Cornering for dummies

[OB_Dirty Pete]

On good clean medium-rough pavement at 50 mph and over you can scrape your fairing on the right and your alternator cover on the left and not fall down.

Just remember to put your toes on the pegs or you'll hurt your foot.

Learning to trust your tires in the same way that IFR pilots learn to trust their instruments is the key to going around corners with some panache.

[This message has been edited by Dirty Pete (edited 13 April 2000).]

 

[OB_ianfila]

Be careful when dragging "hard" parts like your alternator cover. If you drag too hard, as i did, it moved the whole bike about one foot wide in the turn! Also makes for soiled underware.

 

[Guest]

This is pretty basic stuff (hopefully for everyone riding these sleds)

Assuming you have a relatively smooth, dry, dirt/sand free corner the key is RPM's! You will feel much more comfy if the clutch is out and the engine is making at least 5,000 RPM's. Conversly we all know that it is VERY uncomfy entering a turn then realizing you are going to fast! At that point "drag-peg" and pray, but don't straighten up and/or tap those brakes!

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Bob, my experience is that every time you're in a bad situation in a corner you just calmly lean it over harder and insist on holding control.

It's ALWAYS better to try to make the corner than to give up and run off into the weeds (not that you were suggesting that that was the way to go).

If you do it my way, you come out of the corner alive, and with increased trust in your tires.

It's amazing what tires will take.

I LOVE motorcycle tires.

 

[OB_Mystic]

I think Im gonna practice driving around in a circle. Any place in the world that has a bowl to ride in? I think that would be cool, just go round and round and round horizontal like.. but then that wouldnt be cornering..

 

[OB_Busadan]

Listen to Dirtypete he's right on this.

 

[OB_oddball]

Like Pete says, If I may simplify. If you get in a little to hot, lean a bit further into it. Don't be to concerned about posted corner speeds. Best thing I've found is to be FAMILIAR with the road before blasting down it.

[This message has been edited by oddball (edited 13 April 2000).]

 

[OB_insinu8]

I guess my question at this point is:
Is it better to over-lean and have the bike slide out from under you, or high side/run into the weeds? I would think the slide would be less damaging/frightening.

I ask this because unlike so many of you, I don't trust my tires. I really need to get out somewhere to run them hard in corners so I can learn this. I'm losing out on a huge part of what makes this bike fun to ride.

And before you ask, I still have the OEM tires on it, and yes, I'm planning to remedy that situation when they wear out. I've been told Pilots work the best but wear out fast. I'd like a balance between wear and traction. I'm not the knee dragger type, but getting the damn thing down into the corners is my goal. Recommendations?

 

[OB_stu]

I can,t believe this......

 

[OB_oddball]

insinu8, my experience and seemingly that of others is that it is not likely you will low side. I don't mean to say it is impossible, just not likely. Different roads, different types of corners, rider experience etc. dictate the likely hood of any kind of crash. New tires are a big step in gaining confidence on the Busa during cornering. I'm not a pro or anything, but I ride aggresively in the corners regularly. You shouldn't run hard in the corners until you've become confident overall of your abilities. Just don't try to much to fast. Any type of crash is lousy.

[This message has been edited by oddball (edited 13 April 2000).]

 

[OB_Velociraptor]

Since you live there in sunny CA I would suggest doing a riding school on a nice track. Far and away the best way to learn cornering and gain confidence in tires. After that getting the suspension properly adjusted really helps. Tires will also help a lot but improving cornering skills on a track helps more for beginners. I have a lot of confidence in my tires but little trust in public roads so I never push very hard on any public road. Sure, I will go through a 30mph at 75mph but I could go through at 85 or 90 if I wanted to. I save that effort for the track where conditions are more predictable and safer in the event of a crash.

 

[OB_Busadan]

Listen to Velociraptor, he's right on this.

 

[OB_Mystic]

I listen to all the very wise words here on WWW.HAYABUSA.ORG!!!!!!!! But, can you really listen to text messages? Baahahaha ha ha ha..... hmmm..

Thanks guys and gals.

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Go do a racing school. Even if you're a fingertips rider you'll come back from school with your tires shredded and balled out past the edge and you can go strut around the local hangout and not say a word and know that every other sport bike rider's tongue is hanging out to dry.

GO RIDE A SCHOOL! What are we talkin'...$200 for local instruction?!

Go, and come back a better rider.

 

[OB_FalconCOP161]

I have Great trust in my new set of MEZ3's,as much as I do with my Sig-229, or my Glock, ya just gotta watch the friggin,gravel,diesel fuel,and plain Ol' Shitt on the road.
but DP is right, on a good road way, just show more trust in your tires, and you can lean like a pro.

161 ®

 

[OB_Mystic]

When your out ridin on the streets and you come up to a corner that has a posted turning speedlimit that says '25 mhp' what could the busa do? is there a simple 'posted limit/busa limit' formula? Like I have gone 50 around a 25 before with some room to spare. whats some real world figures without scrapin footpegs?

 

[OB_JohnC]

I've found it depends on the state. Ohio is very conservative. You can easily double the posted, and add another 10-20mph. In NY, or WV it's more like 10-20mph over posted. I never scrape, and I'm riding 7/10's rules.