Uncomfortable cornering

[KJWEB]

I am really surprised in the short amount of time (4wks) how quickly I have adapted to Spyder riding. Now, a corner isn't a corner unless I'm off the seat hanging down on the inside of Spydee as I power through the curve. :yes:

 

[Vader]

Practice

You mention a racing background. I wonder if you have researched the training section of the owners manual or watched the video. I purchased a dozen 5" cones and went to an empty lot, as mentioned by another ryder, and familiarized myself with my GS well before hitting the road for a long period or attempting any cornering at high speeds.
Like most things in life, there is a break in period and learning curve. Take it slow and the rewards will be worth it

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Reminds me of a song

For sure I could not wheel thru logging roads in rallies at night or run motokannas or open races with the same skill as I did when I was 30. But the hours that I've spent, with a lot of sideways motoring, gives me a leg up on those that have never experienced a controlled hand brake turn or front end throw. We used to run timed events on a dirt track that was really designed for motorbike racing and we were sideways almost the entire way around that half mile track. Do enough laps around that track and your "out of control" feeling soon becomes "in control" but sideways. When I get to that skill level with the Spyder...I'd rather be in control than the Nanny. When I jumped off of the 800' New River Bridge, where it is 8 seconds from, leave the platform to impact with the river, I really wanted to be in control...Not a computer. But, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Frank G]

After many decades and miles of riding snow machines the Spyder is an extension of that riding style. :thumbup: So, after reading all the above comments, on the way home this afternoon I will have to pay attention as to how I set myself up for the tight corners (curves). :dontknow: i have lifted the inside wheel but try to avoid it. :shocked:

First snowmachine, 1969 Scorpion with a 340 Sachs OTD $900.00 I (we) had more fun on that $900.00 machine than all the rest of the toys we have owned.:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

 

[CSI]

I'm also knew to the spyder and corner thing, sure is a workout
I took my wife for an hour ride and she woke up with sore back muscles just from leaning into the corners lol

That has been my observation as well. For some reason, I thought these things had power assisted steering???

The Can Am is my wife's, but I have ridden it a few times.....I was genuinely surprised by how much effort it takes to hustle one of these things thru a corner. Crank like hell on the bars, only to have it heel over to the side, feeling like it is about to tip over.....not very confidence inspiring, to say the least.

Speaking of snow machines.....my first "big" one was a 72 Scorpion 440 Stinger.......

 

[spacetiger]

Just lean out and toward the inside handlebar while powering thru the turn. Rear tire may slide a little bit that's when the fun begins.:yes:

I read the thread and only saw a few commenting on this, but I think all Spyder riders do this - lean in on the inside turn. This eliminates the centrifcal sensation and lets you hold a line through the turn.

 

[Brettssunshine]

That has been my observation as well. For some reason, I thought these things had power assisted steering???

The Can Am is my wife's, but I have ridden it a few times.....I was genuinely surprised by how much effort it takes to hustle one of these things thru a corner. Crank like hell on the bars, only to have it heel over to the side, feeling like it is about to tip over.....not very confidence inspiring, to say the least.

Speaking of snow machines.....my first "big" one was a 72 Scorpion 440 Stinger.......

I don't have these problems when cornering. Even when I first got my Spyder and started riding (no other experience prior), I have never had to man handle it to turn or corner. I don't pull my bars, instead I use the outside arm to push the bars and do the steering and lean my body to the inside and put pressure on the outside peg with my foot and sometimes press my inside leg to my tank, depending on speed. My arms, shoulders, or back have never been sore from riding.

 

[dlby]

Crank like hell on the bars?
Really?
Then overcompensate & think your going to tip?

Fugitaboutit--
Sounds like --
Never mind
Wont say it
Oh well yes I will
Better let The Wife Ride It
You might tear it up

 

[CSI]

Crank like hell on the bars?
Really?
Then overcompensate & think your going to tip?

Fugitaboutit--
Sounds like --
Never mind
Wont say it
Oh well yes I will
Better let The Wife Ride It
You might tear it up

As I am still on two wheels, I don't need to ride a Can Am.

I was merely sharing my observation/opinion on the amount of effort it takes to turn one.

