Leaning

[pyrocam]

If your hitting the limits of the tire you will feel the back sliding about, just lift it a little and lean off the bike, and your sweet - I dont think you will have to worry about 'overleaning' at this point, ask ts to tip you out if your real keen on getting on the limits.

too true.

but curiously, if I overleant. would I be in the gravel rather than have the ability to correct. a back wheel sliding out is a scary thing (see my 'I need new knickers' thread)

I think best to wait until ive done the bronz thing before I argue the point further. Im booked in and paid WOOOHOO

[Ixion]

hmm.

first let me say for those of you havent seen my 'wafer thin' tyres. I have the tiniest tyres ive ever seen on a bike. almost chunky pushbike wheels.
..

Nah - You have (if my spec sheet is right) 90/90 and 110/90. Yes? Exactly the same as Li'l Rat Bike for width.

Nowt wrong with that for such a light bike. And the rear is large enough to put the power down. After all that's larger than the 4.25 tyres we had to cope with Briddish 650's.

It's not like a car where bigger is better on tyres. In fact on a bike smaller is better. Smaller tyres mean more precise steering. Only reason big sports bikes have bigger tyres is because they'd shred narrow ones. And cos the posers think they look phat.

Even the (750) BMW only runs 100/90 front and 130/90 rear, not a lot more than yours.

[Ixion]

I do. I only play around with this stuff on corners I know like the back of me hand. considering Im comuting Im only doing stuff on 90 degree turns but I have a fair bit of leeway.

so. if the size of my tires doesnt matter. then
the big question is. how low can I go.

I can get at most 40 degrees (from my POV) if im fully suited up and keen (+dry weather and grippy road etc)

Bugjuice has said that I can 'lean the crap' out of my tires (btw not his actual words)

I feel that on normal city roads when im not going so fast. im quite alright to go perpendicular to the road (like first post image 1) because it feels right and im not going too fast. but if i was on a corner that has its own lean built in (like a good 22 corner or a track corner) the I could lean the crap out of it and it would slide off into the distance.

I think the 2 things that bother me are
shouldnt the bike slide out if I lean too much into a corner
I dont have the riding experience to try lean the crap out of corner.

You won't slide until you reach the shoulder of the tyre , in the dry (wet is another matter). Go rub the edges of your tyres with chalk dust or cement dust, then go for a ride. Lean over as normal. Have a look and see how far you came to the edge of the tread (where the shoulder starts), by seeing how much of the tyre is cleaned off. Now hold the bike and lean it over until its right the way to the shoulder (admittedly the suspension isn't compressed but it'll give you an idea). That's how much more grip you have.

When you do reach the shoulder and the limit of adhesion you hopefully will feel things start to feel "odd" which is the signal to lean off a bit and scrabble around. But my guess is you'll find you've got a long long way to go.

Almost always if you do have a lowsider (the tyre lets go and slides) it'll be because you hit a bump in mid corner or the front got messed up somehow (and you don't have enough power to upset the front I don't think). Watch the bumps and the reverse camber stuff. But ordinary corners you have to lean a hell of a way with modern tyres (Uh, what tyres do you have on - Not Cheng Shins or something ?)

[James Deuce]

too true.

but curiously, if I overleant. would I be in the gravel rather than have the ability to correct. a back wheel sliding out is a scary thing (see my 'I need new knickers' thread)

I think best to wait until ive done the bronz thing before I argue the point further. Im booked in and paid WOOOHOO

Rear wheel slides are easier to save and can be fun in the long run. Saving front end slides on tarmac is an order of talent above what I have (except for luck), though more power on gravel sorts those out. Stop stressing. You should stay in the saddle, look where you want to go and point your shoulder at the apex of the corner. Look through the corner and you'll find that you are putting your weight to the inside of the bike and turn. This is a good thing as the bike doesn't have to lean as far to turn for a given corner radius or speed.

Most of all mosquito - relax. You're thinking too much.

[pyrocam]

But ordinary corners you have to lean a hell of a way with modern tyres (Uh, what tyres do you have on - Not Cheng Shins or something ?)

OK I think I have a satisfatory comprehension of it now.

I have done 5000k on my bike but thats proberly a walk in the park for you fullas.

Ill just wait until it gets more natural.

I got a brand new tire from colemans. its Michelen

[Pixie]

I would have thought it was centrufugal force since your on the 'outside' IE your acting like part of a centrifuge. oh wait.
no.
your right. my bad. centrifuge not a centrufuge my bad

There is no such thing as a centrufuge.
It's best to describe this as angular acceleration as it is an acceleration that is experienced.
What is the force causing this acceleration ? I hear you ask.
It is what ever force that is causing a body to deviate from straight line motion,be it a gravity well around a star causing a planet to orbit or a bike's tyres causing it to corner.

[sAsLEX]

There is no such thing as a centrufuge.
.

WRONG here is a pic of one

used to seperate liquids etc I think

[FROSTY:Me]

too true.

but curiously, if I overleant. would I be in the gravel rather than have the ability to correct. a back wheel sliding out is a scary thing (see my 'I need new knickers' thread)

I think best to wait until ive done the bronz thing before I argue the point further. Im booked in and paid WOOOHOO

Mate loan your bike to me ,MR,TS or dare I say it Trashman and we will show you how far you can lean on it. Not skiting just i'tll show you you are well withing your bikes abilities.
Ohh and my ol XJ 900 is only running a 100/70/18 front and a 120/70/18 rear
Provided you have reasonably decent tyres you will be able to lean a shit load further than you think you can.
That said with 5000km under your belt I'd definitely do the Bronz course before getting really serious.

[Yarg]

Get ya self to the Ride Right course by BRONZ asap. they will explain & then u try it.

[Pixie]

WRONG here is a pic of one

used to seperate liquids etc I think

Used to separate typograghical errors

From the latin Centrum-centre
Fuga -flight

Correct spelling :centrifuge
If you look at the web address of the picture you posted ,you will see it spelt correctly.

[scumdog]

WRONG here is a pic of one

used to seperate liquids etc I think

Look more like an EX-certifuge!!

Who was the lucky dude that was standing beside it when it 'hiccupped'?

[Toast]

Pyro, if it feels a bit dodgy in the slower corners, it could be 'cos you're holding off the power, weighting the front too much.

Weighting the outside peg helps big time too. Once you get used to it, it'll help you build confidence.

But yeah, do your course, then do more miles and focus on what you're doing, you'll have no worries.

[2_SL0]

Learn to get your line right for the corner, personally I wouldnt worry about the leaning thing to much, that will come with kms. Get out on the bike and practise.

[unhingedlizard]

we use a centifuge (sp?) at work to seperate Honey and wax. Call it a spin float though....

Leaning i find is a lot like learning to stoppie, the first time you do it you think you are going over the bars. In reality, the back wheel is only 2 inches of the deck.

[XP@]

Pyro,
Try going in a straight line on an empty road. and just pushing on one bar and then the other keeping your body with the bike. that demonstrates counter steering.
Then keep the bars in line and move your body one side then the other and you see the effect of leaning... nothing.

As for getting lower, easy does it, you are on new tyres, they will still be covered in release agent, which is slippy. you will be able to see the shiny stuff at the edge of your tyre, you want to reduce this slowly. Trying to go all the way over with "Un-Scrubbed" tyres is not good. Just a couple of extra mm each time is the way to go.