Sportbike turning circle?

[Maki]

I just went from a ninja 250 to a supersport 600. One big difference I have noticed is that there is no way I can make a U turn on the 600cc in the same amount of space as I could on the Ninja. Am I doing something wrong or is a big turning circle simply a fact of life on a supersport?

[CookMySock]

In a conventional U turn to the right, slide your ass to the left and twist to the right, so you have mostly the underside of your right thigh on the riders seat. (practice with bike on stand first.) edit: try and poke your left knee into a fairing somewhere to steady yourself.

While you are moving along the left side of the road, get seated this way (yes while you are moving) and then clear the traffic behind and in front of you, and then look at a spot on the ground on your right-hand side about one meter out from your rear wheel, and then countersteer into a right-hand turn. Keep you eye on this spot and magically you will do a U turn in very little space at all.

Now its quite disconcerting putting your eyes back there, so practice some tight loops in a carpark first. Get seated sideways, and then turn in to the right and tighten the turn more and more until it is at full lock, and then continue looping while you look further and further back towards your rear wheel. Remember if you are full lock, you can stop the bike tipping inwards by putting more weight outwards, or adding a tiny blip of power.

See if that helps. I did a U turn on my 650 the other day doing this, and was shocked to find myself in the wrong lane.

Steve

[Subike]

longer wheel base will mean a larger turning circle.
you will also notice the difference when riding your favorite twisties on the 600 after the 250, most larger road bikes have trouble turning as quick as their smaller 250 cousins,
Im sure someone will shoot me down on this.
After a while, you will find you will turn the bigger bike just as well as you did the 250, just takes time, practice and confidence.

[eelracing]

Tighter steering locks on sports bikes to keep slappers in hand.But u-turns are made easier by leaning your body away from the inside of the turn and pushing the bike down(motocross style)ie the opposite of hanging off roadracer like.
Practice makes perfect and its good to learn throttle/clutch/steering control too.

[carbonhed]

Am I doing something wrong or is a big turning circle simply a fact of life on a supersport?

The Daytona's the same. Tiny steering lock big turning circle... and it tries to pinch your thumbs between the grip and the tank... freaks me out.

How's the R6 going... been over any interesting roads yet?

Looking forward to seeing it in all its glory.

[Maki]

It's going very well thanks. I have not had much time to go out riding though, I have been working a lot these days. I have to pay for it somehow...

[discotex]

How tight are you trying to get? I rarely need to use full lock to do a u-turn on my 600rr.

As already mentioned the secret is to lean outwards instead of the normal inwards. Basically keep your body upright and push the bike down like a dirt bike.

[Maki]

U turn on a road about 6 metres wide. I could do it on the 250. Not a chance on the 600...

[Gubb]

I think the Street Triple has the worst turning circle of all time. It's worse than my car.

[cheshirecat]

The above and make sure the thing is warmed up a bit before hand - took me a while on the VFR - tiny things like not letting the tank bag reduce the clearance when least expected!

[Marmoot]

As already mentioned the secret is to lean outwards instead of the normal inwards. Basically keep your body upright and push the bike down like a dirt bike.

That's the trick, but you must have slow-speed confidence.
Slip the clutch to control your speed, and always keep the rpm above idle to avoid stall (which can be disastrous).

Failing that, you can learn from Rick Nasty's few alternative tricks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18_nhcoXv_U)

[discotex]

U turn on a road about 6 metres wide. I could do it on the 250. Not a chance on the 600...

Yep that's totally possible on an R6 with a little practice. Just need to learn the trick.

[robo555]

When I practiced my U-turns in a carpark on my Scorpio, I can do it between the lines of two side by side car park. In normal situations it takes about 2.5 carparks.

[carbonhed]

Ahhh... right. Use lean not lock... enlightenment comes slowly Grasshopper. :doh:

[TimeOut]

My sons 6R is the same, horrible when trying to walk it into a park.

[Taz]

I almost have to get off my ducati and drag it around if I want to do a U-Turn. That or a 3 point turn.

[BiK3RChiK]

Flamin' Heck! Crapping myself here.... I've been practicing my u-turns for my full licence test on Monday, and today I drop the bike while doing a u-turn on the main road! :mad: I think I've been 'over-thinking' it. Back to the basics... weight the outside of the bike, look where you 'want' to go and relax.

[vifferman]

Also, use the back brake as a 'rudder' to control your progress, while slipping the clutch as Marmoot said. It makes it easier to balance / control the bike if the engine and back brake are working against each other.

[elevenhundred]

Keep the revs up (+1000rpm above idle) when executing a slow, tight turn. It helps stabilise the bike.

[skidMark]

longer wheel base will mean a larger turning circle.
you will also notice the difference when riding your favorite twisties on the 600 after the 250, most larger road bikes have trouble turning as quick as their smaller 250 cousins,
Im sure someone will shoot me down on this.
After a while, you will find you will turn the bigger bike just as well as you did the 250, just takes time, practice and confidence.

Right ya are mate, the 650 is a pig compared to the 250. :(

[CHOPPA]

Try using your rear brake

[pritch]

Probably the way to get the tightest turn is stand on the pegs and make like a trials rider.

Not sure how that works on a sprotbike though It'd certainly look a bit odd, as if you weren't playing very hard to get... :whistle:

[Chrislost]

U turn on a road about 6 metres wide. I could do it on the 250. Not a chance on the 600...

Your R6 must handle badly! Take it somwhere and get the suspension tuned.

My GSXR 750 could do a u turn on a one way street.

[Winston001]

I almost have to get off my ducati and drag it around if I want to do a U-Turn. That or a 3 point turn.

Yeah Ducatis are single-minded beasts that only like going forward. Turning around isn't part of the engineering :cool: Best to find a nice wide paddock.

[LBD]

I almost have to get off my ducati and drag it around if I want to do a U-Turn. That or a 3 point turn.

Aint that the truth


Also, use the back brake as a 'rudder' to control your progress, while slipping the clutch as Marmoot said. It makes it easier to balance / control the bike if the engine and back brake are working against each other.

Rudder?


Try using your rear brake

Along with other controls


Yeah Ducatis are single-minded beasts that only like going forward. Turning around isn't part of the engineering :cool: Best to find a nice wide paddock. Winnie means an open space, he doent mean finding your self in a paddock when you over bake a corner in the countryside

Not only big bike vs small, I had spent a few weeks on a GS1150 beemer, then after a few months picked up my new Duc. Out of the shop and shit no more lock and to much lean....almost an embaressing moment with nothing on the clock. A little squirt on the throttle and she stod up...phew

I would not quite call the rear brake a rudder, that my naughty....sorry nautical nature coming out.
Using some rear brake, and slipping the clutch, and a few more revs, make slow speed turns so much easier. It smooths out the lumpy torque of a large twin ...or any large engine. When you have that down pat, start moving your body weight away from the apex of the turn, that will make the turn tighter. Used together you will master the tight smooth turn in good time.

As some one else mentioned, find a big open area and practice.

As an extra...if you find yourself over leaning for the lock available, try a little squirt on the throttle and see how the bike stands up.

Have fun andlet us know how you go.

[Monsterbishi]

Also, this may sound daft, but make sure your tyre pressures are correct, if either of your tyres are slightly flat it makes a huge difference!

[LBD]

Also, this may sound daft, but make sure your tyre pressures are correct, if either of your tyres are slightly flat it makes a huge difference!


Ain't daft...your right...