mostly boring square roads) and you commute a lot more than you tour. You have a bmw k1300r and your back is starting to feel uncomfortable after some rides.
You still love the adrenaline much more than the comfort.
What would you do?
Excellent advice Neevesy!
Greetings from Poland Mr Neeves! Glad that I found your personal channel. This form of communication with us is even better than the MCN content. What are your recommendations for a new sport/naked bike for a big guy like me (190 cm 90kg)? Busa maybe? I love motorcycling but I'm getting the feeling it's a sport for smaller guys. I've been riding Honda cbf500 and currently Ktm 790 Duke. I feel like I'm on a rodeo with a mouse instead of a bull.
Always informative in so many ways!! Thanks so much!
Took your left/right advice from an earlier vid. I'm missing a ligament in one arm so thought I'd always be an asymmetrical cornerer. I'm still a circus freak, but the cornering is better, and just making the subtle body moves to prep - gets you to focus that much more. Nice.
Windscreens.... My naked is quieter than my screened bike, and the air is smoother - it has a slight forward lean, it is comfy on the highway as the you balance with the wind. Not sure how this would work out in the rain and cold - but always good to dress for the occasion.
Could listen all night.Thanks.
Learned a lot on this one. looking forward to trying the hanging off braking next time I'm out👍
Please talk about riding in rain on the road.
Hello Neevesy. Absolutely fantastic content. Please keep up the great work. Commenting all the way from Canada. (Small town of Midland, Ontario). I’ve been riding now for nearly 15 years, primarily sport bikes. I’ve only worn and purchased Shoei helmets. Nothing else. I’ve been contemplating buying an Aria for my next helmet. My question is which do you prefer, Shoei or Aria? I’ve obviously noticed the current Aria collection behind you and I can see you are wearing a Shoei in some of your latest riding videos with MCN. Thanks for your time.
Hi Neevesy, love all the episodes. Question? Why are there no motorbike ads on the TV anymore as they do with car ads. Do you think that this is a faux pas by manufacturers. Surely this would aid the increase in sales and also get younger potential riders interested?
How do you adjust to hanging off one cheek etc with correct body position on track, to not hanging off on the street and just moving your upper body etc? And thank you for the videos!
Saving lives Neevsy! Thank you and best of luck in your future!
Always love the content Michael. You are one of the pioneering OGs of RUclips motorcycle content. I have what's hopefully a simple question. I'm in the US and looking to upgrade from my old ER6 for commuting and track days. ZX6Rs and GSX-Rs grow on trees here but I really love the sound of a triple. Is it worth holding out and probably paying more for a 2013+ Daytona 675?
Thank you. Keep up the fantastic work ❤❤
Thanks very much for answering my question Neevesy. Times sure have changed, on a recent trip to France I was the only guy in the Ferry lane in leathers and my ZZR1400 the nearest thing to a sport bike. All the others were on Adv, naked, Harleys or commuter type bikes and all in textile. Apart from a cool old guy going to Turkey on his Harley and me to Brive, all the others were staying in Normandy. Ironic that back in the day it was all sport bikes with tail packs or addidas bags bungee'd and MCN discounts on the ferry but in the age of the hard luggage and ADV bikes it's quite different.
You're not alone... I ride a 954 FireBlade. And textile might be comfier, but if I were to go down, I'd rather be in leathers. :)
zzr1400 is nothing like a sportsbike
@@terrynicholson9273 Oh right. How did we miss that? It is a motocross bike indeed.
@@johnnyblue4799 Are they the only two p;osters your carer lets you have on your wall? Everything is either a sportsbike or a motocross bike. You didnt have a category for megafast tourers with the wheelbase of a Routemaster bus that only seem to appeal to short guys in camouflage trousers that are scared of corners and compensating for something lacking in the Y Fronts?
@@johnnyblue4799 Great bike, I had a 954 in the metallic blue colour, did 26,000 miles on it, loved it !
Me and two mates toured France all on Fireblades and it was the best trip I’ve ever done, great memories of the 954.
Leathers for me every time as well, a mate of mine has just lobbed his BM and the body armour shifted in his textiles and he now has a nice hole in his kneecap 😳
Thanks for the amazing riding tips Michael!
Very nice to hear these hints from an experienced rider/racer!
Interesting to hear the different gears,and revs, and tire spin effect , that could ruin or praise the day. I actually figured it out by myself, as I'm riding approx 500Kms/week on my GSXR, on twisty roads that a lower gear and higher revs make the bike more stable in corners. I also have more engine braking as a result, which is a good thing IMO..
