Leaning your bike

[harry04]

As the nice weather has bought hot sticky roads and hot sticky tyres :)
ive been increasing my lean angle bends more and more.

I've got about3/4 of an inch from the rim but before i could get to the very edge as i found out the other day my footpegs scraped along the ground before i got to the edge of my tyre. Anybody else found this?

My front tyre however is 4mm or so from the edge.

Just wondered if others found this too?

[barwel1992]

nope, i have no chicken strips on the back and about 5-10mm on the front with avon storms but that could be due to the rear been 38mm higher and having race rear sets, although when i had stock suspension and stock rear sets never seemed to have the pegs grind out but i didn't ride that fast then

how heavy are you ? stock suspension ?

[rotax81]

depends on the tyre fitted.

[jamesterror]

It maybe your positioning as you lean, do you sit on the seat still or move over off the seat slightly?

I scraped my foot pegs once but that was on an incline roundabout on the edge of the tyre.

[trumpet]

Had dunlops, mich pilots an now bridgstone 023s never have chicken strips dos'nt quite touch down and the gladius has low pegs

[mister c]

depends on the tyre fitted.
+1
Tyre profiles are different.

[-Ralph-]

My pegs deck out before the tyre reaches the edge too, just the tyre profile you have fitted, don't worry about it.

[ThEGr33k]

+1
Tyre profiles are different.


Certainly. With Pilot Road 2's id get to the edge of the front and have a fair amount of rear left on the SV. Rare that I scrapped the pegs, but I weigh nothing so maybe I didnt compress the suspension enough? :rolleyes:

[Dave20046]

As has been said 100% the tyres, my old dunlop d208rs had fat chicken strips on but I'd been scraping my toes (naked though so slightly lower pegs) first day I fitted avon storms I had the rear right over to the edge. I've had the front and back tyre right over on my 650s and only scraped a toe once.

[_Stretchie_]

Really? How long are the hero blobs on your pegs?

Not taking the mick, never had an SV but on the four bikes I have had I've never had this.

[paiste]

Not got any chicken strips on my rear, about 5 mm on the front. However I have never scraped my footpeg on the floor :rolleyes:
Tyres are Maxxis supermaxx

[Kat1986]

This happened to me alot last year. The pegs will lift a little when they touch down as they are on hinges so I still managed to get to the edges of the tyre. But be careful; I had a big crash at the end of last year when I leant over too far and the pegs couldn't lift any more so they dug in to the road and lifted the bike. I have a longer shock now and gixer forks which don't bottom out like the stock forks do, maybe you could do this if you are finding that the footpegs are holding you back from riding faster? You could also get adjustable rearsets but they are not cheap.

[lukemillar]

This happened to me alot last year. The pegs will lift a little when they touch down as they are on hinges so I still managed to get to the edges of the tyre. But be careful; I had a big crash at the end of last year when I leant over too far and the pegs couldn't lift any more so they dug in to the road and lifted the bike. I have a longer shock now and gixer forks which don't bottom out like the stock forks do, maybe you could do this if you are finding that the footpegs are holding you back from riding faster? You could also get adjustable rearsets but they are not cheap.

That happened to me a couple of times on my SV as well. People always talk about grinding pegs, but the few times I did, I almost ended up on my @ss!

[-Ralph-]

Yep, same story. Best not to take an SV that far over unless you have adjustable rearsets, you tip into a bend with not qualms at all about grip, etc, but you got a bit further than usual and suddenly your on your ar$e. Luckily when I did it I had soft panniers on, so the bike slid along on those, but they were brand new first time on the bike and it holed them. Otherwise just a graze to the fairing, a damaged peg obviously, snapped off gear lever, grazed bar end and smashed front indicator.

I have a longer 338mm shock now too, and took the hero blobs off, but since that accident I haven't really had the confidence to lean that far again.

My OEM Dunlop D220's had no chicken strips and at that point I had never had the pegs down.

[Kat1986]

I wasn't so lucky, the last time mine dug in I was doing 70mph and there were no top boxes to slide along on... pretty much every bit on the right side of the bike was smashed. Lot's of fun for my boyfriend to repair it over the winter :-)

[gruntygiggles]

Did the owner before you lower the pegs for comfort maybe? Other than that I would listen to what others are saying about tyre profiles. By the end of the second day on the babyblade, the tyres were used right to the edge, but I was nowhere near peg down. 5 days later, peg went down. I think the pegs are quite low on the babyblade, but deffo tyres to the edge before peg down with new Avon Storms on (I think it's them...the sports ones...girlie moment ;-) )

I wouldn't worry about it...but everyone has advised me, quite rightly to back off, so I'm not doing those lean angles again, I won't know how to control the bike should something go really wrong.

