Rear end stepping out on me

[brett]

So this has happened to me twice in two days now. Both times I've been going for a left before the light turns red. Because I'm speeding to make the light, I'm getting on the brakes and downshifting fairly late. Right as I'm about to turn, I can feel the rear stepping out on me a little. I get through the turn just fine, but it's a little unnerving.

What could be causing this? This is the kinda stuff that I hear about when I read about slipper clutches, but the GS definitely has nowhere near the power for that to be the issue. Besides, I'm not dumping the clutch. I blip it properly and its pretty smooth. The road has been fairly smooth both times, so I don't think it's that. The only other thought I had was the tires. I've got Sport Demons with about 5.5k miles on them. Unlike most riders who either wear the edges or the center more than the other, I've got pretty even wear since I commute a lot and do lotsa twisties on these. There is still a good amount of tread across the tire.

[CirclesCenter]

I've felt it too, for me it's probably because my front suspension is so stiff (racethech straight rate racing) and my rear is stock.

[dgyver]

When front braking you are unloading the rear wheel. This with down shifting and rear brake use, will increase the chances for rear wheel lockup. The GS does not have a slipper clutch, which are designed to limit rear wheel lock up from down shifting.

Slipper clutches are designed with ramps to unload the clutch when down shifting puts a load from the rear wheel to the engine. Found more commonly on larger cc bikes and especially v-twins.

[ukchickenlover]

Check you didn't get chain lube on your tyre.

[brett]

When front braking you are unloading the rear wheel.

Oh yeah, duh. That's the most obvious culprit when I think about it. I suppose that means this is something that could be helped/solved with a better rear shock. (Or not gunning it to make a light, heh.)

[scratch]

Also, you need to be on the gas going through the turn, squatting the rear, putting more weight on the rear, and thus more traction.  Going though the light, in a turn, off the gas, is not good.  Get on the gas.

[brett]

Also, you need to be on the gas going through the turn, squatting the rear, putting more weight on the rear, and thus more traction.  Going though the light, in a turn, off the gas, is not good.  Get on the gas.

Yeah, I tried to get off the brakes and get on some maintenance throttle near the start of my turn, but I guess I started my turn too soon. Although it's not as easy on the ego, it's better to know this is a correctable riding error than something up with the bike.

[runsilent]

My rear steps out in turns all the time on the road when I hit tar snakes, have had the same thing happen on city street turns crossing the painted crosswalk lines at a good pace.

Your rear brake is your best friend in turns, it will never unload the front end and it actually settles the suspension when braking in turns much the same as applying throttle does.  Don't know why more don't use their excellent rear brakes on the GS, I eat rear linings like candy.  Rear braking to trim a bit of speed in corners while staying on the throttle is hard on the linings.   

[blue05twin]

My rear steps out in turns all the time on the road when I hit tar snakes, have had the same thing happen on city street turns crossing the painted crosswalk lines at a good pace.

Your rear brake is your best friend in turns, it will never unload the front end and it actually settles the suspension when braking in turns much the same as applying throttle does.  Don't know why more don't use their excellent rear brakes on the GS, I eat rear linings like candy.  Rear braking to trim a bit of speed in corners while staying on the throttle is hard on the linings.   

Will try that, great advice 

[jdanna]

My rear steps out in turns all the time on the road when I hit tar snakes, have had the same thing happen on city street turns crossing the painted crosswalk lines at a good pace.

Your rear brake is your best friend in turns, it will never unload the front end and it actually settles the suspension when braking in turns much the same as applying throttle does.  Don't know why more don't use their excellent rear brakes on the GS, I eat rear linings like candy.  Rear braking to trim a bit of speed in corners while staying on the throttle is hard on the linings.   

i hit some tar snakes for the first time in a corner the other day.
NO IDEA they were so slippery. scared the ever living shaZam! out of me.

[Turd Ferguson]

I always use the rear brake just as I'm entering a corner.  Its much better than chopping the throttle and risking loosing traction.  Just back off the throttle a bit (though not completely off) and trim using the rear brake.  Boo ya!

-Turd.

[CirclesCenter]

Stay on throttle, use brake.

Brake hardish then trail off as you lean in.

God I must think I'm Valentino Rossi or something....

Really just ride in your skill level. Great now I'm threadjacking and chasing myself in circles. Damn it.

Anyways yeah, Trail braking (if done wrong) can be painful so I don't know.

I do it  , but definitely not ham fisted.

[melloGS]

there is usually small gravel, oily spots, and dirt debri in intersections...

[Happytrack44]

I have 2 lowside crashes from over inflated rear tires. The first gave me lots of warning on my GS racebike at Kershaw. The rear would step out a little when I'ld nail it coming out of the turns. The last turn going onto the front streach is really tight and when I hit it it was gone.
The second was no warning, but a rapid climb up Squirrel Spur Road towards the Parkway on a cold day dropped the temperature about 25 degrees and the over-inflated rear got hard,  I was grinding leather.
Bad gauges, and in the first crash, not listening to what the bike was telling me, did me in.  all the previous posts about suspension and technique are true, but check the simple first. use a good gauge. Check every time you ride.

Be safe, allways check the simple first.Listen to your bike!     Cheers! Rob