- Are you having trouble staying off the tank in the corners, or on the straights?

- What are you doing with your outside leg when cornering?

- What do you mean by 'staying off the tank?'

Having trouble with the getting off the tank in the corners.

Pressing down on the peg and against the tank to hold myself on the bike.  Kinda like an anchor.

My crotch gets pushed up into the tank.  I have been told that you should be off the tank by about a fist length.  Doing this allows you to move across the bike rather then around the tank.  If I could just let me junk sit on the tank I can use that and my legs more efficiently to keep my weight off the bars........

When are you trying to move off the tank? Before you begin braking? At turn in? While you are leaned over?

I try to get off before braking so that I'm doing as much of the body movement in a straight line standing up as I can. 

So it would be: Slide back, move butt to side, brake (grab tank with knees as much as I can), counter steer, lean upper body with head leading the bike.  I'm trying to remember but once the turn is complete I think I'm right back to humping the tank again.

Looks about right, just arch your back a bit more to bring your head down to the tank.

You definitely have enough fork sticking up to just move your handlebars on top of the top triple. I would just start there. My bike probably doesn't feel as stretched out to me because I spend all my time on the street, and most of it is relaxed so it's not a problem if I'm right up on the tank. I definitely feel more stretched out if I scoot my butt back, but that's what happens. If you're riding normal you should be able to support most of your body weight just by holding the tank with your legs and keeping your core tight. Obviously in the turns you can't hold the tank with both legs so some of the weight will go to your hands. I think your coach should be able to do a better job of telling you what's going on than we can.  

Aaron do you put your chest on the tank?

Do you think it's just that I don't have the muscles developed enough yet that I'm having troubles?  More seat time will sort things out......

It sounds like your approach to hanging off is basically correct. If I were you, I'd get your upper body off the bike at the same time you move your lower body. Keep both your knees locked against the tank under braking. You can hang off and brake at the same time! The only thing you should have to do at turn in is to stick a knee out.

Pay close attention under braking that your arms are relaxed, and that all your weight is supported through your legs and core. If you're putting weight on the bars, it's going to feel like your bike doesn't want to turn, which will lead to panic reaction.

I generally like to have one of my arms resting on the tank. I can't say that my chest rests on it, nor do I want it to. Keep in mind that your clipons are much lower relative to your ass than mine are. I have my clipons up against the top tripple, with 7mm of fork tube showing above the upper triple clamp. You have raised your forks an inch higher in the triple, which means that your clipons are effectively an inch lower.

If I were you, I'd try both dropping the forks in the triple, and moving the clipons above the triple. The final option to consider would be to see if you can find a set of clip-on risers. I believe that you can find clip-on bars with a rise built into them.

As for raisers I looked at the bike and I see that the screws that attach the top clamp around the forks are were the bars would be with raisers.  So I'd need to find a different top clamp....

I'll see if I can try both positions at my next track day this weekend.

I'm still putting myself through the steps, the intent is to get to the point where the body moves pretty much all in unison.

I would lower the forks so you have 1 inch or so sticking up. Then make sure the clip-ons are as high as they can go under the triple clamp. Then just learn to ride it, you will figure it out.

THis is what I looked like when I started...

Quote from: burning1 on June 01, 2010, 11:37:03 PM
Yep. Just about 1/4th of an inch. To be honest, I haven't experimented with much more than that. I can say that my belly pan gets pretty close to dragging, and the stock pegs have been ground down pretty far.

.5 inches of pre-load is a little less than stock for this bike, although the front end is so soft that there's got to be an awful lot of rider sag with the stock suspension.

Nah I ment .5" on top of the stock spacer.

Stock, the bike already has a lot of pre-load. Personally, I'd install stiffer springs rather than upping the preload if you need more than stock,.

Quote from: burning1 on June 03, 2010, 12:49:44 AM
Stock, the bike already has a lot of pre-load. Personally, I'd install stiffer springs rather than upping the preload if you need more than stock,.

the next time I change the fork oil I intend to install .85 sonic springs, also I desparately need to get a better rear shock, I just need to figure out which one is a direct bolt in while still being better than stock. I would also like to raise the rear an inch or so.

katana 600 is a direct bolt on . . . im in the process of finding one and putting it on my bike

Katana 600 is a direct bolt on as mentioned. The Katana 750 also bolts on, but you'll have to shoe-horn it, or grind a little off the swingarm to make it fit. You can slip the remote reservoir under the seat, in front of the battery box. I have a 2001 Katana 750 shock.

Oh... The Yamaha R6 shock, 2006 on also bolts up. From what I've read, you'll need to use the Yamaha brushing, bolt, and nut on the lower linkage. Problem is, the R6 shock linkage is very different than the GS linkage, so the R6 shock will be way too soft. You'll also have to re-valve and re-spring it to make it work on the GS.

Strider,

I just noticed that you've removed the handlebar holder... I haven't. So your front end isn't nearly as high in the triples as I thought. In fact, without the holder, that looks like a pretty reasonable place to put your front end.

By the way... Why are you trying to slide back on the seat?

Sliding back may be necessary when you go into a race tuck, but generally I keep my body more forward from the back of the seat.

mighy want to look into sm2 bars

Why exactly are you concerned with being off the tank? Personally, I like having a lot of contact with the tank when I ride; I find it helps me loosen up on the bars, without losing that feeling of security and connectedness.

I prefer being in contact with the tank using my knees not my crotch.  I feel like if I'm sitting to close to the tank my knees don't get good contact with the tank when hanging off the bike.  In slower errr turns that use like lean angle (turn 1 and 2 at BIR) I will get up on the tank more.  I don't like being to stretched out on the bike going flat out in 6th turning so I curl up behind the number plate close to the tank.  Turn 2 at BIR is pretty bumpy still so light on the bike but still in good contact is more comforting HAHAHAHA.  I could stand to have my rear shock rebuilt, but I'd rather spend the money on a UL bike next year.  Maybe I should actually have it done.  After the fronts were rebuilt I pretty much doubled my confidence and speed.......