So I uh... "colored outside the lines" today.

[pookamatic]

Last week: I ground my toe down a bit on my first nice lean.

Today: I hit the peg feeler (feet are properly placed now), it scared the crap outta me, and I came up a little and broke my line. Kept neutral throttle and quickly made a choice, turn in harder to get back on line or... cheat... and ride through a grassy field in between the two signs.

Coatesville, PA - Google Maps

This POV is about where I started my turn. I was going a little too fast for me and had that next turn in mind. Would have been fine if I didn't panic. Kinda feel like a loser because I took the easy course. I mean - if there was a wall or... well anything but a safe happy field of green, I would have sucked it up and at a minimum taken the lesser of two evils. Free lesson though - coasted until the road met back up with me and caught up with my friend who was waiting a couple hundred feet up the road.

All in all, it was an epic day. I learned a lot and had a BLAST. There was this one set of twisties that we went back and forth over and over and it was amazing. I kept going wide and hitting the painted lines and felt the rear slip a bit. Again - a momentary butterfly and then... aaaah - OK - now I know what that feels like.

 

[Lefty]

Glad you made through o.k. and learned from it. :thumbup:
No matter how many times I scape the pegs (with feelers removed) it always gets my attention.
Just remember, there's always a lot more tire grip to spare when you get to the pegs...

 

[FinalImpact]

Glad you're OK and no harm no foul, but if you're missing your marks and not holding your "intended path" its time to slow down and learn "why" before someone has to scrape you up. . .

240 miles today abusing the chickin for a good 70 of it and not a moment was I outside of the line I picked going in. Although I did push out to within a foot of the dbl yel, which was not cool in my book, but safely in my lane leaning away from oncoming traffic.
Seriously figure out why you're missing these before it turns out bad!

 

[PurpleZJ]

must have been an interesting ride. I made a similar mistake of hitting a corner too fast a few days after buying the fz, panicked and forgot what to do and last second gave her a good bit more lean and I flew through with ease. now I make sure I'm extra cautious on my entry speeds

 

[Azz]

Last week: I ground my toe down a bit on my first nice lean.

Today: I hit the peg feeler (feet are properly placed now), it scared the crap outta me, and I came up a little and broke my line. Kept neutral throttle and quickly made a choice, turn in harder to get back on line or... cheat... and ride through a grassy field in between the two signs.

Coatesville, PA - Google Maps

This POV is about where I started my turn. I was going a little too fast for me and had that next turn in mind. Would have been fine if I didn't panic. Kinda feel like a loser because I took the easy course. I mean - if there was a wall or... well anything but a safe happy field of green, I would have sucked it up and at a minimum taken the lesser of two evils. Free lesson though - coasted until the road met back up with me and caught up with my friend who was waiting a couple hundred feet up the road.

All in all, it was an epic day. I learned a lot and had a BLAST. There was this one set of twisties that we went back and forth over and over and it was amazing. I kept going wide and hitting the painted lines and felt the rear slip a bit. Again - a momentary butterfly and then... aaaah - OK - now I know what that feels like.

Great story, and by the sounds of it you learned something!

Just for the benefit of myself (and hopefully others), what do you mean when you say your feet are properly placed?

I've been having some troubles "feeling right" on my FZ since I got my license back, and I'd appreciate any help I can get on posture, or seating position, or foot position? Any recommended reading on those topics?

Thanks! And sorry about the hijack! :ban:

 

[Erci]

Glad you're OK and no harm no foul, but if you're missing your marks and not holding your "intended path" its time to slow down and learn "why" before someone has to scrape you up. . .

+1! It's great fun to ride hard like that, but really.. wise thing to do would be to take it to the track.
This is just my opinion, but if you're scraping pegs on the street, you're pushing it too hard or your body position is off.
Be careful out there, pook!

 

[pookamatic]

Just for the benefit of myself (and hopefully others), what do you mean when you say your feet are properly placed?

A week ago I took a corner fast and my toe rubbed because my foot was underneath the shifter. I was never told in the MSF that the balls of your feet - not your heels - should be on the pegs.

Thanks for all the comments.

 

[Erci]

A week ago I took a corner fast and my toe rubbed because my foot was underneath the shifter. I was never told in the MSF that the balls of your feet - not your heels - should be on the pegs.

Thanks for all the comments.

Some people also tend to point their toes out which is another bad habit. Toes should be pointing forward.. that'll also naturally put your knees up against the tank, which is where they should be.

 

[Dave.TX]

I remember after a ride seeing I had scraped off a peg, didn't know it at the time. I ride with the balls on the pegs (that doesn't sound right...) and keep my feet flush against the bike. I have a fear of leaving a foot out and it getting hit or caught by something. I always wear riding boots for protection, they have little scrape protectors that are replaceable. Haven't been that low yet.

 

[Erci]

Just thought of few other things I should have mentioned earlier re:scraping: besides riding too hard or less-than-optimal body position, soft suspension will also cause premature scraping (not enough preload or simply undersprung for your weight) and not staying on the throttle through the turn will also decrease clearance (allowing fork to dive).

 

[FinalImpact]

Just thought of few other things I should have mentioned earlier re:scraping: besides riding too hard or less-than-optimal body position, soft suspension will also cause premature scraping (not enough preload or simply undersprung for your weight) and not staying on the throttle through the turn will also decrease clearance (allowing fork to dive).

