Practicing/Progression getting the genII busa down!!!

[XIIIR]

Practicing and continuing to slowly progress….

Thought I’d share pics of my own going war with my beloved beast…
A little bit of history, I’m going from 5 years riding experience (all street no track)

1st bike 85 honda vfr 500 interceptor
2nd bike 85 honda vfr 750 interceptor
3rd bike 01 kawi zx7rr (took first fall/highside on this one)
And current 2008 hayabusa my ultimate love… since july 2008 and 7000kms and just getting use to it.

So I continue to fight this beast as it is unlike anything I’ve ever owned yet or even rode in general….physically and rideability wise its just flat out huge… mind you all my bikes have been very stable bikes, and yes this bike is beyond stable, just very large….

I’m more of a road race twisties type of rider, over the dumped/, stretched with a wider rear tire than my vehicle…. As I have also a past in road racing vehicles as well. I wont lie since the one and only fall with my zx7 which was a high side I’ve always been working on my confidence back when coming into higher speed turns…. When I finally built this confidence it became another world to combine that confidence with now developing a confidence of trying to bring a bike that is 100 pounds heavier than anything I’ve ridin.

I will be taking a road race course next season to help develop my confidence but… until then take a peek at my form and progression pics within a couple weeks…

Any advice?... I’m going in my turns depending on the turns/ramps about 75/80kms/hr…. trying to go in from the outside take my line inside to wards end of 2nd quarter then back out 3rd quarter to come slowly back straight through last quarter to finish the line and boggie…. Let me guess, go in a little hotter around 90/hr hold it steady throughout and at that speed should get it down easier? That’s the hardest part coming in that hot which really isn’t that hot if you got the confidence and control….

Macon? Holla at one of your fans!!! hahaha, I want to be touched with your skill!!!!
oh also planning on picking up the pirelli super corsa sp's for next season






august 22 2009


september 06 2009


septermber 09 2009


septermber 12 2009

[twotonevert]

Just take your time and be careful.

[Mr Bogus]

what I have learned is getting a knee down is not so much about lean angle as "riding position"

You are leaned over plenty far to drag a knee if that is the goal.. just get your butt off the seat, kiss the mirror and flap that chicken wing of a leg out there..

this shot was taken at about 100mph on a similar sweeper at the track.. like zero effort to get a knee down..
Chicken strips mean nothing towards this.. you can keep a bike almost upright, make the corner and drag a knee all at the same time..

There is no substitute for the track however as the road surface is clean, no cars and plenty of "run off" area.. As soon as I hit the track, my street riding slowed...

Do take your time... looks like you are on the right path other than your venue ... it is a blast the first time you touch down.. will scare you..

[macon454]

Like Bogus said just get your knee out there, it looks like the 3rd and 4th pics that you put up that you could have dragged your knee if you would have slid off of the bike a little more and stuck your knee out just a little farther, and in my opinion that is the way to do it at first, really try sliding off the bike and really stick that knee out and down, kinda go a little overboard at first until you finally touch it down, and then when you start to touch it down a few times like that you can start leaning the bike over a little more, i first learned how to touch mine down in a parking lot that was concrete and that was very clean, and then we went to deals gap a couple weeks after that and was able to do it there, but i learned how to do it on slower corners first, like in the parking lot was probably not ever going over 20 to 25 mph the whole time and was using the light post for corner markers, just making some large sweeping corners and doing some figure 8s, but make sure that the parking lot does not have any painted lines in it because they will be slick, if you are on the road you can also go out wider on the outside of the road and cut it back in harder at the last part of the curve and make it a little easier to do. But it was alot easier for me to learn how to do it on slower corners first and then on to the faster ones. Tufbusa can explain it better than anyone, maybe he will chime in, he knows how to explain it better, and he is way more experience, i am still learning and always will be. and i am not very good at explaining how i do it, but it sounds like you are just like i was, i knew i wanted to get a knee down and i knew i was going to do it for sure, i just read Tufbusas threads and looked at pictures of people that was doing it the right way and next thing i knew it happend, it might also help to get some knee pucks from chicken hawk racing because they are alot thicker than most and that will help put you closer to the ground also. Good luck you will get it soon, you are very close.

