Rider Techniques

[snow hawk gal]

We had an amazing turnout and it was nice to see Hawkers-
Bud F, Gary S, Randy and brother Rich, Flip, Albert and father, Dennis R, Rob, Mark S, Dan C, Chris, Paul P, and some 120 riders. Tons and tons of people came up and thanked us for their rides they got for free this winter. Nonstop good praise for the hawk and our program all weekend long.
Got to talk to quite a few guys from Snowest and we got some good laughs about the forum goof ball stuff
Sad not to see, but we'll see you at Hawkfest.
Local Hawk riders Patrick F and brother Paul, Paul G, Todd B's group, George S, Cailen McC, and brother Brian, Joel, Jeff B, Jeff, Tom B, Mark A, Shawn, Thierry,and any others I have forgotten.

So the Hawk crew were sitting around eating Pizza drinking and talking Hawk talk this weekend. They were talking about starting a post for Rider techniques for new riders and old to pass along ideas and best practices.

So please add your posts on riding ability. For me here is my suggestion from my only riding experiences:
When you ride doubles , ride on the front if you are the passenger. IF you ride with Tony he rides fast as hell on the roads, and you have to hold your feet up as much as you can because they lay over and it is really dangerous with the track.

 

[snow hawk gal]

Ttt

Anybody home?

 

[Goodspeed]

This thread is for a guy like me....One hawk day behind me (hawkfest 08) with a new (1500 miles) 600 HO bagging me to hop on for at least 8 seconds. I'd like to poll all you stud bolt riders i've seen trashing the snow so I can keep up with you.....well and someday pass ya

Care to share?

gman
(Gary S)

 

[TLKDPROD]

My techniques !

Just for you Goodspeed !

Steering: Countersteering is the key ! Don't be afraid to over-do it ! The crazier you'll do it, the quicker you'll be able to go from turn to turn (or from "right belly side" to "left belly side" !!!) Those who were at HawkFest in '08 probably remember me for that ! I got crÂäÀzy footage demonstration of that that I took in Revelstoke in my upcoming youtube video, I'll keep you aware !!! But here's a "decent" countersteering demonstration from 2:15 to 2:19 on my '07 youtube video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6poYY1Q6hYY Try to find a good rythm as you do it, it's probably my favorite thing to do with my Hawk when there's lot'sa pow !

Legs : If you are to do a very low tilted turn, don't put your inside foot on the footpeg otherwise, both your foot and the footpeg will drag in the snow, avoiding you from being in a "forward charging focusing position" ! Don't do what motocrossers do (the way they stretch their leg on the side of their radiator shrouds...) I use to do this at the beginning as I found it was easier on balance... after hurting my knee pretty bad twice in the same day, I found a better way... Raise your foot up close to the bungee hook that holds down your hood and raise up your knee in between your two arms: See from 4:48 to 4:56 on the same '07 video. That way, you're in control of everything, you don't have to take care of your feet dragging and your mind being concerned that your foot might get caught in the track !

Work with your legs more than your arms at low speed: the ski of a Snow-Hawk won't steer like the wheel of a bike. I discovered that doing some kind of a twist motion with your leg against the tank towards the way you want to steer as well as turning the handlebar made the hawk easier to steer at low to very low speed. Every beginner won't argue with that: a Hawk is not an easy thing to steer at 2 to 7 mph !!!

Jumping : I think the Mcc Bros would have more to tell on that than me ! Same principles as in Motocross applies though : in you hit the gas in the air, the back end will come down, if you brake the front end should dive. Main thing here is, of course, play beyond your limits !

Powder : Don't park uphill, don't stop in the deep stuff and keep the gas wide open !

MAIN THING : H A V E F U N !!! And enjoy the fact that you're one of the very few people on this planet that has the chance of riding this incredible machine !

See ya at '09 Hawkfest !

 

[J&L Snowhawk]

just me

PIN IT TO WIN IT. Maybe that was just my mental state at moto X.
Seems to me the new guys have the most trouble taking off from a stop because they go to slow. Just pin it to get moving and lean instead or driving your car to turn. Good play practice is a stand up jet ski. both these machines arn't for the timid they like the rider to be in control. Your the man in the relationship so just act like it. LOL

 

[cjgodden]

I think the hardest part to get used to is letting the hawk pick its own line when on the hard packed. Do not try to fight it and let it drift from rut to rut. If you do fight it and try to make it follow the exact line that you want, you will get forearm pump really fast. Allways remember the gas is your friend, you have more control when on the throttle, don't be afraid to just pin it. I think the best way to compare it, is to riding a cr500 in the sand, Pin it, hang the f---- on, and smile.

 

[Goodspeed]

How about Powder? If you do stop, what's the best way to start again?

-Like most new hawkers, I was beat up (the 10 mile hell road back to the parking lot from MT Baker (Saturday night) didn't help at all) after my first day. I was told that once I relaxed it would get better. I've noticed that on my BMW GS (on-road / off-road) motorcycle. It's hard though at first to just pin it off the line...

-Don't get me wrong, after riding and watching the first day I realized this was the Shizz and saw the light. Not since I flew Ultralights (for 17 years) had I had so much fun......

-Also skipping accross the tops of the huge trail moguls is very hard your first day........

I know it has to be easier........The powder was way fun but got stuck somehow starting out, most others had no problems...

The FNG....

 

[TKswild1]

Well

After my first powder ride in MI with other hawker's last year. I found that the hill climbing through the tree's was great. getting down and turning slowly through the tree's I would put my feet down and well spill. I felt Pretty cool tipping over 4 time's coming down the hill. After awhile I would just hit the brake's right before I had to make a turn and dig in the track in a bit to help stabilize myself.