[gruntygiggles]

Yep, same story. Best not to take an SV that far over unless you have adjustable rearsets, you tip into a bend with not qualms at all about grip, etc, but you got a bit further than usual and suddenly your on your ar$e. Luckily when I did it I had soft panniers on, so the bike slid along on those, but they were brand new first time on the bike and it holed them. Otherwise just a graze to the fairing, a damaged peg obviously, snapped off gear lever, grazed bar end and smashed front indicator.

I have a longer 338mm shock now too, and took the hero blobs off, but since that accident I haven't really had the confidence to lean that far again.

My OEM Dunlop D220's had no chicken strips and at that point I had never had the pegs down.

I wasn't so lucky, the last time mine dug in I was doing 70mph and there were no top boxes to slide along on... pretty much every bit on the right side of the bike was smashed. Lot's of fun for my boyfriend to repair it over the winter :-)


I am very glad a few days before it happened, Dan showed me how ot sit on the bike, grip with outside knee...not have any weight on inside peg, so it just lifted a little and was on a roundabout....so I was lucky and not taking the chance again.

[-Ralph-]

I wouldn't worry about it...but everyone has advised me, quite rightly to back off, so I'm not doing those lean angles again, I won't know how to control the bike should something go really wrong.

You don't need to worry about controlling the bike if something goes wrong at peg down kind of lean angles, you just need to decide whether to hold onto the bike or let go. Depends what kind of mess the weight of the bike is making of your foot, ankle, knee and hip really ;)

I used to pick my feet up onto the pegs for steep corners. Now I just leave them where they are and my toes touch down first, that's my warning to say you've gone over far enough. Still scares the sh!t out of me for first couple of each months of summer, "arrrgh, WTF just touched my boot? Oh, it was the road"

[flymo]

some tyre profiles simply wont allow you to reach the edge.

My rear tyre never wears right to the edge of the profile and believe me there is no more lean at all. Forget about it and enjoy the bike.

[gruntygiggles]

You don't need to worry about controlling the bike if something goes wrong at peg down kind of lean angles, you just need to decide whether to hold onto the bike or let go. Depends what kind of mess the weight of the bike is making of your foot, ankle, knee and hip really ;)

I used to pick my feet up onto the pegs for steep corners. Now I just leave them where they are and my toes touch down first, that's my warning to say you've gone over far enough. Still scares the sh!t out of me for first couple of each months of summer, "arrrgh, WTF just touched my boot? Oh, it was the road"


Yeah...foot touched friday, peg Saturday........tbh, it scared me for the shock factor, but I just opened the throttle a fraction and it sat the bike up enough to bring the peg off the ground. I'd rather not go for such a lean angle, but if it happens, I'd rather use this method than panic and throttle off or brake.

Oh...and if the situation ever arises....I'll be pushing the bike as far away from me as possible....don't want to be going with it ;-)

Edited in bold as I am not giving advice with this... I am in no position to....just saying what I'd rather do.

[-Ralph-]

I am very glad a few days before it happened, Dan showed me how ot sit on the bike, grip with outside knee...not have any weight on inside peg, so it just lifted a little and was on a roundabout....so I was lucky and not taking the chance again.

You don't need to have weight on the inside peg to be unlucky, you just need the peg to catch on an uneven bit of tarmac or something, or your boot to get a bit jammed and the peg stops lifting. If you are going to go to that angle regularly, take the hero blobs off, they are just dangerous IMO. It's very rare if you are leaning off correctly that you'd need to touch pegs down anyway, so it's not like your going so far so regularly that you need the hero blobs as a warning of your lean angle. Plenty of times I've followed other riders who are scraping pegs and I'm nowhere near it, but doing the same speed. There was a guy that used to be in SVEcosse that counterleaned on bike so badly from behind it looked like he was trying to lay the bike gently down on the tarmac, whilst staying as far away from the tarmac himself as possible. Similarly I've been on Madlanders rideouts behind people who have their knee down on every steep bend and roundabout, and I'm only leaning off at the shoulders, without having shifted my ar$e at all.

Lean angle and chicken strips say more about the rider than they do about speed round corners. Another guy in SVEcosse, Exi, was seriously quick (!) but he always had 1/2 inch chicken strips.