The other feature on some modern bikes is the counter rotating crank, which stabilizes the bike even further.. Have You ever felt the difference of that?
If I'm not mistaken the S1000RR race bike You ride has the reverse spinning crank too..
You could probably use the clutch on a supermoto if you feel you’re in slightly too high a gear. That was certainly the norm in motocross, although I think the newer riders like Lawrence and Sexton and Prado don’t use it as much (?). I could be wrong. Supermoto’s don’t really highside, do they? If anything, you could probably use the throttle to help the bike turn.
Great content. Took your advice about bent elbows. Went from the straight arm ‘ death grip ‘ to soft relaxed bent elbows. Worked a treat. Keep the videos coming. 👍
Can we do ‘backing it in’ next week!
Great stuff Neevesy, really interesting ❤
Hi Neevesy,
Thank you for the excellent videos.
Your riding tips have been quite useful and have made my life on the bike a lot easier and your trips down memory lane have prompted me to dust off my old copies of bike magazines too.
I have a track bike question if I may.
I run a mostly stock 2000 model ZX6R (except for front calipers and rear sets) on S22s.
I'm an early 40s fast slow-group rider/ mid inter-group rider. I love the feeling of sweeping through corners but straight line speeds don't really do much for me.
Every now and then I find myself looking at other bikes; newer, hopefully lighter and maybe with some nicer/ more adjustible equipment and maybe with some safety nets like cornering ABS or traction control.
Lately these have been the 2018 onwards R6, the current R7 or even the ZX4RR.
So to my question;
What are your thoughts on upgrading an older bike with better parts; suspension, exhausts, ergonomics, wheels etc to reduce weight and improve feel vs starting again on newer machinery?
Thank you for your thoughts.
Tharanga (Melbourne, Australia)
Thanks for another great video. My knowledge levels have gone through the roof since watching your videos. Incredible what you know and even though I'm really a rookie on bikes it all makes sense. So amazing that you are sharing all this info with us for free. I'd never have known any of this otherwise. The tip about bending the arm and applying rear braking...That is gold. 👍
Hello Neevesy, thanks for these great videos! As I'm sure you have reconned, I live in Norway. That means there isn't exactly a "smörgåsbord" offered when it comes to track tuitions, people are more concerned with skiing and trekking🥱 So I have to look elsewhere, hence this question. Can you recommend any schools/tutors for track riding? I would be travelling by plane, so I would need to rent a bike as well. Thanks:)
Always very informative as ever. Ride a Gen4 S1000RR mainly on road and even after a remap find the engine braking v poor compared to Gen1 thru Gen3 and my ZX10R track bike. On the road I’m often in 3rd when mates are in 4th or 5th on similar kit. Is my obsession for engine braking on road and track unhealthy. JR
Don't want to rain on your parade - but - very few roundabouts in USA😀
I'm in Spain, I struggle on rights. I think it's a visibilty thing on the road.
Hi neevsey great videos these are my favourite Monday night vids to watch with a cuppa. I’m thinking of attending a wheelie school and wondered if you ever done one yourself or reviewed a day there for MCN? Keep the vids coming !
Hello Micheal! Greetings from a German living in New Zealand. Thanks for creating this platform. I have one question. What can I do OFF the bike to become a better track rider, apart from the obligatory fitness? Thanks!
really good information
Great vid as always 😊👍🏼
Great content mate! Really enjoy these and it’s always great to “listen” and learn something😀🤙
Loving the Q&A and trip down memory lane uploads, keep them coming. Afyer a 5 year brake from riding sports 1000's I'm m currently trying to decide on weather to buy a gen 3 s1000rr or a 2018 gixer 1000r. Both are great bikes but I've heard rumors of poor reliability on the BWM and a couple of reports of sketchy handling on the gixer at high speeds, whats you experience/knowledge in this please ? And which would be your choice ?
Thanks for awnsering my question on left handers, will try be more natural with the elbow 😊, another question, with the price of Trackdays, fuel, new bikes , cost of living , where do you see our industry/hobby in 10 years, more and more people leaving club racing and Trackdays because its simply not sustainable even for above average earning guys now, i am worried !
I absolutely love these videos, please never stop! I'm trying to decide on a bike upgrade (to a 1000cc sports bike, since 600cc supersports aren't really a thing in europe anymore). Currently I ride a CBR650R and I'm a huge fan of parking lot style slow speed trainings as well as track days with instructors. In your experience, which 1000cc sports bike behaves well when you're trying to go slow (I'm sure they're all amazing when you get up to speed on the track)? I'm talking about figure 8s, U turns, slaloms, things like that (or even just filtering in traffic). Physically I fit the best on the Yamaha R1 and the BMW S1000RR. The Fireblade and the ZX10R are too cramped for me (I'm 188cm and around 100 kilograms). Thanks for your input!
