I accidently jumped my FZ6.

[FUHL]

I use to ride a Dual sport bike and at a railroad crossing there is a lip and I use to just blip the throttle and jump the tracks. Out of habit I did this on the FZ6. No big deal but I came to realize I was trying to ride the FZ6 the same way I use to ride my DS. Freeway riding is about the same. It is when I ride country twisty roads that the bike acts different. When riding my old bike during tight turns I would just lean into it and turn the bars slightly. Not much of a lean because it had knobby tires and it was unstable if I leaned too far. I can’t get the hang of taking a tight turn on the FZ6. There is way more resistance in the handle bars, it wants to stay straight. I do lean to make the corners but I am not sure I am doing it right. I tend to lean the bike and I position myself more perpendicular to the ground instead of staying in line with the bike as I would if I am riding in the dirt. So that brings me to my question, is there a proper technique on a pure street bike to take a tight turn? Videos anyone can recommend?

 

[Beerdrinker]

Watch this movie from Keith Code, Twist of the Wrist.
It's very good. I think it may answer your question.
Maybe you can find one without the subtitles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYXoA01dVhs

 

[dbldutch02]

Here's one I found very useful (watch where his head is to get body position), his other videos are worth the time too, even if there's quite a lot of talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFm3honeTQo

 

[outasight20]

I remember the same feeling when I first rode an FZ6 after riding my Ninja 250 for a year. The bike just didn't want to turn easily, and required a lot more effort to initiate a lean. It's just the nature of the bike, being pretty top-heavy.

 

[ChanceCoats123]

Before you get yourself down too much, check to see if your tires are squared off (or starting to). Squared tries will not like to turn in initially and will then dramatically increase lean angle like you're going to fall (you may not have gotten this far in the lean).

Remember that counter steering is really the way to initiate a turn. On dual sport/enduro bikes, it's more like actually steering into a turn. On a bike like the FZ6, you have to let the lateral torque from the tires turn the bike.

Taking your body off the bike isn't necessarily bad. It keeps the bike in a more upright position, and in rainy/slippery weather can be a life saver. But for normal street riding, you shouldn't need to do too much seat hanging (if any). For the first few months on my FZ6, I was also scared to increase lean angles thinking I would scrub out of the front tire and end up in a low side, but over time your faith in the grip of the tires will increase and your brain will allow you to increase lean angle more.

What really helped me was going to a big empty industrial part by where I live that has a rather large "ring" of sorts. Since there are no side streets, it's a bit safer to raise the speed and work on getting the edges of the tires on the pavement. Basically, it will come in time as long as you trust the bike not to wash from under you.

 

[FinalImpact]

Tire choice matters as does the bikes ride height. Slidding the forks up through the triple 4 - 10mm will help it tip in easier. Different bars and getting the rider over the tank will provide a better feeling too.

Mine just goes without effort, i lean and we turn, so i have no complaints in this area.

Do small steps if moving the forks!! As speeds go up, it can reduce stability.

 

[Motogiro]

Just the difference in the wheel mass from your DS to the FZ6 will probably be a large difference. That increased mass translates to more force when trying to counter steer. Each wheel has a gyroscopic effect once it is spinning. Increasing the speed and mass of the wheel will effect the time it takes to change the axis, hence the counter steer and lean of the bike will take more time and physical force as the wheel speed and mass increase. Keep in mind I'm only addressing the wheels and not the total mass of the bike. Total bike mass is another story and also adds to the time it takes to change lean angle and direction. Once I get my bike in the turn I don't feel anything except the process of moving through the turn. The small adjustments I might make in throttle or counter steer are so small I don't register them.

One of the reasons riders get into trouble in turns at higher speeds is they miscalculate the time needed to change direction and it puts them in the wrong line to make the turn. The reason is the lack of experience with the bike at higher speeds. The bike and the rider are fully capable of making the turn but the rider has not experienced the time change needed at the higher wheel speed alone. Add the total mass of the bike and the rider has a problem calculating the bike and the turn.

Using your body in a turn is also a good factor that helps the bike lean at higher speeds. I've noticed motor police and dirt riders use different body technique when turning big bikes at slower speeds or throttling a rear wheel in the dirt to quickly change bike direction. Body technique is different for sport bike/rode bike riding, at speed in turns.

Bottom line will be education and get that saddle time and that all equates to successful riding and fun!

