Advice and suggestions for curves and Twisties?

[Easy Rider]

Peter, just by way of clarification, when you say “press on the outside foot more”, is that simply to help push your body weight to the inside better and sooner?

I think yes.

And the more I exercise my new ride, the more I think that a lot of problems with curves/turns are caused by trying to use your arms for BOTH turning the bars AND getting your upper body into position (or keeping it from going out of position). That sometimes causes me to make unintended small turns to the bars.

Something else new to learn.

 

[Samson]

Go look for the twisty roads in your area and practice at a time when traffic will be minimal. I am fortunate to have two great areas within about 12 miles of my house, Mingus Mountain to Jerome and Yarnell Hill. I did Mingus yesterday and I am doing Yarnell this morning. Practice at the lower speeds and practice form, repeating at every corner, maybe even make 2 or 3 passes. You will find that you are starting to increase speeds and will very quickly feel very comfy. The F3 feels like it's on rails and acceleration out of the corners is very good.

Have fun and be safe!

 

[greybeard]

curves

I think what you guys are missing is the length of the curves (45 deg. vs 120 deg). Here in Indiana most curves are short maybe 45 deg. so 15 mph over is easy. go out to Maggie Valley where curves are much longer 90-120 deg and much harder to hold your speed. Pick a line going in to the curve and stick to it. I think the biggest mistake is turning too hard at the beginning and then having to back off
Paul

 

[Easy Rider]

......go out to Maggie Valley where curves are much longer 90-120 deg and much harder to hold your speed.

Say what ? I don't follow that at all.

Are you really saying that a wider sweeping curve is harder to negotiate than a short tight one ??

OK.....after thinking about that for a few seconds.......I think that might be true for a "new" Spyder rider because it is too easy to "over correct".

You need to look "through" the curve and not right in front and trust your body to make it go where it needs to go.
That will work better the more you practice it.

 

[WilderThomas]

Twists and Curves

Hi folks!
I've been enjoying the hell out of my F3-T. However, I am still pretty apprehensive to see what it can do on the curves and Twisties and take them rather slowly. I realize the "Nanny" mode would kick in to prevent a disaster and every circumstance is different but was hoping you could share your advice, suggestions, and experiences with the curves and Twisties.
Thanks!
SS

You're living so close, I have to wonder if you've heard of a road known as The Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina? 300 curves and twists in 11 or 12 miles I believe.

 

[greybeard]

??????????

Say what ? I don't follow that at all.

Are you really saying that a wider sweeping curve is harder to negotiate than a short tight one ??

OK.....after thinking about that for a few seconds.......I think that might be true for a "new" Spyder rider because it is too easy to "over correct".

You need to look "through" the curve and not right in front and trust your body to make it go where it needs to go.
That will work better the more you practice it.

I can see that you don't follow it . But after reading some of your other posts I see you don't follow much at all.

 

[SpyderSkeets]

You're living so close, I have to wonder if you've heard of a road known as The Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina? 300 curves and twists in 11 or 12 miles I believe.

Yes. I've heard of it. It's actually not that close for me. (About 9 hours away).
I did take a trip to Skyline Drive this weekend (about 1.5 hours away) and rode about a quarter of the way through before turning around. Very enjoyable ride and intend on doing the entire road probably this weekend when I plan better.

 

[ARNIE R]

Yes. I've heard of it. It's actually not that close for me. (About 9 hours away).
I did take a trip to Skyline Drive this weekend (about 1.5 hours away) and rode about a quarter of the way through before turning around. Very enjoyable ride and intend on doing the entire road probably this weekend when I plan better.

I like to go very early and attempt to go down to the Southern Waynesboro entrance once or so every year or two. Then Drive NB up to Front Royal to the end. Yes, you will need a full day set aside for this. But, it is worth it.

 

[CSI]

And do what exactly ?

AND......how dare you drag a thread back on topic !!! :roflblack:

What does the nanny do?

It depends on how much intervention it "thinks" it needs. It has done everything from cut spark to apply brakes as necessary.

 

[SpyderSkeets]

I like to go very early and attempt to go down to the Southern Waynesboro entrance once or so every year or two. Then Drive NB up to Front Royal to the end. Yes, you will need a full day set aside for this. But, it is worth it.

Arnie, your Spyder looks familiar. Were you by chance following a black Spyder on Rte 15 S heading towards Purcelville on Sunday?

 

[cruisinTX]

OK, I recently acquired a '14 RT Limited for my wife. I read a lot here and on various Facebook pages about handling and cornering and am continuing to read and learn. I also test drove a 998 in Altus, OK a few weeks ago for my first ride other than a parking lot. That ride revealed a true need to lean one's body out during corning. I'm good with that as I have over 430K miles on motorcycles where the lean out and/or butt off the seat helps keep good tread on the pavement when you properly use counter-steering to make the bike lean, (but that's a whole 'nuther topic).

