What is it with these bikes?

[phil]

I went for a ride last week to untie the knots a work week can tie. I headed up route 20 (in western MA), past Huntington, Becket, Lee, Lenox etc... it is a great twisty road with long sweepers, tight twistys and tons of great scenery. I was looking at this great scenery drifting away stresses such as work deadlines and x-wife trouble when I should have been looking over the bars. A corner caught me off guard and I entered it way too hot (75 in a 35 zone). It was a steep left hander, I started at the yellow line. Oncoming traffic inspired me to buy dark colored boxer shorts from now on. I was committed to a very tight line. As the apex approached, I leaned…and leaned, and stuck my knee out and leaned some more. I could feel the pavement tickling my jeans that so thinly covered my flesh. I was sure I would drag something shiny, A peg, or do I dare dread a protruding cylinder head. The outside shoulder was a loose rocky mess with a lot of not so soft looking granite protrusions. The damn bike just went around the corner with no added unnecessary drama. Nothing dragged, I did not need to drift all the way to the shoulder. I was elated to be alive!! I went back at that corner in both directions several times to try to get my knee down again, to no avail. I guess knee dragging is just a matter of guts with these bikes. I have tried to get a knee down on track days, it is a hell of a lot harder than it looks. I do believe this is the best handling bike I have ever owned. I did return home stress free!

[DJ Downunder]

Great story..and I have to agree... .." I do believe this is the best handling bike I have ever owned"

DJ

[Capt. Blackadder]

Good on ya phil, sounds like you learned an important lesson about both yourself and the bike. Most of us average joes never learn what our bikes are really capable of and these particular bikes can be set up to handle phenomenally. All they need beyond that is a capable pilot.

[KHaynes]

My neighbour rides a Honda Fireblade and loves the performance of his bike. He rode a BMW on local roads and raved about the stability. What you experienced is what he described - a rock solid ride.

[chris]

Have to agree, absolutely planted and capable of far more than I could ever ask of it. With my first pillion passenger last night I was surprised at the way nothing was affected. Steered perfectly at low speed and tracked like it was on rails round the twisties. Only problem was for my passenger who was nearly ejected off the back by the acceleration...and I thought I was riding smoother than smooth. He was amazed by the grunt.

[phil]

I love this machine, I can see I am not alone. I have been on Honda 1000RR, a Hyabusa, and many other sport bikes. They do handle better, and accelerate better, but the sacrifice seems to be everything else. These bikes seem to do everything well. I can ride all day with a weeks worth of needs, see a nice road and carve into the corners with grace and confidence. Top end speed has never really been an objective of mine, but this stout boxer gets fast pretty darn quick. This is a great forum, you guys (and girls) seem to be riding, or writing about it. Speaking of riding, I am done writing now...

[bikermeow]

I notice that the footpegs has a "feeler" on it ... would that be the first contact point with the ground than the engine covers in a really low angle lean?

Cheers

Meow

[Oilhead]

I notice that the footpegs has a "feeler" on it ... would that be the first contact point with the ground than the engine covers in a really low angle lean?

Cheers

Meow

I have "scraped" the pegs many times on my Roadster. Even so, if you look at my rear tire, there is about a 1/4 in left to the edge. The suspension does get slightly upset when the peg touches but obvioulsly the paralever works pretty well and it is manageable. My K75 was terrible in comparasion, it would pogo up and down anytime the pegs touched. If I think the peg is going to touch, I loosen up the weight on that peg so it can flex up.
On my CBR600RR I have gone just about all the way to the edge of the tire(maybe 1/16 of an inch left) but the pegs have never touched.
This is about as far as I'm going to go on the street.

[collyers]

That footpeg feeler will make a REALLY bad noise when you finally drag it. If the corner is bumpy, your CTR stand tang will scrape as the suspension bounces. Just make sure you drag both sides equally, so the bike doesn't get lopsided.

[DJ Downunder]

I often wear my rear tire right to the edge...but have never scraped a peg..not ever...like collyers said...it's the center stand that touches first.

I have a nice 45 deg wear marks on both sides of mine.. ...and it usually only touches when hitting dips halfway through a corner.

