Lean Angle

[RhadamYgg]

Do you ever do any parking lot practice? I know NJ is crowded but surely you can find a nice empty (or empty area) of parking lot somewhere around there. Get yourself a few cheap cones - just 1 will do but if you have like 5, better. Go do some circles - start out slow and move up in speed until you're leaning over more and more. Keep conscious of your body as you've been advised, and you'll figure it out.

There are definitely businesses near by that I can use their parking lots. The big problem with them is that some have islands all over the place.

No, my problem is time constriction. 4 kids, with twins still under 6 months old definitely reduces time to practice.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

Oh, and I'm sure I have big chicken strips but I don't really give a damn. I go quickly enough through turns to keep me happy (and traffic off my "O Ring") and that's all that matters to me.

I don't care too much about chicken strips... But doing turns well enough not to be eaten alive by cagers - most of the time I'm good, but sometimes I get a little nervous.

This is my major issue.

Of course, it is a safety issue even beyond that, because mistakes happen and I need to be able to lean more than usual - or do whatever is necessary when I've come in to a turn too hot.

[High_Side]

So, I experimented a little today with some turns.

I noticed that when I lean the bike, I'm leaning the bike, only. My torso is actually fighting the lean and keeping my torso perpendicular to the road.

You are actually focusing too much on the leaning of the bike instead of getting it around the corner more effectively.

Try hanging one cheek off the seat, sticking your knee out (you are a long way from touching it down - don't worry), leaning forward and looking forward through the turn. The first few times it will feel wierd but then you will start to get more comfortable cornering. You will be keeping your c of g low while keeping more tire on the ground by having the bike more upright. Go in slow in and a gear too high and use the throttle to maintain your line by increasing your speed through the corner (learning this on a B-King has got to me more difficult than using a more balanced low powered bike). As you gain confidence the lean angle will come. And remember: Chicken strips are not important - gaining skills and confidence is.

Hmmm... I really hate going in to turns in too high a gear. The bike feels too 'light' if that makes any sense. But I definitely can try it. Check off, knee out, higher gear.

Just need time to practice.

O.K. not too much focus on knee out, I'm just trying to get you to lean in the right direction, more than the bike. The "slightly too high of gear" is so you don't upset the bike with engine braking or jerky throttle movements mid-corner. Go in way slow and accelerate slightly through the corner. This will help. And as you said: more time to practice.

[JC Viper]

You take the George Washington Bridge and you find fear in leaning further?

[RhadamYgg]

Different kinds of fear. I use the Tappan Zee Bridge, Henry Hudson, George Washington Bridge and the Driscol bridge fairly regularly.

Personally, in terms of fear - the Tappan Zee Bridge is a big PITA. Crosswinds, poor pavement, groved pavement, lap bumps ever 35 feet and near the west end going west, the top cover of pavement is all broken up making for a less secure ride.

The Henry Hudson is short, but there is nothing blocking the wind around it - and the cross winds are hell (sometimes). I haven't noticed as much with the B-King than with the Ninja 250.

The Driscol Bridge can sometimes be scary - you just seem to be going up forever and people jockey for lane position for the tolls at the bottom on the Southbound side.

GWB is short, regular pavement - partially blocked from the wind - the only real thing to worry about are the people that do not know what is the correct lane to be and wander all over the place.

Leaning - is a different kind of fear.

I'll learn, I'm sure. Maybe not this year as things are coming pretty much to a close and I'm not as motivated to freeze my "O Ring" off this year as last year.

[JC Viper]

The new issue of Visor Down (available at Barnes & Noble) has an article on leaning and how to properly get into it. This is a British publication and those riders over there know their stuff and it's thickness with plenty of articles is well worth the $10 per issue... most of the time.

[king robb]

Do you ever do any parking lot practice? I know NJ is crowded but surely you can find a nice empty (or empty area) of parking lot somewhere around there. Get yourself a few cheap cones - just 1 will do but if you have like 5, better. Go do some circles - start out slow and move up in speed until you're leaning over more and more. Keep conscious of your body as you've been advised, and you'll figure it out.

There are definitely businesses near by that I can use their parking lots. The big problem with them is that some have islands all over the place.

No, my problem is time constriction. 4 kids, with twins still under 6 months old definitely reduces time to practice.

RhadamYgg

Dude, if you want to develop a skill, and not endanger yourself in traffic, you will practice.

if you have 2 hours to ride...spend a half hour of it doing progerssively smaller figure eights in a parking lot...the results will come.

[RhadamYgg]

The new issue of Visor Down (available at Barnes & Noble) has an article on leaning and how to properly get into it. This is a British publication and those riders over there know their stuff and it's thickness with plenty of articles is well worth the $10 per issue... most of the time.

You know, sometimes it seems like all the magazines in the UK are better tan the US. Especially the ones on Computer Graphics. I'll have to see if I can pick that mag up.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

Do you ever do any parking lot practice? I know NJ is crowded but surely you can find a nice empty (or empty area) of parking lot somewhere around there. Get yourself a few cheap cones - just 1 will do but if you have like 5, better. Go do some circles - start out slow and move up in speed until you're leaning over more and more. Keep conscious of your body as you've been advised, and you'll figure it out.

There are definitely businesses near by that I can use their parking lots. The big problem with them is that some have islands all over the place.

No, my problem is time constriction. 4 kids, with twins still under 6 months old definitely reduces time to practice.

RhadamYgg

Dude, if you want to develop a skill, and not endanger yourself in traffic, you will practice.

if you have 2 hours to ride...spend a half hour of it doing progerssively smaller figure eights in a parking lot...the results will come.

Valid point taken. Ughh I hate figure 8s on the B. Next time we get a noob out here wanting to buy a supersport 600cc+ bike we need to mention the fact that it is very hard to do figure 8s and learn skills on such a big bike (and even the 600cc bikes are big for figure 8s, because of the high center of gravity which makes them flickable, but not so good in slow speed turns).

At least for me, anyway.
Although, I bet figure 8s would be easier on a 600cc sport bike than a 1340cc monster.

RhadamYgg

[jstark47]

Although, I bet figure 8s would be easier on a 600cc sport bike than a 1340cc monster.

Figure 8's are even easier on a dual sport with wide bars, good lock-to-lock steering motion, short wheelbase and upright seating.

Practicing low speed turns, figure 8's, etc. is always good, but I gotta point out a fundamental difference: at very low speeds, you're counter weighting in turns - if you're moving your weight off the bike's center axis, you're doing it towards the outside of the turn. This is true any time you're going below minimum speed for countersteering (varies from bike to bike). In high speed cornering, you're shifting weight towards the inside of the turn.

Different techniques for different tasks. Both should be practiced.