When i was younger, my family used to go to the mountains. One of things my mom loved doing while up there was to jump in the car and just drive around "deer spotting." I hated that part of the vacation...but I think it was do to my penchant to get motion sick. So, this is something that I never really did on my own. Well, the past 2 Sundays proved to be an exception. I hoped on my bike and just took a ride. Not caring where I went and was mighty surprised on where I ended up.

I'm fairly inexperienced compared to many of the riders on here. I'm just hitting the 9 month mark of owning my F2, but when I bought it, it wouldn't run, so I didn't really start riding until the end last season. Yesterday, I came to the realization, that I will always have chicken strips.

So, why do I fear having them, if I accept that I always will have them?

I fear them because it's just a sign that I will not know the full limits of me and my bike. Which means that I may not be able to properly predict the most appropriate maneuver to avoid a crash.

Add that to my list of fears.

 

i have em right now... the roads are still covered in salt/sand.. im not willing to lay her over that far with all those variables on the road right now. .

good post

 

forget the chicken strips, ride your comfortable ride. they are by no means an indication of skill or capabilities. there are many variables that equate to the size of unused portion of the tire on a bike.

although it is a reference as to how far you have leaned the tire, that is only a reference that cant even be used bike to bike, or even same bike with different tires. example: a set of pilot powers you can take all the way to the edge very easily, but on the same bike, same speed, same road, but with a set of Pirelli DCIII, you will still have not reached the edge of the tire.this is due to the tire profiles. also, bike geometry, body positioning, and a few other things will effect the amount of edge tire used.

but,throw all that out, and the bottom line is if you dont have any strips, you have been reaching the tires limits, and that means you dont have any room for emergencies.....thats bad.

If your concerned about your abilities, or confidence to lean the bike over in case of emergency manuevers, (which is good) take it to a secure enviroment, like the track. In just your day to day riding, just keep riding, and remember your bike has alot more in it than you ever think.

I read somewhere recently, if you have enough traction to brake, then you have enough traction to take the corner.

 

Great posts in here!!

 

love it..

 

Get ya *** off the seat and the bike does the rest... if your going around a right turn, hang your right *** cheek off the seat a little bit. The bike will be a lot more responsive to turning/leaning in case of an emergency.. dont worry about the chicken strips

ride within your limits...

Shiny side up, rubber side down

 

Yeah, I can take a turn hanging off the bike and it stays relatively straight up, or I can push it all the way over and it will lean like a ****. just depends on how you ride. not to mention, grinding down strips non-track is not always a possibility or the best idea.

 

If you haven't read it yet, "Twist Of The Wrist vol. 2" is a great read for performance riding on the street...

May sound like an oxy moron, lol, it's geared towards racers but damn near everything in the book transfers to street riding.

Be safe.

 

It's pretty silly to equate a trackside phenomena with your own personal street aptitude. That's like saying, 'man, I'm so bummed that I can't achieve full opposite lock drifting my M3 into the neighborhood...'

There's no other type of motorcyclist beside sport riders that hang their 'worth' on such a false indicator. Touring guys don't do it. Cruisers don't do it. Nobody but the adrenalin junks try to look for depth in something literally superficial. For cripe's sakes woo, staying upright and returning home in one piece is the true test.

Get a track bike if you really want to know who you are...fear where fear is due, my friend.

 

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