Taking turns lefts and rights.

[Roger]

Here is a problem that a few new riders and test riders have discovered. It's taking turns can someone post a video of doing it properly like at red lights you know 90 degree turns lefts and rights from a stop and a non stop i know practice makes perfect but it's better to have an idea from your peers. Thank you i'am sure it will help.

[BLACK WIDOW]

Here is a problem that a few new riders and test riders have discovered. It's taking turns can someone post a video of doing it properly like at red lights you know 90 degree turns lefts and rights from a stop and a non stop i know practice makes perfect but it's better to have an idea from your peers. Thank you i'am sure it will help.

Just like driving a car except you are turning with handle bars instead of a wheel.

[redspyderlady]

Deep left hand turns still are awkward for me.

[Roger]

Deep left hand turns still are awkward for me.

Thats exactly what i'am speaking about what maybe easy for some might be difficult for others to get use to.

[SpyderWolf]

It definitely takes a while to get used to the handling, and does not come natural at all. I am now very comfortable on mine after putting 3,000 miles on it in a month. I had only had it a week before I rode it on the Dragon, and I found it much easier to turn right than left during that ride. Now that I have ridden it much more I do not think that would be an issue.

Main thing is you must push and pull the handlebars together, as you cannot counter steer or lean this machine. Left hand turn you pull with the left and push with the right, while applying throttle. If you have ever ridden a 4 wheeler, then you have some of the same experience already.

[SpyderGirl]

Leaning into the inside of the turn helps immensely.

At least it seems that way.

[nickcaro]

* disclaimer *
* I am not a safety instructor *
* the following is just one man's opinion from 1k feet*
* if you want to try this stuff, please first go to a parking lot *

I have kind of made up my own style on handling the turns and it has worked out great for me. It's not going to be easy to explain but I tried to carry over some knowledge from aggressive riding on two wheels. The biggest lesson I ever learned on a sport bike was that I needed to move my whole body and shift my weight. For me the same theory still comes on the Spyder.

Although I'm not getting as many tickets as I used to, I still tend to push it a little more than normal. I also have paranoia that leeds to me to believe that I must be prepared for when the sh&t hits the fan and I need to make some serious moves, real fast. I'm a commuter and not a day goes by without some drama that forces me to get out of a lane and or quickly alter my course. I'm also forced to deal with three types of traffic. Near home its rural/suburb, then I get on tight parkway traffic and finally the really tight traffic in NYC. The tight parkway traffic is the one that really keeps all my senses on high alert. We move very fast in a tight pack on some serious curves. (Saw Mill Parkway if you're from the area. I ride the north end all the way to the south end) It feels like a Nascar race cause we are all within a foot of each other and all breaking the law by at least 15mph.

I'll do my best to describe it here and will use right turns on all the examples. With that being said, this is what works for me;

Arms and Hands
Reading a book from Lee Parks and other classes that I attended in the past taught me to keep one arm limber and make one the power arm. The best way to grasp that concept is to take right turns with your left hand removed from the bar. It forces you to focus on that right arm only. On the Spyder when taking a right turn, I first bring my elbow in towards my body and pull the grip towards my chest. Stay away from pulling with the right and pushing with the left at the same time cause it will throw your body out of position. My turns are always focused on pulling, never pushing. If you push, your weight will be placed on a course that will work against you when you reach higher speeds and g-forces. Yes, pushing works great in the driveway, but if you go pushing at 65mph in to a turn marked for 35mph, you're not going to be properly balanced.

Torso
When taking a right turn I'll shift my torso to the right side to shift more body weight for counter balance. The best way to describe it is that I hang my right butt cheek of the edge and only my left butt cheek is on the seat. The more extreme the turn, the more I go. But the key is to not lean out like on 2 wheels. I keep my head up high. It's important not to lean to maintain the strength of pulling on the bar and in case you need to modify the course back to the left. The more extreme the turn the more that I aim myself forward and to the right. Although my left arm is limber I need to be ready to alter my course, so that if I suddenly need to go left, the puling on the left bar will assist in shifting my torso to the left side instantly.

Legs and feet
When taking a right turn, as my torso shifts to the right and I'm pulling the bar towards me. I'll drop my knee forward towards the side panel that goes over the fan. In heavy turns my knee will press on to it. Meanwhile I'm placing serious pressure on my left foot down on the peg to fight the g-force that wants to pull me out of that position. (on 2 wheels, I would actually be laying all that foot force on to my right foot)

Head
I keep my head up and looking to where I need to go, but always straight, never leaned over. I find that this keeps me more properly orientated.



It's funny to see this post as I just spent a solid 30 minutes or so describing this to a friend today and he mentioned how I should try to make a video of it.... Maybe if time allows it, I'll squeeze one in.

[nickcaro]

BTW;

Roger, you're not that far from me... We can meet up or maybe you can help me make the videos...

[BeRight]

Just watch how the motogp riders take the turns - of course your knees are safe on the Spyder. Body form remains the same-pick up your butt and slide it on the seat into the turn and the rest should follow.

[mike3069]

Very nice explanation Nick. I like your thinking on this.

[Roger]

Hey i would love to meet up with you and do something like that. I was hoping to meet up with you at marcus dairy last week but i had a commitment to keep. Very good explaination. I was wondering have you ever heard of the hawksnest its a road in port jervis, ny it follows the delaware river very twisty they also film alot of car commercials there. unfortunately somebody usually dies on this road (sportbikes) once a year. as a matter of fact it just happened again about 2 weeks ago.

