Damn centre stand

[The Singing Chef]

Going down old north rd and my centre stand is scraping along the corner, will have to get rid of the damn thing!! I want more lean!!!!!

[bogan]

Better technique or slower cornering is generally how you should deal with part of the bike grounding. Unless it's a really poorly designed centerstand I wouldn't expect it to ground much earlier than other bits.

[avgas]

I miss my center stand.

[george formby]

Weeeelllllll, I used to take great pride in sharpening the center stand on my old 750 kwaka until I tried to grind off a bit too much in one go. When I last rode that road the hole was still in the hedge from 12 years earlier.
It's not all about the angle of the dangle.

[Maha]

My bike is so cool it needs to lean, even when parked.

[The Singing Chef]

My bike is so cool it needs to lean, even when parked. Now that's cool!! and the pillion wouldn't have helped much, only a wee lass though..

[Bonez]

Putting your knee down will stop you scraping your centre stand.:facepalm: That and waving:wavey:

[Gremlin]

and the pillion wouldn't have helped much, only a wee lass though..
Well hang on... 250s aren't exactly known for outstanding suspenion, so you may even have to be really light before the addition of a pillion affects the bike.

I had a ZZR250, and the shop did the best to stiffen the suspension to the max, just for me to ride it somewhat safely... Didn't even try to factor in a pillion... :blink:

[The Singing Chef]

Yea the suspension needs to be adjusted, waiting for the money, damn bills like to pile up on me :facepalm:

[theseekerfinds]

I miss having a centre stand.. but then again I miss my twenties too but hey things are just fine and dandy without them too so six of one half dozen of the other I say..

take it off for a trial period and see how inconvenienced you are without it and you can always put it back on, or get a pit stand for the garage..

[Kendog]

Going down old north rd and my centre stand is scraping along the corner, will have to get rid of the damn thing!! I want more lean!!!!!
Bogan has nailed it I think. Better rider body position should solve this problem easy.

[Beren]

Better technique or slower cornering is generally how you should deal with part of the bike grounding. Unless it's a really poorly designed centerstand I wouldn't expect it to ground much earlier than other bits.

Really like that diagram, is it from a particular riding manual? Looking at it just makes perfect sense - I had just thought hanging off was what happened when you leant it over... not that you are hanging off for exactly the same reason that you hang off the side of a boat.

[bogan]

Really like that diagram, is it from a particular riding manual? Looking at it just makes perfect sense - I had just thought hanging off was what happened when you leant it over... not that you are hanging off for exactly the same reason that you hang off the side of a boat.

Just off the Internet, but http://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760314039 that book has a lot of similar stuff, and is damn good reading. So is keith code's twist of the wrist.
Not really the same as a boat (unless there are countersteering ones?) as the weight shift in this case isn't to keep it from flipping, but to ensure the suspension is at the best working angle, and that there is sufficient ground clearance between the ground and hardpoints; which in turn keeps it upright!

[The Singing Chef]

Just off the Internet, but http://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760314039 that book has a lot of similar stuff, and is damn good reading. So is keith code's twist of the wrist.
Not really the same as a boat (unless there are countersteering ones?) as the weight shift in this case isn't to keep it from flipping, but to ensure the suspension is at the best working angle, and that there is sufficient ground clearance between the ground and hardpoints; which in turn keeps it upright!

quick question because this seems like a good place to ask it, when leaning into a corner i have only half my ass off the seat and try to keep my leg locked into the tank as tight as possible but still with some corners get a wobble which can be damn scary, would that be leaning out too much or just a bad position or unstable bar control during those corners?

[bogan]

quick question because this seems like a good place to ask it, when leaning into a corner i have only half my ass off the seat and try to keep my leg locked into the tank as tight as possible but still with some corners get a wobble which can be damn scary, would that be leaning out too much or just a bad position or unstable bar control during those corners?

Generally moving ass over like that wouldn't cause a wobble I think. Is your outside arm loose? One of the other major tips was to have only the inside arm controlling the bars, so you don't get too tense and be pushing on both at the same time. Always a good plan is to ease into new techniques, take it slowly while you get comfortable doing things in the new way, then if you go faster you get good feel, it may be that you don't instinctively know how to deal with bumps on that sort of lean angle an position yet. Those are just my thoughts anyway, better for you to get a book or training, then diagnose what is going on yourself.

[The Singing Chef]

Generally moving ass over like that wouldn't cause a wobble I think. Is your outside arm loose? One of the other major tips was to have only the inside arm controlling the bars, so you don't get too tense and be pushing on both at the same time. Always a good plan is to ease into new techniques, take it slowly while you get comfortable doing things in the new way, then if you go faster you get good feel, it may be that you don't instinctively know how to deal with bumps on that sort of lean angle an position yet. Those are just my thoughts anyway, better for you to get a book or training, then diagnose what is going on yourself.

Yea im keeping my arms loose too, someone had said that my rear shock may need adjusting as it may not be operating at the sweet spot during corners so that's something to get looked at, only happens in a few corners though other than that it's fine so i guess i just have to work at it with trial and error and diagnose the situation. Cheers

[Beren]

So is keith code's twist of the wrist. I am reading that at the moment - slowly and trying to absorb the lessons one at a time...

Not really the same as a boat (unless there are countersteering ones?) as the weight shift in this case isn't to keep it from flipping, but to ensure the suspension is at the best working angle, and that there is sufficient ground clearance between the ground and hardpoints; which in turn keeps it upright! - Actually it is more than you might think, keeping the boat from flipping is disaster avoidance rather than the real point of hanging off the side. You lean on a boat to keep the boat more upright so that the sail is catching more wind and as the keel is biting deeper the boat points higher into the wind therefore everything is working more efficiently and you can go faster... just as I assume you are keeping the bike further upright to maximise tyre contact and therefore traction in the corner and available power to drive out of it. Oh and if you are using a tiller you push away from the direction you want to turn, so very VERY loosely you are countersteering too... see flawless analogy :)

[Katman]

only happens in a few corners though other than that it's fine so i guess i just have to work at it with trial and error and diagnose the situation.

Go easy on the error.

[bogan]

Yea im keeping my arms loose too, someone had said that my rear shock may need adjusting as it may not be operating at the sweet spot during corners so that's something to get looked at, only happens in a few corners though other than that it's fine so i guess i just have to work at it with trial and error and diagnose the situation. Cheers

If it has adjustable spring preload, set the sag correctly, if you have the tools to set it, and a mate with a measuring tape it's really easy to do, and may sort your problem out.


I am reading that at the moment - slowly and trying to absorb the lessons one at a time...
- Actually it is more than you might think, keeping the boat from flipping is disaster avoidance rather than the real point of hanging off the side. You lean on a boat to keep the boat more upright so that the sail is catching more wind and as the keel is biting deeper the boat points higher into the wind therefore everything is working more efficiently and you can go faster... just as I assume you are keeping the bike further upright to maximise tyre contact and therefore traction in the corner and available power to drive out of it. Oh and if you are using a tiller you push away from the direction you want to turn, so very VERY loosely you are countersteering too... see flawless analogy :)

Ok, maybe it is a decent analogy, too much water for my liking though :bleh:

[Beren]

Ok, maybe it is a decent analogy, too much water for my liking though :bleh:

LOL - There is too much water about most mornings for me to experiment with hanging off the side of me bike too! Will start slow with that one methinks :) ( Unless it's another of those things I am already doing a bit naturally...)