[simesb]

but I just opened the throttle a fraction and it sat the bike up enough to bring the peg off the ground.

On a constant radius, opening the throttle should make the bike lean more, not less (I know it is not quite that simple, but in principal). You probably had some sub-concious steering input too.

[flymo]

if it all goes tits up at full lean you'll be lucky if you get more than a millisecond to think about it

[lukemillar]

One thing I have noticed is since starting racing is I lean less for a given speed.

I think a lot of riders tend to lean more than they need to just to get rid of chicken strips, knee down etc.!

[-Ralph-]

if it all goes tits up at full lean you'll be lucky if you get more than a millisecond to think about it

I didn't even know it was happening. Everything was fine, I was enjoying a tight bend, and bam (!) I was sliding along the deck thinking WTF happened? Usually when you come off a bike if you are not thrown clear, then you feel the impact as the bike hits the deck, didn't even feel that. It was like the bike didn't fall any distance at all, it just rolled over onto my leg. I suppose that is exactly what happened with my foot and peg as the pivot point.

[gruntygiggles]

You don't need to have weight on the inside peg to be unlucky, you just need the peg to catch on an uneven bit of tarmac or something, or your boot to get a bit jammed and the peg stops lifting. If you are going to go to that angle regularly, take the hero blobs off, they are just dangerous IMO. It's very rare if you are leaning off correctly that you'd need to touch pegs down anyway, so it's not like your going so far so regularly that you need the hero blobs as a warning of your lean angle. Plenty of times I've followed other riders who are scraping pegs and I'm nowhere near it, but doing the same speed. There was a guy that used to be in SVEcosse that counterleaned on bike so badly from behind it looked like he was trying to lay the bike gently down on the tarmac, whilst staying as far away from the tarmac himself as possible. Similarly I've been on Madlanders rideouts behind people who have their knee down on every steep bend and roundabout, and I'm only leaning off at the shoulders, without having shifted my ar$e at all.

Lean angle and chicken strips say more about the rider than they do about speed round corners. Another guy in SVEcosse, Exi, was seriously quick (!) but he always had 1/2 inch chicken strips.


Agreed.......and this is why I have backed off. I find that moving a little bit by sitting back and sliding keeps the bike more stable, but I'm too new to be trying this out on the roads, s I'm just backing off the pace a bit for a while.

I get your point about the tarmac though......another reason to back off a bit. I'd rather use body positioning to get the same speed through a corner without having to lean the bike that far...I just think it would be miles safer that way, but one step at a time or I'll end up on the floor!

[flymo]

One thing I have noticed is since starting racing is I lean less for a given speed.

I think a lot of riders tend to lean more than they need to just to get rid of chicken strips, knee down etc.!

I found this too, I think it may because when racing your intentions eventually change from wanting to lean the bike lower to wanting to keep the bike more upright for longer in order to carry more corner speed.

The whole knee down desire thing vanishes pretty quickly and you end up using your knee more routinely in certain corners to gauge the position of the ground.

I had a fairly fast off from full lean at the end of last year and there was f'all I could do about it, certainly no time to decide how I was getting off. I knew it was coming though, you can sense that 2 or 3 mph over teh top during approach to the apex.

[Daimo]

I had the Bandit scrape pegs this week for the first time ever.

Funny thing was I wasn't riding that hard, nor leaning off as i was in my textiles. Nice big scrape on my boot and a grinded peg now.

Tyres right at the edge, but the fronts no-where near.

[Daimo]

One thing I have noticed is since starting racing is I lean less for a given speed.

I think a lot of riders tend to lean more than they need to just to get rid of chicken strips, knee down etc.!


Not so much for me, but the trackdays i've done (my mid corner speed is shocking, something im working on), but heres me going round a bend with the people in front hanging off, bike leant right over grinding knees. Meanwhile im a good few inches off the floor catching them hand over fist mid bend....?

I find I actually ride faster without trying to look good :lol:

[Stig]

Take 'hero blobs' off. Job sorted.

[G]

Take 'hero blobs' off. Job sorted.

Fact of the day...

When your hero blobs are touching the ground on a pointy SV on standard Dunlop profile tyres...the standard exhaust can is less than 1cm from hitting the tarmac.

So I would wager that removing the blobs is a bad idea and could result in exhuast to tarmac interface... followed by **** to tarmac interface lol

Forget your chicken strips and lean off more.

