Note to self 1232

When chasing after a Subura down a favourite B-road it pays to remember that
one is no longer on a GSX-R and is instead on a barge-like motorcycle with
rather different characteristics. *parp*

Strangely (to me), the DL seems to require *more* skill (ie planning) to
ride swiftly than the GSX-R did - it doesn't change direction anywhere as
fast, nor does it steer quickly - and the suspension does make things
interesting.

But boy, when you get it right, it's just as fast as the GSX-R and a hoot to
throw around. And it's pain-free.
Overtakes are instant too - none of the 'wind up' time of the 600.

Speed bumps are now highlights rather than irritations.

 

dwb emerged from their own little world to say

You need a different mindset on big traillies. It will steer more
quickly if you reduce the amount you load the front wheel - you get a
lot more fork dive than you are used to on the GSXR. Have you realised
that it has a rear brake yet? Use it and you'll be able to reduce the
fork dive. Having ABS[1] on the BM helps, especially into downhill
bends, as it eliminates the possibility of locking the wheel. Although,
on my TDM I found chirping the rear tyre became fun after a while

[1] and the funny front end, but you still get a bit of dive

 

Yes - though to be fair (and what I was saying to myself earlier) I've just
come off 2.5 years and 15 000 miles on an in-line 4 600.... to having now
done 250 miles on a 996 V-twin - of course it's going to be a bit
interesting - managing to still poodle around at similar speeds is handy
though. Much less time being spent >100mph though, which is good (IMO!).

Yes, and also a shed load of engine braking - however as I mentioned the
main thing is the planning - "in slow, out fast" applies much more to this
bike than the previous one - experience will help me on this one - and to be
honest, my road reading skills are rusty anyway which doesn't help.

 

dwb emerged from their own little world to say

Give it time. You can see more for a start, so have more information to
process. Once you get used to looking further ahead you'll find it is much
easier to ride than a sports bike.

On most road I can ride my GS faster than I ever rode my CBR600, especially
on the B roads around Hay on Wye/Brecon where I was today.

 

Big trailies tend to be setup towards the stable rather than flickable
end of the spectrum. Sliding the forks up through the yokes 20mm works
wonders on Tigers - give it a go.

It's quite important to set the sag up properly with squishy
long-travel suspension, if you haven't done so. A lot of it's just
getting used to the feeling though. It may well wallow around a bit on
fast sweepers, but that's all just part of the fun.

 

This is why it's much more fun to ride a non-sports bike fast.

Almost any muppet can ride a sports bike fast - because that's what
they are designed to do.

 

Stupidity - HTH.

 

Stritchy says...

Really? When was the last time you tried to ride a proper sportsbike
fast?

 

I think you need to define "fast". To stick to the original context of
the thread, I agree with Stritchy in that it's easier for any muppet to
ride a sportsbike faster than a big trailie over a given stretch of
road, assuming that road isn't pot-holed to buggery & riddled with
ultra-tight hairpins. But that's just physics - more power, less
weight, better brakes, fatter tyres, more lean clearance.

However it's easier to ride a big trailie to *its* limits, because they
do tend to be more forgiving at the limit, and those limits are fairly
easily found, particularly with respect to lean angle.

For example I can happily drag the pegs on the Tiger, safe in the
knowledge it (probably) won't spit me off if I hit a bump or wind open
the throttle whilst at a daft angle-of-dangle. However dragging the
pegs on the MV requires a far greater lean angle, especially as it
hasn't got any hero blobs. And I know from experience that if I touch
the throttle while the pegs are down, the back will step out, & I'll
shit myself.

So if "fast" means the time taken for a given stretch of road compared
to a trailie, the sportsbike wins, and any muppet probably could ride
fast. If "fast" means close to the bike's limits, any muppet could
possibly do that on a big trailie, but not on a sportsbike imho.

 

E/BOSM (can't remember which) a few years back on a Gixxer. It scared
the crap outa me, because I was't used to the power delivery, riding
position it's capabilities.

 

Stritchy says...

So basically you're saying that a sportsbike isn't easy to ride fast,
which contradicts your earlier statement.

 

But there's a big difference between riding fast and riding well.

I'm referring to muppets who ride fast down the straights and toddle
round corners, can't overtake or anticipate the road ahead.

The big sports bike, matching leathers and sparkly helmet makes them
feel like riding gods but they can't ride for toffee. Thankfully there
are lots of them on the road for the likes of Tuppy and I to
humiliate. )

 

No, I'm not saying that at all.

It scared me because it was so easy to go soooo very fast. It was well
planted on the road and went round corners far faster than I was used
to.

 

I never said I was any good! ;o)

<hissssssss>

 

Don't forget the TL mate... on second thoughts maybe it's best.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

*Waves*

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"