 

[tehrlich]

I'm still not completely at ease in the corners. The Baharon sway bar helped but I know that I'm still cornering at way below the potential of the bike. Most of the fear comes from not knowing what to expect when the speed is greater that what the tires to road friction can sustain. Will the rear tire slide or will the bike try to flip?

I drove a Mini Cooper S rally car for years so sideways motoring is not new or scary for me, and if I knew that the bike would slid then I could handle that with confidence. We had combined bike/car race events sometimes in Australia and we would watch the sidecar races in-between our car races...and it was common (likely) for those machines to flip. Not something that I want to experience!

I struggled with the first 100 miles, and then I realized I need to think about weight placement during a turn. Also, a push/pull action on the handlebar.

I think it has many similarities to a turn while snow skiing.
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...-Skiing-Newbie-thoughts&p=1005076#post1005076

Go to a place that you can practice, as others have advised. Good luck!

 

[Ben Burped]

OMG Really ?

I have a simple suggestion for those who would prefer no nanny. Get a Harley. Please push it to the point that one tire comes off the road and report back to us after you get out of the hospital. For the rest, simply ride like your life depends on it and be thankful when the amazing engineering that produced the nanny saves your ass when you find your limit. Personally, I just ride like I have some freaking sense and have faith in my heart that if I do push it way too hard that mama nanny will save my bacon, give me something to be thankful for, and take me safely home. This is all while I listen to XM radio through the speakers in my helmet and wave at all the crotch "Rocketeers" as they pass me on the "Snake".

I do have to confess that I have upgraded to the Fox shocks and Baha Ron's big, beefy anti-sway bar. The stock shocks and anti-sway bar didn't inspire confidence in myself or the RT. Way too much body roll stock.

Finally, yes I have found the nanny and she and I get along fine. Really fine.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The Can Am is my wife's, but I have ridden it a few times.....I was genuinely surprised by how much effort it takes to hustle one of these things thru a corner. Crank like hell on the bars, only to have it heel over to the side, feeling like it is about to tip over.....not very confidence inspiring, to say the least.

I have to admit my first reaction when I read your comment is, "What do you expect it to do, anyway?" I'm sure you've experienced the same thing I did when I had my Goldwing GL1800. In every curve there is a "sweet spot" of bank, sharpness of the curve, speed, and bike lean, where the two wheel bike will literally take itself around the curve with no force whatever applied to the handlebar. That's why two wheelers don't need power steering, because it takes almost no power to turn. You physically cannot have the same response with either 3 or 4 wheels since there is no lean of the bike body and gyroscopic force does not come into play.

The Spyder turns like an ATV, not a two wheeler, and it wants to track straight ahead, just like a car. That's why you have to apply force to the handlebars to make a turn. It does have power steering to assist you while turning the handlebar. But once you have stopped the motion of moving the handlebar the power assist backs off while you hold the bar steady. The force or pull you feel while going around the curve is the Spyder wanting to return the front wheels back to straight ahead.

 

[CSI]

I have to admit my first reaction when I read your comment is, "What do you expect it to do, anyway?" I'm sure you've experienced the same thing I did when I had my Goldwing GL1800. In every curve there is a "sweet spot" of bank, sharpness of the curve, speed, and bike lean, where the two wheel bike will literally take itself around the curve with no force whatever applied to the handlebar. That's why two wheelers don't need power steering, because it takes almost no power to turn. You physically cannot have the same response with either 3 or 4 wheels since there is no lean of the bike body and gyroscopic force does not come into play.

The Spyder turns like an ATV, not a two wheeler, and it wants to track straight ahead, just like a car. That's why you have to apply force to the handlebars to make a turn. It does have power steering to assist you while turning the handlebar. But once you have stopped the motion of moving the handlebar the power assist backs off while you hold the bar steady. The force or pull you feel while going around the curve is the Spyder wanting to return the front wheels back to straight ahead.

Thank you for the intelligent response!!

Currently I ride an FJR1300...prior to that I had a Wing....so like you, all of my experience was on two wheels. We DID have a quad for a few years, so I am familiar with those also....but the street riding on the quad was limited, and quite frankly? A quad is WAY to twitchy to ride at speed on the blacktop.

