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From Sticky To Slippy


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Dear all

 

This one is odd. Let me start by saying that I've been riding for donkeys and have done level 1. I've also done a number of other courses (non so good as our Keith's) so I'm no stranger to bikes and how they handle.

 

Tyres are about 500 - 600 miles old with loads of grip. The suspension I set up for me and it handles great. So, last friday I rode into London - about 40 miles - with the wife on the back. She is tiny and has been riding longer than I have. These BT014's take a mile or so to warm up and then they are on rails. Oh, the bike is a YZF1000R Thunderace.

 

So it's just over a mile to the first roundabout and I normally cruise around it and then off down the main road. This time it slid around the island like it was on bars of soap. But we're in a hurry so it's an easy ride down to the Motorway and then it's 90mph into London. High speeds were fine. There was no noticable difference in the handling. As I got into London I had front wheel lockups when cars pulled out, slippy corners - a real nightmare. I had forgotton how much of a delight it was to ride around the big city!

 

On the way back, same issues so before I got onto the motorway I pulled into a service station and checked the tyre pressures - which looked OK. I usually run at 35/37 so I put a squirt of air into each one because it was cold, dark the temperature was dropping and I was getting cold and tired. It hailed on the way home - it got cold. Got back on the road. And it was great. Sailed past Officer Dibble at 80mph and got home.

 

So, question is, can anyone understand what was going on and shed some light on this? Big changes in bike behaviour (I know I had a pillion on) and all sort of sorted with a squirt of air. I wonder if my shock is on the way out?

 

Thanks all

 

FT

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What was the air temp on the ride in? Sunny? Windy?

 

Though increased pressure is good for riding two up, I don't know what the standard pressure might be for BT014's on a YZF1000. But I tend to agree with sanfret. 35/37 sounds a bit high for normal single rider.

 

Also, though I do occasionally meet an over the counter or attached to a hose air guage that reads fairly accurate, most do not. Just a thought. What are you using for an air guage?

 

Invest in a good one and use the same one all the time. This is all predicate on "a squirt of air" seeming to "sort it out".

 

Sunny day, greasy city streets. Recent accident or spillage at the roundabout???? All things being equal, sounds more likely. Especially, since all was good on the motorway. Sounds like a localized phenomena of the space/time continuum...

 

As for the shock...well, with two up, albeit "a tiny pillion", things like compression damping could have an effect on traction under acceleration, and spring preload? Tiny as your wife may be, even at 90 pounds she's plenty of weight to create significant differences in the suspension (sag, geometry, etc.) as well as changes in handling.

 

Perhaps your owner's manual has suggestions for standard and two up riding adjustments for your suspension and tire pressures. If you don't have one, get one. It's no guarantee, just a good place to start.

 

cheers

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  • 2 months later...

yes, if they are hot, i agree.

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  • 1 month later...

hey there! (new to this place),

 

there has been a great deal of ###### on the road lately, so perhaps on setting out on your journey the road was greasy as hell. But on your return the weather had dried it up or even it rained and washed away the grime - making your return journey far more enjoyable :D

 

Just my 0.02c

 

hey there! (new to this place),

 

there has been a great deal of horrid stuff on the road lately, so perhaps on setting out on your journey the road was greasy as hell. But on your return the weather had dried it up or even it rained and washed away the grime - making your return journey far more enjoyable :D

 

Just my 0.02c

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