[XIIIR]

got your pm macon thanks!...

as for everyones replies so far thank you!... i do agree with everything you all have said and will take all into consideration, looks like im at least going in the right direction...

believe it or not i'm pretty well off that seat i'm only 5'7" dont have the longest limbs and did the buel peg mod which drops my footrest stance lower hence the slight harder hangover off the seat...

to tell you the truth getting the knee down is a long awaiting thing for me but honestly not as much as getting that lean angle in the bike to scrub my chicken strips off lol :P hahaha.... honestly boys i want to be those handfull of men that "ride" through turns on a "hayabusa" AND BE ABLE TO SHOW IT on my tire .... as oppose to cruising straight with a 400 series tire in the rear stretched a bike and a half over (no offence show bikes/but all to you drag boys)... i'll leave that type of riding on 2 wheels for my love for bobbers :P ....

but i will continue as much as i can as here in toronto ontario canada its getting cooler real quick and will be retireing with in the next few weeks for the winter... but we'll see....

[macon454]

[fastblackblur]

hit the track brother, you'll have that knee down in no time(and have the time of your life fyi). Worked for me. Now I'm finding lean angle is not the reason im slow around a track lol.

I'm not a pro by any means and my expierience is limited... but try and get your head lower to the ground. Put it where your mirrior is aproximately. It will help.

[XIIIR]

Originally Posted by Mr Bogus

this shot was taken at about 100mph on a similar sweeper at the track.. like zero effort to get a knee down..
Chicken strips mean nothing towards this.. you can keep a bike almost upright, make the corner and drag a knee all at the same time..

There is no substitute for the track ..

holy ****!!! i just re-read that... 100miles per hour! thats over 160kms/hour! are you serious?.... thats f*ing fast!

i totally understand anyone can get a knee down if your riding position is hungover insanely especially if you are of a taller person with longer limbs... but like i said i'd rather get that "lean on" instead at a good speed and clean those tires up

[Mr Bogus]

The track provides a place you can do this "in comfort".. I could be wrong but one BIG BIG factor is the ability to get the tires up to temperature.. As they get hot they "glue" themselves to the track and you can run the things to the edge in a predictable manner.. You can feel the tire cold/warm/hot and adjust your speed accordingly..

It takes about 15 good corners at speed (60 plus) to get this tire up to operating temp (30 psi cold/ 36 hot) SteveO (TufBusa) was a big help for me to get up to pace and this tire has about 125 miles on it at this point.. Note the center is smooth from riding it to work a couple days second photo is front tire..

[XIIIR]

Originally Posted by Mr Bogus

The track provides a place you can do this "in comfort".. I could be wrong but one BIG BIG factor is the ability to get the tires up to temperature.. As they get hot they "glue" themselves to the track and you can run the things to the edge in a predictable manner.. You can feel the tire cold/warm/hot and adjust your speed accordingly..

It takes about 15 good corners at speed (60 plus) to get this tire up to operating temp (30 psi cold/ 36 hot) SteveO (TufBusa) was a big help for me to get up to pace and this tire has about 125 miles on it at this point.. Note the center is smooth from riding it to work a couple days second photo is front tire..

wow unreal!!!.... what tires you running?... i'm thinking of picking up the pirelli corsa sp's/sc's...

[Bosshound]

Good Stuff Man !!!!!!!!!!!!! Take it Easy...........There is no Substitute for Years of Experiance You Will Get There

[TruWrecks]

What's your inseam? Mine 32" and I can drag a knee with no effort. Slide off the seat until it's giving you a wedgie, then let you inside leg drop toward the ground. My tires haven't even been scrubbed all the way to the edge. I have about 1/8th in. left on both sides.

[XIIIR]

thanks guys for the replies ... everything takin into great consideration

[Mr Bogus]

Originally Posted by XIIIR

wow unreal!!!.... what tires you running?... i'm thinking of picking up the pirelli corsa sp's/sc's...

Those are Bridgestone BT003RS..

Pirelli makes great tires and is most of what I see at the tracks I have gone too.. SuperCorsa/ Corsa3 are the most popular.. I have run the Corsa3 and really like the tire but it costs a lot more than the Bridgestones.. TufBusa has run the BT016 on the track and swears by them.. I have run the 016 on the street and love em... (under $300 a set too)

as you go faster, you will have to lean further off the bike and get the bike leaned over (bye bye chicken strips).. I am at the point where I need a change in tires or bike to go much faster.. The bike is leaned as far as I can (toe sliders hitting) I am off the bike for the most part (working on it) and I am using the entire track on exit while holding my line.. The bike just wants to go outside my line and I can not hold it inside without slowing down a bit..