For what you want a bike for you dont need 1000cc or a sportsbike. That said, a Ninja 1000SX or GSX S1000GT would be best but a Tracer 9, hypermotard etc would be better still.
Thank you for these amazing Q&A's! to further explore lefts versus rights. I thought I was better at going left than going right because of my left chicken strip being smaller than my right one, always. Without further reopening that debate ;-) , I got my first, second, third, ... knee down on my right side to the point I never have gotten my knee down on left turns yet. Must be a body position thing like you mentioned. I mostly have struggles with throttle control on the left side, as the right side I can naturally grip better with bending my arm. Thoughts?
Love these videos!
Having a weakness to leaning better one side over the other can be cured from the comfort of your own home
Thank you for all these great videos and pls keep them coming. I am relatively new to riding, doing normal riding and occasionally do track days. Recently saw a video of fortnine doing the police bike course and also consulting with one of my instructor what I came to understand is that this is very safe on the public road. As someone who rides a lot what is your opinion of this style of riding? And will it effect my track day riding as I understand there is some fundamental difference between these two riding style? (or maybe my understanding is wrong) Just wanted to know your thoughts.
Great video Michael. Thanks for your advice on track riding in previous video. I completed the training at Donnington in early July and had a blast. Incredible track. So much fun that I’ve gone and bought a 1st Gen SV650 for track riding. Any thoughts on upgrades required (have new forks lined up)? Or is rider training the most important upgrade! In that vein could you rank the UK training schools? Controversial!
I wonder if the problem with left or right corners could do with what handedness you are. I am right handed and always feel more confident doing left handlers. I wonder if this is something to do with the dominant hand being on top.
As regards cornering and whilst I don’t ride track anymore I haven’t heard you mention footpeg pressure?
Love you Neevesy!
Mate I’m at the Nürburgring, in my bus camping, its pissing down and I’m watchin all your ‘thanks for asking vids’ - having the best time and getting great tips from the very best. Did a 7:52 btg today on the S-thou, very happy!! Cheers for all you do. Love ya !
Thanks mate. You’re flying!
@@neevesybikes That means a lot coming from you. Thank you. My take is that this place really lets you know where you are ass a rider. You ride it like a fast road, not like a circuit. For me I always saw 9:00 mins Fast, 8:30 very fast and under 8 was for racers really. what's your take? Cheers
...Could be a good question for Thanks for asking? Jonny
Serious question (this time): heading back to the UK in a year or two and struggling to convince the other half of my existential need to get back on two wheels. She's said she'd have no problem with a track bike but my previous two (one in the UK and one in Qatar) were both trailer-mounted to get to the tracks. My sneaky idea is to get a small-capacity track bike (probably a 600 like my last two but possibly a 450-ish as there are a few decent-looking ones coming out) but keep the road bits on so I can ride to the tracks, our closest being Oulton Park and Ty Croes, both of which I really like. I figure that this will ease her back into the idea of me road-riding.
As a track-instructor, would you advise against this though? I once heard the late Jim Stock talking about this to a track rider and telling him he was daft to do it if he had any choice (the guy had ridden from Carlisle to Oulton and was riding back the same day). I'm not too bothered about high straightline speed, hence having had an R6 and a CBR600RR and happy to go even slower (not that they were exactly slow) as I just like putting corners together so I don't see track days as being TOO physically exhausting but do you have any advice about the ride home and if it's a good idea to try this approach? Many thanks indeed. Sorry for the long message on here but I've lost your phone number ......... just kidding ;-)
You can buy a new Hayabusa for under £17k. Although a lot of money, it compares well with adventure bikes financially.
The GSX-S 1000GT has deals of almost down to £11k. Surely it's the best old man's sports bike for us?
Who's the fastest current bike journalist on a track?
Bedford Autodrome is a left handed track
What are your thoughts on the changes proposed to the licensing for riders. A2 riders not having to take the same tests again and better improvements to the CBT training courses. Should they more thorough.
When i passed my CBT some of the riders who passed had never ridden on the road now they were free to get on the road.
Whats your opinion on Ruroc Atlas 4.0? It is the only motorcycle helmet brand that has D30 rheon armour inside the helmet. Why do no other more experienced brands like Shoei or Arai not have any armour in their helmets?
Great video as always.
