TO LEAN OR NOT TO LEAN

[Motogordo]

Now that I have 520 miles on my 2011 RTS/SE5, I would like to hear different opinions on whether or not we have to lean in turns. How easy is it for the Spyder to flip over ? I am talking about normal driving and not speeding.

Motogordo

 

[Y Rider]

With my 2011 RT Limited I can make most turns without any leaning if I obey the posted speed limits. However, I do lean in turns when driving a little more aggresively. I have never heard of a Spyder rolling over on just making a hard turn.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Re: Leaning

In normal driving on streets and highway, it's not so much a matter of 'lean,' but of weight shift. The more prounounced your turn, curve or ... especially when doing twisties, the weight shift sort of becomes a lean instinctively. It's much like a jet ski or snowmobile. Or if you want to equate with a sports car, it's like drivng while sitting on the transmission hump with the doors off. Any way you look at it, you're going to have to do something with your weight distribution. With the G's hitting you laterally, your management of the machine and its ridability is easier with correct body english as you ride. The owners manual and training videos tell you that when turning, you brace on the foot pegs, prepare and execute the turn or curve. If one sits upright and rigid, he/she is going to feel their upper body angling off the Spyder in the opposite direction of the turn. So, we compensate for it, which naturally evolves into a weight shift or lean, as is most comfortable to you. There is no set choreography, other than just causing your body to handle the G's and intertia competently and safely.

~ Surfer

 

[Pennyrick]

To me, moving with the machine when in a turn is a natural reaction. If you try to stay stiff and upright the tendency is to over steer the bike.

If you are in severe twisties it would take an awful lot of upper body strength to remain perfectly upright.

My advice is to go with the flow... the Spyder isn't going to turtle on you.... the VSS won't let it.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Well said SilverSurfer.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Well said SilverSurfer.

Thank you, Ma'am :2thumbs:

 

[Marker]

In normal driving on streets and highway, it's not so much a matter of 'lean,' but of weight shift. The more prounounced your turn, curve or ... especially when doing twisties, the weight shift sort of becomes a lean instinctively. It's much like a jet ski or snowmobile. Or if you want to equate with a sports car, it's like drivng while sitting on the transmission hump with the doors off. Any way you look at it, you're going to have to do something with your weight distribution. With the G's hitting you laterally, your management of the machine and its ridability is easier with correct body english as you ride. The owners manual and training videos tell you that when turning, you brace on the foot pegs, prepare and execute the turn or curve. If one sits upright and rigid, he/she is going to feel their upper body angling off the Spyder in the opposite direction of the turn. So, we compensate for it, which naturally evolves into a weight shift or lean, as is most comfortable to you. There is no set choreography, other than just causing your body to handle the G's and intertia competently and safely.

~ Surfer

Well said SilverSurfer.

:agree::agree::clap::clap::clap:

 

[jimclarkf1]

great question

THANKS, I needed that question answeared too, :clap:

 

[Motogordo]

Leaning

Now that I have 520 miles on my 2011 RTS/SE5, I would like to hear different opinions on whether or not we have to lean in turns. How easy is it for the Spyder to flip over ? I am talking about normal driving and not speeding.

Motogordo

I want to thank all of you for your quick responses. I just got back from another 30 mile ride. Everything seems fine. I DO slow down when I enter the on and off ramps to the highway.

Gordon

 

[MouthPiece]

I more or less "cock" my hips.

Chris

 

[AndyIsRiding]

I lean only in real fast corners, and my wife is not on the back.
Lock sole to footpeg.
Put inside knee against the fake tank to stabilize, if faster corner, move my butt over to the inside of the corner.
Outside arm straight, inside arm, pull elbow into side.
If going even faster lean over inside handle grip.

Was shown this by one the the factory riders.:2thumbs:

I went for the Demo ride, got my bike a couple of weeks later, went back to see the demo riders, and the people scheduled did not show, so I got some private handling lessons :clap:

 

[clueless]

I lean only in real fast corners, and my wife is not on the back.
Lock sole to footpeg.
Put inside knee against the fake tank to stabilize, if faster corner, move my butt over to the inside of the corner.
Outside arm straight, inside arm, pull elbow into side.
If going even faster lean over inside handle grip.

Was shown this by one the the factory riders.:2thumbs:

I went for the Demo ride, got my bike a couple of weeks later, went back to see the demo riders, and the people scheduled did not show, so I got some private handling lessons :clap:

good to know ... they recommended all that or some is your preferences?

 

[AndyIsRiding]

good to know ... they recommended all that or some is your preferences?

They were recommending it and showing/doing by example, they also told me that you can lift the front wheel for .5 of a second before the nanny kicks in.

Never tried that one, they did show it, but I declined trying it :helpsmilie:, new bike, not used to riding it yet, was not going to try that yet.

I was impressed what they could do with a spyder.

 

[MMcc]

SilverSurfer;:2thumbs: Excellent response. You have explained a difficult topic so that even I could understand it. :clap:

 

[AntelopeSpyder]

They were recommending it and showing/doing by example, they also told me that you can lift the front wheel for .5 of a second before the nanny kicks in.

Never tried that one, they did show it, but I declined trying it :helpsmilie:, new bike, not used to riding it yet, was not going to try that yet.

I was impressed what they could do with a spyder.

It is possible to lift a wheel off the ground on a turn. I did it once. :yikes: I was going up hill on a narrow road riding fairly aggressive. I was by myself and I wanted to see just how fast I could go around sharp curves. I was making a left turn around a hair pin curve when the left wheel briefly raised off the pavement. It surprised me a little but I never felt out of control. Overall it handled very well and now I have an idea of what I can and what I shouldn’t do. Anyway this was just a test and I never tried it again.

 

[aka1004]

Shift, don't lean.
I dont think Upper body lean really do much, need to shift your weight/as$.
Inside wheel will come up pretty high if you give enough gas as you turn.
Of course if you don't want to or need to turn quick, you don't need to lean or shift.

I think there were 2 flipped spyders that I've heard of. Both at freeway off ramp.

 

[Phil]

Take a look at many of the MV action shots of the "hero riders" among us while in the Dragon. My count has >50% leaning.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

 

[ARtraveler]

All good advice above. Body shifting rather than leaning. In normal driving conditions you don't have to worry about tipping :spyder2:. You would have to be doing something radical--and in most cases, I believe nanny would kick in.

Lately, I have been doing twisty roads by entering each turn from the "inside" of the turn. I can go 15 to 20 mph more than posted and feel very little "g" forces. Also very little body shift required.

 

[aka1004]

Take a look at many of the MV action shots of the "hero riders" among us while in the Dragon. My count has >50% leaning.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

I think that could be just from habit of 2 wheeling or they already shifted and they are leaning also to get that little extra. Yes leaning would help but shifting is the key on spyder, I am pretty sure. You lean on 2wheel, you shift your CG but not as much on spyder.

 

[truck 85]

to me it is a butt shift but i think of it more as ryding a quad on asfalut.

At the end of the day it is all by it self