[LeanAngle]

...Ride it like something in between?

Hi everybody, I'm new to the v-strom....just picked up a 2004 Vee a couple weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying the bike.

Having spent the last 10+ years on a sport bike though has me experimenting with riding style a little. On my sport bike I've always leaned into the turn essentially leading with my head and inside shoulder....sometimes hanging off, sometimes not, but always leaning my body into the turn.

I've only ever ridden a dirt bike a couple times but my understanding is with those your body stays more upright and you lean the bike underneath you.

Since hoping on the Vee, I've been mostly just staying straight up and down with the bike, but have been experimenting a bit the last few days with more of a dirt bike style, and it sure feels like the bike likes it although its completely unnatural for me.

So I'm kinda curious what do you guys do and why?

 

[Bugzy]

I came from a cruiser to the Vee, so i am sticking with the more upright position. I like being able to stand on the pegs now to go over a bump or to adjust my seating position, that wasn't possible to do with my cruiser.

The bars on the Vee are just slightly forward, but not annoyingly so. I contemplated some pull back risers, but think i will just not bother with it.

My left hand does tend to ache after a while on the Vee, not sure if it's because the grip is smaller, or it's just in a perfect position to pinch a nerve someplace. I thought maybe it was the tension on the clutch, but after messing with it a bit that doesn't seem to be the problem.

 

[GT_Hawk]

Well I do both lol. Blue ridge parkway for example I was at edge of tires and leaning off the seat idea. Remember the lean angle of a wee is less then a pure sport bike (tire design idea). but then this summer I will be on the Labrador highway and there it will be standing on pegs, leaning over the bike when in turns and all the dirt bike style. But remember this is a lot heaver then a dirt bike. so I may recommend picking up a book on how to ride a adventure touring bike or even read up a lot here and on adv.

here is the book I have
http://www.amazon.ca/Adventure-Ridi...5727/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1306851012&sr=8-3

one day I will finish reading it lol

 

[rconti]

If you lean the opposite way, you just have to lean the bike more to make the corner, so you're getting the bike further over than necessary. Maybe a good idea, until you start dragging hard parts.

The reason you do this in the dirt is so that your body can be more upright when the bike starts sliding, rather than instantly finding yourself on the ground.

So, on pavement, lean into the turn.

 

[BillZ]

I do both. I have been practicing both and have the DVD from the Adventure Riders web site for instruction that explains these techniques. I enjoy both and am thirsty for knowledge/experience in both areas to become a more rounded driver/rider. I have never ridden dirt but am really enjoying the off road experiences when I can find them. I realize that the Wee is not a true dirt bike because of it's weight and other factors, but I can expand my abilities while aware of it's limitations. I look forward to having a smaller dirt bike some day, but until then, my Wee is my baby. I've already dropped her in a very large mud puddle and that's was another experience that I've filed away, not wishing to repeat so I am more careful about my limitations. I have been amazed by the similarities as well as the differences between the two riding styles and have benefited from both. I look forward to continuing to learn and I love this bike.

 

[greywolf]

How to lean on pavement depends on what you are doing. At higher speeds, you may need more ground clearance which leaning into a turn would provide. Lower speed turns like doing a U-Turn or quick maneuvers like a slalom between potholes will benefit from keeping the body upright and leaning the bike. Dirt riding is about maintaining traction. Dirt does not provide enough traction to make leaning into a turn useful.

 

[Dino M]

There are so many variables you just have to see what works for you. Tall bikes feel like your standing on a ladder that's about to topple. Sport bikes fell like they turn themselves with a little weight shift. Big heavy sport touring bikes will sometimes start to turn but then you have shift your weight. Tires, shock settings, road conditions, your weight/ height, on and on and on. Experiment. Experiment. Experiment.

 

[LeanAngle]

Ah yes....the dreaded, it really all depends :green_lol:

That makes a lot of sense though. For instance, I can't imagine not leaning with the bike in a high speed sweeper. I wouldn't think you'd have any control over the bike. But in tighter 90 degree (making a right onto Oak St.) it really does feel like everything seems more balanced staying more upright.

I might pick up that book. Thanks for the link GT. Twist of the Wrist II completely changed the way I ride a sport bike and with amazing results. So I can only imagine that these big adventure bikes have an art and science completely their own.

