Advise needed: how to keep the Busa stable when

[BentValve]

Yeah and I am just being lazy when going thru switchbacks and corners in general...I think I kinda knew I need to get off my ass

...but then in a way it seems it will be almost harder to keep the bike from bouncing around in heavy switchbacks.
Basically any cornering that requires that I get into a lean fast, I have to really throw it and a bouncin' she goes.

 

[pure_ego]

i think your just putting too much input into the bars... especially if your not moving fluidly from left/right withyour body..
doesn't take much to make it feel great, or crappy as far as what yoru doign with your arms..

try to make your legs do 99% of the work moving you back and forth... Of course your gonna wanna countersteer it... but be sure thats all yoru doing..

It almost sounds like when you go to transition your using your arms to pull you back and forth causing the handlebars to wiggle... relax yoru grip.. use your legs.. and ride safe.

 

[BentValve]

Well I will practice on the $5 laps ..got about a 110 mile ride to:

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[gaby]

I went for an 8 hours ride of pure twisties with three more bikes last weak. R1, GSX 1000, GSX 600 and the Busa was kiking a$%^&. My friend in his R1 was probaly 10 miles away but he is an expert rider and a racer. the 600 and th 1000 crash their bikes trying to keep up with the BUSA 3 miles behind me. Just ride more and know when to use the power( after the APEX).

 

[diesel]

When I swing my butt to the left and right as I make my way thru some switchbacks I find it very hard to keep the Busa from bouncing all around. I never had this problem on my SV650. The weight of the Busa is finally starting to show itself.

I cannot ride the twisties worth a crap on this bike.

What can I do? Before you go off with the tweak your suspension routine lets just forget all that and say the Busa has no adjustable suspension. I am looking for technique advice.

Not to say that tweaking the suspension wont help but I am one of those that believes that its just a tweak...not a solution.

When you manuever from one side to the other, pull yourself back onto the bike (if you're hanging off ) with your knee or leg on the opposite side of the tank. When you pull yourself up with your bars, you're jerking the bike making it unstable. I guarantee this will fix it.

 

[stkr00]

What BusaFever, Pure Ego, WWJD, and Diesel said

I found that if you're a smooth in your transition from side to side, and don't upset the bars, then the bike is very stable during the switchbacks. Practice hanging off by doing it on turns that you know well, but don't need to hang off on. Don't try to rail it at first...just go through the motions and get used to where your body needs to be. Once you're comfortable getting into position, then start practicing switching from side to side during a switchback, but at a slower speed. Shift your body position using your legs and not your arms. You should be bringing the bike upright from one direction as you move your body to the opposite side. As you settle into position, this is when you will apply pressure to the inside bar to coutersteer through the turn. All of this needs to be one smooth transition, and it will take a LOT of practice.

When I'm done with a track day, the balls of my feet hurt like hell from all the pushing on the pegs, and my legs are sore for about two days. Dam, I need to work out more.

I know you don't want to work on your suspension, but it does make a world of difference. The stock settings are WAY to soft. Contact JINKSTER with your height and wieght and he will give you a good setup.

Here's a few pics from my last track day. My body position isn't perfect, but it's a helluva lot better than my first track day.

Good Luck...It'll come with practice.



Dam, I wish they would let us pass on the outside

I'm 39 years old, and my Mom saw this one and said...
"That far enough"

BTW...This is while traveling at about 100 mph...

 

[PACIFICBUSA]

When I swing my butt to the left and right as I make my way thru some switchbacks I find it very hard to keep the Busa from bouncing all around. I never had this problem on my SV650.  The weight of the Busa is finally starting to show itself.

I cannot ride the twisties worth a crap on this bike.

What can I do?  Before you go off with the tweak your suspension routine lets just forget all that and say the Busa has no adjustable suspension.  I am looking for technique  advice.

Not to say that tweaking the suspension wont help but I am one of those that believes that its just a tweak...not a solution.

Get back on your SV and practice harder....seriously.

Either that, or get more familiar with your bike.

OR...you can do what you yourself said. Stop being a lazy-ass and ride the damned thing.

Technique is useless if you're too lazy to move your ass.

 

[PACIFICBUSA]

Oh yeah....and you could read once in awhile too. Take a look in the Racing section of the board...under "Twisties".



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[BulletTrain]

Well, I can tell you this... If you ain't smooth in the twisties and switchbacks on a busa then don't even think about a modern 600 or litre... It honestly sounds like you're giving it bad inputs and upsetting the bike instead of working with it, but it's hard to know for sure without seeing you ride. And I'm not knocking your abilities or skill level. We all started somewhere and I still only consider myself just a notch above a green rookie. I do know that the suspension on my busa was not set up properly but it was smooth as silk when I done my part. Even after I got good and smooth on the busa, the 10R told on me for things the busa covered up for me.

