graphicjunkie
Parking Attendant
Posts: 7
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posted July 30, 2009 10:18 AM
hello from newbie
Just wanted to say hello. New to this forum.
After years of riding cruisers, I recently bought my first Concours 14, a 2008 non ABS.
I can't say how much more I totally love riding this bike, compared to the joy I felt riding my Harley.
I have a question though. And I'm sure some will bash me, but that's ok. Just looking for a couple of suggestions.
The design of these bikes vs a cruiser is drastically different....I know, DUH! 
But again, cruisers are all I have known until now. I'm having a hard time cornering with my bike. NO, I'm not complaining about the balance of the bike, as I've read about on here. I'm asking how to properly position my body on the bike as I take sharper corners. Because I've tried many different things, and the bike still doesn't seem to like to respond properly. On my harley, I could take corners fast enough to drag my pedals. But on this bike, I just haven't been able to find that magical recipe yet.
thanks, and great forum!!
   
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Port_Angeles_NINJA
Expert Class
Posts: 388
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posted July 30, 2009 02:07 PM
If you're just comparing the ability to drag things on the ground most harleys will do that with much less lean angle than a C14. Are you actually having trouble taking corners at the same speed as on a harley?
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Red/Black 85' GPZ900
Blue 07' ZX14
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FastestBusaAround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
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posted July 31, 2009 05:13 AM
You won't get to drag your pegs until you're well seasoned on this bike; bottom line. You have to get a lot lower down and corner much faster due to the height of the bike and the pegs, compared to the HD. In other words, if you drag a corner on your HD at 25 - this would be more like 45 -50 on the Connie. You won't even feel what you'd consider to be a hard corner on your HD, on your Connie, until you hit it hard. I can't imagine that you'd be having issues cornering on the Connie as opposed to the HD...but then, it's also a question of getting into the comfort zone as well. Just take it slow as it's a new bike and very new to you. On these bikes, the rider is the limitation whereas on the HD, it's always going to be the bike that's the limiting factor. By the time you're dragging pegs on the Connie, you're way further into the "danger" zone over the HD. Dragging pegs on a bike like this requires way more speed and lean (less effort)...as PAN said above. It WILL outcorner any HD with even only one hand on the bars, Just be careful and get to know your new ride before you start scraping. I have a Road King and believe me, it can't come close to precision cornering when compared to any of these ST bikes. It's just downright scary getting on to my HD after a day of riding this bike. You expect to corner and what you get, is just bottoming and scraping at only half the speeds...while it wobbles through the turns. 
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FYYFF!!!
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted July 31, 2009 05:59 AM
welcome aboard!
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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graphicjunkie
Parking Attendant
Posts: 7
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posted July 31, 2009 08:35 AM
I'm not looking to drag my pegs at this point, just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'm having problems trusting these tires first off. Second day I had the bike was just cruising down the street and came around a LAME curve, but it had some line/crack patching done and I thought I was going to lay it down. NEVER felt that on my Harley. So until I get past that I won't be doing any crazy cornering.
I have no doubt in my mind that this bike is superior to the Harley in performance in EVERY way. I wasn't trying to actually compare the bikes. Was more so trying to establish that I do have experience and could aggressively handle my old bike. But yes, I'm actually having some problems cornering on my Connie. I've tried to focus on pushing down on the inside handlebar as I lean...no good. I've tried to really lean my shoulders over, but that seems to make me feel like I'm going to just fall off the bike, and the bike didn't seem to respond any more than normal.
On my Harley, I could just lean into the corner, and guide with the bars. Bike did the rest. On my connie, I've leaned forward, back, upright, hunched down...you name it. I just can't get a feel of where my body position needs to be in order to make the bike react correctly.
Hope that makes more sense.
Thanks for the replies!
Again
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The Pope
Novice Class
Posts: 44
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posted July 31, 2009 10:58 AM
 Edited By: The Pope on 31 Jul 2009 19:00
Shift your body off of the bikes centerline toward the inside part of the turn. You don't need to do much of a shift and you need to do this just before you get to where your starting the turn. Then countersteer (push the handle that's on the inside of the turn away from you) with one hand as you don't want your two hands trying to fight over whitch one's in control! Try this where it's safe (no trafic and where if you run off the road you will not crach), because you might turn a lot sharper than your used to! A empty parking lot would work great!
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The Pope
COG's NCAAD
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graphicjunkie
Parking Attendant
Posts: 7
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posted July 31, 2009 11:07 AM
fantastic, that's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
I have seen the racers do that, but honestly thought that was for extreme stuff only.
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The Pope
Novice Class
Posts: 44
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posted July 31, 2009 11:32 AM
Just remember to practice in a safe enviroment!
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The Pope
COG's NCAAD
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Silver Hawk
Zone Head
addition to riding no rehab4me
Posts: 725
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posted August 03, 2009 03:03 AM
or u could do it the hard way like i did ( second thought don't ).. go to the mountains on roads that are un forgiven and u will have no choice but to lean into a curve and have a parachute with u
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2008 Concours ABS 23k miles in a yr Sold
2009 R1 16k miles in a yr Sold
2005 Honda Goldwing..6k miles in 2 months ..Sold
2012 Concours ABS 5k in 1 month..Sold
2011 ZX 10r 2k in 1 month...Sold..
2012 ZX 10R ABS black and red 144 miles as of 4-23-2013 sold.
2013 F6B deluxe sold
Back to the 2012 Connie present
2014 Green and Black ZX14r ..Beast mode!! present.
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graphicjunkie
Parking Attendant
Posts: 7
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posted August 03, 2009 06:56 AM
That worked like a charm Pope. Crazy how such a slight variance of that vs how I was doing it makes all the difference.
THANKS!!
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The Pope
Novice Class
Posts: 44
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posted August 04, 2009 02:05 AM
quote:
That worked like a charm Pope. Crazy how such a slight variance of that vs how I was doing it makes all the difference.
THANKS!!
Yep, crazy!
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The Pope
COG's NCAAD
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Old Guy
Expert Class
Posts: 470
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posted August 10, 2009 08:39 PM
Wow a x harley rider with troubles cornering a real motorcycle. Whodathunkit.
OK a real motorcycle that wasnt designed in the fifties!!
Seriously though, look into a advanced street skills course near you.
If Popes simple tip helped that much a good course or even a track day will serious teach you many things you didnt need on the car tire wearing HD.
You bike is capable of doing things you never dreamed of on that twin.
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Living the good life...,
On a XZ !!!!!
Tsukigi stainless full system
pcIII w/custom map
NO freakin flies!!
GP suspension forks
Penske rear shock
Rich's custom seat
And a whole bunch of other stuff.
97 zx6r full race bike with all the
good stuff
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