Wide Sweeping Turns - a question

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redwing · #1 Post by **redwing** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:15 pm

Tonight I was riding on a road with wide sweeping turnes. I have driven this road many times in my car and at speeds over 70 mph.
On my bike I was going bout 55 mph and decided to see how fast 4000 rpms would move me in sixth gear. So I accelerated to 70 mph (less than 4000 rpms) and moving into this wide sweeping turn felt as if the bike wanted to stand up. I think the speed could have been more but found the bike wanting to stand up made me slow down. At less than 65 mph the bike became stable and tracked through the turn as expected. The force to stand the bike up was not great but didn't seem right.
My question is --
When in a turn at freeway speeds, should I have to hold the bike in the turn?
I thought once the bike was set for a turn it just tracked through the turn. But the experience suggests I have to hold the bike in the turn by perhaps slightly counter steering throuh the turn. Not to increase my lean or turning radus but simply just to maintain my turning radus.

Maybe I should have leaned more but I think my lean was good.

mgdavis · #2 Post by **mgdavis** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 4:01 am

Push and lean. The faster you go, the more force it takes. It's all part of the learning curve.

#3 Post by **Wrider** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:39 pm

That but it could be your tires too... If the force was a lot, check your tires for cupping. I got to ride a R1200RT today and that thing just SAILED into the corners with no problems. Didn't get up to 70 on it but at low and medium speeds it was no problem.

redwing · #4 Post by **redwing** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:03 pm

Is cupping a tire wear term? What would cupping look like?

mgdavis · #5 Post by **mgdavis** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:19 am

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

#6 Post by **storysunfolding** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:03 pm

Sounds to me like you pressed your comfort zone. Typically when we do that we tense up and the outside arm fights the steering inputs from the inside arm. 70 mph should not feel any more significant than 65 when it comes to steering inputs. Just a little more press to compensate for your speed

redwing · #7 Post by **redwing** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:47 pm

Thanks for the web sight mgdavis.
I think your right storysunfolding. Just a small correction to complete the turn.