How do I stop fishtailing?

[LeviathanRan]

[]

Well, I sometimes find that when I’m heading towards a roundabout at fairly high speeds, or slowing down for red-lights.

That when I gear down through the box and let the clutch out the bike seems to throw me forward and slows down really really quickly, but the back end starts to fishtail for a few feet till the speed drops down.

I’m guessing the reason for the fishtail is that there’s hardly any weight on the back wheel and that’s why it starts to fishtail?

So the obvious answer might be not to let the clutch out so soon, but is there any other way I can stop the fishtailing?

I ask because when the roads get wet this will probably see me on my arse![xx(]

[Gix]

Use the throttle and the gears to slow, ie, bring your revs up the range as you drop the gear so it matches engine speed as you let clutch out.
It sounds like you are changing down too soon, what bike is it? V twin? Use to happen on my 600 when I first got it, going down to second, but its more common on twins because of the greater ompression hence greater engine braking, its how my dad highsided his at 30 mph lol, think alot of newer twins fitted with slipper clutches to improve down changes.

[LeviathanRan]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gix

Use the throttle and the gears to slow, ie, bring your revs up the range as you drop the gear so it matches engine speed as you let clutch out.
It sounds like you are changing down too soon, what bike is it? V twin? Use to happen on my 600 when I first got it, going down to second, but its more common on twins because of the greater compression hence greater engine braking, its how my dad high sided his at 30 mph lol, think a lot of newer twins fitted with slipper clutches to improve down changes.

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High side at 30mph? lol…holy bugger!

It’s only on the 125 CG Gix, but it’s still a bit worrying… hehe

So blip the throttle before letting the clutch out and that should stop the bike from ‘tailing? And lurching me forwards?

I don’t think fitting a slipper to a Honda CG would be at all wise… lol

Also good call on moving it to this section [][]

Thanks Gix
xxx

[Gix]

quote:

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Originally posted by LeviathanRan

quote:

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Originally posted by Gix

Use the throttle and the gears to slow, ie, bring your revs up the range as you drop the gear so it matches engine speed as you let clutch out.
It sounds like you are changing down too soon, what bike is it? V twin? Use to happen on my 600 when I first got it, going down to second, but its more common on twins because of the greater compression hence greater engine braking, its how my dad high sided his at 30 mph lol, think a lot of newer twins fitted with slipper clutches to improve down changes.

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High side at 30mph? lol…holy bugger!

It’s only on the 125 CG Gix, but it’s still a bit worrying… hehe

So blip the throttle before letting the clutch out and that should stop the bike from ‘tailing? And lurching me forwards?

I don’t think fitting a slipper to a Honda CG would be at all wise… lol

Also good call on moving it to this section [][]

Thanks Gix
xxx

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Yes he overtook a car (flat capper lol) and once infront slowed to negotiate an approaching hump back bridge, but it being a new bike to him, he wasnt quite used to the esulting engine braking, lost a little bit of grip but did the worst thing and eased off throttle more, result was the rear gripped again and spat him off.

If its just a cg125, get them to check tyre pressures and clutch adjustment, and if it does it, dont suddenly come off throttle cos thats the main reason highsides occur, as the bike slows the rear finds grip too suddenly and the resulting jerk as it suddenly grips can spit you off.

[LeviathanRan]

Bloody flat cappers! lol

So if I do fishtail again (and I will) keep the throttle open and balanced?

I just want to get this issue sorted so that when I get my bigger bike I don’t panic and really hurt myself!

[Gix]

I cant advise exactly what to do Levi cos it all depends on the bike (never ridden a cg IIRC), the conditions etc, for instance I can tell you not to close off throttle in the dry to avoid a highside but doing that in ice will see you lowsiding and sliding, same with diesel. When I went up to Chesterfield in December I fishtailed on greasy roads as I accelerated out of a roundabout, in that instance I did the correct thing and increased power to back wheel slowly, putting more weight on rear as bike squats on acceleration, and thus increasing load and grip, but had I judged it wrong I would have low sided and thrown bike up the road on its side. I have luckily never judge it wrong, never thrown a bike up the road, had loads of slides and skids and the odd tank slapper, but I must just have very good self preservation instincts cos I have yet to “get it wrong”.
All I can advise is treat the bike with a bit less cack handedness but be confident at the same time, be aware of the conditions, listen and absorb all your instructor tells you, and act and react accordingly.

[LeviathanRan]

Hmm.. allright Gix, thanks!

I’ll try that throttle blipping business the next time I’m out riding (this friday)

The bike only ever ‘tails when I’ve been going really fast and pretty much dump the clutch out under braking, If I’m, like you say, less cackhanded things go a lot smoother.

Cheers Hun

[GSF K1]

What tyres are fitted? Do you also use rear breaks when slowing down as this can suppress drastic drag fromthe engine when dumping the clutch sometimes. Blipping the throttle is often very difficult to get right.
As its only a 125 I suspect that the rear tyre is not very tactile,so will loose grip pretty easily (I remember my old 125 on Avon Supremes). Learn to be gentle when releasing the clutch on down-shifts.

[LeviathanRan]

I’m not sure about the Tyres it’s a school’a bike lol

Thanks for the tip GSF

[roadrider]

Hi, your bike will fishtail if you change down to many gears to quickly. The cause is due to the gear ratio. On your 125 1st gear is only good for a few miles an hour, 2nd up to 10mph-ish and so on. So when you change down to 1st or 2nd gear without slowing the bike to these slow speeds the engine tries to stop the rear wheel turning as the gearing doesnt allow these speeds. This instantly locks the rear wheel. This is how supermoto riders get their bikes to start sliding!

To sort your dangerous problem; When braking change one gear at a time, release the clutch until you feel some engine braking (not all the way) then change down another gear. If stopping at red lights for example, slow down to a few miles an hour then box change down to first keeping the clutch held in.

Hope this helps

[Radar]

Welcome to the forum roadrider, and some great feedback from an instructor.

This link will show you some highlights on the site

https://bikemeet.net/forums/topic/great-posts-pics-across-the-site-part-2/

What bike do you ride?

[roadrider]

Hi Radar, Cheers. Always a pleasure to help, ’tis my job after all!

[roadrider]

Oh forgot to mention… I currently ride a BUELL XB9S, also a BUELL X1 Lightning. These are up for sale though, thinking of a VERSYS… Anyone got one?? Hot or Not??

[matt splat]

Fish tailing is fun.

But I have over 20 years of riding under my belt, so ignore me.

Welcome in Leviathon, youll find sensible advice here.

[imperialdata]

@ Roadrider
The Versys is that Kwak that sort of derived from the ER-6 isn’t it? Never seen one in the flesh or heard any good or bad stories.

[Author]

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