I rode our RT home from Denton Saturday (420 miles) and experimented a lot using techniques I've been reading about. Here is something I have to ask, why would you put weight on the outside foot peg or floorboard when it's the inside you are wanting to keep down? This seems counter productive to me. I went out yesterday and the day before to test something I thought might work better. From the beginning, I have used upper body leaning to help stabilize the Spyder while going around a corner. I do this by using both forward and side pressure on the outside handlebar to turn the wheels AND help me lean out to the inside. It works great, but the last two days I threw in the foot pressure. I first tried it like everyone says they are doing it; pressure on the outside. I found it did not do much to help my lean effort and at the same time seemed to work against what I was trying to accomplish with the upper body lean. Then with the thought that keeping the inside down is the goal, I started putting pressure on the inside floorboard. OH WOW! That is way more effective in keeping the inside down than pushing down on the outside floorboard. Just sayin' that's what I learned by doing it for several miles of 35 to 45mph curves. Has anyone else tried this and how did it work for you?

 

[SpyderSkeets]

I think that putting pressure on the outside peg forces you to shift your body weight to the inside, no? By putting weight on the inside, while leaning to the inside seems counter productive.

 

[Easy Rider]

That ride revealed a true need to lean one's body out during corning.

when you properly use counter-steering to make the bike lean, (but that's a whole 'nuther topic).

You actually should lean your body to the INSIDE in a turn......as you said later in the post.

And there is no "counter-steering" with three wheels.

 

[cruisinTX]

You actually should lean your body to the INSIDE in a turn......as you said later in the post.

And there is no "counter-steering" with three wheels.

Yes, but you took that out of context; my reference to counter-steering was about bikes (two wheels) not Spyders. Here is the whole sentence where I clearly was referring to motorcycles, "I'm good with that as I have over 430K miles on motorcycles where the lean out and/or butt off the seat helps keep good tread on the pavement when you properly use counter-steering to make the bike lean, (but that's a whole 'nuther topic)."

 

[cruisinTX]

I think that putting pressure on the outside peg forces you to shift your body weight to the inside, no? By putting weight on the inside, while leaning to the inside seems counter productive.

I see what you're saying but ask yourself the same question I did. "why would you put downward pressure on the outside floorboard when the inside one is the one that needs to stay down?" For me, using my arms to move my body to the inside is very easy and it enhances the movement of the handles bars to steer the wheels in the proper direction. It also seemed perfectly natural for that body lean to allow me to put additional pressure on my inside foot. With the goal of the weight shift being to keep the inside down, that makes pressure on the outside counter-productive.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I see what you're saying but ask yourself the same question I did. "why would you put downward pressure on the outside floorboard when the inside one is the one that needs to stay down?" For me, using my arms to move my body to the inside is very easy and it enhances the movement of the handles bars to steer the wheels in the proper direction. It also seemed perfectly natural for that body lean to allow me to put additional pressure on my inside foot. With the goal of the weight shift being to keep the inside down, that makes pressure on the outside counter-productive.

It doesn't really matter which peg you put your weight on. What matters is shifting the center of gravity of the bike/rider combination toward the inside and forward. Pushing on the outside peg makes it easier to shift your body and the cg as your leg is bent less at the knee. But use whatever leg and arm combination that works best for you.

 

[bscofield84]

Curves

I've had my Spyder for about two months. Didn't take me long to push it to the limits. However, I am in Minnesota, and I do snowmobile. That how I've been looking at the curves and twisties. Ride it like ya stole it. I have been having fun on mine!

 

[bushrat]

downward pressure on outside foot

It seems to me that some folks reading and commenting on or questioning the helpful hints discussed here are misunderstanding the term "downward pressure on outside foot" when it comes to cornering. There is no suggestion of transferring weight to the outside so as to increase pressure. Rather, the so-called "downward pressure" is, in reality, a "pushing off" or "away" from the outside peg or floorboard, so as to reduce the outboard weight and to help the upper body shift toward the inside of the turn. It is a combination of both pushing away from the outside peg while leaning forward over the inside of the bike that helps keep the inside wheel from lifting. Some folks also find that combining this with pressure from the inside knee against the gas tank, further helps to "pull" the upper body to the inside of the turn. Everyone pretty much pulls on the inside handle bar, but you can get stronger, very smooth turns and even better control while also pushing the outer bar away from you at the same time. It is slightly more difficult to do in a left turn, when you are pushing the throttle hand away while turning, but pushing on the outer bar while pulling on the inside will result in better, more controlled cornering. At least, that's my take. I make plenty of mistakes, but love practicing.... over and over again.

 

[asp125]

One thing that bears mentioning, is that the less your arms are involved in bracing and hanging on, the more they are able to steer the bike. So how do you achieve "light hands"? You apply the tips given in this thread, bracing against the tank with the inside knee, pressing down with the outside foot, and moving your body mass towards the inside of the bike.

 

[Jbuffalo]

adjusting to riding a spyder

I have over 50 years experience on motorcycles-which may be part of the problem. Due to some physical problems I bought a 2009 Spyder RS which I have had for two years. I have about 3000 miles of Spyder riding experience, I still have motorcycles. Following information from this site I have adjusted shocks and tire pressure and installed the recommended sway bar but still cannot say I am comfortable riding the Spyder. The problem is curves and low speed turns and the twitchy steering. I want to like the Spyder, I believe it is safer than a motorcycle due to visibility and stability. I like the power, and brakes. I have checked online for advice on riding the Spyder and have watched the videos. But I do not enjoy riding it. I find myself looking at trikes. I would like to keep this Spyder, it seems everyone adjusts to riding this machine but me. thanks