The rubber on your bike makes a huge diffrence as some are geared more for off road riding than street. I fink those to feel odd cornering. Personally I very much enjoy the Metzler Tourances and I am on my 2nd set of them. The bike is a bit taller than the one you had prior as well.
Generally it is not a good idea to slow in a corner or coast. The power at the rear wheel helps to keep it as stable as possible. Set your spede going into a turn and keep the revs constant and increase as you come out.

 

Try a little body English. Lean into the curve and counter steer. Don't be afraid to add some throttle. You will be pleasantly surprised how well the bike can corner.

 

In my humble opinion:

Never 'over-think' riding while you are riding (OK once you are off the saddle). Relax; weight the pegs with your feet. Initiate the lean with the appropriate push on the bar, then use just enough upper body lean to keep it down into the turn, all the while, feeding the throttle. No need to keep a death-grip on the bar; only use it to initiate the turn/lean. The less you work the bar, the higher your confidence will grow.

I am extremely cautious with any new thing involving my skin. Rewarding results that come from repetition of a series of learned inputs is why I love to ride. Don't push it, it will happen.

Off soap box now.

 

Just relax [easier said than done when new on a bike, or on an unfamiliar one].

Practice counter steering by going "around" imaginary "objects", marks, potholes.

Do this while going straight, on a safe stretch of road with no traffic around.

The technique is to push gently forward on one side of the handlebar [push the left and the bike will lean and turn left, push the right and the bike will lean and turn right].

Only do it in small gentle increments back and forth and you will be able to do a gentle weave with the bike.

As you become used to doing it you will gain confidence to do it in larger sweeps from side to side.

Once you get used to it you will find it is very handy to dodge real obstacles on the road.

You will also become skilled at controlling the counter steer to corner smoothly at increased speeds.

Give it time, you will learn with practice.

Find a company that does advanced rider training courses, well worth the cost.

 

Spend a lot of time in a large parking lot where you can practice turning and stopping. I suggest circles, figure 8's and also practicing turning around in a narrow distance. You can start with wider turns and gradually tighten them up or increase speed. It's much better to push your comfort level at low speeds in a parking lot than at high speeds around cars, trees, etc. Also practice emergency braking because that can save your butt.

A fork brace keeps the forks from bending and gives a more planted and "in control" feeling. Any of them will work. Richland Rick sells a nice one for not to much money.

 

You need to learn to know your bike and trust it. I did a track day and recommend it to all. Even my wife did the class and her cornering is much better now. UK and European Motorcycle Riding Experiences
Practice is most important as , reading tips and how-tos from fellow troopers is a plus, but in the end it's ALL YOU !!!

 

I own both a Kawasaki Versys and a DL650 and the turning on each is quite different. I find I cannot be near as aggressive with the Vstrom as I can with the Versys so I have to really pay attention not to push the Vstrom past it's limits. I love the Vstrom and I think would actually rather ride it than the Versys most of the time, but when it comes to the serious twisties, the Versys wins hands down.

The point of this is that when you come from one bike to the other, take your time and learn it's limits, and yours.

 

I have a Versys (am selling) and a Wee-Strom and I feel much more confident cornering and in all circumstances on the Strom. I found the Versys twitchy although it might have just been me because most reviews I've read rave about its handling.

 

I suffer from the same condition, any time that I have been put off my Wee for any length of time because of weather or riding conditions. I have to relearn a lot, mostly in my confidence of what the bike can do.

I read on another forum that you can "Trust the Michelin Man" to do his job. Let the bike do what bikes do and all will be well. So far, it has been my experience, that my Wee can ride WAAAAAY better than I can. My bike is much better at doing it's job than I realize. The more I relax, and PRACTICE, to better everything seems to feel and the riding is just getting better and better.

In the end: RIDE YOUR RIDE. Don't let anyone else push you. Always wear your gear and practice, parking lot maneuvers, slow speed turns, and ride when you can. It'll come to you. Just enjoy the ride. :beatnik:

 

Ride!

I ride everyday during the season here in WNY have been riding for 35 years and work as a bike tech so I guess it becomes second nature after awhile. It wasn't at first and it took me many years to acquire good riding skills and experience. Certain basic scientific principles apply to riding but every bike handles it's own way and that handling is influenced by a myriad of factors both mechanical and environmental. Then there is the Zen factor. You will eventually "get it" through time spent in the saddle, practice and perseverance. Professional coaching (Track School) couldn't hurt. There is nothing cooler in the world than riding bikes but they will kill you in an instant if your head is in the wrong place. Use your head.