I did a trackday on standard dunlop tyres on my pointy sv and still had chicken strips afterwards despite various highspeed peg scraping... I did have a non standard can on though.

[lukemillar]

I found this too, I think it may because when racing your intentions eventually change from wanting to lean the bike lower to wanting to keep the bike more upright for longer in order to carry more corner speed.

The whole knee down desire thing vanishes pretty quickly and you end up using your knee more routinely in certain corners to gauge the position of the ground.

I lift mine up now. When I first started trackdays, I used to put weight on it, whereas now it really is a skim. I have had the same set of sliders for 3 years!


I find I actually ride faster without trying to look good :lol:

That's it in a nutshell! Bragging rights, cool pics etc! I've seen guys stand on the brakes coming up to a corner, shift their @ss over, tip the bike in at a snails pace trailing a knee all the way round, before standing it upright and gassing it out! Then someone rides around the outside, carrying twice the amount of speed...

[Stig]

Fact of the day...

When your hero blobs are touching the ground on a pointy SV on standard Dunlop profile tyres...the standard exhaust can is less than 1cm from hitting the tarmac.

So I would wager that removing the blobs is a bad idea and could result in exhuast to tarmac interface... followed by **** to tarmac interface lol

Forget your chicken strips and lean off more.

I did a trackday on standard dunlop tyres on my pointy sv and still had chicken strips afterwards despite various highspeed peg scraping... I did have a non standard can on though.

I didn't say it was clever or a wise idea. :wink:

I just tried to access the site where I have a picture of one of my pegs on the SV worn down without hero blobs, but I can't access the site from work. Stupid BT restrictions. I hasten to add, I didn't remove them for the sole reason of getting lower on the bike. It fell off and I couldn't be bothered with replacing it. :)

[Stig]

My old YZF. :)

[-Ralph-]

Fact of the day...

When your hero blobs are touching the ground on a pointy SV on standard Dunlop profile tyres...the standard exhaust can is less than 1cm from hitting the tarmac.

So I would wager that removing the blobs is a bad idea and could result in exhuast to tarmac interface... followed by **** to tarmac interface lol

A hero blob won't stop the exhaust touching down. A fully folded peg and the standard can are probably touching at about the same time, and if you go out to your SV and fold the pegs up by hand, you'll see that the hero blob is no longer pointing out the way anyway, it's pointing more backwards, so on a fully folded peg is doing nothing to reduce clearance. All the hero blobs does is warn you when you are getting there, it doesn't prevent it from happening

That is all assuming you're going to lean that extra 1cm in the first place, which must be the best part of another 10 degrees, in which case you're pretty close to coming off anyway. Doesn't matter whether pegs to tarmac interface, or exhaust to tarmac interface levers your tyre of the ground, it's same result, but with hero blobs on it's just likely to happen at a lesser lean angle, and when you expect (or deserve) it less. For people with long legs and big feet the peg doesn't fold that well anyway, so the hero blob just becomes a danger. Also the exhaust touching down is more likely to scrape than catch on an uneven surface, unlike a sticky out hero blob which can catch easily.

It's a completely pointless and academic argument anyway, if you've got your exhaust down your pegs will be pretty much fully folded, blobs or no blobs, and your close to coming off anyway.

I'm happy without hero blobs as in 4 years and 23,000 miles on the SV I can probably count on two or three hands the amount of times I've scraped the pegs. I am never going to scrape the exhaust or fold the pegs now that the blobs are off, and I don't have the danger of the blob digging in.

[AndyBrad]

My old YZF. :)

why cant i do that :(

[G]

A hero blob won't stop the exhaust touching down. A fully folded peg and the standard can are probably touching at about the same time, and if you go out to your SV and fold the pegs up by hand, you'll see that the hero blob is no longer pointing out the way anyway, it's pointing more backwards, so on a fully folded peg is doing nothing to reduce clearance. All the hero blobs does is warn you when you are getting there, it doesn't prevent it from happening


Exactly... if your a newbie just bothered about leaning your bike over as far as possible... then its defo worth noting how close to scraping your exhaust you are when your pegs are touching down.

Hence removing them as a noob is a bad idea, and making that mental note is a good idea.

[gruntygiggles]

Exactly... if your a newbie just bothered about leaning your bike over as far as possible... then its defo worth noting how close to scraping your exhaust you are when your pegs are touching down.

Hence removing them as a noob is a bad idea, and making that mental note is a good idea.


