| Author | Message | ||
     Swordsman |
Well, despite an earlier call for rain, the weather wound up being fantastic for riding in the Rome/Cartersville/Calhoun/Lafayette/Summerville area Saturday! Yes, I did indeed cover some ground this weekend... roughly 4 hours or so in the saddle. I had an awesome time, and didn't start getting monkey butt until about 30 miles from home, so not too bad. For anyone who's not familiar with the area (which will probably be most of you), there really aren't any GOOD twisties around here, none that I can find anyway. The one exception is a small 1 mile patch of HWY 136 between Calhoun and Lafayette that runs up and over a small mountain. I decided to get a little "curves" practice in, so I headed out there to run it back and forth a few times. It had been several months since my last trip out to this area, so I had forgotten how steep some of the curves were. Especially the first one. As I approached, I judged my speed to be about right for a little excitement. As I started into the turn, it hit me: Aw, crap. It's steeper than it looks. And I'm running too fast. My heart skipped a beat as I tried not to look at the 20 foot rock embankment looming in front of me. I thought to myself, "Well, there's nothing left to do now but just lean more." So I did. I swear I heard my bike say "Chill out" as it swept through the curve. The Conti Road Attacks held firm, and the Ss glided through like it was the most natural situation in the world. Granted, this probably wouldn't be a big deal for those of you with more riding experience, but as many have probably seen me post before, I'm fairly non-aggressive in my riding style... I don't even know how to hang off the seat. So this WAS a pretty big deal for me! I'm thrilled with the fact that I didn't paste myself against that rock wall. That odd sinking sensation that compresses the suspension and pulls your guts down into the seat is hard to get used to, but I like it. However, I did take it a bit easier than I had planned after that. I even let a guy on a Harley lead the way across one time.  ~SM | ||
| Glitch |
Glad you didn't panic, that's the first thing that can go wrong. Even for experienced riders, one of the best thing to do when getting to a nice area to practice, take it easy the first few times, gradually use less braking, no more gas. Practice getting smoother, and using less brake. The smoother you get the faster you'll be. This works because you're more working on being relaxed, and smooth. Again, glad you are a thinking rider, and didn't panic. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Very excellent. Resisting the panic thing is about 99% of staying alive. Many riders in your situation would have target fixated on the wall with rather unpleasant consequences. You might think about learning a little about hanging off. Hanging off seems to give added confidence when one comes into a corner a bit "hot", but Glitches suggestions are much more to the point. As far as letting a Harley guy lead the way one time: that shows laudable maturity in a young man. Just don't let it happen again!  | ||
| Terribletim |
Yea, I have trouble with that whole "lean it over" thing too. It just feels so un-natural to me. I have learned that the Firebolt likes it when you move your butt over on the seat, still haven't learned to stick that knee out the way I want to. | ||
| Pokinatcha |
My passenger had monkey but after only about an hour of riding last saturday.  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Love the WTF looks of the guys on the sidewalk! | ||
| Pokinatcha |
It is good to see you made it through fine, I' Also a slower paced rider this being my first bike. I hope I would act the same as you with the same results. Props to ya, have fun. | ||
| Kdan |
Hey Swordsman, There are good roads between Cartersville & Waleska. Between hwy 140 & 20, take Hwy 108 go a couple of miles and take a left. Backway to Lake Arrowhead. Get off the roads with names & numbers and you're likely to find some righteous country roads. Just watch out for dogs. | ||
| Kdan |
Another really awesome ride is West of Calhoun, a little far, but you end up at the backside of Lookout Mtn. Some of those roads are really sweet and rarely crowded. | ||
| Metalstorm |
You did good. As long as you keep a cool head and look all the way through the turn, focus on where you want to be, not where you are, things will usually work out fine. Keep those eyes far ahead and you'll find that things appear to slow down & that sinking feeling becomes an after thought. The more you ride the more attuned your mind & body will become. Just keep riding at your own pace like you've been doing and you will learn better & quicker than those who push their limits all the time. Thanks for posting. I think you've just begun scratching the surface of your abilities  | ||