Work on gripping the bike with your legs, supporting your upper body weight using your back and abs instead of your arms, relaxing your arms and hands and only using them for smooth, deliberate steering and control inputs, working WITH the bike (aka the pics busafever posted), and smooth transition from side to side. One way I got more comfortable on the busa in switchbacks was to go and do figure 8's in a parking lot. I'd make a left circle, then a right one immediately after, starting with loose circles and working my way down into tighter ones with each figure 8 I done. There is a risk that you could drop your bike doing this, but my thinking was that I'd rather drop it in a parking lot at low speeds while learning than to avoid the risk and throw it down the road in a real switchback when I finally went into one and lost it.

Lastly, fwiw I know you said you think you're doing like the pictures BusaFever referred to but I've found that a LOT of riders think they are leaning with, or to the inside of the bike in a turn but when you follow them you see that they are in fact pushing the bike under. Get someone to follow you with a video camera to see for sure what you're doing. The video don't lie...

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[stkr00]

BT has a good point...The video does not lie...here's proof. This is a screen capture from my FIRST track day.

I "thought" I was hanging off, but the picture tells different.

 

[BulletTrain]

BT has a good point...The video does not lie...here's proof. This is a screen capture from my FIRST track day.

I "thought" I was hanging off, but the picture tells different.

Exactly what I was talking about, bro. Lots of people (I'd say most) get their ass off the seat like that, but VERY FEW that I've rode with get their upper body to the inside of the bike's centerline, or even in line with centerline when leaned... I still have to consciously force myself to do it. To be sure I learned to do it I temporarily started riding with my ass pretty much planted centered with the seat and using ONLY my upper body/torso to lean into the corners.

Doing that, you either learn to lean your upper body into the corner or you don't lean into it at all, pushing the bike under even worse. And it takes miles and miles of seat time (which I never have gotten enough of) to get to the point that you actually put your upper body to the inside as in the last pic in the sequence BusaFever posted.

I'm back to the point that I'm sliding off the seat a little now along with upper body lean and I've adopted that basic technique of not tucking down in the corners, sitting up high and concentrating on getting my upper body to the inside. I actually visually reference my head and shoulder position in relation to the mirrors using my peripheral vision and how my arms are bent as I take corners.

As I said, I am still having to consciously make myself do it because I don't get enough miles and/or seat time ( read as: not enough repetitions) to truly burn it into muscle memory. Maybe some day...

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[BentValve]

Wow , thanks for the help guys, I feel like I am learning to golf , it is hard mental work to get good at it.
dont get me wrong I have been hanging my butt off since I started riding and I usually lead into the corner using my chin but I have NOT been letting my legs enough do of the work. Id probably have laid my Busa down by now if I did not hang my butt off. Ive put 4500 miles on it since May 30th and my commute to work is 6 blocks. Ive done some 200 and 300 miles trips but nothing more than that...lots of twisties though.
As I figured when I first got the Busa that it would take about 5K for me to get comfy with the bike...sure enough that is happening...I am ready to push the envelope.

Thanks for the advice, I have alot of fun work to do.


The figure 8s are a good idea

 

[BentValve]

I have a long list of things I have to constantly remind myself of, here are just a few off the top of my head.

Ive known this for years yet I still find myself death gripping now and again!

Looking way up the road or into the turn, not where you are but where you are going..this is hard to do
especially when another bike or car is in front of you. Its not easy to rely on peripheral vision to take
care of the immediate area. I know alot of guys stress this.

The SV was a pure naked bike with a dirtbike seating position, so this holding the upper body with my midsection
and lower back is a new thing and I like it because it also works in conjunction with the deathgrip problem.
I just remind myself to take the weight off the bars and no more deathgrip.


I'm back to the point that I'm sliding off the seat a little now along with upper body lean and I've adopted that basic technique of not tucking down in the corners, sitting up high and concentrating on getting my upper body to the inside. I actually visually reference my head and shoulder position in relation to the mirrors using my peripheral vision and how my arms are bent as I take corners.

As I said, I am still having to consciously make myself do it because I don't get enough miles and/or seat time ( read as: not enough repetitions) to truly burn it into muscle memory. Maybe some day... [/QUOTE]

Do you have a link to some more information on the teqnique you use to work on your form? I have not heard of that.
I do know that I tend to tuck onto the bike as I go into a corner. Even though it feels ok I am sure I am far from doing it properly.

 

[BentValve]

When I swing my butt to the left and right as I make my way thru some switchbacks I find it very hard to keep the Busa from bouncing all around. I never had this problem on my SV650.  The weight of the Busa is finally starting to show itself.

I cannot ride the twisties worth a crap on this bike.

What can I do?  Before you go off with the tweak your suspension routine lets just forget all that and say the Busa has no adjustable suspension.  I am looking for technique  advice.

Not to say that tweaking the suspension wont help but I am one of those that believes that its just a tweak...not a solution.\\


Oh yeah....and you could read once in awhile too. Take a look in the Racing section of the board...under "Twisties".

