Cornering Speeds

[My Name Is Dave]

So I am around 1200 miles (oh, that reminds me that I need to clean, lube and possibly tighten my chain   ) and have noticed some huge gains in my skills as a rider. I used to even be nervous to take my left hand off the grip and rest it on the tank for a second (I thought I would crash   ). Now I am comfy with one hand on the bars, even on the freeway, or no hands to quickly make an adjustment of my gear, or a quick standup to adjust my...um...yeah... you know, and even sitting on the tank is no problem (not a common practice, but my nieces are 5 and 7 and think it's the funniest thing in the world). But my biggest jump is in cornering.

I used to read the speed sign posted before the curve and follow it exactly. Then I started to notice I was going 5 MPH over around the turn. Then 10. Then I notice myself almost doubling the speed around familiar turns that are posted at 25 MPH. I am getting the hang (no pun intended) of cornering, which I am really happy about.

So I got to thinking: how fast over the posted speed, either in MPH or multiples of, do you feel comfortable going? Do you find yourself taking a 35 at 50? Do you see a 45 and not even decel from 85 MPH? I'm just curious on how you take corners.

Dave  

[pantablo]

when I had my gs I was good for at least 2x over posted. usually 65 through a 25, hanging off.

Now, that same 25 turn is more like 75-80. sometimes more. I'm taking a 15mph corner in my local canyon route around 40. scraping parts.


the gs is a great learning tool.

[Jake D]

I like going wide.

[Roadstergal]

I clean and lube my chain at 500-mile intervals...

Corner speed signs are made for the lowest common denominator perforce; trucks.  I ignore them completely.  Each turn has its own character, and its own ideal speed.  But there are very few turns on the road that can't be taken far in excess of the legal limit for a given road.  That's why I like the track - that, and that you don't have to worry about what's waiting on the other side of the curve.

Now I am comfy with one hand on the bars, even on the freeway, or no hands to quickly make an adjustment of my gear

Big pet peeve of mine, like watching someone go down the road with one hand at noon in a car.  Keep both yer hands on the bars.  You sacrifice control and reaction time without both hands on.

(And personally, when I see a guy with one hand on the bar and his left hand on his hip, I just have the overwhelming feeling that he is broadcasting to the world "Look at me, I'm the sheeot!", and that's a big turnoff for me.)

[My Name Is Dave]

Hey there. I never said that I was putting the hand on the hip and sashaying (however you spell that word  :dunno: ) down the street. Ever been on a long, straight, empty freeway (trip from Estacada to PDX is a good example) and your left hand gets tired? I'm a fan of throwing the wrist over the bar to let the hand rest or putting the arm on the tank to relax the whole left arm. Say what you will, but I know the details of the roads I'm on, and there is nothing for miles.

Back to your normally scheduled topic...

Dave  

[Daniely]

There are a set of particularly fun turns on flat ground here in town that i regularly hit at nearly double the posted (posted being 35). Its about 3 miles out of the way to hit it on my way home from work, but I still do it nearly every day. Just fun stuff PLUS my chicken strips are almost gone, and IM still very confident in the CBR (which may or may not be a bad thing).

[My Name Is Dave]

Chicken strips? Explain... :dunno:

The one in particular that comes to mind is when I leave work in the 'Couv and get on 205 to PDX. There is a tight loop that goes 270 degrees around (you start going West and end up going South) and dumps you onto the freeway on-ramp. 15 MPH is the posted limit, I believe. And when I was still new, believe me that 15 is what I did. And I'd look in the rearview for a millisecond and see like 6 cars just stacked on top of each other. And no doubt were they hating me  :x . I didn't care though; ride your own ride, right? Whether in a car or on a bike. But still funny that I was so timid  

Dave  

[gazingwa]

chicken strips....


from those to chicken to corner...

flat spot in the center of the tire... new rubber on the sides

[My Name Is Dave]

I see. Only wearing down the inside of the tire, due to the lack of cornering. Sheet, I'll be seeing those if (well, when... ) I move to a 600 or 750. 15 MPH curves will be taken at 11, max.  :lol:


Dave  

[Phaedrus]

(And personally, when I see a guy with one hand on the bar and his left hand on his hip, I just have the overwhelming feeling that he is broadcasting to the world "Look at me, I'm the sheeot!", and that's a big turnoff for me.)

Hehe, she says that as if every guy is out to impress her  

If I clutch too much, like on long distance rides, my hand gets kinda sore too and sometimes I take it off the clutch for a bit. No sense in helping the onset of carpral tunnell...haha. It isn't about "Hey look at me I am cool", it is about "#$%, my hand hurts so I am gonna rest it". If we wanted to look cool, we probably would have bought a GSX-R 1000 or an R1

But anyway...I don't have a specific formula for cornering speeds. I don't ride like a bat out of hell anyway. Even on the straights, if it is posted 55mph, I usually do less than 65mph. I guess I am a granny rider! So if I am buzzing along about 60-65 in a normal 55, and the corner says "30mph" I prety much stay consistent with my speed..55,60,65. Unless I see a "20mph" or a "10mph" corner, then I do slow down because I know some of them, atleast those we have around here, are TIGHT. In those instances, I'd probably drop it down to about 40mph..so probably like everyone else says, around double the posted cornering speed give or take, depending on the conditions. Some of those corners, atleast in my area, are marked way off anyways!

BTW, I've only been riding since last Summer and only have about 6,500 miles under my belt so I am a fairly new rider too.  

[My Name Is Dave]

Hey, i read in a previous post that she has nice...um...boo...um...boots, yeah, boots. So I will keep both hands on the bars if that's impressive to her.  

What has two thumbs and is a dirtbag? This guy!  :nana:

Dave  

[gazingwa]

shaZam! i don't ride to get chicks... how i look doesn't matter.  my wife keeps my balls under lock and key anyways... not like i could do anything when i impress a chick anyway. therefore, if i'm riding with 1 arm it is for comfort and that only.

[davipu]

what about riding with the feet kicked out on the hwy pegs and both hands hanging down?

[My Name Is Dave]

what about riding with the feet kicked out on the hwy pegs and both hands hanging down?

The whos on the what now? Highway pegs?  :dunno:

Wha...?

Dave  

[Daniely]

Davipu has highway pegs on his bike. As a matter of fact, his bike is set up for cruising long distances. It was amazing to see his bike when he stopped in Visalia and had dinner with us.

[My Name Is Dave]

You have any pics, Davey Poo?  

Dave  

[davipu]

I welded on hwy pegs to my engine gaurds.






oh yeah baby, your a dirty girl and you like it.  dont ya?

[My Name Is Dave]

That takes "scraping the pegs" to a whole new level.

D  

[davipu]

and with those ice skate tires she'll get down and do it too.

[daneilah]

...(And personally, when I see a guy with one hand on the bar and his left hand on his hip, I just have the overwhelming feeling that he is broadcasting to the world "Look at me, I'm the sheeot!", and that's a big turnoff for me.)...

.... I do the hip thing now and then.  It's a nice comfortable rest.  I don't usually do it for long though... always seem to end up asking myself what would happen if I needed to stop or swerve quickly.  

My best broadcasting is when I stall at a light or shift down when I meant to shift up.  "Look at me, I'm the dufus who doesn't know what he's doing".