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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Fellow Riders,
If you recall, a few months back I posted that I would be attending a RLAP course and that I would report back on the course. I did take it but didn't submit a report back. The reason was I struggled, not due to the instruction but I only had 300 miles on the seat of my new Vision and I still wasn't comfortable on it. Not due to the vision, it was clearly my lack of riding time on it.
Well, I am happy to report that I went back and to the course again this past Saturday 6/29. I had more that 3200 miles on the bike going into Saturday. The results were dramatic to say the least!!! The key difference this time was, instead of being inconsistant with clutch, rear break and eye/head motion, I maintain a constant rpm, brake and head movement. One of the BIG things I learned was the amount of pressure to use on the back break. I was using a light pressure before per the RLAP video. This is incorrect!!! I really needed much more pressure and wah Lah...the bike drove itself during slow speed manuevers. Another area that needs to be corrected in the video is stopping. Jerry suggests that you use your rear break and as you are almost stopped and release the rear brake, that you then use the front break to come to a complete stop. The correct way is to use all 3 techniques, rear brake, friction zone and throttle to bring the bike to a stop. It makes a world of difference.
The Course
Its absolutely awesome. My instructors, NJ, are motor patrol man and they also train their's and other departments motorcycle officers. The class starts out and follows the same manuevers in the video. Each exercise uses what you learned in the previous exercise and builds upon the previous one. My class only had 6 riders which was awesome. 3 students per instructor. Al, one of the instructors actually took some time to work with me one and one on one the exercises. He had me follow him while he should me the correct entry and exit points I needed to hit during the turns. During the figure 8 exersize, I felt like I was on a string connected to the instructor who stood in the middle of the circle to provide verbal and visual instructions.
Pros and Cons
Pros - Everything!!!
Cons - NONE
Recommendation: Highly!!!!!!
I plan on taking this course on an annual basis as a refresher. The motor patrolman practice on a monthly basis.
Hope you all find this helpful.
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Tourer
Posts: 390
| This is money well spent. More confidence at low speeds. Can not say enough good things about the instructor .
Edited by chesshiretuna 2013-07-02 11:57 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | That's awesome. My only issue with a lot of rear brake pressure is you are also activating the front. I felt the front dive a little while practicing slow tight turns in a parking lot and had to get off and pick the bike back up, lol. Maybe because I had the stock pads in the rear and EBCs up front. I really want to take the course though. I have video of me practicing on youtube. 7000 hits.
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Tourer
Posts: 430
| Great report. thanks. |
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Tourer
Posts: 430
| Great report. thanks. |
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Tourer
Posts: 348
Sturbridge, Mass | cw1115 - 2013-07-02 1:05 PM
That's awesome. My only issue with a lot of rear brake pressure is you are also activating the front. I felt the front dive a little while practicing slow tight turns in a parking lot and had to get off and pick the bike back up, lol. Maybe because I had the stock pads in the rear and EBCs up front. I really want to take the course though. I have video of me practicing on youtube. 7000 hits.
Now that is cool !!!
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Hey cw1115
The key with the rear break as well as with the friction zone and rpm is that they are kept constant throughout the maneuver. A good way to practice setting these is, engage the clutch and depress the rear break. Bring the rpms up to around 1500+ rpm. Now, start releasing the clutch. As soon as you feel the bike moving forward release the pressure on the break as the bike moves forward keeping it around 5 to 7 mph. Now, the key is to look and turn your head to where you want to go, which includes looking completely over your shoulder to execture a U turn, circle, figure 8 etc.
On another note....Both instructors have driven the Vision. They would love to have their departments purchase them as their default motorcycle. One of them makes the statement that Victory corrected what Harley has done wrong for the last 25 years.
