The nod
- Thread starter LeoN88
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Then you go to somewhere like the TT where no one nods as you'd be at it all day. It's nice to see it come back though after the fortnight has finished when most bikers have gone home. 
Soldato
You've not been on a bike as heavy as a motorbike though
hehe i knooowwwww
but it's a start. can balance dead slow and take my hands off with a bit of speed. was riding behind my mate (we were both on bicycles) i took my hands off, used leaning to pull out to the side and then powered pedalled past and over took him while waving my arms 
bit silly i know and no way in hell would i try that on a motorbike. but it was still funny
just have to jump on a bike and see how i fair. the damm counter-steering confuses me... now i've seen videos on it, push right, lean right, go right.... but still it makes sense for the bikes reaction.. (ever held a wheel by the axel and got a make to spin it very fast then try moving it? shows the reactions pretty well)when im cycling its steer/lean right and you go right... if i tried the push right go right on the bicycle im sure i would fall over haha. apparently the counter-steering is only effective over 20mph? (or there abouts)
so below 20... turn right go right and above it push right go right.... is that right? xP hahaha
sorry wandering a bit off topic... might open up a counter steering thread
Well having been around bikes for years with my old man owning over 40 or so I have always seen him nodding when passing other bikers. Now that I am on the road on a Vespa I do see the odd nod from passing bikers but tbh I don't nod back as I don’t feel as though I am part of the whole "biker scene" being on a scooter. But if I pass a fellow scooter (not a plastic chav scooter) I will nod as I am part of that whole mod scene
the damm counter-steering confuses me... now i've seen videos on it, push right, lean right, go right.... but still
It's something called precession. When you apply a torque about the vertical axis to point the wheel to the left, the end result is a torque that rotates the wheel clockwise about the horizontal axis and leans it over to the right. It's all down to the conservation of angular momentum.
Try it when you're out cycling. Don't fully countersteer but just give a small tap on the right grip. You'll notice that the bike will try to go right a little bit. Wait until there's no traffic before trying this though!
Soldato
ay i know the principal behind it... suppose its more apparent on motorcycles though as there is a lot more mass and momentum so the forces will be more. and i'll try it on the cycle track i think incase i ditch it haha
planning on getting me CBT done soon as looking to get a bike and my mate was like:
" ahhh you wait till you get on the bike... you will become a member of an exclusive group who have a secret handshake... well... more of a nod"
that thought alone has made me want to get a bike a bit more hehe... pulling up at the lights in an L plated 125cc and someone puling up with a beast of a machine giving me the nod.... :O omg RECOGNITION!!!!! hahaha! was looking at some CBT vids on youtube and tbh.... look like a piece of p***... and then the actual mod1 part of the pratical looks easy too!!!! been driving for 7 years pretty much (longer if ya count driving over farm tracks
so even tho looking at the tests i think... wow that should be really easy to do... am still kacking it thinking... omg what if i can't even go in and out of the damm cones!!!!! hehe then no one will nod..... they will just shake their heads
You've not been on a bike as heavy as a motorbike though
Riding a motorbike is VERY different to a bicycle.
I have 5 years road driving experience and am generally a very aware driver. You have to ride defensively at all times.
Riding slow on a push bike is a peice of **** riding slow on a motorbike, especially when making slow or tight (U-turns) is difficult to grasp. not enough power and the bike will fall, don't turn the bars enough and you're in the other lane of traffic, drop the clutch and you'll be on your ass under a car.
The CBT is quite straight forward and enjoyable if you relax. The mod1 is the harder of the two proper tests. Foot down on the slalom = fail, no observations = fail, kick a cone = fail, outside the lines on the u-turn = fail, slow through the swerve = fail. It's not really hard but it is not easy especially if you have no riding experience.
Also you'll find when on a bike if you're carrying too much speed through a courner on a bike as a new rider, without the confidence to really lean over to pull the bike round, that's it game over if the traffics coming the other way, you'll run wide. Braking mid courner will pull the bike upright and you'll ride right off the road. Shut the throttle and you'll tighten up or low side.
Bikes are fun but dangerous and you don't generally get a second chance. Before you storm in to your CBT/DAS and on to the roads. You're sat on a 200KG+ engine a pair of shocks and 2 wheels, that's it. My ZX6R with it's fairing off. Come off and that's sliding down the road behind you.
Soldato
thanks for the info and advice
was just saying the mod1 looks pretty straight forward if you've had the practice. seems basic... but i do understand that they are valuable things you need to know how to do well and could save your life.. i.e. if you can't swerve to avoid something. obv for me i'm going to have to start from scratch. but really looking forward to starting the experience and giving it a go
Commuters are the ones I find are a fickle bunch, ride my bike on a cold February afternoon, wearing my textiles, I get a nod. Pass the same commuter in my power ranger outfit = no nod
In France last year I gave up nodding (felt like a nodding dog) just waved, so many bikers out there, all waving, kicking legs out etc etc.
In France last year I gave up nodding (felt like a nodding dog) just waved, so many bikers out there, all waving, kicking legs out etc etc.
thanks for the info and advice
was just saying the mod1 looks pretty straight forward if you've had the practice. seems basic... but i do understand that they are valuable things you need to know how to do well and could save your life.. i.e. if you can't swerve to avoid something. obv for me i'm going to have to start from scratch. but really looking forward to starting the experience and giving it a go
It only takes about 10-15 minutes though you have 30 minutes. You can take a minutes pause between each exercise to prepare yourself etc you don't have to rush it though as a test it is quite quick paced.
You can make it easier for yourself by passing the first cone of the slalom on the right, if you finish wheeling the bike around in to the space on the right, so you have one less turn to make. That and giving yourself plenty of room around the cones on the fig. 8 too. Your instructors should tell you all this when the time comes.
I didn't mean to sound like 'bikes are only dangerous! and not fun!' because they aren't and they are fun. You just have to be very sensible and only open them up when it's safe to do so especially if your sat on 100bhp+ monster
Soldato
i still do it when in my car just by bloody instinct. i must look a right nob lol
Soldato
sorry wandering a bit off topic... might open up a counter steering thread
DON'T please...... lol.... do a search on google - they're are LOADS of arguaments and discussions on it! lol
Soldato
I like it when I move over in my car to let a biker pass me easier and they wave as they pass, not enough people seem to do this though but I do appreciate the guys that do!
Was out on my bike this morning to get my MOT done and nodded to a guy coming the other way on something like an ER5, he just ignored me.
My lowly CBR125 wasn't good enough for him!
Soldato
Try explaining countersteering to someone who isn't into bikes. They think you're taking the ****.