I been tryin to get rid of my chicken strips lately...
However,I don't do track (yet)

I was wondering how do you guys get rid ofyour chicken strips.
I pretty much do city and highway, lately been workin n my apex but its kind of hard to judge.
It seems to me that my back tire is clean but my front aslittle less1/2 inch on its side

When goin into a turn I been doin (inside, apex outside, out of the turn inside)

Can anybody give me some tips?

 

cbrrookie:

I do not know what you mean by "chicken strips". From the sound of it, I assume it's not something a person would be proud of. Having said that, I do not think a particular wear on a tire is any reflection on the character of the rider. If a persons commutes 50 miles a day and only does some weekend twisties like most of us, then the tires will show more wear along the center.

As far as the difference in the tread wear between the front and the back, this is normal. If you look closesly, the treads on the front tire come around much more than those on the rear. I am sure there is a good reason for this, but this fact allows more unused side tread to show on the front tire than on the rear. On my bike, I can see that I have pretty much used the entire tread area of the rear tire at some point. On the front tire, however, at about 45 degree angle, there is hardly any tread left. I tend to hang off the bike to keep the bike upright as possible when cornering. I am sure I'd be leaning more if I did not hang off, but at my cornering speed, i would feel uncomfortable if I did not hang off.

Fun is what a rider should have with his/her bike. Let the tires wear however they want. It's when we try to prove ourselves to others that we get into trouble.

 

I'm not tryin to prove anything. I just want to be able to lean a bit more.
Like perhaps drag a knee. I know it takes time but just wanted to know some info so
I can take itinto consideration next time I try it.

I feel pretty confortable ridin and entering turns with a good speed.
I just want the turns to be second nature like its nothin. Knowing I can drag a knee
will give me the confidence of the speed i can take the turn.

thanks for being the first to reply out of 20 people.

 

Okay- Here is a LOT of info about leaning and dragging your knee. This is from a different forum, so I will just post a link to the thread...


<Click Here>

 

cbrrookie:

Just a friendly advise. If I were you, I would not intentionally try to drag my knees on public road. Let you speed comfort level and body positioncontrol your lean angle. Do not try to drag theknee. Dragging knees happens when there is sufficient speed for a given corner radius. Hanging off alone does not necessarily allow you to drag the knees. You need speed. With speed, the suspensions get compressed in the turns, whichbrings the knees closer to the ground.

Try the knee dragging on the track first. Track is a good place to practice high speed cornering. I say this because at high lean angles and speeds, a bump or a dip on the road can cause you to loose control of the bike. I have heard many incidents where a good rider went down in the twisties because of road debris.

 

^+1 Best way is to take a lessons in braking and turning on track!!! But just track days will do it for ya!

 

I know I don't post here a lot, but I lurk and have been riding for quite some time.

The best advice I can give you is to attend a riding school, like Keith Code's.

And I couldn't agree more with the whole knee-dragging on the street thing. Save that for the track, where you can rest assured that there won't be a dead dog or a bunch of loose gravel in the middle of a corner you're already too committed to before you see it.

FWIW - I was draggin knee pucks towards the end of the day at my first "track day". Not bragging, just stating that's it's pretty easily accomplished if you're a decent rider on a decent bike in the correct setting. And I've attended Keith Code's school - again, highly recommended.

 

I see posts like this on all kinds of forums, usually from 'newer' riders who feel bad about that edge of unused rubber on their back / front tire.

Consider this: Depending on the tire / bike combination and your chosen corner radius, you'll need to carry some serious speed to force a lean of that angle. People 'hang off' their bike and drag a knee to keep the bike more upright allowing for more contact patch. If you're focusing on doing the opposite of this, you're likely riding unsafely.

That little bit of 'chicken strip' on the edge of your tire isn't necessarily a sign of weakness, it may just be a sign of restraint and good riding on the street.

Track days are another thing.

 

thanks to everybody.
really appreciate your input.
I checked here in Massachusettes, but they don't have anything.
However in New Hampshire which is a 2 hour ride they do have Penguin School
in which they teach you how to lean and control the bikeon the track, and
after its done with the classes they gather everybody and have a race. seems pretty cool
may try it this summer.

thanks again to all..

 

a little sandpaper can take care of that for ya hah