Is My Bike Too Small?

[jon.hart]

I recently completed levels 1 & 2 and have recognised that even though I need to practise the drills taught on those days, my biggest problem by far is counter-steering.

My track bike is a T675 Daytona but I ride a Street Triple R and a 'busa on the road. On both my road bikes, I find the quick turn much easier because my arms are more relaxed and I have more room. The more cramped cockpit of the T675 makes it hard for be to actually get behind the bars and I need to move right back in the saddle to get in to a good cornering position. The laws of physics make this very difficult under heavy breaking and usually results in instability at the turn point.

 

Is there anything I can do with my pegs, bars or seat to make this easier? Are there any exercises or techniques I could practise, off the bike to make my movement smoother? Or should I just accept that the little trumpet was not built for a 16st, 6ft lard-ass like me?

[faffi]

I recently completed levels 1 & 2 and have recognised that even though I need to practise the drills taught on those days, my biggest problem by far is counter-steering.

My track bike is a T675 Daytona but I ride a Street Triple R and a 'busa on the road. On both my road bikes, I find the quick turn much easier because my arms are more relaxed and I have more room. The more cramped cockpit of the T675 makes it hard for be to actually get behind the bars and I need to move right back in the saddle to get in to a good cornering position. The laws of physics make this very difficult under heavy breaking and usually results in instability at the turn point.

 

Is there anything I can do with my pegs, bars or seat to make this easier? Are there any exercises or techniques I could practise, off the bike to make my movement smoother? Or should I just accept that the little trumpet was not built for a 16st, 6ft lard-ass like me?

 

 

Bar risers, if available, will not only give you more room, the taller handlebars will also improve your leverage in direction changes and also improve braking by allowing you to keep the weight a bit further back. MOTORRAD once tested a ZXR750 in slalom, braking and around a track stock and with (wider) superbike bars sitting about 4 inches taller. Both expert and novice did better in the slalom and braking test with the converted bike, while the expert managed to be a couple of tenths quicker around the track with the clip-ons. The novice were several seconds quicker with the taller, wider bars around the track.

[khp]

I recently completed levels 1 & 2 and have recognised that even though I need to practise the drills taught on those days, my biggest problem by far is counter-steering.

My track bike is a T675 Daytona but I ride a Street Triple R and a 'busa on the road. On both my road bikes, I find the quick turn much easier because my arms are more relaxed and I have more room. The more cramped cockpit of the T675 makes it hard for be to actually get behind the bars and I need to move right back in the saddle to get in to a good cornering position. The laws of physics make this very difficult under heavy breaking and usually results in instability at the turn point.

 

Is there anything I can do with my pegs, bars or seat to make this easier? Are there any exercises or techniques I could practise, off the bike to make my movement smoother? Or should I just accept that the little trumpet was not built for a 16st, 6ft lard-ass like me?

 

My experience is that physical size doesn't have that much to say in this respect - I ride a 2003 YZF-R1 on the streets and a 2008 YZF-R6 on the track, and I'm 6'6" (&190lbs). I don't find either bike as "cramped", although I need to put my elbows on the outside of the knees in order to get room:

 

What I have found to help, is to make sure that you are well anchored for the braking. I move into the hang-in position (well) before applying the brake, but keep the inner knee "into the tank" so I can keep myself from sliding too much to the front by using the thigh muscles.

 

In fact, getting thrown into the tank is more of a problem on the R1, since A: the seat is a bit slippery, and B: the seat(s) have a downwards slope towards the front, so any minuscule bump will throw me slightly up into the air and forwards .

 

On the R6, the seat is flatter and more "sticky" so I don't get bounced around that much.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Kai

[Gorecki]

I ride a 2003 YZF-R1 on the streets and a 2008 YZF-R6 on the track, and I'm 6'6" (&190lbs). I don't find either bike as "cramped

 

Holy Beanstalk Batman!!!

 

I'm amazed a guy your size makes things work on these machines. You're not the first I've encountered and more and more finding it's not uncommon...so maybe it's even an advantage I'm not aware of?

 

I'm 5' 9" and don't have gorilla arms so I would say sometimes the clip-ons seem a little far away. Also, when you put a knee down, it's by default...ohh 4"-6" closer to the ground with far less lean angle required to get there?

 

Topic just got me thinking..

[khp]

I ride a 2003 YZF-R1 on the streets and a 2008 YZF-R6 on the track, and I'm 6'6" (&190lbs). I don't find either bike as "cramped

 

Holy Beanstalk Batman!!!

:D

 

I'm amazed a guy your size makes things work on these machines. You're not the first I've encountered and more and more finding it's not uncommon...so maybe it's even an advantage I'm not aware of?

 

I'm 5' 9" and don't have gorilla arms so I would say sometimes the clip-ons seem a little far away. Also, when you put a knee down, it's by default...ohh 4"-6" closer to the ground with far less lean angle required to get there?

 

Topic just got me thinking..

 

I don't think that being tall and have long arms/legs is necessarily an advantage. In fact, the clip-ons tend to be too close ... twice.

First, I need to apply a badminton-racket-type grip (see below) on the inside clip-on to avoid bending too much in the wrist.

 

Secondly, I need to wrap my arms/elbows around my thighs/knees.

 

With respect to requiring less lean-angle: yes, I have longer thighs. But, I also have longer calfs, of course, so my knees will be further from the ground than, say, yours to start with. Finally, requiring less lean-angle to getting your knee down may be good for your Ego , but bad for your corner speed.

Getting quicker to knee-down can mentally stop you from getting the right lean, since you mentally is "at the limit" - you need to consciously pick up your knee to achieve the correct amount of lean.

 

Cheers,

 

Kai

[Gorecki]

Interesting, seems to me I'm in fairly good order all things considered.

 

Seriously, my reference to the clip-ons seem far away is I'm ALWAYS over the tank and really sitting straight up is impossible but...ah that's the design of a race bike, so I guess it makes sense.

 

Reaching around the knees and that sort of grip would seem to make the whole act considerably more difficult, so I'll not have any excuses come track time.