As I rarely ride it, the cornering characteristics don't really concern me.......my questions are more intended to provide me with some tips I can pass along to the wife.

 

[SailnDive]

As many have indicated, cornering on the Spyder is getting easier with practice. But my attitude toward the computer has not changed. I've chosen to spend my life racing fast cars, jumping out of planes, sailing boats under black clouds in high winds and riding motorcycles all without reliance on computers ...until the last few years. How did I possibly make it to the age of 70 without a computer telling me what to do in these risky sports? Mainly by using my God given brain and practice.

I liked that I had to learn to double clutch to sync the engine to the transmission to go from 5th to 2nd gear at the end of the straight rather than have a computer do it for us like the modern race cars do. Where's the skill in that? I spent a lot of track time learning the old skills.

So if you like and want the nanny...great! But don't give me a hard time if I don't. And especially don't make me use a computer that will not let me start my machine just because it's having a bad day. Every late model vehicle and heavy equipment that I own has had a costly computer repair. Stupid! Why should a backhoe have a computer that costs $2700 to repair. Stupid! My 1974 Case Dozer always starts and works. So let me control the Spyder when it needs it...I know how to do that! And if I don't...so be it.

 

[Bob Denman]

Hi Dave,
If you don't want a hard time over your dislike of "Nanny"; don't make such a big deal out of her. Until you figure out how to rip her out of the system; she's gonna be there... watching you! :shocked:

Enjoy the music, and sing along! :thumbup:

 

[flaggerphil]

As many have indicated, cornering on the Spyder is getting easier with practice. But my attitude toward the computer has not changed. I've chosen to spend my life racing fast cars, jumping out of planes, sailing boats under black clouds in high winds and riding motorcycles all without reliance on computers ...until the last few years. How did I possibly make it to the age of 70 without a computer telling me what to do in these risky sports? Mainly by using my God given brain and practice.

I liked that I had to learn to double clutch to sync the engine to the transmission to go from 5th to 2nd gear at the end of the straight rather than have a computer do it for us like the modern race cars do. Where's the skill in that? I spent a lot of track time learning the old skills.

So if you like and want the nanny...great! But don't give me a hard time if I don't. And especially don't make me use a computer that will not let me start my machine just because it's having a bad day. Every late model vehicle and heavy equipment that I own has had a costly computer repair. Stupid! Why should a backhoe have a computer that costs $2700 to repair. Stupid! My 1974 Case Dozer always starts and works. So let me control the Spyder when it needs it...I know how to do that! And if I don't...so be it.

Sigh. Never mind.

Oh, I take it you've never driven a modern race car with paddle shifts, have you? The skill is different than that in "the old days", but there's still a LOT of skill involved.

Anyway, good luck with your Spyder. Though, the way you carry on, I still don't know why you bought it.

 

[Highwayman2013]

Yep, most modern motorcycles have computer controls. My 2010 Vulcan has ABS, my friend got a new KTM adventure bike in June and it has all kinds of computer controls even the suspension. Good luck with unhooking nanny, I think mine will stay hooked up.

 

[SailnDive]

Sigh.

Anyway, good luck with your Spyder. Though, the way you carry on, I still don't know why you bought it.

If I had known of all of the computer control and DESS problems before hand, I may not have bought it. But that is simply because I did not find the bad press in time. I should have looked harder I suppose. Now that I've changed the sway bar and had a seat cushion made I really like riding the bike. I just hope the computer behaves.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Now that I've changed the sway bar and had a seat cushion made I really like riding the bike. I just hope the computer behaves.

It will! In a few more weeks after you've really gotten acquainted with how it rides, and want to back track on some of your initial comments, we'll help you find a good recipe on how to fix crow for eating! :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: Best of all, you'll still be part of a great group of Spyder lovers!

 

[flaggerphil]

If I had known of all of the computer control and DESS problems before hand, I may not have bought it. But that is simply because I did not find the bad press in time. I should have looked harder I suppose. Now that I've changed the sway bar and had a seat cushion made I really like riding the bike. I just hope the computer behaves.

Well, as much as you've wanted to get rid of it, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned on you somewhere down the line...

:sour: