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Looking for riding through curves tips

Soulman53

New member
I'm a new Spyder RT owner and scared of taking curves at highway speeds. Any tips or suggestions on how to ride? I've rode two wheel motorcycles for many years. But the sensation on my Spyder is way different. Any ideas or referrals are most welcomed.
 
Do you have any experience on snowmobiles or ATVs?
The sensations on the Spyder will most closely mimic what you'd feel on them...
First...
Take your time and gather experince with these machines.
Parking lots and local traffic situations will help to start the familiarization process...
You'll want to slow down befor the turn, and gradually roll on a bit of power as conditions warrant...
lean your body to the inside of the turn; that way your center of gravity will shift back to the centerline of the bike as cetrifugal forces start their tap-dance on your mass...
It takes a while to figure out just how much leaning, speed, throttle and guts it takes to corner. :shocked: :joke:
Normally folks start getting their "sea legs" after a couple of hundred miles, but everybody gathers experience and confidence at their own rate! nojoke
so get out there and ryde! :2thumbs:
Oh! :welcome:
 
Ride your ride! You will get comfortable as you get used to handling but take your time and enjoy it. Look through the corner, as always and pick a line that stays clear of the center and the edge.
 
The tighter the turn the more this applies.

The spyder saddle has knee pads for a reason. Set a knee to secure your body while pressing down on the appropriate footboard/peg. Which side, when, is dictated by the direction you're turning.

Same goes for dropping one shoulder or the other.

Practice.

It'll become instinctive with time.

Example. Right turn.

Right knee tight to tank, right shoulder dropped, while left foot pressure is increased.
 
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Hi: Time on the machine is a big help and I also found that "push steer" is very helpful in eliminating oversteer, relax the grip on the handlebar a bit. Works for me, give it a try.
 
Bob says it right

You really want to slow before the turn as the spyder braking system really doesn't seem to like being turned while breaking it seems to me it adds resistance to turning erly on that presents a feeling of fighting with the steering , at least in my experience.:opps:
Do you have any experience on snowmobiles or ATVs?
The sensations on the Spyder will most closely mimic what you'd feel on them...
First...
Take your time and gather experince with these machines.
Parking lots and local traffic situations will help to start the familiarization process...
You'll want to slow down befor the turn, and gradually roll on a bit of power as conditions warrant...
lean your body to the inside of the turn; that way your center of gravity will shift back to the centerline of the bike as cetrifugal forces start their tap-dance on your mass...
It takes a while to figure out just how much leaning, speed, throttle and guts it takes to corner. :shocked: :joke:
Normally folks start getting their "sea legs" after a couple of hundred miles, but everybody gathers experience and confidence at their own rate! nojoke
so get out there and ryde! :2thumbs:
Oh! :welcome:
 
Someone once told me that you have to lean over to the side you are turning, and basically if you can see your face in the mirror, then you are good to go. That much of a lean would be for taking a tight or fast curve. But basically like other have said, lean into the curve and enjoy the ride.
 
I ride two wheels as well. The turn will never be as fluid as tipping a bike over and letting the lean do the work. Because the Spyder turns flat, your lower body must do more to hold your body in the saddle. Inside knee against the tank, and leaning your body into the corner are the two most important points. "Head over inside hand" is how I can describe it. Outside leg pressing down on the peg/floorboard helps, but only if you are not already hanging a butt off. On tight twisties I hang off the inside like you see with snowmobile / atv racers, that doesn't give you much leverage with the outside leg. And as with 2 wheels, take the corner the same way - Entry, Apex, Exit

YMMV
 
I ride two wheels as well. The turn will never be as fluid as tipping a bike over and letting the lean do the work. Because the Spyder turns flat, your lower body must do more to hold your body in the saddle. Inside knee against the tank, and leaning your body into the corner are the two most important points. "Head over inside hand" is how I can describe it. Outside leg pressing down on the peg/floorboard helps, but only if you are not already hanging a butt off. On tight twisties I hang off the inside like you see with snowmobile / atv racers, that doesn't give you much leverage with the outside leg. And as with 2 wheels, take the corner the same way - Entry, Apex, Exit

YMMV

Hanging meat = advanced rider advice. :thumbup:
 
Oh yeah... another key point, don't use the handlebars to hang on, they are for steering! I found my cornering became MUCH smoother when I could brace myself with the knees, hips and feet and leave my hands relatively light on the bars. Instead of fighting with the bars it became a simple matter of setting my line, steering into the apex and driving out of the exit.
 
