Chickenstrips, but not the normal thread topic....

Hey guys,

I was checking my air pressures the other day, and noticed that there are much bigger strips of unworn tyre on the front than there are on the back. On the back I only have the most marginal strip (around 1/16th" or less), yet on the front I still have all my lovely 'tyre hair' (those fronds from where they injected the rubber)...

Now this isn't a "ooh how do I get rid of them", but more of a riding style analysis....

Is this showing that, in general, when going round bends I'm keeping the bars turned into the bend more than I should?

Just a bit confused, as I'd assumed they'd be fairly universal (ie none on the back = none on the front....)

Thinking back, it's been this way over two front tyre changes!

I'm not concerned at all, just curious as to how such a big difference could occur!

could be anything. Check tyre pressures

Checked regularly, and double checked too

33/36.

Its normally down to profile of the tyre, the front are more pointy that the rears so need to be really right over to get rid of the moulding hairs.

It needs to be done a few times to wear them off...

Dont ride outside your comfort zone to remove them, as it could end in tears. get yourself on a track day and you will soon have them banished to the far flung corners of the track its also a good place to explore your bikes limits a bit more.

And you cant try diff styles of riding and see how you like it in relative safety

Might I suggest you are harder on the throttle than you are on the brakes?

The harder you are on the anchors the more the front tyre is squashed and if you do this leant over you'll lose a bit more of those strips.

Accelerating out of a corner puts the weight on the back wheel and so squashes it creating a larger contact patch.

Running a little more on pressure in the rear (as you are) reduces this effect but doesn't negate it.

It's usually easier to get to the back of a rear tyre than a front (and it's easier on some than others)

Nothing to worry about.

Out of interest, which tyres are you using?

Carl

Ahh I'd never thought of the profile before... As for riding outside of my comfort zone - I don't generally like blatting it on the roads, especially round here as if it's at all twisty you can guarantee **** on the roads, horse boxes and potholes...

The harder you are on the anchors the more the front tyre is squashed and if you do this leant over you'll lose a bit more of those strips.

Hmm - never been too fond of a shed load of front brake when cranked over for some reason....

Out of interest, which tyres are you using?

Pair of BT020's...

Its a profile thing you need to be right over to reach the side edges of a front.

Id not recomend using the brakes while having it cranked over myself.... you will fall off rather than strip those hair off. lol

QED!

What reason? When on the brakes the front tyre is squashed onto the road increasing grip... in exactly the same way as the rear is when you get on the power.

And in the same way you don't whip the trottle open when fully over you don't grab a handful of brake when fully over, but you *can* use a lot more than you'd think. Like the power at the back, you use it in smoothly.

But I'd be willing to bet you an ice cream that you are less trepidatious about bringing in the power than using the front brake hard

Originally Posted by Berlin

And in the same way you don't whip the trottle open when fully over you don't grab a handful of brake when fully over, but you *can* use a lot more than you'd think. Like the power at the back, you use it in smoothly.

Agreed, on a dry road, but you shouldn't have to unless something changes in front of you that forces you to slow down mid corner. Better lean further over than use the brakes if you have clear road in front of you. If you have to brake do it gradually and if the bike starts to stand up, push it back down again.

Sounds simple, but every time I've had to do it I've just about had kittens. Trouble I've always had with braking mid corner that is knowing how much grip you have left. And you're already usually a bit unhappy/nervous about whatever it is that forced you to slow down in the first place.

Obviously if it slides away completely your off and you hope you leathers do the job and you slide to a stop without hitting anything.

But what I always fear more is a little skip of the front tyre. I suppose its because I don't know how I would handle the bike in that scenario. The front end is already loaded under braking and the bike already unsettled. As the tyre skips the forks decompress, then recompress again when the tyre regrips, the bike tries to stand up and the bars wag as your still holding the brake lever. See my point? How do you keep that bike upright (other than sheer luck)? And if you don't manage it are you going to highside? Lowside? And in which direction? That's why I have kittens whenever I'm forced to brake and lean at the same time. There's something in my brain that immediately knows this is not good.

Having said all that, every time I have had to do it I've been fine and the tyre has gripped OK.

Maybe someone with race experience or an advanced instructor can give us more insight?

I don't think I'd be touching the front brake at all if I was far enough over to wear off a bit of chicken strip though. I'm not usually that far over in situations where I'd need to. I managed to get rid of the chicken strips on the back tyre completely this summer, but thats on tighter bends and roundabouts. If I touch my toes down at illegal speeds it's usually come as a surprise!

Originally Posted by Berlin

QED!

What reason? When on the brakes the front tyre is squashed onto the road increasing grip... in exactly the same way as the rear is when you get on the power.

And in the same way you don't whip the trottle open when fully over you don't grab a handful of brake when fully over, but you *can* use a lot more than you'd think. Like the power at the back, you use it in smoothly.

But I'd be willing to bet you an ice cream that you are less trepidatious about bringing in the power than using the front brake hard

I'd take that Ice Cream, i ride a supermoto on very tight tracks chucking in the front and sliding the **** end about just about every corner...

Braking on the front will stand the bike up and counteract the forces needed to go further over to lose the hairs on the side of the tyre. Also making tighter turns harder. Spinnin up the rear you can catch and control when you know how... however catching the front is almost impossible...

if it works for you then good luck, you might need it