So, I am 1300 miles into my first bike and getting more and more adventurous all the time. Jersey is terrible at designing off and on ramps, but this is good for the two wheeled folk. Every junction of two 4+ lane roads uses ramps to get on and off, and these 'ramps' just end up being long chicanes. So, I have a relatively nice place to zip through at forty and still get some lean action.

Here is my situation. I have about an inch left on each side of the rear tire that does not show some wear, and I would ilke to scrub it before I replace it. I know, I have a couple o' thousand miles, but I'm a slow learner. As I lean farther over, there comes a point where it no longer feels like the bike is steering through the turn so much as it is rotating around itself. Part of this is that it seems like the bike is settled on both wheels, rather than sitting more on the front wheel than the rear. Is this the sensation that I should be having?

Also, at what point before a turn do you stop braking? How much time is there between when you release the brake and turn it in? When you release the brake, do you do it all at once, or do you feather it out? I find that I have brought some of my bad car habits with me, and I brake late and trail like a fiend. This isn't so bad because I am not pressing the limits of traction, but I do think that I want to go to a SchwantzSchool or something like that next year, and I don't want to be the first guy to slide off the track. When you are making right turns, at an intersection for example, what are the events and what is the timeline for you?

OK, that is probably enough questions for now. Thanks for the info.

David

hmmmm...take your time and learn what the bike will do. It WILL lean much farther than you naturally think possible. my tires are scrubbed to the edge. when I'm really on it at the local 'tracks' get little balls of gummy rubber pushed out to the edges too. Just learn your limits. and remember ....countersteer, it makes all the difference.

Pick up Twist of the Rist at most any 'good' bike shop. I'm sure it has all you need to know about developing your own techniques.

Ride safe!

If you got an inch of unused tire inthe rear you got a whole lot more lean in left in it. But leaning for the hell of it is stupid. You need training and practice to bring your corner speed up and you lean will increase by itself. You will have the tires scrubbed edge to edge before the peg feelers touch down. Then take the feelers off and you can drag the pegs and your still not at 100% lean. Of course this needs good clean pavement and smooth riding inputs. Braking, as with all inputs, need to be as smooth as possable, slamming the brakes on or off just upset the suspension. At your current speed/lean it doesnt matter but you dont want to ingrain bad habits. On the track, when I brake hard for a corner, and turn in as I'm smoothly releasing the front brake. Done right the transition from the braking to cornering keeps the front forks compressed and allows the suspension to remain nutral untill I power out of the corner, smoothly. Smooth is fast, when it feels like your really working it and forcing the bike around, your probaly going slow caus your fighting it. And the track is the place to learn, not the street

Mike

Good advice! I'll add my favorite cliche, 'Slow in, fast out.'

Spillover, you asked some really good questions. *Questions that we have all asked at one time or the other... *That's why they are now in a book! *(No, I'm not being patronizing, it's just the book is THAT good.)

I think someone above pointed out 'The Twist of the Wrist II' to you. That will answer ALL of your cornering/control quesitons. Pick it up, it's a simple read that puts complex concepts into simple, straight forward english.

Hope that helps.
J.

[Edit: Oops, I hit the submit button prematurely]

Just sounds to me like you need to get some more miles below yor belt and things will come together. *I used to misjudge my speed when approaching turns during my first season. *Maybe try focusing on the road 100 feet ahead of you instead of 20 feet ahead of you. *Thats called target fixation, and it makes lots of guys end up in the gravel on off ramps. *Trailbraking is'nt a bad thing, especially while you're learning. Have fun and keep on