What about a noob not ar$ed at all about trying to do it...but it happens anyway. I am just going to back off. I truly believe that the moment you try and make or force something to happen.......you'll be off the bike.

[thedonal]

I'm right at the edge of my rear tyre on the left (BT021)- I've discovered that I'm a little more cautious on right hand bends (have had an off on this side). No peg scraping though (Curvy S- peg height?).

Mind you, just off Painshill Roundabout towards Brooklands there's a fantastic left hander with a camber that rises to the outside of the bend. If it's clear, I can get a good speed in and loads of lean- really helps the confidence.

I find that the camber on roundabouts often drops away from the bend- this could affect scraping perhaps (certainly does my confidence!!)

[-Ralph-]

Take 'hero blobs' off. Job sorted.

Fact of the day...

I didn't say it was clever or a wise idea. :wink:

Exactly... if your a newbie just bothered about leaning your bike over as far as possible... then its defo worth noting how close to scraping your exhaust you are when your pegs are touching down.

Hence removing them as a noob is a bad idea, and making that mental note is a good idea.

Yeah, nobody suggested a newb should remove them, it's a good idea to learn first what a peg scraping lean angle is first, but if you've got to the point where you are confident enough to scrape them at will, get them off! You can always put them back on at the beginning of the riding season if you need to re-learn. It's too late to take them off once you've crashed. I don't lean that far nowadays, but if I ever did have to lean right into a bend because it tightened up on me I want to know I've got the clearance.

As I said the exhaust is pretty much an academic and pointless argument. If your that far over, you've already crashed, or over your pegs will be fully folded and you are playing with fire.

Go and put a poll in idle banter and ask how many folk have ever grounded out the exhaust on their SV.

What's the problem with the exhaust touching down on an SV? As we've said with a lot of sportier tyres it's not rubber that's the issue. It's levering your rear wheel off the ground. Well pegs and blobs can cause the same issue, just that they do it at a lesser lean angle, and the crash is MORE likely to happen.

Take my crash where it was a left hand bend, so exhaust was not even a factor. The way the bike just kind of gracefully slid onto it's side, the way I had no warning, everything about the crash points to it being a peg digging in and had I not had hero blobs at the time it probably wouldn't have happened. Ground clearance was the cause of the crash.

My opinion on it is if you are confident enough to scrape them, get them off! Having bits of your bike touching the ground, ain't a great idea.

[_Stretchie_]

How long are the blobs on an SV??

[-Ralph-]

How long are the blobs on an SV??

About an inch I think.

[_Stretchie_]

Taa, just wondered..

Never touched the peg down on any bike myself but get the tyres right over

[-Ralph-]

Never touched the peg down on any bike myself but get the tyres right over

Sports bikes with better clearance?

[_Stretchie_]

Ahhh, explains it.. I like that, it's got nothing to do with ability that way

; )

[-Ralph-]

Ahhh, explains it.. I like that, it's got nothing to do with ability that way

; )

Got nowt to do with ability anyway, just how far the rider leans the bike. Look at flymo and lukemillar, reducing lean angle in order to go faster.

This guy scrapes his pegs but he's got jack all ability :lol:

http://i42.tinypic.com/2am25x.jpg

I don't think you ever NEED to scrape the pegs on the SV in order to get round a corner. Like I said I can probably count my peg scrapes on two or three hands in 4 years and 23000 miles. I say my crash was caused by ground clearance, but that's not true, it was caused by the rider not accounting for ground clearance and not getting his ar$e off the seat. To be fair I tend to corner a bit like that guy, in that my ar$e is square on the seat, my knee is tucked in (hence my pegs don't fold too easy) and my shoulders would be the opposite way round to his, with my head looking more or less level with my inside mirror, so really it's just my upper body that is leaning off. If I'm paying attention to going fast I'll get my **** off the seat and my knee out a bit (but never down, I have textiles not knee sliders), but the day I crashed I was doing 450 miles that day and was just riding along paying more attention to the riders behind TBH, saw a tight corner, thought, yeah, get round that at this speed no bother, so didn't lean off, didn't brake and tipped in. Half way round I was tarmac surfing! I got too complacent and confident.

[Stig]

I don't think anyone said you needed to scrape pegs to go round corners. But it is fun and when done can look quite cool. It's just show boating really. I don't care. I don't think the topic of the thread was about needing to scrape pegs in order to go round corners fast. The topic was about reaching the edge of tyres (or not) before touching the footpeg down.

My photo makes me look cool. :wink:

[-Ralph-]

My photo makes me look cool. :wink:

Yes, your photo makes you look very cool.