 

I ride everyday during the season here in WNY have been riding for 35 years and work as a bike tech so I guess it becomes second nature after awhile. It wasn't at first and it took me many years to acquire good riding skills and experience. Certain basic scientific principles apply to riding but every bike handles it's own way and that handling is influenced by a myriad of factors both mechanical and environmental. Then there is the Zen factor. You will eventually "get it" through time spent in the saddle, practice and perseverance. Professional coaching (Track School) couldn't hurt. There is nothing cooler in the world than riding bikes but they will kill you in an instant if your head is in the wrong place. Use your head.

Amen to that!:thumbup:

 

It sounds like you already know how to ride and are having issues adjusting to the Strom. One thing that might help you a bit is raising the front forks/lowering the front of the bike about half an inch. This makes it turn in much nicer and feel more neutral in the corners and might give you more confidence in turning.

..Tom

 

Judging from your pic you have a 2012??? if that's the case, POST SOME PICTURES!!!!

 

Yes, he DOES have a 2012- check his profile. Ooh, post some pics!!

OK, back to the cornering.... You might want to try a fork brace and maybe swap to aluminum bars. A fork brace helps hold the two fork tubes in alignment. When you are cranking on the bars to countersteer, two things are flexing- a) the fork tubes, and b) the cheesey steel bars.

If you want to verify just how much a stock front end flexes, just place the front wheel against a solid object and push on the bars and then watch stuff flex. With that, it's pretty easy to picture what is happening when you are pushing on the bars to countersteer.

 

Know how you feel

Good day,
I just sold my Ninja ZX6R for a 2011 Wee. I love the bike for numerous reasons but I still feel shaky in corners I would hammer with the ninja. THis is high and low speed cornering. I think a big part is if you come from a sport bike your used to your body being closer together as a whole. With the upright position of the wee you really feel the lean even at much less of an angle because your feet are so much farther from your head.
I went for a ride when I had my ninja with a guy with a Wee. Except the straights where a sport bike has the extra horse power, he never left us. So he held steady 90-110 in corners, I know its not the bike.
Just keep at it. You'll feel bettter soon.
Scott :thumbup:

 

Like Tom said, I have read a lot of people trying to do this when they feel rather uncomfortable on it like you do. But you bought a Vstrom so you best get used to it, haha.

+ 1 with the idea of just getting used to it. I just got my vStrom and I felt the same as you when I was on it. It was intimidating in a way and felt very uncomfortable while turning but now, no thought or worry goes into the turn. In a month or so, you will scratch you head and laugh at the idea of over thinking this.

 

For me, it was a matter of seat time, proper eye-gaze, and throttle control. The higher center of gravity on the Wee certainly does make for a different riding experience, and it takes time to build confidence with the higher center of gravity...

Focusing my eyes on the vanishing point of the curve was also a huge help (which really did increase my riding skills & confidence)... As well as throttle control... Easy in, accelerate out... No, I don't do that trail braking thing...

 

I did an advanced rider course nearly 2 years ago. Used CB600's as the practice bikes. They taught us how to countersteer during it, I was missing all the obstacles, but just not doing it right. Anyway on the way home on the strom it clicked into place. As the instructors said the more you want to turn the harder you push against the handlebar. I still occasionally have to think about it and remind myself to push.

The strom is forgiving and I am by no means fast around corners, but it doesn't feel like it is going to let go to me.

I have to work on holding some throttle into corners, especially where you braked alot for it, that hit as you bring the gas back on is yuck.

 

I've been in your boat for a while. My 15 yo son could smoke me in the corners. I live 4 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway so I get plenty of practice in great conditions. I was freezing up in turns. It can get you killed. Take it slowly. A club member told me something the other day that really helped:
1) Look where you want to go.
2) Never look where you don't want to go.
Your gaze will determine alot of what happens in a turn.
It's been 4 years and 30,000 miles and I'm still learning.

 

Coming from a Ninja 650R I had the same issue. In the dry it was still reasonably okay, but in the wet the Wee scared the crap out of me. I then changed those Trail Wing tires for the same as what I had on the Ninja (Bridgestone Battlax) and it was instantly fixed. I now have no chicken strips on them, and ride with a LOT more confidence in the dry and especially the wet.

 

It's hard to imagine having issues bending the Wee around a corner, it's pretty much like riding a bicycle at lower velocities!

 

Alex, what brand an model of tyres, and what pressures?

Try this technique--
--Ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs.
--Just prior to entering the curve, twist on the seat to the direction of the turn, carry your weight on the foot on the inside of the turn and the outside knee against the tank, and lean your body way over toward the turn. You're still riding straight with some forward pressure on the outside grip to hold the straight line.
--Approaching the turn entry, slow smoothly so you can accelerate smoothly through the turn.
--Pick a line through the turn, usually starting wide, going in close at the 1/2 to 2/3 point through the turn, and ending wide. All this is subject to the pavement surface and sight lines; safety is always foremost.
--At the turn entry point your chin at the turn exit. Keep your eyes level and look where you want to go, not where you're about to go.
--Relax the outside arm and keep it relaxed.
--Push forward on the inside grip to start the turn. Push more for a tighter turn. Push less for a bigger turn.
--Accelerate smoothly.
--Pull back on the inside grip to straighten, keeping the outside arm relaxed the entire time.