What I like about the track is you can concentrate on your riding style without the fear of a car/gravel/LEO.. (and I need to work on my style a lot)..

[XIIIR]

Originally Posted by Mr Bogus

Those are Bridgestone BT003RS..

Pirelli makes great tires and is most of what I see at the tracks I have gone too.. SuperCorsa/ Corsa3 are the most popular.. I have run the Corsa3 and really like the tire but it costs a lot more than the Bridgestones.. TufBusa has run the BT016 on the track and swears by them.. I have run the 016 on the street and love em... (under $300 a set too)

as you go faster, you will have to lean further off the bike and get the bike leaned over (bye bye chicken strips).. I am at the point where I need a change in tires or bike to go much faster.. The bike is leaned as far as I can (toe sliders hitting) I am off the bike for the most part (working on it) and I am using the entire track on exit while holding my line.. The bike just wants to go outside my line and I can not hold it inside without slowing down a bit..

What I like about the track is you can concentrate on your riding style without the fear of a car/gravel/LEO.. (and I need to work on my style a lot)..

thanks alot bogus... i'll ask you what i just asked macon on your thoughts on this....

but first off wow what a difference when i set up my suspension (sag/dampening etc) bike almost feels light due to how tight everything feels to my weight...

so my question was, your opinion on slightly doing the spacer mod on the oem triple tree top clamp to slightly drop the rear, and soupsy's rear risers dog bones to slightly bring up the rear, and finally getting a set of adjustable rear sets... all to contribute to turning and getting into turns that much more quicker and the rear sets obviously for being able to get my shorter legs and body position over the seat better?

your thoughts?

[bpjones]

Hey XR,

Can you give give specific details on the changes you made...and how it's related it to rider size/weight. I'm 6'2" 235lbs.
but first off wow what a difference when i set up my suspension (sag/dampening etc) bike almost feels light due to how tight everything feels to my weight...

[BusaWhipped]

Like Mr. B and Macon said, knee dragging is about you body postion on the bike. It won't make you faster. It won't remove your chicken strips. But it looks cool in the pics

Lots of good information in this thread.
So you want to get your knee down, eh?

[BusaWhipped]

Originally Posted by XIIIR

thanks alot bogus... i'll ask you what i just asked macon on your thoughts on this....

but first off wow what a difference when i set up my suspension (sag/dampening etc) bike almost feels light due to how tight everything feels to my weight...

so my question was, your opinion on slightly doing the spacer mod on the oem triple tree top clamp to slightly drop the rear, and soupsy's rear risers dog bones to slightly bring up the rear, and finally getting a set of adjustable rear sets... all to contribute to turning and getting into turns that much more quicker and the rear sets obviously for being able to get my shorter legs and body position over the seat better?

your thoughts?

The pic of me dragging the knee is with a completely stock suspension front and rear. You'll want to set the sag and adjust the compression/rebound so yu are comfortable handing off it. If your goal is just to drag a knee, stock is fine. If your goal is to drag a knee while going really fast, then you'll need to start looking at suspension upgrades. I've put a few $1000 into front and rear spring/shock/valve upgrades.

[XIIIR]

already done the sag/comp/rebound... made a great difference all around.... but just to make it clear lean angle is more of a priority which ties in with building confidence to pick up the pace/speed... as for draggin the knee thats secondory .... its just like icing on the cake for me... rather get my skill on lean angle/speed first...

as i stated earlier....

Originally Posted by XIIIR

to tell you the truth getting the knee down is a long awaiting thing for me but honestly not as much as getting that lean angle in the bike to scrub my chicken strips off lol :P hahaha.... honestly boys i want to be those handfull of men that "ride" through turns on a "hayabusa" AND BE ABLE TO SHOW IT on my tire .... as oppose to cruising straight with a 400 series tire in the rear stretched a bike and a half over (no offence show bikes/but all to you drag boys)...

[ogre]

Originally Posted by XIIIR

holy ****!!! i just re-read that... 100miles per hour! thats over 160kms/hour! are you serious?.... thats f*ing fast!

i totally understand anyone can get a knee down if your riding position is hungover insanely especially if you are of a taller person with longer limbs... but like i said i'd rather get that "lean on" instead at a good speed and clean those tires up

are you serious man? try tilting over like that at 135-140. super fun.