B******d! ;)

[_Stretchie_]

I don't think anyone said you needed to scrape pegs to go round corners. But it is fun and when done can look quite cool. It's just show boating really. I don't care. I don't think the topic of the thread was about needing to scrape pegs in order to go round corners fast. The topic was about reaching the edge of tyres (or not) before touching the footpeg down.

My photo makes me look cool. :wink:


It does... You barsteward, that is deffo a pic to be proud of. Is that the very bike that will be MOT'd soon?

[flymo]

http://i42.tinypic.com/2am25x.jpg



Heh heh, that guy knows its all gone Pete Tong....

[Stig]

It does... You barsteward, that is deffo a pic to be proud of. Is that the very bike that will be MOT'd soon?

Nope. That was the first one I had. Had to let it go for reasons beyond my control. Had the opportunity of getting another for the right price so grabbed it with both hands. :)

(still waiting for postcode ;))

[-Ralph-]

Heh heh, that guy knows its all gone Pete Tong....

He might not you know. The guy in SVEcosse who rode like that did it all the way round Knockhill track days and thought he was a riding god 'cos he had no chicken strips.

[Stig]

He might not you know. The guy in SVEcosse who ride like that did it all the way round Knockhill track days and thought he was a riding god 'cos he had no chicken strips.

Do you not like people that have no unused tread on thier tyres? Just wondering. :wink:

[flymo]

He might not you know. The guy in SVEcosse who rode like that did it all the way round Knockhill track days and thought he was a riding god 'cos he had no chicken strips.

lol, this one looks like he's backing away from the tarmac in fear of whats coming

[-Ralph-]

Do you not like people that have no unused tread on thier tyres? Just wondering. :wink:

Nothing against them at all, why do you ask?

[Rob969]

I've still not got my knee down and feel that it will happen when it happens i'm not going to try and force it. Although i found that on the trackday i did i was still cornering just as fast as the person in front who was hanging off his bike as if his life depended on it. Think the closest i got was scraping my toe of my boot slightly.

[Kat1986]

What's the problem with the exhaust touching down on an SV? As we've said with a lot of sportier tyres it's not rubber that's the issue. It's levering your rear wheel off the ground. Well pegs and blobs can cause the same issue, just that they do it at a lesser lean angle, and the crash is MORE likely to happen.

Take my crash where it was a left hand bend, so exhaust was not even a factor. The way the bike just kind of gracefully slid onto it's side, the way I had no warning, everything about the crash points to it being a peg digging in and had I not had hero blobs at the time it probably wouldn't have happened. Ground clearance was the cause of the crash.

My opinion on it is if you are confident enough to scrape them, get them off! Having bits of your bike touching the ground, ain't a great idea.

Yes that's pretty much the same as what happened to me when I crashed- lack of ground clearance. I suppose hero blobs are perhaps useful as a warning not to lean much further, but when that so-called warning can actually cause you to crash... maybe they're not such a good idea.

[simesb]

I suppose hero blobs are perhaps useful as a warning not to lean much further

That's why they are actually called "bank sensors"

[flymo]

that's exactly what the hero blobs are for, to give you that warning and ideally to make you decide not to lean any further.

The reason why the stock pegs usually fold is to remove the tendency for them to dig in and unload one of the tyres. If you ignore all that and just keep leaning then its only going to end one way.

Hero blobs are far cheaper to replace than exhausts or bodywork (yes you can touch the fairing on the ground if you lean far enough :-) ).

This is why on a race bike we end up fitting rearsets and high level exhaust pipe silencers, to increase ground clearance, allow further lean and enable faster corner speed.

Incidentally, most race rearset footpegs are fixed rather than collapsable (is that even a word??). You might think thats a bad thing as they might tend to dig in more easily, the benefit is that if the bike does go on its side then the peg keeps the bike partially off the ground (and therefor off your leg) and it also acts as a crash slider keeping the engine cases off the ground as it goes.

[-Ralph-]

That's why they are actually called "bank sensors"

Do they light up a wee light on the dashboard? :lol:

[yorkie_chris]

Nah they light up behind you, slight design flaw :)

[Luckypants]

that's exactly what the hero blobs are for, to give you that warning and ideally to make you decide not to lean any further.

Hero blobs are far cheaper to replace than exhausts or bodywork (yes you can touch the fairing on the ground if you lean far enough :-) ).

