Rolling On While Increasing Lean

[mugget]

FieryRobot - do you really only "get off the throttle a bit"? I guess that you're finding you don't have to brake at all, but is there any reason in particular why you can't use zero throttle while turning? Or to look at it a different way - why is it that you feel the need to stay on the throttle a bit?

 

The reason I ask is that in my mind holding any kind of throttle while turning just confuses the situation. The almost foolproof process that works for me is to have zero throttle by the time I reach the turn point, then turn. The big criteria for when I re-apply throttle and accelerate out is when I know for sure that I will make my intended exit point/exit line out of the corner.

 

Doing things that way means you completely avoid any mid-corner throttle corrections.

 

Sometimes you may need to hold a flat throttle, for example on a long constant-radius corner. But even then I find it much easier to turn with zero throttle, then apply maintenance throttle once I've turned onto my chosen line. Then still only accelerate out of the corner when I'm 100% sure I will have the exit line that I want.

 

That is what works for me - I have never run wide while using that process. The only times I run wide is if I do something wrong and deviate from that method (ie. lose concentration, vision drifts out, etc.). In which case you've just got to make the best of a bad situation, you have the options that Cobie mentioned.

[FieryRobot]

mugget, with my post above, I'm talking about what to do while already in-turn and you realize your current lean angle is going to take you wide. That is, you didn't quite turn the bike as much as you should have. The times when I get bitten by this most is on a turn which you find out the hard way is a decreasing radius turn. Other times it's just because I really can't see Usually in a canyon road situation where you couldn't see it was decreasing until you were already committed and like "uh oh". Sometimes I'll roll off, repoint and go, but I have to think you can stay flat and lean more assuming you have ample lean angle available and the road is good. Sometimes I do that too. But it always makes me think about what's best.

 

In any case, I think your and Cobie's comments on what to do in those situations answer my question.

[mugget]

mugget, with my post above, I'm talking about what to do while already in-turn and you realize your current lean angle is going to take you wide. That is, you didn't quite turn the bike as much as you should have.

 

Ah, gotcha! Well in that case, I suppose there is some comfort in knowing that your initial quick turn (if you did quick turn) will mean that you're using less lean angle than a "lazy" turn, so you have more room to work with.

 

But I still have to wonder why you turn with any throttle applied? I get what you're asking with your question, but it seems like there's something else going on that could be causing some problems? Fix the root cause and you would completely avoid the other issues.

 

For example if you turn with zero throttle, even if you do find out that your line is going to take you wide, you just keep turning more (before you touch the throttle) to correct your line.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that if you just make your steering input then relax on the 'bars with zero throttle your line will tighten all by itself. Made it really easy for me to ride decreasing radius corners!

[Hotfoot]

FieryRobot, how are you choosing your turn points, when you are riding on roads? In the turns where you end up needing a steering correction, are you committing to a line before you see the actual shape of the turn?

[FieryRobot]

FieryRobot, how are you choosing your turn points, when you are riding on roads? In the turns where you end up needing a steering correction, are you committing to a line before you see the actual shape of the turn?

I think you know the answer :-) But sometimes you need to start turning before you can really see around far enough. Often times it's trees or a grade in the way, blocking your view. I find in the turns where I can see the full turn, I seldom have an issue.

 

However, even in the best of cases, there are times where I don't counter-steer enough (or perhaps too much). So I need to correct.