What Gear Is Needed and Is ATGATT Really Necessary?

[Suzuki Stevo]

I got my wife a Burgman 400 and a Kymco Super 8 150 to learn on.  I ride the Kymco once in a while to keep the battery charged (since the Burgman needes it more with its bad battery).  So a guy who works in my plant stopped me one day and said "Hey I saw you riding that scooter a hundred miles an hour, and wearing that 'Hyabusa' helmet!"  I look like a complete dork, all ATGATT.  I'm too old to care.

I go both ways...

[jsyzdek]

Let me change the direction for a moment. Do you guys have any recommendation for knee pucks? I have AveoSport one-piece with velcro to attach the pucks to. My knees keep getting closer and closer to the road and it's probably a good idea to put something bettween my suit and the pavement...

I want something cheap but decent (not fancy or very expensive). I'm not planning to keep sliding the knee and wear the thing out, it's just a precaution, that might soon turn into a gauge of my lean-angle.

[Alan_nc]

You can buy pucks fairly cheap on Ebay or at any of the online bike shops.

Depending on what bike your riding your foot peg feelers should hit the ground first.  Watch out for foot placement on pegs as the outer edge of your boot sole usually comes very close to scraping.  The first time the pucks make contact with the ground is a real shocker...be careful not to do something stupid at that point.

[BockinBboy]

I would recommend toe sliders before knee pucks, as the outer toe would touch first if you are getting that low.  I've got toe slider's on my Cortech air's - they have taken a beating this summer.  I've really not come close to touching a knee down, but I'm only slightly on the edge of my seat - just so that if I need more weight lower to get around a turn or avoid something, I'm ready to do it.  The words of 'The Pace' are always running through my head when riding spirited through twisties and such.  Hanging like that is so you don't have to lean as much (or your bike can't lean any more), and carry more speed through a turn.  IMO, If you need to hang and touch a knee down because your GS can't lean any further, you are riding way too aggressive for the street - they are just so nimble, you'd really have to be pushing it to do it - or simply crossing up just tryin to get a knee down, which isn't smart either.  But if you are wanting protection for some track days - by all means puck it up, and lets see those pics!



- Bboy

[jsyzdek]

I'm riding a GS500F, pretty much stock. All my mods are electrical + sonic springs (R6 shock is already in my tool box, I need to get the spacer, bolt and nut and I'll drop it in, hopefully this month).

I already went through a pair of toe sliders (my Bilt boots have them attached with a philips screw, ez replacement) and my foot pegs feelers are gone. I'd like to hang off a little more (right now it's just about half of my butt-cheek, while I keep hearing that getting one fully off is about right) and save my toe sliders, but then the knee is a problem...

I don't feel like I'm pushing it yet, I'm still quite a bit from sliding the back (although it did happen a handful of times on rippled surface), but pushing the front at times. I'm probably leaning too far forward, rather than to the side, but that's the lack of knee pucks...

I'll look at ebay, but if you have your favorites, I'll check them out.

I am planning for a track day this fall. I just need to find some time to book things and work out my schedule (I'm away from home 60-70% of time, on business trips).

By the way - anybody tried the California Superbike School? That's what I wanted to do as my first track experience.