Riding Technique: Winter Fishtails and Quick Accel

[steelhead]

About -1 C, or 30F.

I didn't warm up my tires today but I stupidly gunned the throttle on the Busa when the stop light turned green. I was accelerating hard as if it was summer - a mistake. Even though the ground was dry, I should've been smarter to know that it was much too cold for rapid (first gear) acceleration. (I'm talking about the kind of accelerations where the front tire *slightly* lifts).

To my surprise, the rear tire started to violently slip right and left for a second (seemed like an eternity in the moment, though), and I basically found myself on a Hayabusa that was fishtailing it. I thought I would go down.

Being no riding expert, I'm not sure why I didn't go down, but I basically 1. kept the steering straight, 2. went a little easy on the gas (no brakes), but 3. continued to throttle forward. The bike stabilized to my surprise. (Tires were stock Bridgestone Battlax)

Was this recovery technique the correct course of action? Suggestions and analysis would be appreciated to help other riders deal with the winter.

 

[greyrocket]

i hit hard on a HWY on ramp in second gear about 70 and it was still wet busa went to the left  ****. i;am not going down at that speed with cars behind me. i  have watched it for about 2months since then. thats was close to losing it way to close and i ride in the rain.

 

[greyrocket]

also about 3 weeks ago never thought about ice here sacramento a liitle gas and back end just sarted to slide very rare here just watch here  it was about 23F here it has not been that cold for years.:O

 

[SpeedAdict]

Any technique that keeps it upright is the proper technique. Glad this was not a horror story.

 

[GMbusa]

Just keep your body loose and the steering pointed the way you want to go with alittle body lean here and there to balance the bike. That will keep you upright while spinning the rear tire(rolling burnout)

 

[steelhead]

Thanks Greyrocket, SpeedAdict, and GMBusa for the comments.

This is the first time I've experienced this. I guess the Busa is simply...too powerful, and I didn't assess the winter conditions carefully enough.

 

[hydrabusa]

Hey steel, had a little fish tail going on...just easy on the gas...it will streight on you...
by the way, its only 30F there? end of Jan? this is gotta be the global warming...it has to be...

 

[BusaWhipped]

(steelhead @ Jan. 31 2007,06:40) Thanks Greyrocket, SpeedAdict, and GMBusa for the comments.

This is the first time I've experienced this. I guess the Busa is simply...too powerful, and I didn't assess the winter conditions carefully enough.

Its good that you are trying to learn from all of your experiences.

 

[Djv108]

For the same fish-tail effect in the summer, try a 2nd gear rolling burn-out.  Hop the clutch at about 25mph while leaning over the tank and hold on.  Word of caution, this eats up your tires pretty fast.

 

[IG.]

I think the main mistake was to gun it off the line while the weight transfer to the rear didn't occur yet, thus less traction. On top of that, you could've been sitting on a white lane or an oily spot. I've had it happen a few times, too.

You did the right thing of... doing nothing. Just pretend it never happened. Every motorcycle comes with a free self stabilizing effect whenever the rear tire steps out of line (to a certain extent of course). Not acting on our natural reflex is the right thing to do and at the same time is the most difficult thing to do at the moment. Good for you!

 

[05BusaLe]

I was playing around with my bike last week in my parking lot I went to gun it (yea I know stupid) and the rear came around 180deg. Now I am pointed in the other direction and say well thats enough of playing put the bike away and went in the house to change my shorts! I too cant figure out for the life of me why the bike didnt go down! Must have a mind of its own and still uses it even when I dont use mine!

 

[300Busa]

Hell, my busa does that when it is 90 degrees outside.

 

[DaCol.]

Your technique was correct, except your PUCKER factor probably kicked in and SUCK the bike up anyway

Good Save and keeping a COOL head during the incident and looking where you wanted to go probably helped ALOT  

 

[Fate]

I think everyone should be a little familar with the feeling of a fishtail when we are on bikes like ours. At some time or another it will happen and better to be prepared for it. Like everyone said let off gas a little and no brake and steer the way you are trying to go if it gets to out of control. Kind of fun if you are doing it on purpose not on accident as much though.

 

[steelhead]

Thanks for the tips. (Hydra: I'm still in Korea. Not so cold here this year. Last year was much worse.

Saw a poor scooter get slammed by a cabbie. Not pretty, but everyone came out ok. Made me take it easy on the acceleration.

 

[jwcfbd]

been there done that. I was pulling out of the neighborhood when I hit the gas a little hard and did the same thing.

 

[dadofthree]

 

[GSXcite]

You did the right thing. Worst thing to do is let off the throttle all the way or grab a bunch of brake. That will high side and throw you off like a bucking bronco. Glad you didn't dump it.

 

[busa_bill]

fishtails are only fun on 4 wheels

 

[IG.]

It's interesting to point out, that the bike by itself would never fishtail (i.e. going from one side to another - back and forth). It's the rider's steering input turning the steering left and right, etc. causes the rear to fishtail.

So, the right theoretical action would be a very subtle steering input and a very subtle reduction in throttle application. Since our natural reflex is never completely out, and will attempt to correct the steering and shut the throttle perhaps to a small degree - it would be a good idea to set our mental state to the following: "whatever happens, I simply ignore it". This way, we may achieve the ideal result.

And on a final note, a rolling burnout whose direction is controlled by holding the throttle and subtle changes in steering is the ideal scenario.