I have never been on the track and common sence would tell me that its quite dangerous to do off track on unfamiliar roads, but around home where im verry familiar with manny of the curves, i want to be able to lean more in the corners. i have about 18,000 miles riding experiance, none on the race track. my first bike was a bicycle with a weed-eater engine on it (kawasaki 250 ninja) [sm=headbang.gif] i put 12,000 miles on it in 2 years and pushed it to its limits on the tires (no chicken strips left), got rid of it,and now i have put almost 800 miles on my used 600rr[sm=icon_rock.gif]. i supose i need a little more time to get used to the handeling but i hear that these bikes have top of the line GP suspention and i have perelli diablo tires and their quite sticky when they get warmed up. any pointers would help.

 

Although I have no first-hand experience, I've been told that in advanced riding classes they have you do a small oval around cones to get the feel. They gradually decrease the size of the ovals or have you increase in speed, or both. You do this going both directions, getting used to the feel of the lean. It's got lot's to do with body position. There's some good books out on how to do this as well.

 

ok you guys are talking aout the reason i wake every morning.. knee dragging!! well to learn.. the best is most definitly a class at a race track.. but if you were like me and had no money... i read books alot.....and practiced alot.. and dont expect to have a nice bike by the time you get good at it... leathers are great skin savers...
well here are the books I read... very helpful.."the soft sience of road racing" "Total Control" and by far my favorite "A Twist of the Wrist II" by Keith Code
I do at least 1 to 1.5 oil changes every month on my bike (Every 2500 to 3000 miles) you gotta read and ride alot

good luck.. let me know how you do.

 

The risks are too high, so save it for the track! What might not be there the first pass, might be there the second (oil or debris) and when you go down there's too many things to hit...and they tend to break bones.

Read the books suggested and I'd add Sport Riding Techniques to the list, but keep it safe on the streets!

 

I have a question for you guys. I am blind (as a bat) in my right eye, of course since I am 32 I have leared to compesate for that but when I am turning and looking ahead the target fixation is kind of an off and on problem and of course the depth perception is a little different. I was wondering what you guys focus on when making a long turn. I tried a car way in the distanceand I've tried focusing where the turn ends but because I cant see my bike in my perifrial vision I have a tendency to get a little Jumpy.

Picture this in a video game you have different views to use when you play, one is where you are looking out of the charators eyes and you see none of his body. The other is where you are slightly behind him and can see whet his body does. The second is how I play because I like to see the parts that are being used, like in a car I can see the hood so I know where I am pointed. but on a bike my head is, as if it's in front of the bike, because I am so tall, the bike might as well be behind me so I have a problem puting the feel of the bike in my mind with no picture. Also I could scoot back in the seat but that gives me an out of controle feel, as if I am to high, or somthing, I like hugging the tank with my boys.

Any Tips or do I just sound f**king retarted. BYW I have put many thousands of miles on a couple of bikes but this diddn't come into play until I got the 600 (do to the power and speed difference) My other bikes were like cadies I could let go of the bars and just sit for hours on the highway (with the throttle locked) and they weren't made for turning at high speeds.

Anyone want to put a patch on and tell me what would help

 

You're screwed... kidding. Well sort of. Back when I use to wear contacts (thank you laser surgery gods) I tired riding with just one contact in. Blind as a bat and no depth perception. I crawled all the way back home and parked the bike.

 

when your turning, not just like a right turn at a light but like through a sweeper or something like it, look through the turn. by this, it doesn't mean look for where the turn ends or way off into the horizon, but just look in the direction you're going. try not to fixate on something that's coming towards you or anything. just look but not stare.
you figure if you push your eye to the corner of your eye, as far as then can go, and keep them there, you won't be able to fixate...so maybe try doing that.

as far as trying to drag knee...don't TRY, just do...it'll come naturally as you start getting more of the hang of it in turns, increase comfort level, smoothness, etc...it'll just happen. EVER SEEN SOMEONE TRYING TO DRAG KNEE ON PURPOSE? they all stiff and stuff...isn't about that. it's about being smooth and fluid.

 

I don't recommend trying to drag your knee on public roads. The risk is too high at the required lean angles and speeds required to get your knee down; there's no room for error when you have your knee down. On the street, if you make a mistake you may end up going off a cliff, into an oncoming car or just hit some solid object. On the track, you'll most likely slide off track and eventually stop so it's much safer to do it there.

 

You do want to look through the turn, but you're off on a few points...

You look with your head and not just your eyes, this helps steer the bike better...it's strange how that works, but it does. Also, you DO look at the exit of the turn (before entering), it gives your mind less panic when entering the turn and helps with braking and getting on the gas sooner. If you're in a turn where you can't see the exit, keep adjusting your eyes until you can see the exit...

And again...don't drag knees on public roads!

 

When I am riding I don't believe I can see any part of the bike like I can see the hood of my car when I am driving.

When you are driving your car pay attention to how far out you look. You will be amazed at the difference of distance. That is what I did and I try to use the same viewing technique or distance when I ride and it has helped a lot. What frustrates me is at this point, after 4000 miles of riding on my current bike, I have to constantly remind myself to look far ahead and no so close. I hope it becomes second nature some day.