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w111/luckypants_photos/Random%20biking%20photos/2009_0414bike0007.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs589.snc3/31050_391541198213_677353213_4228826_3763674_n.jpg

Certainly can! Need to lean less. Flymo you will have to teach me how :D

Both of the above happen pretty much the same time as the hero blobs touching down on my bike.

[flymo]

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w111/luckypants_photos/Random%20biking%20photos/2009_0414bike0007.jpg



Ouch, that doesnt look good. Need to fit car tyres to keep it upright :-)

[-Ralph-]

Certainly can! Need to lean less. Flymo you will have to teach me how :D

Both of the above happen pretty much the same time as the hero blobs touching down on my bike.

Ha, ha, or you maybe you should have bought Quiff's Gixxer. Viffer's not exactly designed for that kind of thing!

[Kat1986]

This guy scrapes his pegs but he's got jack all ability :lol:

http://i42.tinypic.com/2am25x.jpg



That is the worst riding position I've ever seen! His upper body is positioned as if he is going round a bend in the complete opposite direction and he is actually looking towards the trees instead the road... look where you want the bike to go! I'd say he has a decent chance of ending up in those trees...

[hindle8907]

i got big chicken strips as all my miles are motorway and i never get out for fun,
but i have scraped my boot a few times on rounderbouts

[flymo]

That is the worst riding position I've ever seen! His upper body is positioned as if he is going round a bend in the complete opposite direction and he is actually looking towards the trees instead the road... look where you want the bike to go! I'd say he has a decent chance of ending up in those trees...

I dont think thats his usual style (but I dont know that for sure), looks to me like he's expecting to meet those trees anytime soon and is cacking himself.

[simesb]

I dont think thats his usual style (but I dont know that for sure), looks to me like he's expecting to meet those trees anytime soon and is cacking himself.

Almost like he knows it's lowsiding and trying not to be underneath it?

[-Ralph-]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=64372

[flymo]

we need a track day!!!!

[skeetly]

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w111/luckypants_photos/Random%20biking%20photos/2009_0414bike0007.jpg





Get you; town boy ;)

[Kat1986]

I dont think thats his usual style (but I dont know that for sure), looks to me like he's expecting to meet those trees anytime soon and is cacking himself.
Oh right, I thought that was his normal riding position and I thought no wonder he is about to crash! I bet it hurt if he did wearing jeans though!

[-Ralph-]

we need a track day!!!!

You offering to be our instructor? :)

[yorkie_chris]

You offering to be our instructor? :)
:smt023

[Specialone]

I'd come, i need tuition desperately ;)

[flymo]

You offering to be our instructor? :)

I'm no Valentino Rossi but I would be happy to share what I know. Would also be fun to share an org trackday. I have a two month break now before the next scheduled race so might well check out whats happening.

[gruntygiggles]

I'm no Valentino Rossi but I would be happy to share what I know. Would also be fun to share an org trackday. I have a two month break now before the next scheduled race so might well check out whats happening.


I'd come...can't wait to do a track day :-) Cooked my tyre on Sunday...lol

[Lozzo]

That's why they are actually called "bank sensors"


Ridculous name for a bolt and spacer. They should be called tarmac diggers, or 'those things that scrape and dig in when you least need it'

[Lozzo]

Oh right, I thought that was his normal riding position and I thought no wonder he is about to crash! I bet it hurt if he did wearing jeans though!

Crashed quite a few times (ok, way way too many) when I was younger wearing jeans and the worst tarmac injury was a scrape down to the bone on my knee cap. The impact is what hurts most, and without armour the possibility of a bone breakage is always there.

That said I still ride to work most days in jeans, but with bike boots as well.

[Binky]

Can i add my name to the list for an org track day in a month or so. Hopefully we can get the ball rolling soon...

[flymo]

there are some decent track days coming up. How does Cadwell suit? £99 for the day.

...or Anglesey Coastal circuit in July

[Binky]

there are some decent track days coming up. How does Cadwell suit? £99 for the day.

...or Anglesey Coastal circuit in July

Those were the two i was looking at. Yep. :cool:

[gruntygiggles]

I'll try and fit in wherever. :-)

[-Ralph-]

I don't own a pair of leathers :(

[hindle8907]

I don't own a pair of leathers :(

+1

[gruntygiggles]

Neither do I...but have found RST's at J&S at very good prices!

[-Ralph-]

It's not an issue of cost, it's an issue of fat! I've got two stone to loose before I buy any leathers.