To your point, I've never hit the pegs or the center stand. Details; I'm 205 to 210lbs in gear, stock rear spring set #5, IIRC rear sag is 30mm and front is 34mm (R6 forks). FWIW, the fiz has no chicken left on the back so I always find it very interesting to read about people dragging parts off. But then again i like my suspension a little firmer. . .

 

[Erci]

FWIW, the fiz has no chicken left on the back so I always find it very interesting to read about people dragging parts off. But then again i like my suspension a little firmer. . .

Exactly!! If all other factors are in the right place (body position, suspension, proper throttle application) we're talking pretty extreme lean angles before parts start to scrape. :don'tknow:

Pook.. get someone to shoot a video of you as your ride the twisties

 

[pookamatic]

That would be cool.

FWIW, we are talking about peg feelers here. I haven't taken them out. I'm about 6', 165# without gear with the suspension setting on 3. I haven't started shifting my cheeks around really, but I do lean my upper body over into the turn. Always try to maintain a smooth roll on throughout.

 

[FinalImpact]

That would be cool.

FWIW, we are talking about peg feelers here. I haven't taken them out. I'm about 6', 165# without gear with the suspension setting on 3. I haven't started shifting my cheeks around really, but I do lean my upper body over into the turn. Always try to maintain a smooth roll on throughout.

You might just bump it to 4 and try that. You can always put it back.

So if you go into deep thought, what's happening in the turns that makes you push beyond the intended line you set?

The obvious one is "too fast" but for others it could be the uncertainness of the tires grip and the lean angle being beyond their comfort zone keeping them from leaning more. IDK . . . Just curious what you think. . .

 

[Erci]

You might just bump it to 4 and try that. You can always put it back.

+1 again! I used to set mine to 4 or even 5 for spirited riding.

 

[pookamatic]

So if you go into deep thought, what's happening in the turns that makes you push beyond the intended line you set?

You're right - when I said too fast earlier... I really mean too fast for me mentally. The bike was doing things I've never experienced before and until yesterday, I had ZERO idea what it felt like approaching the limits.

One turn at a time, I progressed to a point where the bike finally said (in so many words), "Ahem, I don't think you posses the skills to do what you are doing so GTFO NOOB!"

My next day will consist of:
#4 suspension
Better body positioning
Slower entry speeds, slightly harder roll ons
~20% all around slower as I learn proper techniques and lines.

 

[Erci]

Better body positioning

Try to slide off just slightly into the turn (no need to fully hang off.. we're talking maybe 2-3".. no need to stick knee out either). Obviously your upper body should lean down and into turn as well.. kiss the mirror

Slower entry speeds, slightly harder roll ons

Don't over do it. As long as you're not engine braking you're fine.. progressively add more as you go through corner and only really open it up as you spot your exit and begin to straighten the bike up.

~20% all around slower as I learn proper techniques and lines.

Excellent idea! You'll probably end up with better drive out of every corner and as a result your overall time through any given set of curves will drop!

Have fun!

 

[pookamatic]

Better body positioning

Obviously your upper body should lean down and into turn as well.. kiss the mirror

Actually - this wasn't as obvious until now. I was much more upright and inline with the bike than I thought.

I have one good opportunity to hit a turn on my boring commute - a tightish onramp onto I95. I gotta say... wow- a little lean goes a long way! Just kissing the mirror as you said really made a difference.

Man... riding a bike is like getting laid. But not just any ol' run of the mill kinda sex. I'm talking about that freaky stuff that feels kinda weird at first but then afterward you say, "WHOO! I'm doing that AGAIN!"

There is no way I'm going to be able to make it through the winter without the vroom vroom. Time to stimulate the economy and winter gear up.

 

[FinalImpact]

I'm glad to see your first plan of action is to slow down as that's a must. So now add in a safety margin atop that. MEANING: if something happens in a corner where it appears you may already be uncomfortable, I ask this; what do you have to give to keep you safe? This isn't race to see who can lean or speed around the corners. Its more of a race to see who can have the most up time while having fun too!

I urge you to pad your proposed speeds again and add in a safety margin. As in, try braking in a moderately sharp corner, holding your line, picking new destinations and generally not overloading your noodle. When you're ready to go fast, you shouldn't have to think to do it; as its a trained response with all the inputs/observation being absorbed and adding the proper corrections to adapt to anything that happens.

Take your time and build those skills. OH - Yes, the winter will suck - Grab the xBox and Moto GP for while. At least Crashing hurts way less! lol

 

[FinalImpact]

. . . The bike was doing things I've never experienced before and until yesterday, . . .

Your words here reminded me of our last ride. I'm pulling a good clip around a switch back and encounter a sunken grade over a large pipe which then abruptly drops again in the corner at which I'm leaned over a fair amount. All this is not so bad except I'm supposed to be transitioning the bike bike soon after this so I lifted my arse off the seat a tad and let the bike wobble below me which it did as we went into the air a tad. Upon touchdown lean, brake, and corner. . . It was entertaining as hell! lol I cleared a few corners waiting for my buddy to come out into the open on the 1090RR and gave him the :Thumbup: . . . Later he said he didn't see the sunkenness and was launched nearly landing in the ditch! It was like motocross on the street!

Its all about gaining experience over time so nothing rattles you! And I will add that I "feel" 35 years of dirt bike experience really helps the street experience.