If you're scraping too often then maybe your rear pre load is set too soft.

DJ

[Xray28]

The ride home from my dealer when I got my R was across Hwy. 36, a well known long twisty. As I'm getting the feel for the machine and being conscious of the breakin requirements (bike had 30 or 40 miles on it by this time) I was just toodeling along and got behind a white pickup truck. I was content to just hang back around 60mph. Then the driver of the Pickup drives his truck over onto the shoulder and maintains his speed. I downshift from 6th, twist the throttle. As I go bye the guy I upshift and keep the pressure on the right hand. Giving myself a lot of room I finally sweep back over to my lane, check everything (I still have the pressure on the throttle) and when everything is all settled I look down at the speedo. 105! Yikes! I throttled back and remembered that. The bike is quick!

[Oilhead]

I often wear my rear tire right to the edge...but have never scraped a peg..not ever...like collyers said...it's the center stand that touches first.


DJ

DJ, is it possible that I am hitting the centerstand? I can clearly see the small gawged marks on the peg feelers so I know the pegs are scraping. I don't think my centerstand is hitting but I'll have to look at it when I get home from work. Either way, it does make a pretty loud noise. This is on the right side(sitting on the bike looking forward). It may sound unusual but I scrape a lot more going clockwise than counterclockwise. The reason for this is that most of the entrance ramp to highways in my area are decreasing radius clockwise turns.

[R4R&R]

I have my preload set pretty high and haven't dragged anything lately. I have in the past scraped my centerstand and my feet. Both are a surprise when they touch down and the centerstand only did it in a unique situation. My feet do it usually because I'm relaxed and have them turned out (I don't want to accidentally ride the rear brake). My tires, like DJ's are worn to the edges (I think I got rid of my chichen strips a couple of weeks ago out in West Virginia!) I guess setting the preload up towards the high end will prevent dragging things but I'm sure if the bike is ridden hard enough the preload isn't going to prevent a touchdown.

[Oilhead]

A follow-up on my previous post; I am pretty sure when leaning to the right, the pegs touch first. Leaning to the left, the centerstand may hit before the pegs depending on the preload setting and rider weight.

[phil]

I have hit my ctr stand in a lefty, never on a right turn. I am 6'1 about 215 lbs, my preload is set to almost max "hard." My Avons sport no chicken strips whatsoever, I have never dragged a peg. My ctr stand hit when the bike was hard in the corner, a quick dip or long smooth pothole type deal was the culprit. I do believe my suspension was bottomed out as well. I think you really have to push the R to down a peg. I guess today will not reveal this answer, it is pouring rain in MA on this Mother's Day.

[Oilhead]

I have hit my ctr stand in a lefty, never on a right turn. I am 6'1 about 215 lbs, my preload is set to almost max "hard." My Avons sport no chicken strips whatsoever, I have never dragged a peg.

I have on many occasions dragged the right peg; despite that I still have a smidgen of "chicken strip" left on the edge of the tire. I have the preload set to about 3/4 max at a fully geared bodyweight of about 195lbs.
So it sounds like I should have the preload set on max?

[phil]

Oilhead,
I would try the "max" setting on your preload, don't forget to match the front with the back. I am 215 naked, full leathers and boots add a few more. I looked at the setting last night, I am on max. On long trips, the "hard" setting is no pleasure, especialy combined with the stock seat. I guess that is why it is so easy to adjust!

[DJ Downunder]

I have mine set on max...I ride two up a bit and tend to leave it on max..yes it's a bit harsh..but it doesn't wallow in the dips...here's my wear mark..left side.

DJ

[/i]

[dwayne]

Great story..and I have to agree... .." I do believe this is the best handling bike I have ever owned"

DJ

Though I have only put 300 Km's on her, I have to agree this is the best handling bike I have ever owned, and lite!!!! My last bike was a Suzuki Intruder 1500 LC, and that thing weighed in at 700#!!!

[munchmeister]

The first thing I noticed on my new 04 was the transition from left turn to right turn in the twisties... smooooooootthhhh. A very well balanced machine and really fun in the mountains.