[gruntygiggles]

Actually....me too Ralph, that's exactly what I have gained in the two and a bit years me and Dan have been together. I want to eventually get a really decent pair though, possibly custom because of my boobies, so a cheap pair for now....that are a bit tight for me to lose weight into will be perfect.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Actually....me too Ralph, that's exactly what I have gained in the two and a bit years me and Dan have been together. I want to eventually get a really decent pair though, possibly custom because of my boobies, so a cheap pair for now....that are a bit tight for me to lose weight into will be perfect.

You and your bloody boobies. And you are not allowed RST because then you would be copying me.

Anyway, a trackday sounds immense...and I didn't even know there was such a thing as "hero blobs" on a bike.....

[gruntygiggles]

Look at the things sticking out from the bottom of your pegs...at the end! That's what srapes when people say "peg down". Well.....they could have removed the hero blobs....but then peg down is one hell of a lean angle.....probably followed by more of the bike on the floor...lol

[_Stretchie_]

I want to eventually get a really decent pair

Oh you have baby, YOU HAVE

[Milky Bar Kid]

Look at the things sticking out from the bottom of your pegs...at the end! That's what srapes when people say "peg down". Well.....they could have removed the hero blobs....but then peg down is one hell of a lean angle.....probably followed by more of the bike on the floor...lol

Yeah, I realised what they were after reading this thread....but thanks...I think!

[gruntygiggles]

k...we've derailed this enough now I think...sorry :-)

[MrTrainingWheel]

So, I'm a total newb. Just started riding my SV650 about a month ago. For the most part, I thought I understood the concept of leaning into a turn, but now I'm confused after reading some of your posts.

I always thought that you had to have a certain amount of lean angle in a corner, and that was determined by the sharpness of the corner and your speed through the corner. If the corner becomes sharper, you must lean more; if you go faster through the corner, you must lean more.

From what I've read in this thread, it's quite obvious that I'm wrong. Can someone please explain to me how some fast riders don't lean much, while some slow riders can scrape their pegs in the corners? Does it have to do with your position on the bike? Hanging off the bike means you lean less, and staying in line with the bike means you lean more? Just a total guess... I'm confused. :P

Thanks in advance!

[ThEGr33k]

So, I'm a total newb. Just started riding my SV650 about a month ago. For the most part, I thought I understood the concept of leaning into a turn, but now I'm confused after reading some of your posts.

I always thought that you had to have a certain amount of lean angle in a corner, and that was determined by the sharpness of the corner and your speed through the corner. If the corner becomes sharper, you must lean more; if you go faster through the corner, you must lean more.

From what I've read in this thread, it's quite obvious that I'm wrong. Can someone please explain to me how some fast riders don't lean much, while some slow riders can scrape their pegs in the corners? Does it have to do with your position on the bike? Hanging off the bike means you lean less, and staying in line with the bike means you lean more? Just a total guess... I'm confused. :P

Thanks in advance!


No you are right.

You can lean the bike less if you lean off of the bike, and make the bike lean less by leaning inline with the bike.

[flymo]

...and make the bike lean less by leaning inline with the bike.

Not sure I follow that?

It all comes down to where the center of gravity is positioned, that is the center of gravity of the combined bike/rider. By positioning yourself as a rider towards the inside of the bike and as low as possible in a turn you enable the bike to be more upright, or for the combination to take the corner at a higher speed.

[Ed]

So, I'm a total newb..... I'm confused. :P

Well you know what they say about opinions...

Go buy a copy of 'Roadcraft' for some authoritative advice. It explains it clearly and in plain English without all the physics. You have to get through some fairly boring stuff before you get to the action, but it will repay careful study.

[flymo]

Well you know what they say about opinions...

Go buy a copy of 'Roadcraft' for some authoritative advice. It explains it clearly and in plain English without all the physics. You have to get through some fairly boring stuff before you get to the action, but it will repay careful study.

Thanks Ed. Been hearing these sorts of answers on here a lot recently. Why don't we simply tell everybody to go and buy a Haynes manual and be done with it for all the technical advice?

I'm being facetious I know, but there are plenty of experienced people on this forum that can offer advice, some better than others at various subjects. That's the purpose of a forum such as this in my view, there is something to be said for the wisdom of a crowd, hopefully the crap is balanced out by the good.

[yorkie_chris]

Go watch some racing, lean same way as they do. Simples :)

[AndyBrad]

Go watch some racing, lean same way as they do. Simples :)

i tried that...




and failed...