Oh boy,
I hate posting on forums, even a site like this probably has one or two forum trolls. Y'know the type; somebody who has nothing to do all day but type away at a noobs post and try to make him feel bad. If you are one of those types, please, go take it out on your wife or your kids or something.
Here's my story I made the mistake of all riders mistakes. I bought a 600rr as my first crotch rocket. Now I've done my stint on a roadbike and I've done a lot of dirtbiking so this isn't my first motorcycle. But it IS my first super sport bike.
It's also the first bike I've owned that I actually cared if I did some pavement surfing on. I don't have too many questions about the topic.
I mainly keep to my comfort zones while riding- Back roads and alleyways and parking lots. And some of the adjustments in transition I've learned to overcome. Like the mule kick of hitting a pothole and having a deathgrip on the throttle.
I could use some advice on parking lot cornering. I need about the length and width of a car to make a 90 degree turn on the bike. Seems like other riders need the length and width of a car tire. My guess is I'm leaning in wrong but I don't like to lean at slow speeds and if I throttle on I always seem to overshoot into some nastiness -like oncoming traffic and whatnot- some advice here would be appreciated so long as it's constructive.
Also, as an opening question, why does this particular bike bring out the stupid in other motorists? I've had this bike 2 years I've gotten pulled over twice already and have been told that my plastic license plate holder is rubbing on my rear tire. Which btw is not the case the stock holder is fine. I've been merged into once. And gotten a "love tap" from the rear at a stoplight from a soccer mom. My old POS bike -when it ran- attracted none of this negative attention at all. I'm willing to take credit as a medium-to-crappy rider for my own mistakes bringing out the aggressiveness in other motorists, but in these last listed cases I was sitting at at a red stoplight. The ridiculous tailgating on two lane roads I'll claim as my own fault being that I only drive the speed limit and hang out in the slow lane, but still most times the fast lane is clear.
So there's my story for human and forum troll alike to read and enjoy. But if your a forum troll, please, go outside and ride. That is assuming if your on this site you have one.

 

Use you rear brake while giving a bit of throttle for low speed turns and maneuvering. Takes practice to get good at controlling the bike at low speeds, that and good balance. You don't need to really lean in either, just turn the steering. If you lean too much you're gonna fall over because you're not going fast enough to keep the bike up.

And just so you know, buying a 600rr, first bike or not, is never a mistake. As for cagers, they're stupid whether you're on a bike or not, you just notice them more, and them you less. You probably don't notice half the stupid things other drivers do while driving because you've got a coffee in one hand, while talking on your cell phone, with the stereo turned up too high[8D].

Hope this helps, ride safe.

 

For slow speed turning, I prefer to give it no throttle at all and slip the clutch if needed to maintain a steady speed. Your best bet is to practice making full, tight turn circles in an empty parking lot at night. With practice, you'll be able to turn a 360 with the bars locked all the way one way or the other. Also practice figure 8's in a lot. It'll help too. Since you're experienced, you should be able to pick it up in no time.
As for other motorists, yeah, there's some real imbeciles out there. Just wait until you pull up to a light next to a car full of teenagers and they want you to do a wheelie.

 

like dwhite said, go practice figure 8's in a parking lot or in a closed street and use the clutch it will help you out alot.

 

Great to here I wasnt the only 1 with this problem, low speed turning,,, I used to want to put training wheels on when I knew I was going into an area where I would need to turn slowly, I used to just about drag my foot on the ground in case I fell[], but as they say practice makes near perfect. a couple of days at the figure *'s n you'll be fine[sm=happy046.gif]

 

For a low speed turn, like a u-turn you actually have to lean the opposite way of the turn, otherwise you'll loose your balance...

Get the book by Lee Parks called Total Control because it covers all the basics like this and with step by step techniques too...

 

I would recommend a MSF course, they will teach you exactly how to do that. First thing you should never do if possible is to hit your brakes in the middle of a turn.....bad advice. To slow your bike down pull the clutch, but you should always slow down before engaging a turn and accelerate during the apex (crest) of the turn. And with that it should be a slow steady accel, too much and you might eat turf.

For a slow tight turn, you should do what is called counter steering, if you have experience with dirt bikes like you said than this should be something you've done. Basically if you're turning right turn your handle bars right, and lean your body left by putting weight down on your right foot peg. The trick is to keep your speed up, cause if you going to slow the bike will want to fall over. (if you'r familiar with skiing, it' how slalom racers turn, as well as skiing moguls) The reverse is true if your going left. Also remeber wherever you're looking is where you'ge going to go, so if you're making a sharp turn, turn your head all the way to where you want to turn, keeping your head up. Hope this helps, the MSF course really did help me regarding this.

 

Thanks for the advice everybody I'll go give the parking lot a run for it's money tonight.
As for counterbalance turning; I'd always assumed that skill was solely for weaving through lines of orange cones; I'll give it a shot. I have taken a msf course from instructors with over 18 years of Harley riding experience - in regards to my situation they've "looked at a crotchrocket once." ; Kansas is not the greatest melting pot. The other 10 students in my class and myself became exemplary harley riders.
Perhaps I was a bit to emphatic on my dirtbike experience, I've spent equal amounts of time on my back in the sand as I've had riding. But even in those circumstances the steering bar on a little 125 and even my old Yamaha POS 550 are a little more forgiving for road turns.
But your all mostly right. I have a tendency to concentrate a little too hard on the dumpster I'm going to run into and then very nearly run into it. I'll have to remember to look where I turn.

 

Yeah I thought counter steering was for swerving too, but the instructors kept drilling that it's for slow speed sharp turns...leans are for fast turns. A parking lot is a good place to be. I'd definitely rather put my bike on it's side there than some unfimiliar piece of road. Good luck.....

 

for parking lot cornering, practice the 8 shape turn, simply go on idle speed on a figure of 8, round and round till you get dizzy... i did it for 2 weeks in the driving school, and it was in the test for the license, it really helps... you sould be able to go in rounds on idle speed with the handle bar crossed. it's better if you can mark the ground and practice avoiding going into or out of the circle, or making uneven turns.