Oh btw, according to the officers, the HD can do a 18' circle while the Vision can do it in a 17' radius. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | rereading my post...when I said release the pressure on the rear brake, it should read release the pressure until the bike starts moving forward at a rate of 5 - 7mph. |
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Tourer
Posts: 323
Troy, NY | Great report!! Thanks for the info! |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| Tell your insurance company and you should get a discount. Every other year AAA dos one for cars and it takes about a hour and you tell your insurance company and you get 10% off
I get some of my money back woop eee |
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Tourer
Posts: 430
| yep - I got a discount for just doing the basic MSF course. |
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | Thanks for the update. I just wish they would hold one of the schools in the midwest. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 164
Quad Cities, IL | Hey Larry (and other midwesterners)....they do. It is the same Jerry Palladino Ride Like A Pro Course but put on by other instructors, which are most often motor cops as well. Ride Like a Pro INDIANA is held in Michigan City, IN. Here is the link: http://ridelikeaproin.com/INDEX.html .
I'm thinking about the 27 July or 10 Aug session depending on my work travels. Feel free to PM if you want to try and coordinate.
-Kevin |
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Cruiser
Posts: 164
Quad Cities, IL | For others intersted, Ride Like a Pro hosts courses in 10 states. Their locations link is: https://www.ridelikeapro.com/locations . There may be one closer than you may have thought. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | I was just watching a preveiw of the new RLAP. Several Victory motorcycles featured.
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Yeah. V5 has a red Vision and other XC's in it |
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Cruiser
Posts: 178
LaGrange, GA | cw1115 - 2013-07-04 11:01 AM
I was just watching a preveiw of the new RLAP. Several Victory motorcycles featured.
It's worth the money. It has a good bit more in-depth description of things. But honestly what was most important to me was seeing a big beautiful Vision, just like mine (albeit a slower color) dragging boards turning so tight you won't believe it. Just seeing that helped me mentally to know damn well I could do it with the right training and practice. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 77
Bainville, & Mesa, AZ, MT | Street Eagle - 2013-07-02 2:05 PM
Hey cw1115
The key with the rear break as well as with the friction zone and rpm is that they are kept constant throughout the maneuver. A good way to practice setting these is, engage the clutch and depress the rear break. Bring the rpms up to around 1500+ rpm. Now, start releasing the clutch. As soon as you feel the bike moving forward release the pressure on the break as the bike moves forward keeping it around 5 to 7 mph. Now, the key is to look and turn your head to where you want to go, which includes looking completely over your shoulder to execture a U turn, circle, figure 8 etc.
On another note....Both instructors have driven the Vision. They would love to have their departments purchase them as their default motorcycle. One of them makes the statement that Victory corrected what Harley has done wrong for the last 25 years.
Oh btw, according to the officers, the HD can do a 18' circle while the Vision can do it in a 17' radius.
I am not saying it can't be done, but I would have to see someone doing a 17' circle to believe it. It would take one heck of a rider to get that accomplished. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Hmmmm, challenge. I'll have to throw the tape measure and chalk in the trunk. lol |
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Cruiser
Posts: 161
Albuquerque NM | Thanks for the link on the locations of the RLAP, Colorado Springs isn't too far away. I know that I won't make it up there this year, but maybe I can go next year. I would love to find the confidence to drag the boards on a tight radius slow speed U-turn. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 178
LaGrange, GA | DSmith - 2013-07-09 8:08 AM
Street Eagle - 2013-07-02 2:05 PM
Hey cw1115
The key with the rear break as well as with the friction zone and rpm is that they are kept constant throughout the maneuver. A good way to practice setting these is, engage the clutch and depress the rear break. Bring the rpms up to around 1500+ rpm. Now, start releasing the clutch. As soon as you feel the bike moving forward release the pressure on the break as the bike moves forward keeping it around 5 to 7 mph. Now, the key is to look and turn your head to where you want to go, which includes looking completely over your shoulder to execture a U turn, circle, figure 8 etc.
On another note....Both instructors have driven the Vision. They would love to have their departments purchase them as their default motorcycle. One of them makes the statement that Victory corrected what Harley has done wrong for the last 25 years.
Oh btw, according to the officers, the HD can do a 18' circle while the Vision can do it in a 17' radius.