Another good video mate, if you were spending your own money and was only going to have one bike what would you get. I have done a few track days and not interested in doing anymore of those, I am 51 and sports bikes on the roads are too uncomfortable, last one I had was an rsv4 factory which was a dream bike I always wanted, had a test ride and loved it, by the time I got it home from the dealer I was already starting to regret it. Had it for over a year and hardly used it.
I went to sit on a new hypermotard and fancy one of those but the seat is bloody rock hard, I had a ktm950 sm years ago and it was the most fun bike I have ever owned, I am looking for something which is good fun without having to do 100+ mph everywhere to enjoy it. Cheers.
Hi Michael. I'm looking to do my first track day but I'm struggling to work out the best way to get my bike there. My van is slightly too small to shove the bike in the back but I have a towbar. Hire a van or hire a trailer? With work, I'd like to take as little time off as possible and make it stress free! Thanks for the great videos
Ride it?
I have done both, van is cheaper, more readily available, you can carry more kit, bike is more secure plus you can sleep in it when you arrive early. The trailer is a pain in the arse for many reasons, slow to tow around, bike never seems secure enough, exposed to weather, thief attractive, plus expensive to hire due to minimum hire periods,
A Question for your Next session
I used to Love Riding at Night in
The Dark , now I find it not so
Great I think about Nocturnal
Animals running out on the Road
Car Lights Dazzle me.
But the Bikes I have now have
Far better Lights than yèars ago
Do you Do much NightTime Riding?
Any Tips ?
thanks for answering my ducati question neevesy. ❤
Good clip at 2 mins into this video showing what the Honda BSB team do to help scrub in their tyres. They go over them lightly with a scotch pad to remove the shine, which is caused by the release agent used during the moulding process: ruclips.net/video/WUGkRhBt1e8/видео.html
For brake pad break-in, it’s important if you’re changing pad compound or manufacturer to run over the discs with a high grit (400) scotch pad (the red or brown one) or sand paper to remove the old pad material from the disc. Then with the new pads installed, a bit of gentle riding at first (100 miles on the road, say) followed by a few heat cycles to get the new pad material onto the disc - e.g., 80 to 20 mph three or four times in succession. Again, if you’re replacing your old pads with the same brand and model then all that’s needed is the gentle brake-in, as Neevesy mentions.
I’ve just watched fort9 video and in that video he was on about counter balance with your body when cornering is that really a thing or made up.
Hi Neevesy, I only started riding 3 years ago, when I turned 50. I’ve progressed to the the fastest group (red) on my K67 and try to do at least one track day per month here in Sydney, where I live. However, I’ve now hit a plateau and am finding it very difficult to reduce my lap times. Since I ride the bike to and from the track, I am stuck with street tyres (SuperCorsa SP or Rosso Corsa 4) and often without warmers. Some people tell me I need to move to slicks to progress much further, but I have seen plenty of much faster riders than me on street tyres so I don’t think that is my problem. Do you think doing too many track days is counter productive? Maybe they are not special enough to me, so I am not putting in 110% effort every time? I’m not sure.
Similar story here, though I've ridden for many years but only 1yr on track. I plateaued, went to slicks, found 4 seconds 1st day. Just inspired confidence for me. Not sure it made me any better a rider but I can sure feel the extra grip.
Top G
“Methaphorical hair” 😂
💥💥💥
Why thank you 😍
@useriz6lz8tc2r - was you at bike night at Dick Turpin tonight (Tue 1st Aug)?
Great advice on the topic of braking position on the bike. Toprak’s advice on braking in this short video is also worth a watch - he basically says don’t ever brake with the bike perfectly vertical/perpendicular to the track. Instead, always have a slight lean (into the corner) when braking 💡
ruclips.net/video/lq54aJSlckw/видео.html
Woohoo... First.. fame at last..😂
In MotoAmerica josh Hayes is 48 years old and still racing a r6 lol age don’t mean a thing!
America is a small pond. Miladin was pissing all over them for years. Their best Spies and Hayden never really cut it in WSB or Moto GP. If Rossi or Pedrosa went racing in America they would still be winning championships when they were 99 years old.
@@terrynicholson9273 lol I don’t care about those guys 😂 we are talking about now not 20 years ago
@@NudaMan And yet you talk about Josh Hayes who is at least 20 years past his best?
@@terrynicholson9273 he’s still racing and those guys aren’t lol what’s your point? I don’t care about motogp & WSBK 😂 your literally over here trying to start a fight in RUclips comments smh, all I’m saying is age doesn’t matter for racing so go talk to someone else who gives a fook
im only better at rights bc im right handed
I struggle around leftists