well ive been riding my gs for about 6 months or so and im unsure as to how far i can lean over turning, during the motorcycle saftly class i had no prob leaning over pretty far even scraping the pegs. but i just feel unsecure, is it just me being insecure, or can you not lean to far becuase of rear tire width. i know that there is a old rear gxsr tire swap, but i dont think ill do that mod.
Every bike feels different. I could run the tires on my GSXR to the edge every time I rode but the GS, z1000 and zx6R I can't quite do it. I suspect with some BT45's I would have on the GS(as I love the way a GS drips into a corner) but I had no faith in the stock GS tires...at all.
So maybe its you, maybe the bike, maybe a combination of the two. But in theory you can lean most bikes till parts scrape.
i scraped mine, (scared the s%#t outta me too) :? :o :o :o :o
If the bike isnt draggin pegs you can still lean over farther.
but, those stock tires didnt give me any confidence either and I tossed them after 2K miles. My riding changed dramatically for the better.
Get good tires in 130 or 140 size. BT45's are one of the best options out there. I think Pirelli Corsa's also come in a 140/70 (stay away from 140/80 if you can)
i know what you mean,
i had teh same feeling when i first got the GS.. i couldnt lean it enough, on the MSF course and the bikes i rode prior i could a lot more.
I dont know why but it took ages for me to learn to lean properly and go more into a turn for a good lean. I can say looking thru a turn did definately help (as i slowly increased the speed of the turns).
Anyway, I think for us people we like smaller cc bikes with a lower seating height. Well smaller seating is just because im used to it. But i rode my friends Vulcan 750 and i will tell you for riding the bike the first time i was able to corner rather easily. Unlike marucio's harley where the cornering was a bit twitchy.
One of the sources of your insecurity could be that you're unsure how fast(consequently, how much lean) a given corner can be taken safely on the public street. Let's face it, motorcyclists have been killing themselves left and right while challenging the road since sportbike riding became popular in the last two decades. Do a Usenet search for the the Vanishing Point riding technique. Once you truly understand it, you'll be able to ride faster AND safer. You should always challenge your skills, not your nerve.