Total Motorcycle Community Forums

storysunfolding Thank you, I've been leaning my face closer to my mirror on the turns and it really helps. I still have a lot to learn, thanks for the help.

If you want to learn it the right way without picking up bad habits look for a more performance oriented class. The Lee Parks Total control will teach you 100 tips like that in just one day with hands on, making sure you are doing it right, instruction. There's only so much you can learn from the web.

shane-o wrote:
what do you expect when you ride something that resembles and rides like a hippopotamus with sticks shoved in its ears.

Hahahahahhahahahahahah

TroubledMind wrote:In turns and corners I keep either dragging the pegs or my heel while leaning, am I leaning too far for my bike or is there something different I should be doing? I ride a 2007 v-star 650 custom.

If you are scraping pegs, try slowing down a bit for the curves.

I know people who love to lean their cruisers that far to make the pegs spark on the pavement.

Never mind shane-o....he just does not recognize a nice bike.

Most cruisers have little ground clearance. Some seem to drag hard parts when they cross a shadow. Its characteristic of most cruisers.

There is one 'fix' that frequently helps. When cornering hard allow you body to follw the lean as normal. However, try to keep your head and eyes level. This is simply a 'neck up' technique with no other shoulder or upper body movement. Having level eyes and head tends to keep the bike a little more upright, with less draggin bits...

If you are scraping heels, check your foot placement. COrrect placement is usually balls of the feet on the pegs.

there are a couple of things you can do.

1. reduce speed before going into the turn, lean, then apply some throttle and keep adding more throttle as you pass the apex. this accomplishes 2 things at once: stabilizes the lean and path of travel and raises your suspension allowing for more clearance.

2. if you really want to take turns fast on a cruiser, learn to hang off. the technique can get tricky but it really lets you pull off sportbike-like turns without scraping pegs. just make sure you spend a lot of time practicing before trying it on the twisties.

reference: Proficient Motorcycling - David L. Hough

I know people who love to lean their cruisers that far to make the pegs spark on the pavement.

Yeah we used to put something on bottom of peg for this purpose. I think it was magnesium or maybe carbide. Threw sparks like crazy but that was 20 years ago.

Boy you must really be leaning into the curves or taking them too fast. I’ve got a 2004 650 V Star Custom, which happens to be a wonderful bike and looks great by the way, and have never dragged a peg. I think others have given you good suggestions. Nothing I can add to the list except to reiterate slowing down then throttle up in the curve.

the last time i draged a peg i went down with my wife on the back, havent done it since, use to do it all the time for fun, but going down changes it from fun to ohh crap