Cornering...

In uk.rec.motorcycles, David Thomas said:

Right, now stop crying like a baby and get out there.

I won't tell you again.

 

*snort*

 

I don't think we ever _needed_ to do one...

Currently I have insufficient free cash [1] to fuel my motorcycle so it's
all bit moot.

Might do another Avebury run at some point though.


[1] this is not wholly true, but I am preferring to use the cash for
something else at the mo.

 

Next wednesday looks good(ish), depending on whether the wife needs a
lift to her brainwashing session or not...

Failing that, I'll be in the SW (Somerset, admittedly) the Wednesday
after and am thinking about popping out for a run after pitching the
tent...

 

Good plan

 

TBH I suspect it's as much the bike as you. It's a heavy old lump with
fairly conservative steering geometry, which means it doesn't like to
drop into bends as much as, say, a gixxer (or almost anything else bar
a chopper, I suspect). It means that you have to counter-steer it much
more consciously and it will feel unnatural as you're trying to force
it lower down into corners.

Possibly a change of tyres might help, or maybe you could adjust the
fork leg height - dropping the yokes further down the fork leg will
give a 'quicker' steering response, but I'm not sure either will
remove the problem completely.

Of course, it mught be you - maybe we should meet up and swap bikes
for a while one of these weekends, to see whether it's the bike or
you?

 

Doesnotcompute bored us all completely to death with wittery prose
along the lines of:

Worth a crack. I'll try to go on some of the frm runs. The couple of
mates I ride with at the moment haven't got enough experience to give
me that push.

<G>


--
Cab :^) - Ormiga Atomica
GSX 1400 - 'Tarts Handbag' (tm) Bike, dead 550/4 Rat
UKRMMA#10 (KoTL), IbW#015, Bob#4, POTM#3

P.S. Remove your_head from the cab. ICQ: 83023471

 

I don't even know what "shallow" and "deep" corners are.

Are you sure you haven't mixed up motorcycling with scuba diving?

 

"Not Bendy" and "Bendy"

HTH

 

Ginge bored us all completely to death with wittery prose along the
lines of:

<G> Sod. I should have worded that better. It doesn't mean I was
any slower than you!! Compared to Ace, **** yes, I've got loads of work
to do. With you, me ol' China, I'd say we're nearly on par.

I do that on some of the 'medium' bends, without any real sort of
probs. I can actually get her cranked over quite far. But is it really
a case of slow in, fast out? If that's the case, then I've got it
cracked. I can do that easily. There must be more to it.

I managed to find a couple of roundabouts that were fun to go round and
round for a few turns. Much to the bemusement of the sprogs in the
school playground.

Knee down on a GSX1400? I could only but wish (and yes I know there are
some riding gods that could do this easily)

--
Cab :^) - Ormiga Atomica
GSX 1400 - 'Tarts Handbag' (tm) Bike, dead 550/4 Rat
UKRMMA#10 (KoTL), IbW#015, Bob#4, POTM#3

P.S. Remove your_head from the cab. ICQ: 83023471

 

Don't think I can do next week as I have an appointment to discuss knees in
Oxford that evening.

Though if it only takes 15 minutes like the last time I'd be out by 7...

 

Yes, though sunshine required I feel as I'm a wuss.

As mentioned elsewhere, don't think next week is good for me, but possibly
the week after.

 

what's so special about the knees in Oxford?

 

Ace bored us all completely to death with wittery prose along the lines
of:

I think you're right to a certain degree, as it is well known that the
GSX14 does wallow into corners. I just didn't want to say I was a shite
rider

Amusing really, but Suzuki call the GSX14 a naked sports bike.

Recommendations? I like the BT020's that I've got on at the moment.
I've a week to decide, as the bike's in for her service next Saturday.

You know, I was thinking of asking about popping down sometime soon.
I'll have to let you know, as my diary is pretty full between now and
the end of July. Are you having another Ace-fest soon?

I was also thinking of a s/h SOB. But then there's SWMBO to get around.
If I could get some mug^H^H^H punter to take the Rat of my hands, then
I could put the money towards something small but nippy.

--
Cab :^) - Ormiga Atomica
GSX 1400 - 'Tarts Handbag' (tm) Bike, dead 550/4 Rat
UKRMMA#10 (KoTL), IbW#015, Bob#4, POTM#3

P.S. Remove your_head from the cab. ICQ: 83023471

 

sweller bored us all completely to death with wittery prose along the
lines of:

<G> I couldn't have put it better myself.

--
Cab :^) - Ormiga Atomica
GSX 1400 - 'Tarts Handbag' (tm) Bike, dead 550/4 Rat
UKRMMA#10 (KoTL), IbW#015, Bob#4, POTM#3

P.S. Remove your_head from the cab. ICQ: 83023471

 

Some tips I found useful...

1. get all your braking, gear selection and any change of body position over
and done with before you initiate the turn.

2. ensure that the gear you have selected is low enough to pull you through
and out of the bend from your chosen entry speed without the engine 'bogging
down'.

3. the tighter the bend the slower your entry speed should be. 'Slow-in,
fast-out'. Most racers will agree that you make up time on the faster/open
corners, not the slower, tighter ones. Any time saved by barrelling into the
bend at great speed will soon be eaten up by a poorer exit line resulting or
excessive lean-angle - both of which can result in a slower exit speed.

4. As early as you can (but no later than just before you initiate the turn
by counter-steering) look deep into the bend - and keep looking. This will
reduce your sensation of speed and fore-arm you with information about the
road ahead - this helps to reduce the kind of undesirable physical inputs
(to steering, throttle etc) that result from your fear of the unknown.

5. Counter steer quite hard (harder than you might expect - in the dry you
would find it near impossible to lose the front by extremely hard
countersteering) and get straight on the throttle to drive cleanly, smoothly
and positively through the bend. Positive counter-steering is easier to
achieve if you weight the outside footpeg and use that 'pivot-point'[1] to
lever against when pushing the inside bar away.

6. remain relaxed throughout. You don't need to be clamped to the bike like
a limpet - your main contact points with the bike will be the outside
footpeg & the inside handlebar - although obviously your arse will taking
most of your body-weight and it's wise to have our outside knee snugly
positioned in the purpose-built recess in the side of the fuel-tank.

Hope some of the above a) makes sense and b) helps.

[1] Yes, Keith Code taught me all I know about riding around corners.

 

And Ginge looks the other way as legions of ukrmers go slinging their pride
and joy left, right and centre down the road....

 

You can get your toes down without leaning at all, so wtf does that mean?

 

don't wear clownshoes on the bike.

 

eric the brave bored us all completely to death with wittery prose
along the lines of:

And the bike should go where you point it. Hmm

--
Cab :^) - Ormiga Atomica
GSX 1400 - 'Tarts Handbag' (tm) Bike, dead 550/4 Rat
UKRMMA#10 (KoTL), IbW#015, Bob#4, POTM#3

P.S. Remove your_head from the cab. ICQ: 83023471