 

[Botch]

Before you get yourself down too much, check to see if your tires are squared off (or starting to). Squared tries will not like to turn in initially and will then dramatically increase lean angle like you're going to fall (you may not have gotten this far in the lean).

This is a biggie. I put almost 10K miles on my first set of tires. Being it was my first motorcycle I didn't realize I was losing the ability to turn, and they were squared off pretty badly.
The new set spooned on, it became a different beast. Ogden Canyon was fun now! :rockon: I'm a little less stingy about changing tires now, it really made a difference.

 

[FZSexy]

OP, sounds like you need to add more weight and get a foot in the air. bike will turn just fine with some practice

 

[FinalImpact]

Just the difference in the wheel mass from your DS to the FZ6 will probably be a large difference. That increased mass translates to more force when trying to counter steer. Each wheel has a gyroscopic effect once it is spinning. Increasing the speed and mass of the wheel will effect the time it takes to change the axis, hence the counter steer and lean of the bike will take more time and physical force as the wheel speed and mass increase. Keep in mind I'm only addressing the wheels and not the total mass of the bike. Total bike mass is another story and also adds to the time it takes to change lean angle and direction. Once I get my bike in the turn I don't feel anything except the process of moving through the turn. The small adjustments I might make in throttle or counter steer are so small I don't register them.

One of the reasons riders get into trouble in turns at higher speeds is they miscalculate the time needed to change direction and it puts them in the wrong line to make the turn. The reason is the lack of experience with the bike at higher speeds. The bike and the rider are fully capable of making the turn but the rider has not experienced the time change needed at the higher wheel speed alone. Add the total mass of the bike and the rider has a problem calculating the bike and the turn.

Using your body in a turn is also a good factor that helps the bike lean at higher speeds. I've noticed motor police and dirt riders use different body technique when turning big bikes at slower speeds or throttling a rear wheel in the dirt to quickly change bike direction. Body technique is different for sport bike/rode bike riding, at speed in turns.

Bottom line will be education and get that saddle time and that all equates to successful riding and fun!

^^^ That was AWESOME!!! Too many REP points - so you were 'rejected' by the system, not me!

That blue section I highlighted made me think of the thread I started; Keeping your line; do you?

As those are a lot like the words I should have chosen. I mean, the bike is on target at all times. Its pretty rare it isn't where I prepped for mentally other than a last second swerve to avoid "something" I didn't see before entering the corner. I know that's off topic, but I'll say OUR pairing is very fluent and we work well together.

Even stupid little things like moving the bars up and down a small amount change how we interact and may impact my confidence level. To me, setup is VERY IMPORTANT! Do everything you can with the basic adjustments so the bike fits you AND NOT the other way around! Lever angles, bar angles, brake and shifter positions, fork in triple, tire pressure. All these things matter to match you as a pair so you work as one! :thumbup:

 

[FUHL]

Before you get yourself down too much, check to see if your tires are squared off (or starting to). Squared tries will not like to turn in initially and will then dramatically increase lean angle like you're going to fall (you may not have gotten this far in the lean).

Remember that counter steering is really the way to initiate a turn. On dual sport/enduro bikes, it's more like actually steering into a turn. On a bike like the FZ6, you have to let the lateral torque from the tires turn the bike.

Taking your body off the bike isn't necessarily bad. It keeps the bike in a more upright position, and in rainy/slippery weather can be a life saver. But for normal street riding, you shouldn't need to do too much seat hanging (if any). For the first few months on my FZ6, I was also scared to increase lean angles thinking I would scrub out of the front tire and end up in a low side, but over time your faith in the grip of the tires will increase and your brain will allow you to increase lean angle more.

What really helped me was going to a big empty industrial part by where I live that has a rather large "ring" of sorts. Since there are no side streets, it's a bit safer to raise the speed and work on getting the edges of the tires on the pavement. Basically, it will come in time as long as you trust the bike not to wash from under you.

This maybe the case. I checked them and the rear seems to have started to square off. Not much but I can feel it. The bike only has 4100 miles. Can I reshape them with sandpaper?

 

[FinalImpact]

^^^ go hit some twists and dont stop until they're nice an round again!! :spank: Blah

Chance, i had an S20 turn into a razor blade profile. It was evil as you'd go into the turn and then the bike would literally "fall over" cause the tire was so pointy... It was night and day once replaced. If i test drove a bike with that tire id never buy the bike as it made you think something was seriously wrong. It was that bad.