Lean angle

[Black_peter]

You know it's strange. You would think that as I glet closer to true Geezerdom I would get all mellow. However it seems that the Kat has lit a real fire under my butt. I'm finding myself leaning much farther in general and in low speed corners in particular. I admit I was a bit of a wimp at leaning in town. Prefering to slow way down, now I look forward to intersections as much as higher speed twisties.
Taking a turn from a stop also, I'm healed over right away were before I would wait to finish the turn before twisting the wick. I wonder if the riding position of the Kat has lead to this? The vast improvements in suspensions since my last bike (early 80's)? Or what.
I will say the clip ons have made this even more dramatic.

What up with that?

[md86]

Wait , what's the question ? Is it the bike's fault you're leaning over alot more now than before ? Or that your getting old has something to do with it ? I blame everything on the bike . But that's just me .

[WildKat]

The inspires confidence in riding, thats one of the reasons I love it so much. Its comfortable..yet forgiving to newer riders, but definately has enuff left in the tank to make u just wanna go alittle bit more.

[SweetLou]

Maybe the kat is brining you a new found youth!


Or maybe you are just getting crazy in your old age

[Black_peter]

Honestly?
Who cares..
I am having such a blast on this bike!

[kulbiker]

No its true...i always lean hard on my kat even in slow turns.....I tell you I have almost go to the turf on some turns but I have so much confidence on this bike that it never even so much as shakes a whisper while I am doing those turns. I do ofcourse pat it on the side and say sweet nuthigns to it before i begin the ride......

[podunkian]

I hope you're countersteering. There WILL come a day when you can't lean far enough!
To understand countersteering better, check "search", please.

[Black_peter]

Counter steering???
What? I don't get it?

[QuickKat]

To chicken here... I'm scared of the macadam's.

[Selby]

Here's a decent explanation. There are a couple ways to induce lean; countersteering is the most accurate. Basically, you turn the grips opposite from the direction of the turn (turn the grips left to turn right). Turning the grips opposite to the direction of the turn will cause your bike to lean. You can also just pull your bike over, lean your body, press against the bike with your leg, etc.

Countersteering doesn't work under about 15 MPH, tho.

You may already be countersteering and just not know what to call it.

[Black_peter]

Counter steering???
What? I don't get it?

This was a joke..

I've been countersteering for 13 years..
It's just that the Kat has me leaning much deeper then I dared before.

[Selby]

[trinc]

Counter steering???
What? I don't get it?

This was a joke..

I've been countersteering for 13 years..
It's just that the Kat has me leaning much deeper then I dared before.

it's really amazing how little you have to lean a bike to get it around a corner - since i've put my new 208's on i still have about 3/8" chicken strips - and i've been out on two fast pace rides. i have really been working on body position - now i have just as much fun hanging off & keeping the bike more upright.
when i kick the rear end loose or run through uneven pavement you're far better off if your body is in the correct position !


tim

[Black_peter]

I found something interesting when I changed tires..
(Not the Kat)
I put the OEM size tires (same brand & model)
and I found the bike "fell" into a lean angle better.
The over sized tire the previous owner put on actually damaged the handling..

[Junior]

I found something interesting when I changed tires..
(Not the Kat)
I put the OEM size tires (same brand & model)
and I found the bike "fell" into a lean angle better.
The over sized tire the previous owner put on actually damaged the handling..

See, this makes perfect sense to me. If you put a wider tire on a bike it's gonna take that much more to lean it over. Granted it's only a fraction of a difference in size , but it still accounts for an increased amount of lean and another fraction of a second to get it leaned over. Theorectically it *could* make the difference of you staying on the pavement or hitting the gravel shoulder.

Personally, I don't think bigger is always better.

Just my .02cdn..... .03US.