It just is not obvious to me why the felt lean-angle is so much different (lesser) than the real one. I've been back on the bike (848, Hypermotard) for a year now (had a >10 years break in between). I picked a warm and dry day and started to carve some curves in a calm spot outside the city. This is what I got...
Before, I put some chalk-strokes on the rear tire to be able to check afterwards how far I went on each side. I expected some (a few mm) of the chalk to be left, but not 1cm on both sides. While riding it felt like I was "lean-god" But the chalk tells a different story. I've confidence in the bike, the grip of the tires, the road was clean... still didn't get all the way to the edge.
At least I know now that I've still some headroom left for emergency situations. But I don't know if I could actually use it, as my brain hints me "This is all I will ever do!".
I don't want to force it, but some method to get beyond this mental threshold would be nice. How did you folks challenge this?
Best regards...
MacSlow
__________________
Die of exhaustion... not of boredom!
First, the practical answer is, why worry about it? Ride within your limits and enjoy yourself. That matters a whole lot more than your chicken strip.
Then second answer is that the size of your strip isn't always the same as your speed through a given corner. Staying smooth through a corner will have you be faster and use less tire. Turning a corner into 3, yanking the bike down into the corner, and other rough riding will use more of the tire but not be as fast.
The third answer is to do some track days and/or get some instruction.
Doesn't look in the video like your doing anything wrong, just try to go a little faster. You will then have to lean it over a bit more to get around the turn. Also, are you hanging off? If so then next time through the turns keep the same speed but don't hang off at all. Stay upright in the seat and lean the whole bike. I know for a fact both the 848 and the Hyper will lean way over with no drama, you just need to do it.
In the turns you see in the video I did not hang off at all. Usually I do that (or at least push the shoulder way into the corner) to keep the bike as upright as possible. I do that mostly because I think to myself I'll not fall as hard in case of unexpected gravel/oil/dirt/sand/whatever, because I'm "closer" to the ground. Yeah, it's stupid... but that's just an odd habbit I have... which I'm working on getting rid of. So I don't hang off because I want to be fast. After all this is on public roads
During those turns I sat completely upright, aligned with the bike. I'm starting to feel good with that way of taking corners. But feeling-wise I know I'm not all there yet.
Next time I'll try to bump the speed a bit in order to get a bit lower.
Best regards...
MacSlow
__________________
Die of exhaustion... not of boredom!
It just is not obvious to me why the felt lean-angle is so much different (lesser) than the real one. I've been back on the bike (848, Hypermotard) for a year now (had a >10 years break in between). I picked a warm and dry day and started to carve some curves in a calm spot outside the city. This is what I got...
Before, I put some chalk-strokes on the rear tire to be able to check afterwards how far I went on each side. I expected some (a few mm) of the chalk to be left, but not 1cm on both sides. While riding it felt like I was "lean-god" But the chalk tells a different story. I've confidence in the bike, the grip of the tires, the road was clean... still didn't get all the way to the edge.
At least I know now that I've still some headroom left for emergency situations. But I don't know if I could actually use it, as my brain hints me "This is all I will ever do!".
I don't want to force it, but some method to get beyond this mental threshold would be nice. How did you folks challenge this?
Best regards...
MacSlow
Mac....the trick is not to let the brain entertain fear. It's telling you not to lean because something bad will happen. It's a defense mechanism that is wired into all of us. The first thing you must do is accept getting hurt. No way you'll ever be a fast guy and run with the big dogs if you are scared to get hurt. Once you accept you will suffer some pain in the learning process...then you train the brain. Don't listen to the defense mechanism. Little by little go past what the brain says....and pretty soon the brain won't be telling you that anymore. It works. Take baby steps...and increase the risk little by little.
Now if you have made up your mind that you ARE NOT falling off this bike......then you gotta get comfortable on the porch with the puppies...while the big dogs blaze by. It's all just a matter of desire.
are you talking about the front or rear tire? for arguments sake, the front tire is more difficult to wear on the edges on the road.. i've only done that on the race track.. what's your tire pressure? if you take more pressure out of your tire you'll create a bigger contact patch on the road surface, therefore, wearing more edges of your tire..
for whatever it's worth, forget how your tires look and worry more about how your grin looks after riding such amazing motorcycles..
I gotta concur and say "who cares?" about what your tire looks like. Anyone who is riding just to look cool and lean further than needed is #1 slower than needed and #2 an accident waiting to happen. In my book, that's a squid.
Now, if you are really interested in becoming a better and more confident rider vs. just posing and trying to look cool...then I agree with Hazzbin that you should for sure book a few track days with instruction and work on your skills in an environment that is as safe a possible, e.g. no oncoming cars, a known and controlled environment, and in full safety gear.
And for god's sake, don't listen to macho dudes telling about "running with big dogs" and "accept getting hurt". This is your life man, not some reality TV show. Very bad things can and will happen if you push yourself too hard beyond the limit, as I'm sure we all know.
I gotta concur and say "who cares?" about what your tire looks like. Anyone who is riding just to look cool and lean further than needed is #1 slower than needed and #2 an accident waiting to happen. In my book, that's a squid.
Now, if you are really interested in becoming a better and more confident rider vs. just posing and trying to look cool...then I agree with Hazzbin that you should for sure book a few track days with instruction and work on your skills in an environment that is as safe a possible, e.g. no oncoming cars, a known and controlled environment, and in full safety gear.
And for god's sake, don't listen to macho dudes telling about "running with big dogs" and "accept getting hurt". This is your life man, not some reality TV show. Very bad things can and will happen if you push yourself too hard beyond the limit, as I'm sure we all know.
I have seen the fear of injury affect riders on dirt bikes when I watch them abandon ship and throw away bikes too early. I am not sure this applies here though where speeds and consequences are higher. One thing to mention is that in good conditions on good roads and tires, the bike will be giving you gentle warnings when you begin to push things too far.
I am not sure that the size of your strips is a good measure of your ride enjoyment, but more a fearful measure of what others might think of you.
Redwood is about 5 mins from my house...love riding it mid-week, but I avoid it like the plague on the weekends. Between road bikers, squids, harleys, and soccer moms going to Chabot, there is way too much traffic there on the weekends.
BTW, if you do ride it on weekends, watch out for a motorcycle cop who likes to hang on Skyline just West of that intersection right below the crest of Skyline as you are coming downhill. You won't see him until its too late and he'll wave you over for a nice speeding ticket. Can't believe that road is 35 MPH right there.
But the chalk tells a different story. I've confidence in the bike, the grip of the tires, the road was clean... still didn't get all the way to the edge.
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