Maximum lean angle?

[jason05]

Who knows the max lean angle of a 1998+ katana? and yes, we can talk about tires as a variable.

[WildKat]

Depends on how long your legs are !!

sorry couldnt resist!

[ditchdoc1017]

Not sure.If you have a very stick tire could be along way.I really dont want to find out what to far it could leave a mark.

[WildKat]

Re: Maximum lean angle?

Who knows the max lean angle of a 1998+ katana? and yes, we can talk about tires as a variable.

What kind of tire are you running ?

[jason05]

right now ive got stock front, and a battlax crap in the rear... but im going to upgrade to something sticky... maybe a pair of pilot powers

[woobie]

03 600 with Metzeler Z6s and I've got scrape marks on both sides of my Belly faring from the Rally at Deals Gap.

Dan who I think was running Pilot Powers scraped the exhaust on his 04 600 once or twice .

The Kat can lean over pretty good, I have no idea the exact angle though.

[rmick15]

as much as you have tire, good tires that is.

[The CyberPoet]

I can't tell you either, but I can scrape the pegs and the exhaust on the bike with the Z6's if I wanted to without issue (if I didn't have the preload jacked up a bit, I could probably scrape the belly as well, but it clears).

The max lean angle on any bike is strictly one of two things:
(A) How far equipment sticks out before grinding (ground clearance), and
(B) The limit of adhesion for the tires/suspension (which vary with the tire, including: the profile, the arc-design, the sidewall height, the tire pressure, the weight pushing it down and the compound formulation).

It's gotta be above 38 degrees (based on what I've seen & done), and probably lies below about 62 degrees (based on what I haven't seen done).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

the way everyone was railing at the gap, its definately more than adequate if you know how to do it.

[meanstrk]

When you start dragging hard parts, you are out of lean angle.

Either back off a bit or crank in some more pre load.

When you get to that point, you really need to be hanging off a bit anyways.

[woobie]

Something to remember with the 98+'s. They changed the muffler on the 04's so it no longer is "notched" at the bottom of the can on the outside, it's completely round. Because of this(AFAIK) they also changed the peg feelers, the 04+ are at least twice as long as the 98-03s peg feelers.

So on a 04-05 you could be scraping peg feelers a bit sooner than on a 98-03.

Meanstrk is right about hanging off.

The first run in on the dragon I was scraping pegs on both sides, I took my feelers off. The second run I was scraping peg. Once I started shifting my weight off the seat even more the scraping (for the most part) stopped.


If someone still has it, post the link for "the chase" or some of the vids from the first KP rally. There's some decent leaning going on in a few of those vids.

[meanstrk]

Something to note also is that you will touch pegs on a 98+ before you will a pre 98 Kat.

Only problem with the pre 98 is the aftermarket pipes. I can touch it down with ease if I am not careful and that will unsettle the bike in a hurry. If you crank up the preload it helps more than you could imagine. It should be part of a checklist to dial in some more preload for spirited riding.

[Mojoe]

the max lean angle is the point when something solid catches, or the bike slides out from under you and sends you flying/sliding down the road

[katana bob]

I found out quite by accident that she'll lean over far enough to scrape the midpipe. and I'm running pilot powers. they are totally and completely awesome!

[MetalMage]

Alright man ill help u out i have a camera u go through a curb till u drop the bike when u do(or just before u do ill take a pick) we willl measure the angle and ill post it up.