Author Topic: Curious about Clearance  (Read 7077 times)

Offline C1xRider

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #20 on: September 30, 2012, 09:54:47 AM »
Wow, sure is a lot of interest in this.  Okay, I'll play.  I always lean into the curve relative to the bike, but I don't move off the seat.  I also keep my legs tucked against the bodywork.  After all, I'm just riding for fun, not competition.

Typically, if I do drag a peg, it's only when I'm more than double the suggested corner speed, and almost always, these corners are marked in the 15 to 25 range.  This is on several specific roads that I'm very familiar with, that have no driveways along the twisty sections, and with the speed of the road marked at 45MPH or above.

When it comes to big sweepers, the only time I've ever touched the toe of my boot (point of first contact, and my initial "corner feeler"), or scraped a peg, is if there were something to bounce the suspension (i.e. bump) in the middle of the corner, and of course, going fast.  Also, I've been caught by the occasional sweeper that tightened up on the exit, causing me to cut the throttle enough to result in the bike leaning in to the point of contact.

A friend of mine once said, "anyone can go fast in a straight line".  Given that this bike does that in abundance, I use the straight sections to reduce speed from the corners, and if I'm riding with someone, to wait for them to catch up.

I'm certainly not a track trained expert / professional rider, but do like to practice on several specific roads I do along my commute.

Also, I would challenge anyone to do 45MPH repeatedly through tight 20MPH corners, and NOT drag something.  Good luck.   ;)
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2012 K1600 GTL 8), 2010 C14 ABS, 2002 HD FXSTDI, 2000 XT350, 1998 C10, 1983 V65 Magna, 1978 HD SX250

Son of Pappy

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #21 on: September 30, 2012, 10:06:42 AM »
http://contour.com/videos/watch/smoked-by-nick-and-tamela-i-suck
Watch the other vids as well.  What do I win?

Offline C1xRider

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #22 on: September 30, 2012, 10:13:17 AM »
http://contour.com/videos/watch/smoked-by-nick-and-tamela-i-suck
Watch the other vids as well.  What do I win?

I saw that video when you originally posted it.  Those corners aren't as tight as I'm referring to, and you didn't even stay in your own lane. ;)   Really Chet, we'll have to work on your "street riding".

Still, your consolation prize is you get to ride down to PDX, and take a personal tour of some of our great twisty back roads! :)  Plus, as an added bonus, you get to critique my riding in person.  ;D
--------------------   BACK UP YOUR DISKS PEOPLE!! -------------------------------
2012 K1600 GTL 8), 2010 C14 ABS, 2002 HD FXSTDI, 2000 XT350, 1998 C10, 1983 V65 Magna, 1978 HD SX250

Son of Pappy

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #23 on: September 30, 2012, 10:48:22 AM »
I saw that video when you originally posted it.  Those corners aren't as tight as I'm referring to, and you didn't even stay in your own lane. ;)   Really Chet, we'll have to work on your "street riding".

Still, your consolation prize is you get to ride down to PDX, and take a personal tour of some of our great twisty back roads! :)  Plus, as an added bonus, you get to critique my riding in person.  ;D
That sounds like a prize I can't refuse ;D  Maryhill AM session was one way, made things awesome!! 
FWIW, them there are some tight corners, I'd bet a couple would be posted as 10 MPH.  I'm teaching next weekend or I'd see about heading that way, I have some new Angels all mounted up and they do need to be scrubbed in, sure would like to see some new roads 8)

Offline jjsC6

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #24 on: September 30, 2012, 01:50:04 PM »
Because body position does change the angle that the bike leans to navigate a curve at a given speed.

There are a lot of good books out there that explain this.

If you were to keep your body perpendicular to the road surface you would have to lean the bike further to navigate a curve at a certain speed than if you lean your body out on the side of the bike that is in the direction of the curve.

If you look at your windscreen as a solid door instead of a window.  When taking a right curve you want to look around the right side of that door.  When taking a left curve you want to look around the left side of that door. 

