Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Posthumane said :

It is also completely unneccesary unless you are trying to achieve the highest rate of lean (ie, go from no lean to full lean in 0.x seconds).

That is the crux of the issue. Nowhere but on a track (and at a very high level at that) is hanging off beneficial in a turn. You just don't need to change the lean angle that fast anywhere else. Back when I used to race AMA club, you'd get laughed off the track riding like that. Perhaps things are different at the tracks these days, but the physics hasn't changed much.

If you think that hanging off the bike is helping your turns, then there's something wrong with the way you learned to take a curve. There is no way that it should be helpful or beneficial to do that on the street.

I told myself I was not going to ever post about this again, but I'm hoping that you'll really go back and evaluate Posthumane's comments.

flynrider wrote: If you think that hanging off the bike is helping your turns, then there's something wrong with the way you learned to take a curve. There is no way that it should be helpful or beneficial to do that on the street.

I lean into turns a bit myself. Which is to say, my but stays planted and my shoulders go a bit left or right. It helps a bit with really tight corners that I'm taking to fast. Plus it keeps my upper body moving around a bit so I don't stiffen up.

Sevulturus wrote:

flynrider wrote: If you think that hanging off the bike is helping your turns, then there's something wrong with the way you learned to take a curve. There is no way that it should be helpful or beneficial to do that on the street.

I lean into turns a bit myself. Which is to say, my but stays planted and my shoulders go a bit left or right. It helps a bit with really tight corners that I'm taking to fast. Plus it keeps my upper body moving around a bit so I don't stiffen up.

I have to ask though, is it the minimal weight transfer that makes the difference, or the fact you've moved into a slightly more comfortable position for the counter steering.

What kind of bike do you have verm?

As general advice you really have to be careful in the gravel on a motorcycle, with just 2 small contact patches, you just don't have a lot of grip on a slippery surface.

I found if you are into the gravel, don't use the front brakes, use the rear, keep the bike upright and back off on the throttle (obviously). I went through gravel at 120km/h with full rear brakes on and it was unnerving, but me and the bike were fine at the end of the 100' trench the rear tire dug...

Mike

VermilionX wrote:yes, i dropped it.

it was a very dumb mistake...

i was about to park my bike on the canyons. i went through some gravel w/ too much speed. totally lost the front and BAM! it dropped and slid since it was downhill. i actually felt my feet get in between the bike and ground but i wasn't hurt. got up immediately and cursed at my stupidity.

bike's right side got scratched up and my frame slider got bent. no plastic was broken this time though.

anyway, got some pics here from the ride.

christian's R6 w/ my bike.



action shot.



interesting thing... christian was also the person i rode w/ when i crashed in the canyons on my previous bike.

but overall, it was a very fun ride minus my stupid mistake.


damage pics...