Do you Push or Pull thru turns?

[Raprider]

Also fairly new to Spyders, only have 3,000 miles on my 2019 RTL. Just got the laser alignment which helped a lot with the twitchy feeling. I'm not sure if I've settled on a when to push vs. when to pull method yet. I try my best to relax my grip on the handlebars BUT sweet - jingling - jeepers the throttle spring is so strong it seems to fight me all the way. Any helpful hints other than using cruise control in curves?

Welcome to the Spyder party!
Have you taken the 3-wheel course? If not, it will help you tremendously, especially in learning the balance between push and pull in curves and turns.

I use a combination of push-pull, coupled with pressing on the opposing floorboard as the sharpness of any particular turn increases.

I would avoid relying on cruise control in the curves...easiest way to find yourself going too fast when the turn sharpens beyond your cruising speed or something in your path requires quick adjustments...and get a better handle on using the throttle.

Some folks, myself included, will suggest using a sort of 'open palm' or 'loose fingers' type of grip to help relax your hands, and I personally find that the Crampbuster that RICZ links to is a huge help in this area.

Good luck in finding what works!

 

[VitoNam]

Rufus Thomas was teaching us the "Push and Pull" back in 60's. HA!

 

[RICZ]

+1 on not using the cruise control in curves. CC is only for straighter highway schlogs. Never use it in traffic either.

 

[Lew L]

Both-----
Along with shifting weight off the seat and lowering the center of gravity ( when hot footing it through the twistys) Extra pressure on the outside foot too.

 

[Peter Aawen]

+1 on not using the cruise control in curves. CC is only for straighter highway schlogs. Never use it in traffic either.

Why not use Cruise control thru curves?? Yeah, you can probably corner faster & do your braking, late apex-ing, and all that other stuff if you're controlling everything, but if you're just tooling along on cruise & a corner comes up that looks like you won't really need to do any of that, why not carry on & let it? :dontknow:

It's not a biggie really, if you touch the brake to slow for the curve, you've killed cruise anyway; but if you don't touch the brake & simply carry on, you'll be able to concentrate on proper positioning & steering your ryde safely thru the curve without worrying about all that other stuff - you could even do it all with your foot poised over the brake if you feel the need; but either way, the Nanny is there to step in PDQ if you're going too fast for the corner or miscue the steering input you dial in &/or you touch the brake! :thumbup:

Cruise control is a very useful and vastly under-uitilised tool that might even help improve your ryding skills (in some areas ) if you'd only let it do its thing, secure in the knowledge that the Nanny won't really let you do anything that would upset the Spyder responding appropriately to the control inputs that you still hafta dial in. Even in traffic, if it's all moving along steadily enough to set a speed, using cruise control can be helpful - after all, if you can concentrate on steering & braking without worrying about speed control, you are probably exposing yourself to LESS risk than if you add another area of control & concentration to your work load - and besides, cruise is disabled immediately if you hit the brakes & the Nanny will also kick in to intervene & turn it off if you make a sudden hard steering input. She's good that way! hyea: She can't fix stupid tho, so don't try steering into the oncoming traffic, even if you aren't on cruise!! :shocked:

 

[Mazo EMS2]

I guess I don't think about it....but I suppose I do both

 

[RICZ]

Peter...call me overly cautious, but not late for dinner. What you said certainly has validity, except for me and I'll tell you why. When working curves and twisties (not those swoopy highway curves, but tighter) if needed, I slow before the curve, then accelerate through it. Because adversities can happen in an instant, I want immediate throttle control when on back roads. On freeways and straightish roads, the cruise control is a blessing.

 

[TicketBait]

I guess I don't think about it....but I suppose I do both

:agree:

With my diamond floorboards I use my legs as much as my arms to steer in turns. The back rest really locks me in.

I am hoping the new floorboards on the 2020 RTL will work similar