Get back on your SV and practice harder....seriously.

Either that, or get more familiar with your bike.

OR...you can do what you yourself said. Stop being a lazy-ass and ride the damned thing.

Technique is useless if you're too lazy to move your ass.

I ride alot more than your post wh0re ass does and work 45-50 hours a week on top of that.

Why dont you read the fv$$king post you quoted asshat.

And when I say I cant ride the Busa in the twisties ...you do not know to what degree do you? Uh no, I still might be able to smoke your ass in them even with my bad form.

If you want to keep on with your retalitory posting then go for it.

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[pure_ego]

When I swing my butt to the left and right as I make my way thru some switchbacks I find it very hard to keep the Busa from bouncing all around. I never had this problem on my SV650.  The weight of the Busa is finally starting to show itself.

I cannot ride the twisties worth a crap on this bike.

What can I do?  Before you go off with the tweak your suspension routine lets just forget all that and say the Busa has no adjustable suspension.  I am looking for technique  advice.

Not to say that tweaking the suspension wont help but I am one of those that believes that its just a tweak...not a solution.\\


Oh yeah....and you could read once in awhile too. Take a look in the Racing section of the board...under "Twisties".

Get back on your SV and practice harder....seriously.

Either that, or get more familiar with your bike.

OR...you can do what you yourself said. Stop being a lazy-ass and ride the damned thing.

Technique is useless if you're too lazy to move your ass.

I ride alot more than your post wh0re ass does and work 45-50 hours a week on top of that.

Why dont you read the fv$$king post you quoted asshat.

And when I say I cant ride the Busa in the twisties ...you do not know to what degree do you? Uh no, I still might be able to smoke your ass in them even with my bad form.

If you want to keep on with your retalitory posting then go for it.

now children lets settle down. Getting a bit too rowdy up in heaaa.

lol

Do some track days Bent Valve... theres one coming up July 25th @ VIR that i'm going to if your interested. it's thru cornerspeed.net lots of instructors will ride with ya.. and as long as you can take constructive critisim... you'll learn a lot.. Plus it would be nice to have some 'busa backup to combat the army of 600/1000's that are normally there.

FWIW.. it's hard not to listen to somebody that just passed ya on the outside in a turn.. while you thought you were moving on pretty good.. Then the next turn they turn around look at you, point at the correct apex while draggin a knee and pulling away from ya.. all the while still watchin to make sure you hit the apex, and were using correct form. ... haha.

 

[BentValve]

Yeah its been suggest to me before to try some track days and that it would help a great deal.

Thanks for the offer but VA is quite a ride!

Yep I kinda know where I am at because I have ridden with guys who have done alot of track days. But just following behind them and trying to keep up without going out of my limits is quite a learning experience in itself.

We do have some local tracks with track days..I will get one in this year if I can.

 

[mjn]

Wow, thats what I love about this site. Tons of good info! I don't move around a ton, I focus on being SMOOTH. With a bike this big that is a major key.
Don't worry pal, in a few weeks you'll have 1000 miles to perfect your style...all on some of the best roads in the northwest!!!
Can't wait!!!!

Hey, any others from the west side gonna join us?? C'mon! We're pushin 20 riders now, it's gonna be a blast!

 

[Cuffee]

There are some good points here. Thanks for the posts and adice.

 

[BusaFever]

When I swing my butt to the left and right as I make my way thru some switchbacks I find it very hard to keep the Busa from bouncing all around. I never had this problem on my SV650.  The weight of the Busa is finally starting to show itself.

I cannot ride the twisties worth a crap on this bike.

What can I do?  Before you go off with the tweak your suspension routine lets just forget all that and say the Busa has no adjustable suspension.  I am looking for technique  advice.

Not to say that tweaking the suspension wont help but I am one of those that believes that its just a tweak...not a solution.\\


Oh yeah....and you could read once in awhile too. Take a look in the Racing section of the board...under "Twisties".

Get back on your SV and practice harder....seriously.

Either that, or get more familiar with your bike.

OR...you can do what you yourself said. Stop being a lazy-ass and ride the damned thing.

Technique is useless if you're too lazy to move your ass.

I ride alot more than your post wh0re ass does and work 45-50 hours a week on top of that.

Why dont you read the fv$$king post you quoted asshat.

And when I say I cant ride the Busa in the twisties ...you do not know to what degree do you? Uh no, I still might be able to smoke your ass in them even with my bad form.

If you want to keep on with your retalitory posting then go for it.

You bi-polar or something?

 

[mongo]

 

Get low on your bike.  Keep your elbows bent, don't just ride stiff.  Don't just countersteer through the corner...  I mean push on the left bar to go left...  Use your body to steer the bike and put small inputs into the bars!   This is the secret man, body position is 90% of twistie riding....




-Bill

Bill

Can you clarify what you mean by small inputs to the steering. Are you trying to make a whole bunch of counter-steering "pulses" rather than a smooth steady push ? Thanks in advance