| Swordsman |
Thanks for all the positive feedback, guys! I try very hard to avoid any braking in a curve... I've done it once or twice in a good lean and experienced the "stand up" effect others have talked about, so I knew better than to try it Saturday. As for hanging off the seat, I've never tried it, but I've heard it's a bit trickier on the Ss due to it's wide, grippy seat. That, and I have no faith whatsoever in my stock pegs. I'll probably have to invest in the Crossroads performance pegs before I get up the guts to experiment with that. Will they cover hanging in the Rider's Edge program? I'm supposed to be taking that next month. Kdan, I'll have to pull up a map and take a look at those areas you've mentioned. Thanks for the info! Another friend of mine said he knew some guys that run around Red Top Mountain just outside of Cartersville... I've never actually been up there, though I've driven past it 300+ times. I'll have to look into that as well. ~SM | ||
| G234146 |
You can also try a "learn the corners" track class. Hanging off the seat shifts the center of gravity allowing you to use LESS lean at a higher speed. Or at least thats what they told me...  | ||
| Xbduck |
When I went out with my bike the first time on a serious ride I went with a buddy who used to race. One of the first things he told me before we got to any twisty roads was that my bike can handle more than I would push it that day and that IF I got into a turn hotter than I wanted all I had to do was push the bars harder and hang my butt off the seat to the inside of the turn some. That was the best advice he could have given me. Yes, I too have gotten into a turn hotter than I wanted and all I did was remember his advice. It worked out great. His later advice was a track day or two to really understand how the bike will handle. I just haven't gotten to that yet. | ||
| Brupska |
I missed my braking marker by about a 100 ft once going into turn one at Putnam Park road course. I was at a track day and a bunch of riders where already passing on the first lap of the third session. When I caught up to all of them camping in turn one I went into the turn about 40 mph faster then I had been used to. I just used the brakes to slow down as much as I could and leaned the bike even more then usual. I made it with no problems. That is when I realized that I was not even close to the limit of my 9S. I think I passed about 8 to 10 riders in that one turn all because they got all bunched up in the turn. Some of the instructors where telling us not to use all of our lean angle so if we get into trouble then we have more to use in situations like that. I also read that in Total Control by Keith Code. | ||
| Terribletim |
It's just so hard to lean it over like that, at least it is for me. I know the theory, and the dynamics and all that. I've read a ton of articles on it, and I know it will work. But how do you convince your brain to let your body do it? Factor in the $$$ I spent on body work, it gets even harder. I know, mind over matter. What about mind over wallet? | ||
| Isham |
There's a lot of talk about leaning here so I have to just say a few things. I hate to break it to some of you guys, leaning doesn't do all that much it's all in the counter steering. I used to think it's about throwing you body to one side, but thats really not all that effective. When you convince yourself that your really counter steering you'll ride a lot better. http://www.superbikeschool.com/multi-media/machine ry-videos.php check out the no bs bike. | ||
| Cmm213 |
I do it, it just feels comfortable for me when riding corners. | ||
| Jlnance |
Resisting the panic thing is about 99% of staying alive. Ain't that the truth. Ever single time I've screwed up a turn, it's because I panicked. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I know I'm not using all my lean potential. Crossing that hurdle will allow me to go to the next level and increase my margin of error. I'm looking to work on that in an environment with controlled traffic, clean road surface, and plenty of run off. | ||
| Swordsman |
"I hate to break it to some of you guys, leaning doesn't do all that much it's all in the counter steering." Ha! Yet another thing I hope they address in my Rider's edge class! I keep hearing this, but I don't even know what it is!  ~SM | ||
| Fdl3 |
Resisting the panic thing is about 99% of staying alive. Well, and avoiding gravel...!  | ||
| Terribletim |
Yea, I got the whole counter-steer thing. And use it plenty too. But there is a point where you have to lean more to go faster. That's where I hit my little mental brick wall.  |