Any better hint's

 

[IbBroken]

Well for going down hill in powder i ride down like a skier and just make slow turns left and right. It helps maintain the speed you want instead of what the Mountain wants The Hawk will side hill like nothing else out there. As for just starting out every body that I let ride my Hawk I tell them it is like a stand up jet ski don't try to ride it slow NAIL the throttle then pick a speed around twenty or so and just let it flow this is best performed in powder. hard pack is another story. I also agree that most of your turning at low speed is done with your legs and body not the Bars. Just DON'T let your first ride scare you away. Once you get the hang of it they are crazy fun.

 

[TKswild1]

Ya

I'm going to have to force myself in riding that 1 ski thing. LOL

Don't get me wrong I wasn't upset of falling over. I did though figure out how to get my asss down those hill's. Just a learning thing.

 

[feartheride]

We had an amazing turnout and it was nice to see Hawkers-
Bud F, Gary S, Randy and brother Rich, Flip, Albert and father, Dennis R, Rob, Mark S, Dan C, Chris, Paul P, and some 120 riders. Tons and tons of people came up and thanked us for their rides they got for free this winter. Nonstop good praise for the hawk and our program all weekend long.
Got to talk to quite a few guys from Snowest and we got some good laughs about the forum goof ball stuff
Sad not to see, but we'll see you at Hawkfest.
Local Hawk riders Patrick F and brother Paul, Paul G, Todd B's group, George S, Cailen McC, and brother Brian, Joel, Jeff B, Jeff, Tom B, Mark A, Shawn, Thierry,and any others I have forgotten.

So the Hawk crew were sitting around eating Pizza drinking and talking Hawk talk this weekend. They were talking about starting a post for Rider techniques for new riders and old to pass along ideas and best practices.

So please add your posts on riding ability. For me here is my suggestion from my only riding experiences:
When you ride doubles , ride on the front if you are the passenger. IF you ride with Tony he rides fast as hell on the roads, and you have to hold your feet up as much as you can because they lay over and it is really dangerous with the track.

Turn out for what
Are you saying there is snow somewhere?

 

[snow hawk gal]

Pau!

http://www.wssa.us/Expo/expo.htm

 

[snow hawk gal]

!!!

http://www.leechvideo.com/video/view2681971.html

Xtwo

http://www.thailandspeed.com/Snow-Hawk-Addict-CailenMt-Baker__rCi3SpXohuk.html

TLKDPROD
Just for you Goodspeed !

Steering: Countersteering is the key ! Don't be afraid to over-do it ! The crazier you'll do it, the quicker you'll be able to go from turn to turn (or from "right belly side" to "left belly side" !!!) Those who were at HawkFest in '08 probably remember me for that !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKN6redenso

 

[Goodspeed]

Doing really tight U-Turns? How?

I've been watching some Rad Hawk Vd's lately and have noticed many guys making effortless "8 to 10" ft U-Turns going either straight or Uphill at "speed".

Damn that's cool......How do you do that????

-It looks like you do a wheelie and weight shift the Hawk to one side and let it fall that direction, then pin it? There are so many places a quick turn in tight places would come in handy, and it looks totally cool!!!

-Need to know before this weekend so I can practice..........

 

[snowhawkaddict]

Educational vids!

Maybe we can sell this to the school system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALAdYQJ_bSg

 

[Goodspeed]

Tony,
Nice Vid and you've got the idea, but I need to be told, as my head is really thick....I can see it done but can't get the finesse down......

-I did hear it doesn't work so well in hard pack, and that you need to put your weight on the rear....

-Lately it occurs to me... what a long, strange trip it's been.

 

[TLKDPROD]

Tight U-Turns, here's what I do:

Countersteer once and at the same time press/apply some weight on the inside footpeg just to get the hawk to "fall into the turn", (the idea here is to literally "throw" your hawk right on the side of its bellypan) then just as you feel you're going down (don't worry that's the way) you'll need to do 2 things: get your inside leg out of the way (put your knee inside your 2 hands) AND hammer the throttle so you find a good balance point. At that point your ski should be off the ground, and the corner of the belly pan should hold the edge (if you're doing it on sub 6" deep snow). You'll feel your rear end slide a bit, never get off the gas and first thing you know you made a tight U-Turn. For doing donuts, 121 seem to donut way better than all the others... just don't let off the gas just work your way in the U-Turn as you

That above is the theory but listen to this :
One good way to introduce you to that Gary might be, first to find a clear field with one foot of fresh and start doing Biiiiiiiiig circles like 150' in diameter with your hawk. Try to lean as much as you can as you ride the circles and work your way towards the center of the circles, try to maintain the same speed. And actually, i'd suggest the following: you should try to touch the snow with your elbow and as well: dump it at leats 4-5 times so you know where the actual limit of leaning/tilting is. And you'll realize it's pretty far in the "leaning degree table" ! If you don't do that you'll never know and you'll never be able to "use the total potential of your Hawk" ! I don't think anything could be thrown on its side as much as a Hawk (that's one reason why I like'em) ! Try it, you'll have fun !

AND get you leg out of the way..., your footpegs will drag no matter what especialy if you have the lowered footpegs. Knees don't like getting caught and do a 150 degree turn within 0.25 seconds... !

 

[Goodspeed]

Thankx TLKDPROD!!!!
You have done an excellent job of explaining the U-Turn gig! My "Thick" head gets it! I promise I'll practice, as I see this being fundamental to my style of riding, and very impressive to watch as well.........
You're a great assist to the Hawk forum!!!!!!