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Also from a strictly mechanical point of view, installing BajaRon's swaybar will make your machine feel completely different. Like a whole different machine.
 
I'm certain you'll get lots of good advice here.

The simplest & easiest to follow info that I got was when you turn lean your head\& body to just, but not quite, kiss your knuckles on the hand closest to you.

It's not that exaggerated but the general body motion is helpful.
same thought...I tell people to do the same thing but toward the tire on the inside of the turn.
 
I am pretty fortunate and get to ryde lots of twisties.

Here is what works for me. I don't like heavy g forces and I feel safe on most curves at plus 10-15 mph of the posted speed (on the curves I know). For new curves--I do it their way.

Entry speed for the curve should be such that you can accelerate slightly if you want. If you have to hit the brakes at the curve you may be going to fast.

I enter the curve from the inside (apex) and my path is to the outside. I stay between the lines--and do not stray into the oncoming traffic lane.

Plant the outside foot on the peg.
Lean a bit into the curve--this reduces the g forces.
I use push/pull steering.

Hugging the gas tank with the knees is also good.

This method gets me safely through curves at speed and the :spyder2: feels as stable as a rock.
 
The design of the Spyder is that it tends to understeer when pushed. That is, run wide in a turn. Whether you chop the throttle (bad) or nail the brakes (bad) it wants to drift to the outside. The solution is to enter the curve slow enough to let you crack open the throttle and let the power pull you through; that's its happy place. Coasting or braking in a curve just makes it want to wallow, I've found.

Of course if you enter a turn too hot, Nanny just says "act your age!" and shuts you down.
 
How come no one ever mentions

I heartedly agree with all the various techniques discussed. But I never hear anyone discussing "the look through the curve technique?" To me looking ahead and to the leading edge makes making the curve completion easier, smoother and professional looking.

Some may refer this technique "looking ahead of the curve,"
 
How to take a turn

SLOW DOWN BEFORE the turn, slower than you think, LOOK as far ahead in the turn as you can keep you sight UP, LEAN to counter the centrifugal force of the turn, ACCELERATE slightly through the turn.

Slow, look, lean, accelerate... and don't forget to SMILE.
 
Was just talking with a gentleman here at Maggie 88 years old retired tennis coach and former pilot! How cool that we get to ride long after we deserve it seems. If an almost 90 year old can ride comfortably anyone can!

From Deep in the Hart of Texas!
 
Everyone does it different

It's always a weird switch between the world. 2 and 3 and I make sure to remind myself before heading out that day what I'm on not just for big things but little ones like feet up or down, kickstand before off the bike etc lol
When it comes to turns bikes you lean,centrifugal forces push you onto the bike compressing the suspension and driving the tires into the pavement.
On the trike if you sit straight vertical and throw yourself into a turn you often feel the roll of the trike where the outside wheels suspension compresses and the inside wheel lightens. Also the centrifugal force that makes you feel planted on the bike feels like it wants to rip you from your perch high on top the mighty spyder.
Habits I have picked up on quads and snow mobiles that I find work well hustling the spyder around:
shifting the upper body area and shoulders inside the turn, shifting your butt around (hang some cheek) to the inside. Also when I'm ridding faster I often am technically not sitting for short blasts. When placing load with your feet try not to push off with the foot on the outside peg or floorboard because this only adds to that rotational twist to the outside of the turn. Put the weight on your inside foot that with help load that side of the bike and keep more load on the inside wheel. Keep as much weight off the handlebars they are to turn with not to hold on for dear life.
Thats just some of what I think has helped me. Also the get all your breaking done before the turn blah blah blah so you enter with a stabilized chassis and suspension at a speed that allows you to roll on the throttle through the turn as backing off suddenly can upset the smooth turn and suddenly transfer load from one end to another. But that's all old news and nothing new for 3 wheel compared to 2.
hope that helps and remember do and ride what feels good to YOU
 
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