 

[Phodius]

I am an avowed asphalt-weenie with the only dirt I ever ride being the driveway. I ride my Vee like a sports-bike, leaning with the machine into the curves rather than trying to stay upright and just leaning the bike. It just feels more natural to me. YMMV.

 

[The Golden Monkey]

On pavement, ride it like a sport bike. On dirt, ride it like a dirt bike.

As greywolf said, on pavement the only time leaning your body against the turn is helpful is in very low-speed maneuvers, like in a parking lot. At road speeds, despite the strom's different COG and setup from your sport bike, you still ride it the same way. And in fact, leaning your upper body into the turn at high speeds might be even more important on the strom than on a sport bike, since it has less available lean angle to work with.

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

And in fact, leaning your upper body into the turn at high speeds might be even more important than on a sport bike, since you have less available lean angle to work with.

On a sportbike, your body is already in position, on a V-Strom and other upright bikes, you have to make a conscious decision.

 

[The Golden Monkey]

On a sportbike, your body is already in position, on a V-Strom and other upright bikes, you have to make a conscious decision.

I'm talking about leaning to the side, not being bent over the tank. But yes, you're not already almost kissing the mirrors on a strom, so you have to lean forward AND to the side.

 

[Alannc]

Rode the "Snake" last weekend. You can ride the Wee pretty hard. Leaning into corners. It will drag a peg or your knee without much complaint.

Hey....just have fun with it.

 

[bwringer]

Rode the "Snake" last weekend. You can ride the Wee pretty hard. Leaning into corners. It will drag a peg or your knee without much complaint..

Well, that's sort of the problem. Cornering clearance on the V/Wee is pretty limited once you pick up the pace a bit on the street. There's not much left after the pegs start dragging, and I can tell you that touching down a Vee's crossover pipe WILL get your attention fast. :yikes:

Fortunately, the Lee Parks Total Control Riding clinic helps you learn how to work around that and maintain a molto rapide pace with a much better margin of safety, as Mr. Parks demonstrates... no, the riding position isn't ideal for this type of riding as it would be on a pure sportbike, but you can make do.

I'm talking about leaning to the side, not being bent over the tank. But yes, you're not already almost kissing the mirrors on a strom, so you have to lean forward AND to the side.

:hurray:

 

[braincellgenocide]

I ride it like I stole it :yesnod:

I highly recommended an advanced riding skills course like total control, and/or an equivalent for off-roading/dirt bikes. I have yet to do either but they're both on the docket for this summer/fall.

 

[CHIA]

I ride it like I stole it :yesnod:

Me too :biggrinjester:

 

[Darkstang]

Every time I see someone dragging a knee on one of thes bikes makes me chuckle :green_lol:

Last trip we took to the Dragon I rode out ahead and stopped to take picks of our group. Got the video setup and here they come. We had a K1300 BMW, Suzuki M109, Honda CBR 1000 and a Honda Silverwing...

WAIT A MINUTE! There ain't not Honda CBR 1000 riding with us ??

I laughed till I cried... Here comes a big fat tired cruiser Suzuki just poking along,... then a CBR 1000 doing 25...in first gear revin it up and DRAGGIN A KNEE....then a guy setting upright on a Silverwing right on his ass.


I came from Dirtbikes and also rode a few sportbikes. i kinda do both with the Wee depending on where and what I am riding on. Hard to flat track a wee on a gravel road hanging off the side... but I enjoy the pavement twistys and getting down on the inside of the bike also...
:biggrinjester:

 

[MikeB]

And in fact, leaning your upper body into the turn at high speeds might be even more important than on a sport bike, since you have less available lean angle to work with.

Aren't you really talking about "hanging off" the seat on the inside of the turn direction -- a technique introduced to GP racing by Kenny Roberts -- rather than just leaning? Of course you must lean in order to turn at speed, but keeping the body in an axis directly over the seat does nothing to decrease the bike's lean angle and thus increase cornering clearance.

 

[griffin800]

leaning

You don't need to lean to turn at speed, the bike does, you don't. It helps, but it's not required.

Bill H.

 

[garandman]

.So I'm kinda curious what do you guys do and why?

Like a sport bike. Because that's the regime you are in.