"Total Control" by Lee Parks is a great read.  As well as "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough.

I finished in the top three in the country in the AMA Amateur points standings in 1982 in three different classes of road racing.  I don't mean to sound cocky or like I know it all - I'm sure I don't.  But did I mention that I finished in the top three in the country......
Jim
2010 Concours - Sold Feb 2013
Current bikes....
2011 Ninja 1000, 2013 BMW 1600 GT, 2012 Ducati Panigale

Offline jjsC6

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #25 on: September 30, 2012, 01:51:39 PM »
Wow, sure is a lot of interest in this.  Okay, I'll play.  I always lean into the curve relative to the bike, but I don't move off the seat.  I also keep my legs tucked against the bodywork.  After all, I'm just riding for fun, not competition.

Typically, if I do drag a peg, it's only when I'm more than double the suggested corner speed, and almost always, these corners are marked in the 15 to 25 range.  This is on several specific roads that I'm very familiar with, that have no driveways along the twisty sections, and with the speed of the road marked at 45MPH or above.

When it comes to big sweepers, the only time I've ever touched the toe of my boot (point of first contact, and my initial "corner feeler"), or scraped a peg, is if there were something to bounce the suspension (i.e. bump) in the middle of the corner, and of course, going fast.  Also, I've been caught by the occasional sweeper that tightened up on the exit, causing me to cut the throttle enough to result in the bike leaning in to the point of contact.

A friend of mine once said, "anyone can go fast in a straight line".  Given that this bike does that in abundance, I use the straight sections to reduce speed from the corners, and if I'm riding with someone, to wait for them to catch up.

I'm certainly not a track trained expert / professional rider, but do like to practice on several specific roads I do along my commute.

Also, I would challenge anyone to do 45MPH repeatedly through tight 20MPH corners, and NOT drag something.  Good luck.   ;)

I'm with you.  Good post.
Jim
2010 Concours - Sold Feb 2013
Current bikes....
2011 Ninja 1000, 2013 BMW 1600 GT, 2012 Ducati Panigale

Offline DGOLD

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #26 on: September 30, 2012, 02:06:21 PM »
After taking the Total Control class with Lee Parks I realized that dropping your knee and body off the bike was so that the bike bike could stay more upright and improve traction and so that you could turn the bar into the turn and make it otherwise sharper.
When you scrape parts it indicates you are only using the difference in circumference of the tire to navigate the turn and that actually limits your control options.
The bike is most stable when upright isn't it?
1995 c10(gone), 2001 c10(passed on to son),
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Offline stewart

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #27 on: September 30, 2012, 02:12:08 PM »
One aspect of this discussion missing is suspension. If the rear is too soft as in not enough pre-load, then its easy to touch down with the pegs regardless of body position. This became evident during my last trackday while playing with my suspension.
Stewart
2010 Concours14
COG 9380

Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #28 on: September 30, 2012, 05:11:12 PM »
One aspect of this discussion missing is suspension. If the rear is too soft as in not enough pre-load, then its easy to touch down with the pegs regardless of body position. This became evident during my last trackday while playing with my suspension.

and rebound damping to keep the tires in contact with the pavement.
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Offline freebird6

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Re: Curious about Clearance
« Reply #29 on: October 03, 2012, 02:47:44 PM »
THis has turned into a pretty good thread. As I was cruising around the "other guys board" over on BMW sport touring I came across a few really nice threads on riding and devoured them.  First thread got interesting when HOugh himself popped in and started commenting

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=9&Number=156936&Searchpage=3&Main=16053&Words=%2BHough+%2BParks&topic=0&Search=true#Post156936  is a thread talking HOugh vs Parks which got my interest flowing and the other thread that had links to riding subjects  in the first post became an excellent resourcde I refer to often when returning from rides and looking back on the day as I make a journal entry and recall something I need to refer to. http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=48789#Post48789
 It has a variety of subjects linked regarding corner entry, being smooth, exits, inattention etc.

« Last Edit: October 03, 2012, 06:46:45 PM by freebird6 »
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