Chicken strips ?

I assume chicken strips are the thin flakes of rubber protruding from the tread at regular intervals transversely across the tread, left over from the moulding process. If so I have been keeping an eye on mine (2000 miles on K5 naked with original Dunlops), and I think I am doing a pretty good job of wearing them away, I don't use the motorway and most of my riding is on twisty B roads.

My question is this - is there a direct mathematical relationship between the length of strip remaining untouched at the edge of the tread and the bike riders ability? If so what is the formula? What other factors need to be in the formula? My strips are approx 1cm, I have examined my workmates bikes and they are about 1". Does this mean I am a better rider? Is there a relationship between lean angle achieved and length of strips? Should I be aiming for zero strips or is this mathematically impossible? Am I serious? Should I be worrying about more important issues?

'Chicken Strips' means the unworn tread at the edge of the tyre. It's usually a better indicator of ability than wether they can get their knee down or not (depends how much you hang off you see). Don't think that smaller chicken strips always means a faster rider (especially on the road) but there is a correlation between speed and lean angle.

Hero Lines they call them here in Spain! :P

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

Hero Lines they call them here in Spain! :P

but if you still have them....then you're not a hero. you're a chicken. so chicken strips works better. The british has to lead the way with everything these days. dumb continentals!

Paul

Remember another factor is the profile of the tyre. Some tyre manufactures use different profiles... Like I have found it easy to get off the chicken strips on my Front Mez M1, but the old BT020 that was on the front had huge strips. Completely different to the almost absence of strips on the rear which was a Conti Road Attack.

i found this after riding other ppls bikes.

Does differ between bikes.

Am I right in thinking wider tyres are easier to get over to the edge.

Mine (diablos, std sizes), are worn to about 2mm of the edge front and rear whereas my mates (now ex) Gixxer is worn right to the edge at the rear and about 10mm away at the front.

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

i found this after riding other ppls bikes.

Ahh now I know why yours is always so bl**dy clean, you leave it in the garage and ride others peoples ! Top Man

.

My chicken strips are getting bigger , yet im a faster and better rider than i used to .

My strips where approx 1cm one month after i got the bike , now(4 months later) they are almost 2cm

I still have the stock D220 , the only change is my riding style... i used to lean the bike while keeping my torso uprigth , now i can lean the torso with the bike , sometimes even more than the bike , reducing the bike lean angle !