GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: ohgood on February 06, 2008, 04:00:47 PM

Title: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ohgood on February 06, 2008, 04:00:47 PM
I'm practicing slow speed stuff:

lock to lock 8's, tiny lock circles, slow speed maneuvers. apparently either the drivetrain slack or the carbs (or me) aren't tight enough to do lock to lock maneuvers without a little clutch slipping.

I've got a major tune up weekend coming up:

valves, carb clean up and rejet, stem bearings, chain adjust, carb sync etc.

I'm hoping things will smooth out even more afterwards. I can do lock to lock 8's and tiny circles with along with slaloms at idle just fine, but the hesitation from idle to partial throttle, or a blip to stabilize the bike isn't as crisp as it should be.
Sooooo, is your fueling smooth enough to do things just off idle, or do you have to clutch it ?

(Not that I mind slipping it, but I wondered how my bike compares in smoothness)
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: frankieG on February 06, 2008, 04:14:13 PM
keep; f\the r[\pms up
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: CndnMax on February 06, 2008, 06:21:42 PM
I wouldn't recommend Slow speed maneuvers at idle, slip the clutch and have the rpm around 3 ish.
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: GeeP on February 06, 2008, 08:18:00 PM
I modulate the throttle and clutch.  The GS *will* do the box in just under 2.5 parking spaces.   :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: yamahonkawazuki on February 06, 2008, 08:42:59 PM
aye. you want to keep the rpms up a bit. incase it gets ready to stall or you get ready to dump it. youve got a chance of gettign out of a minor crash/laydown
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ohgood on February 07, 2008, 04:18:29 AM
OK, so I'm expecting too much from a gs then, but not wanting to -have- to rely on slipping ?

Not a problem, I just wondered if anyone else's ran smooth enough just off idle to do really slow speed stuff.

Thanks :)
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Affschnozel on February 07, 2008, 10:42:24 AM
Mine runs smooth without clutch slippage
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: nazgulnarsil on February 07, 2008, 04:29:56 PM
"The GS *will* do the box in just under 2.5 parking spaces"

:nono:
slip the clutch, get up out of that seat and lean the bike under you.  I have seen a Honda Goldwing do a U-turn inside 2 parking spaces the GS should be tighter.  I practice in church parking lots on saturdays.   :thumb:
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: CndnMax on February 07, 2008, 05:22:54 PM
Quote from: ohgood on February 07, 2008, 04:18:29 AM
OK, so I'm expecting too much from a gs then, but not wanting to -have- to rely on slipping ?

Not a problem, I just wondered if anyone else's ran smooth enough just off idle to do really slow speed stuff.

Thanks :)
I've taken off with just the idle but that took quite a bit of slipping, idle is for just that-Idling  :laugh:
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ohgood on February 07, 2008, 05:37:36 PM
I'm taking the camera out for my next slowbie day. Wanna see where I'm goofing it and where things look about right. Nope, I'm not posting the vid if I drop it  :o
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Domindart on February 07, 2008, 08:59:04 PM
Im a new rider but I was practicing circles ina parking lot and I was getting better results when I just circled in idle.  The bike was pushing itself. 
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ivany on February 07, 2008, 09:40:34 PM
You really gotta slip the clutch on all bikes, at least that's how we did it in MSF...and use the REAR brake the slow down.
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Ry_Guy on February 07, 2008, 10:35:30 PM
I actually low-sided with my front tire once when I was practicing some slow speed manuevers. But I was going just fast/slow enough to right it with my foot. I agree with yamahonkawazuki - it helps to keep the rpms up a little.
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ohgood on February 08, 2008, 04:40:52 AM
Apparently there is some slow speed renaissance going on. There are a couple of posts on tampasportbikes.com about uturns, slow speed practices/meets and slower rides (a few are 'choose your route by poll!' woohoo ) yaay !

Hopefully we can get the speed demons to realize they're not as good as they think. Nothing like dropping your stretched, candied, chromed, and lowed busa at a big meet while filling up ;) (Nothing against busas, most of the folks I've ridden with on them are -very- good riders, and they usually 'sweep' the rides. Nice guys, lots and lots of experience) All it takes is one squid + a busa and it gets scary, fast. :)
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Affschnozel on February 08, 2008, 01:03:56 PM
Speaking of busas I've just seen B-king in dealership   :o  that thing is FAT ,forget U turns with that bike  :icon_razz:

Yes,and see that link below for some laughs with low speed maneuvering   :icon_lol:
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Teek on February 08, 2008, 01:33:56 PM
Even the cop at the end went down. It looked more like tight maneuvers, going as fast as possible. There was a lot of peg scraping, not to mention road rash! Some of those bikes were classics, ouch!
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Jlittle on February 08, 2008, 03:33:46 PM
i drop it to first gear throw on the choke and no hands it... ok maybe not but i tend to feather the clutch alot for low speed manuevers.  I do alot of in city riding and i had to learn that quickly to avoid alot of potholes and other obsticals
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ohgood on February 08, 2008, 06:15:23 PM
Quote from: Jlittle on February 08, 2008, 03:33:46 PM
i drop it to first gear throw on the choke and no hands it... ok maybe not but i tend to feather the clutch alot for low speed manuevers.  I do alot of in city riding and i had to learn that quickly to avoid alot of potholes and other obsticals

The last lot I found for slowbie practice is missing two manhole covers this week. I didn't get close enough to really worry about it, but from now on I'm dodging all covers, just in case.
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: Jlittle on February 09, 2008, 08:04:46 AM
i absolutely hate hitting any bumps on my gs, bumps me off the dang seat then i drop back down to the seat and hurt my tail bone.  Got my spring compressed as much as it will go. So avoiding manholes and such are a bing thing for me.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Slow speed manuevers - how do YOU ?
Post by: ohgood on February 10, 2008, 08:05:56 AM
Quote from: Jlittle on February 09, 2008, 08:04:46 AM
i absolutely hate hitting any bumps on my gs, bumps me off the dang seat then i drop back down to the seat and hurt my tail bone.  Got my spring compressed as much as it will go. So avoiding manholes and such are a bing thing for me.  :thumb:

If you get moto-x style on it (life your ass and bend and the elbows) you'll get over larger bumps allot easier. Ya, a manhole would swallow you no matter how you ride ;)

Doesn't compressing the spring make the suspension stiffer, and less comfortable ? :|