Start on turns where you feel safe and at a comfortable speed. As you practice you'll find that you remain comfortable as the speeds increase and the turns tighten. You will find that you continue to feel uneasy for the turns you have not prepared for and smooth and comfortable in the turns you have prepared for. After a few thousand practice turns (really) you will be preparing automatically without thinking about it.

 

Thanks for replyss, pics as reward!

Thanks guys, loads to digest here...

Ken mier + happy puppy, you're right, I do need to relax. unfortunately its instinct to seize up my upper body on the bike, and need to relax it more. It'll come with experience, I hope.

Ockerstrom/timbo, I'm currently doing alot of carpark riding, and getting used to the top-heavy lean the wee seems to have. I'm looking at a Rospa (police approved) course to help insurance + gain experience, thanks for the advice.

Andreas, I'm right next the Mallory race park, next to the Triumph factory here in the uk, so I might just try a track day out!

Billz, amen to that, I shouldn't rush it!

Stromburger, looking where you're going is a biggie. At first I was so occupied with playing with the new gears, I wasn't picking my lines through corners.

Joker MTB - I do a bit of mountain biking, and I can see the comparison. But the strom has so much more weight, higher up, and that is the crux of my problems.

PTRider - fantastic advice, my module 2 instructor on the uk bike test taught me to control the pegs with the balls of my feet, and it makes a huge difference to control and pivot steering. Sound advice in this post, I'm taking it all on board.

Just checked the bike PT, and they are Bridgestone trailwings, which 'love getting punctures' according to my mate the triumph engineer. Think they warrant replacing?



Now pictures, as yes it is a completely lovely 2012 vstrom! I've fitted the plasticky bellypan just to keep crap off the engine in winter, gnarly crash bars, and plasticky handguards to save wind. And fitted cigarette lighter/USB sockets for my cameras/phone when travelling.

I'll post these pictures in the dedicated thread too. Enjoy...

 

Vaeritas,

Nice pictures of a very good looking bike. I don't know how long I can hold out against the pull of the new Wee :furious:

 

I didn't like the Trailwings, but I doubt they cause all the problems or that changing them now will make a big difference.

Try playing with tire pressures. Usable range is probably from around 30PSI front/33PSI rear to 38F/42R - you may find the bike feels a lot better with lower pressures - tire wear will increase a little and fuel economy will go down, but it's cheap if the feel improves.

It is a relatively top heavy bike, and only k's in the seat will fix that nervous feel, just don't be impatient and you should be fine.

You did very well with the pic's, they give a better impression of the bike than most of the Suzuki publicity shots.

Pete

 

Getting the feel for it

You're on the right track and have received some excellent advice. Here's my perspective:

A. The bike and tires are capable of way more cornering and grip than the vast majority of riders can subject them to. Trust the bike. Trust your tires.

B. Take a riding class, not just a track day. Get professional instruction and it will be your shortest, quickest path to becoming a better rider.

C. Look through the turns with a steady gaze. Don't look at the road right in front of you and don't jerk your head around because your bike will go where you look. A steady gazes makes for a steady turn.

D. Mark off a 5 meter circle in a parking lot and ride circles around it, with a steady gaze and a proper body position. Take turns going around it in different directions. You should be able to scrape your foot peg, even on very wet pavement, without your tires even coming close to slipping. I've done it when taking the Lee Parks Total Control Class and it's a HUGE confidence builder, both in myself and in my tires and bike.

My estimation that you are probably really close to having the technique down, you just need to work on the confidence side of things, and I think taking a professional riders course will address that. It did for me.

Oh, and about the V-Strom as a cornering machine ... trust me, this bike can corner with the best of them, regardless of what tire you're using and even without a fork brace.

 

One thing I found made a big difference for me is leaning forward into the corners. Gives a much better sense of control.

 

I think this provides mental preparation as well as providing motorcycle preparation. What dldon says is right on the money. The way the brain learns new physical actions is through repetition. When we actually learn anything means that the brain has actually formed new neural connections. At first a new movement takes thought...do this, then do that, then do #3, etc. After several hundred repetitions for a new movement, or several thousand to change an already learned movement, the new neural connections are formed and the new movement is "learned"...we do it without giving it thought. The speed with which we can perform that movement is also greatly increased--remembering is faster than thinking of something new.

 

I want to point out that the OP seemed comfortable cornering on a sport bike so I suspect he may not need a lot of learning how to corner, but rather how to overcome or get used to the different feeling of the Strom vs a sport bike.

..Tom