I am not saying it can't be done, but I would have to see someone doing a 17' circle to believe it. It would take one heck of a rider to get that accomplished.
Order "The New Ride Like a Pro" DVD and you will. One of their head instructors rides a red and black Vision the entire video, it's the first day he's ever ridden it, and he turns it tighter than you could ever imagine seeing one turn.
Victory Police guy (can't remember his name) claims 19' isn't too hard to obtain with some practice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Quwbe4M_Fvo
This guy does some impressive scraping, although he almost tosses it at one point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQRq0xgrP1g
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Cruiser
Posts: 77
Bainville, & Mesa, AZ, MT | BrandonM7 - 2013-07-09 11:28 AM
DSmith - 2013-07-09 8:08 AM
Street Eagle - 2013-07-02 2:05 PM
Hey cw1115
The key with the rear break as well as with the friction zone and rpm is that they are kept constant throughout the maneuver. A good way to practice setting these is, engage the clutch and depress the rear break. Bring the rpms up to around 1500+ rpm. Now, start releasing the clutch. As soon as you feel the bike moving forward release the pressure on the break as the bike moves forward keeping it around 5 to 7 mph. Now, the key is to look and turn your head to where you want to go, which includes looking completely over your shoulder to execture a U turn, circle, figure 8 etc.
On another note....Both instructors have driven the Vision. They would love to have their departments purchase them as their default motorcycle. One of them makes the statement that Victory corrected what Harley has done wrong for the last 25 years.
Oh btw, according to the officers, the HD can do a 18' circle while the Vision can do it in a 17' radius.
I am not saying it can't be done, but I would have to see someone doing a 17' circle to believe it. It would take one heck of a rider to get that accomplished.
Order "The New Ride Like a Pro" DVD and you will. One of their head instructors rides a red and black Vision the entire video, it's the first day he's ever ridden it, and he turns it tighter than you could ever imagine seeing one turn.
Victory Police guy (can't remember his name) claims 19' isn't too hard to obtain with some practice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Quwbe4M_Fvo
This guy does some impressive scraping, although he almost tosses it at one point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQRq0xgrP1g
I still would need to actually see it, I have been doing plp's, practicing with motor cops, and whatever schools I can find for a couple of years now. In that short time I have never seen a Vision do a 17' circle. I have managed to do a few at 18, but cannot do it consistently. I have worn two front tires into a v trying to make it do better, but so far with my limited abilities I have been unable to do so.
I do sort of agree with the Vic Police guy that claims 19' isn't too hard, except I would change that to lots of practice!
The guy in the second vid is impressive, but he appears to be doing mostly high speed scraping, he is not using the friction zone. I had an old 75 yr old guy on a wing totally shame me, his comment was anybody can scrape fast lets see you do it slow, and he did it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 178
LaGrange, GA | DSmith - 2013-07-10 1:17 AM
I still would need to actually see it, I have been doing plp's, practicing with motor cops, and whatever schools I can find for a couple of years now. In that short time I have never seen a Vision do a 17' circle. I have managed to do a few at 18, but cannot do it consistently. I have worn two front tires into a v trying to make it do better, but so far with my limited abilities I have been unable to do so.
I do sort of agree with the Vic Police guy that claims 19' isn't too hard, except I would change that to lots of practice!
The guy in the second vid is impressive, but he appears to be doing mostly high speed scraping, he is not using the friction zone. I had an old 75 yr old guy on a wing totally shame me, his comment was anybody can scrape fast lets see you do it slow, and he did it.
That's awesome that you're that solid at it. I've been riding for a long time, but this is my first bike that's anything close to a cruiser. As I said earlier in the thread, I'm strangely drawn to this slow-speed stuff. I'll be happy as a clam when/if I can get under 20 feet. I certainly agree that 17' sounds like a mighty tight circle for something that covers damn near 7' sitting still. Hopefully we can both get to that number eventually (my money's on you getting there way before I do.) |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 17
| I'm sure that the video only seems like you are practicing at work. |
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