Lean angle

hank

Registered
Since getting a Busa this year, my lean angle has improved (first sport bike owned). I still can't get to the tire's edge around corners (1 inch). Now I pick my roads to work on my turning skills, so what do I do? At the start of the turn should the bike feel like its away from your upper body, kinda like diving into the turn? Do I lean forward more than normal? Back off the gas at the start and roll it on towards the end? I'm un-sure the bike will hold at extreme lean angles even on good roads and the left turns seem harder than the rights. Any tips for me?
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First, I'm no expert, never claim to be...I've got about a 1/16 of an inch left on the rear tire that hasn't been worn.

If you have more tire left, the bike will take the lean angle fine, as long as it is balanced.

Standard stuff -
 - do any braking BEFORE the turn.  By the time you are beginning to lean you should be on the gas.  Even if it is slight, you should be on the throttle.  This balances the bike front to back (there are more advanced things like trail braking but I'm not that good)

- Another part of that is it is always better to go in too slow, and accelerate out, so only do what you are comfortable with.

 - Your lower arms should be PARALLEL to the ground, with your shoulder and elbow soft.  The busa takes very little muscle to turn.  Relax all the muscles in your arms as if they are just hanging from your shoulder.  Lean (forward) to whatever angle to acheive the parallel between lower arms and ground.

The bike shouldn't feel like it is diving.  If it does, you don't have enough throttle.  It shouldn't ever feel like it is away from your body, your body should be with it.

Something I learned that I really like to do (my Katana LOVED this), is just before I start turning, I lean (my upper body) a little to the inside, then push the bike underneath me.  Kind of leading the bike into the turn.  My Katana required this because it required a little more umph to turn fast.  The busa doesn't but still responds well.

BUT, if you start leaning your body off to the inside, you will not use as much tire. You will be going faster for the same amount of bike lean angle.

Wow, sorry for writing the book...I looooove the twisties.
 
Ja, lean your weight forward and don't let off completely on the throttle. As soon as you close the throttle all the way, it takes a bit more to get it open again and it will cause a bit of lurching (even with mapping, TRE, etc.).

Oh, and relax. I get my fastest times and lowest lean angles when I'm relaxed (both mind and muscles). My left side is completely worn past the edge, right side needs a bit of help with a semi-worn mm strip... if I could find some decent right handers around here...
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Finally, make sure your tires are warmed. You'll know if they're not when the front starts slipping out from under you.
 
Those first two replies are excellent!!! I have one more suggestion. Get the book "Twisit of the Wrist" by keith code. I live in twistie heaven here in So Cal. I have got to the edge on both sides and use my body weight to get around corners just a little faster. I am in NO WAY an expert!!! The book helped answer a lot of questions for me though...

Marc "Howlin Mad" :usa:
 
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I have heard that right handed people prefer to lean left and lefty's prefer right turns anyone else heard this? I have the left side worn allmost to the edge and the right a little less so. But my fear of rights could be that once I leaned my cbr 600 way over ( on old tires ) and too much throttle on exit and the rear tire broke lose... whoa! Allmost a high side. :hammerhead:
 
I haven't had any trouble with any particular side. When I started and till this day i have had even wear on both sides. I would recommend that you start with big sweepers instead of the tight stuff. It will increase you confidence and widen your comfort zone. With the sweepers you can focus on a constant lean angle and you don't have to worry about entrance and exit speeds as much. Once you are comfortable with these move to the tighter stuff where you will have to focus on entrance speed(braking into a corner) rolling on the throttle while in the corner to the exit and finding the apex. All of these are involved in the big sweepers but not as much. You will also learn counter steering in the big sweepers. This is how I got started... Oh and find a friend who rides who will go out with you and help you out.. Will increase the learning curve sharply.

Marc "Howlin Mad" :usa:
 
I get to the edges but I'm not scraping bodywork and cases. I'm right handed and I definitely prefer lefties when I'm pushing it. Great riding with you yesterday Howlin' Mad! I hope Mr Bear recovers from the heat exhaustion. GMR is definitely worthy of a re-visit very soon. Dare I say it's as fun as Palomar or very close!
Gar
 
GMR was all that and a bag of chips. Would go there anytime. Cool people and good roads. Not to dirty and not crazy tight. I enjoyed that more than palomar. Need to learn it so I will be more comfortable and not so slow. What a beautiful ride though.

Marc "Howlin Mad" :usa:
 
best place to lear turning is at the track... Willow springs is right up the road here.. and perfect place to push your bike and find your grove...

They even offer coarses to take at the track.. where they give you theory.. and practice times and criteque your skills for you...

they have beginner intermediate and advanced.... range from 3 day to 7 classes for the advanced... #### no cages to get in the way.. or gravil or dirt...I would recomend.. these to anyone....

ps... once you have done the advanced course.. the will give you a track card... and you can enjoy any track in the country....

just cool...
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Listen to the Howling Man , Get a simple twist of the wrist its good for fundementals,you should also look into a track school to learn how to really scrape those shoulders.don't forget to counter steer the bike it won't turn with lean alone. Go into the turn slow then come out rippin the BUSA is good at that.keep practicing,this bike gets down low.Shiny side up.
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I would recommend the school at the track to anyone I have had alot of friends that have went and loved it. They say it teaches you alot of the extra stuff apexing a corner about how to use your feat correctly and countersteering etc. What they learned there I think made them a better rider on the road I tried to learn as much as I could from them . I havent attended but plan on doing so next year .
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I see dead people..
save the corners for the track.
keep your butt in the seat and ride it on the street.

rear brake to the corner. ( trail brake.)set up . hold on to bike with elbow(s) not hands run front brake till knee hits ground use only one finger. roll off brake and onto throttle in one movement...
change the shifter over to gp shift that way you can lean it all the way over and still up shift coming out of corners.
hit some dirt or oil , go over the center line and boom your dead.

go to the track and learn the right way, from a teacher.
 
I'm right handed but I have to really concentrate to get the left side lean. Weird. I lean my upper body into the "well" on the side I'm turning into. I usually have the speed set before I go throught the turn, and don't change it until I'm coming out of the turn. I discovered the brake-release throttle-roll-on-at-the-same-time technique just recently, by myself. A carryover from a car racing technique from my brother. I'm still learning.

Howlin' is right about the sweepers, they will give you confidence. And if you're going to go to school, all the better.
 
All the advice is great! I had the oppostie lean thing as well, and i thought it was just me. I'm glad to know others have the same issue. based on my observation as a right hander i'm more comfortable leaning left because i feel as though my right side is strong enough to 'force' the bike back up by pushing on the right handlebar. I'm less confident of my left side, which i'm sure is psycholical because i work out and my left side is almost strong as my right. This could be just my personal conclusion I'ld be interested in hearing others feedback on this.
 
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