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How do I approach a driveway?

JustCallMeViv

JustCallMeViv

New member
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Location
South San Francisco
Moto(s)
'03 Ninja 250
I just got my M1 and will need to fill up my tank pretty soon. I have no idea how to approach the driveway/ramp at a gas station. The handbook says hit obstacles at 90*, but I don't think I can make a sharp turn like that with just a lane's width.

Any tips for a new rider?
 
Go slowly at a 45 degree angle, take it easy and watch out for oil. Remember to not be in a hurry and watch out for cars entering and leaving the station. You should be fine if you are careful.
 
signal early, slow down and proceed at the best angle possible...close to 45 degrees should be enough for even a steep driveway...a driveway isn't really an obstacle...signal early and start braking early....watch out for bicycles...and, go up that driveway...take it easy, slow and smooth for first few 100 miles...
 
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Don't look at the curb or brace for it with the bars. Look as far up the driveway as you can fight the urge to look down. Only look at it as your slowing down to turn then look up the driveway. Look for oil like high side said. Remember look down go down.
 
The above comments are about how to do it right.

You can go onto to a driveway, for example, to your right, at less than 90 degrees if traction is good. What can happen (this is more likely when the roadway is wet) is that as you make your turn, there is a slight bump up from the street to the sidewalk. That little bump up can with low traction cause the front wheel to twist to the left as you make your right turn so that your front wheel is parallel to the bump up and sliding along the bump up. The sudden twisting of the handlebar in the opposite direction of the turn, the tire suddenly stopping against the bump up then sliding along it can throw you off balance. This cannot happen if you hit that bump up at 90 degrees.

The physics of why this happens is when the front tire hits the bump up, the contact patch of the tire which is further back loses traction and slides forward so that the tire ends up parallel to the bump up and right up against it. The shallower the angle of approach the easier this happens because the slide distance of the contact patch is smaller. On a small scale, it is the same effect as if the front brake is hit hard enough and the rear of the bike loses traction and swings forward except this all happens to the front wheel.
 
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High-Side said:
Go slowly at a 45 degree angle, take it easy and watch out for oil. Remember to not be in a hurry and watch out for cars entering and leaving the station. You should be fine if you are careful.
Click to expand...

ahnh666 said:
signal early, slow down and proceed at the best angle possible...close to 45 degrees should be enough for even a steep driveway...a driveway isn't really an obstacle...signal early and start braking early....watch out for bicycles...and, go up that driveway...take it easy, slow and smooth for first few 100 miles...
Click to expand...

senna944 said:
Don't look at the curb or brace for it with the bars. Look as far up the driveway as you can fight the urge to look down. Only look at it as your slowing down to turn then look up the driveway. Look for oil like high side said. Remember look down go down.
Click to expand...

I like all these pieces of advice. :thumbup
 
I do all of the described above it's the best way, but I also tend to baby the clutch entering the drive way has worked for me good luck :thumbup
 
I have to think about it a little to figure out what I do. I do not feather the clutch. I slow down to first, hit the bump a little more than 45 and no feathering of the clutch. Then I kill the bike with it in first gear next to the pump.
 
Once you master the driveway to the gas station and roll up to the pump ... keep an eye where you park by the pump - watch out for spots of oil. Sucks when your foot slips in one. :)
 
+1




High-Side said:
Go slowly at a 45 degree angle, take it easy and watch out for oil. Remember to not be in a hurry and watch out for cars entering and leaving the station. You should be fine if you are careful.
Click to expand...
 
JustCallMeViv said:
I just got my M1 and will need to fill up my tank pretty soon. I have no idea how to approach the driveway/ramp at a gas station. The handbook says hit obstacles at 90*, but I don't think I can make a sharp turn like that with just a lane's width.

Any tips for a new rider?
Click to expand...

I had this same issue with the gas station. While I practice getting comfortable on driveways, in the mean time, I have been filling up with a plastic gas can I keep in my car. Just make sure to buy a separate funnel, because a lot of nozzles seem to leak (unless you too want to annoy your mean neighbor in the next apartment by leaving the smelly stain from your puddle of gas in his parking spot...)
 
Correction to my earlier post. I do feather my clutch when I am on my BMW boxer due to the low torque at low RPM. I do not when on the big Yamaha V-twin cruiser. No need. The V-twin is so torquey at low RPM that I am let go of the clutch without giving gas and the engine will not die. I guess my point is this. Once you have done it a few times, you do not think about it anymore. You just do it.
 
I can only add to make sure you have enough momentum / speed to get past the driveway hump. You don't want to run out of momentum in the middle of the driveway entrance if you happen to be coasting in.
 
Blinker on...come to a stop....power walk it in...:teeth:rofl j/k

My suggestion is to not start to close to the curb. Try and start at either the middle or left side of the lane (assuming you are turning right into the gas station) and try to make as steep angle as possible so you can get up the ramp at close to a 75-90 degree angle.

Keep an eye out for people leaving the gas station who try to cut the corner and block your entrance. With a steeper entrance angle, you have a better chance of swerving out of the way.

Look to where you want to go and try not to target fixate on what you are trying to avoid.

I'm still a rookie but pretty decent in physics and thinking about things.

Try practicing entering your drive way doing this if you are not comfortable going into public areas.
 
LOL, if you feel you can't make a safe 90 degree turn you could consider filling a gas can instead.

I still do this, I would be at the gas station almost every day commuting. I go once a week period, and fill the cans and the car in one go. I start every ride with a full tank, so I can go anywhere during a normal day and not have to fill up.
 
kurth83 said:
LOL, if you feel you can't make a safe 90 degree turn you could consider filling a gas can instead.

I still do this, I would be at the gas station almost every day commuting. I go once a week period, and fill the cans and the car in one go. I start every ride with a full tank, so I can go anywhere during a normal day and not have to fill up.
Click to expand...

Lol. OP is already doing the gas can thing and doesn't want to anymore. You will eventually have to turn right...:teeth:twofinger
 
How do I approach a driveway?

I dont know how I missed this

How to approach or address a drive way (Note Just having some fun)

Note Skip to 2:25 unless ya love Gleason, this is classic
[youtube]qk0hosbtcVM[/youtube]
 
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