[jimclarkf1]

I thought it was all me, I seem to go a little more smooth, when i get the BIG picture and look far ahead in the turn. instead of close to the front. I still want to slow down on HWY curves, maybe more time is needed

[rnet]

Nick, very good aggressive/defensive explanation of how to turn a spyder. Roger and I are meeting at an open house in rosendale, ny on the 24th if anyone is interested.

[Roger]

That would be a goodtime to meet up at arctic adventures in rosendale, ny oct 24, nick if you want to bring your camera we could probably do something in that area rnet knows it better than i do Anybody else can meet us their it's an open house and the RT is suppose to be their if you have not seen it yet also doing road tests with it. how about the rest of the gang from CT.

[nickcaro]

That would be a goodtime to meet up at arctic adventures in rosendale, ny oct 24,

Sorry, 10/24 is the Open House down at Garganos and I can't miss it....

<Edit>
..also any sunday morning that you are going to Marcus Dairy let me know. My weekends have been disgustingly busy, but I still try to get there even if only for a quick stop.

[rnet]

The open house is also on sunday the 25th if this would help. Two day event.

[BajaRon]

Turning the stock handlebar Spyder is definitely more of a challenge than after you put riser/pullbacks on.

You really have to lean into and over the handlebars on a stock setup in a sharp turn to get the right amount of turn without maxing out your arm length. If you don't set up for it properly you may find yourself running out of arm or having to assume an awkward position to get the handlebars turned enough.

I've got the NMN risers and that made turning a lot less of a chore, both physically (effort wise) and ergonomically (body position wise).

Another thing that I think throws people off is they watch their front tires (or fenders), instead of looking through the turn. If you focus too closely to the front of any vehicle your turns will be herky-jerky as you continually adjust instead of executing a smooth arc.

I know it was very tempting, almost mesmerizing, to watch that inside wheel in turns. That really messed me up for awhile.

When I finally had enough of the "Newbie" feeling in turns I forced myself to look ahead and through the turn and it all came together after that.

[fastfraser]

Turning the stock handlebar Spyder is definitely more of a challenge than after you put riser/pullbacks on.

You really have to lean into and over the handlebars on a stock setup in a sharp turn to get the right amount of turn without maxing out your arm length. If you don't set up for it properly you may find yourself running out of arm or having to assume an awkward position to get the handlebars turned enough.

I've got the NMN risers and that made turning a lot less of a chore, both physically (effort wise) and ergonomically (body position wise).

Another thing that I think throws people off is they watch their front tires (or fenders), instead of looking through the turn. If you focus too closely to the front of any vehicle your turns will be herky-jerky as you continually adjust instead of executing a smooth arc.

I know it was very tempting, almost mesmerizing, to watch that inside wheel in turns. That really messed me up for awhile.

When I finally had enough of the "Newbie" feeling in turns I forced myself to look ahead and through the turn and it all came together after that.

Well put.

[chascarpenter1]

Has anyone else noticed an issue with the vss being more touchy in left hand turns?

[BajaRon]

Has anyone else noticed an issue with the vss being more touchy in left hand turns?

I have not.

Have you had either of the steering updates done to your Spyder?

[NancysToy]

Has anyone else noticed an issue with the vss being more touchy in left hand turns?

I have not.

Have you had either of the steering updates done to your Spyder?

I have not noticed it, either. Besides the steering and ECM updates, you might have the dealer run a diagnostic on the SAS (Steering Angle Sensor) and run the calibration routine for that sensor if there is one.

By the same token, this may be a riding technique/body mechanics thing. Many riders move a little differently in one direction than the other, and they usually feel more comfortable and balanced in one direction vs. another, too. A slight difference in technique could cause the VSS to be more prone to kicking in turning one direction than another. Not saying you do, just that it is a possibility.

[BRPjunkie]

I have not noticed it, either. Besides the steering and ECM updates, you might have the dealer run a diagnostic on the SAS (Steering Angle Sensor) and run the calibration routine for that sensor if there is one.

By the same token, this may be a riding technique/body mechanics thing. Many riders move a little differently in one direction than the other, and they usually feel more comfortable and balanced in one direction vs. another, too. A slight difference in technique could cause the VSS to be more prone to kicking in turning one direction than another. Not saying you do, just that it is a possibility.

On left turns, your right (throttle) arm is extended and may create some throttle tension that does not occur on right turns where your right (throttle) arm is shortened and may relax a bit on the throttle. I have noticed this "Spyder quirk" which never happens on two wheels since you never turn the handlebars far enough to get the same effect.

[chascarpenter1]

In right turns I can get the right wheel off the ground and really have to push it in order to get the vss to kick in. During left turns it kicks in at speeds I do in my Avalanche on the same corners.

[NancysToy]

In right turns I can get the right wheel off the ground and really have to push it in order to get the vss to kick in. During left turns it kicks in at speeds I do in my Avalanche on the same corners.

My best guess would be that either the steering angle sensor or the yaw sensor is out of calibration...or both. Really should be even. If it bothers you, check with your dealer and explain it just like you did here.

[SpyderByter]

I have had the VSS kick in many times pulling out fast to the right. This weekend I went up to MT Greylock and for the first time saw the left tire come off the ground while accererating up a left hand harpin turn. I think in the US, we take tighter right hand turns, and broad sweeping left hand turns. So your more likely to have it kick in trying to pull out into a road taking a right, unless your on a road like the one the one goes up MT Greylock.

I have had the first update done.