A Bike I Can Lean On?

[Bounce]

220 lbs. 6 ft. Kinda beefy. I have not tried leaning off the bike, I was mostly in the seat.

this conversation seems familiar...

https://www.xtranormal.com/watch/13457353/lean-angle

 

[starface111]

That xtranormal link was spot on.

Lessons learned - 1.Technique, technique, technique, including riding school. 2.Suspension upgrades. 3.Buy an R6 and keep the FJR or buy and R6 and sell the FJR. Or buy an R6 and put hard bags on it.

Great discussion you guys.

 

[CAPT-KEVLAR]

Agree, great discussion. If you are not moving around then that is your primary problem and will absolutely cause you to drag hard parts prematurely. Once you start hanging off your available lean will go up. Suspension upgrades are always nice and definitely something you might want to invest in eventually. For now a better technique will pay big dividends. That being said I feel a huge difference when I jump from my sport bike to the FJR for sure.

This dude is hangin off and is pretty much at max lean. Might could squeeze a lil more out if he was off a little more. I'm no expert though.

 

[starface111]

Great pic. I think I see sparks!!! Anyone else see that? LOL

 

[Bugnatr]

Great pic. I think I see sparks!!! Anyone else see that? LOL

I see his Go Pro grinding :lol:

 

[garyahouse]

FYI, the stock suspension is well regarded as being under sprung for the vast majority of people...

Phroenips,

I would disagree with your comment about the "vast majority." The vast majority aren't even on this forum, but of those who are, we find the FJR's suspension to be just fine. A huge part of the FJR's appeal is it's ability to do both touring and sport riding well. You must compromise the one to embrace the other. Sorta like sleeping with that wonderful wife, ya gotta put up with the soft mattress. They don't make a "sleep number" motorcycle. But I won't belabor that issue, it's been discussed on these pages too many times already. Back to my point, I would argue that the suspension works just fine for the majority of riders. For what it's worth, those who appreciate the touring end of the spectrum more... would prefer a little softer suspension. There is a difference between the FJR's ability to soak up bumps and that of a regular touring rig. Even though we don't hear much from this crowd on the forum (maybe they're too busy slabbing), they none the less make up a good percentage of FJR riders. My 91 Zook GSX1100G was widely regarded as having a REALLY undersprung front end. I loved it's ability to soak up the bumps.

Kevlar,

What to you suppose that silver thing is... that looks like it just fell off by the rider's left ankle?

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Fred W]

The "technique, technique, technique" answers are somewhere in here if you have an hour and a half to spend watching and can stomach the corn-ball acting.

One thing Keith covers repeatedly in that video, and this applies even (especially?) with the too soft stock suspension; If you roll-on the throttle through corners you will increase your cornering clearance, as both ends of the bike will rise slightly with torque being applied to the rear wheel. It's like a free suspension upgrade. All you gotta do is "Twist the wrist".

Also, regarding the above KillBoy picture, while the guy is hanging his ass off the seat, his position is not ideal. His head and shoulders are leaned towards center. The upper body is actually more important that the lower body for shifting weight inside. The video has some much better examples of good body position. The idea of all of that leaning is to reduce your lean angle and minimize the parts grinding.

You can take all of this with a grain of salt as I am not one of the "really fast guys."

 

[RiderX]

Also, regarding the above KillBoy picture, while the guy is hanging his ass off the seat, his position is not ideal. His head and shoulders are leaned towards center. The upper body is actually more important that the lower body for shifting weight inside. The video has some much better examples of good body position. The idea of all of that leaning is to reduce your lean angle and minimize the parts grinding.

Thinking back to my go really fast days, (and Keith Code track days), I kinda like his position. Sure if he's lying over the center of the tank that is very bad as the upper body of a man weighs more than the lower body. His body weight is clearly on the inside. The problem with doing track technique out on the highways IMHO is the obstacles and visibility. Could his head be more to the inside? Sure. But I think having a level head to the earth improves off track obstacle scanning. (like 200 watermelons on the road in Mississippi on a blind corner--that was interesting!!)

Did I just write this? Well I haven't done any proper leaning in a long time.

Lemme go back to superslabbing it across the country (a few times).

 

[RossKean]

I think I like Canadian FJR's picture better.

 

[RiderX]

Still chuckling.

That's great

 

[wheatonFJR]

I think that the previous poster that complained about the lack of lean angle on the FJR bought a VFR1200 and seemed happy with the change. He has his FJR for sale right now I believe...

...so maybe you might wanna look at that bike if you really want to rip through the curves without worrying about scraping things.

 

[SkooterG]

FYI, the stock suspension is well regarded as being under sprung for the vast majority of people...

Phroenips,

I would disagree with your comment about the "vast majority." The vast majority aren't even on this forum, but of those who are, we find the FJR's suspension to be just fine. A huge part of the FJR's appeal is it's ability to do both touring and sport riding well. You must compromise the one to embrace the other. Sorta like sleeping with that wonderful wife, ya gotta put up with the soft mattress. They don't make a "sleep number" motorcycle. But I won't belabor that issue, it's been discussed on these pages too many times already. Back to my point, I would argue that the suspension works just fine for the majority of riders. For what it's worth, those who appreciate the touring end of the spectrum more... would prefer a little softer suspension. There is a difference between the FJR's ability to soak up bumps and that of a regular touring rig. Even though we don't hear much from this crowd on the forum (maybe they're too busy slabbing), they none the less make up a good percentage of FJR riders. My 91 Zook GSX1100G was widely regarded as having a REALLY undersprung front end. I loved it's ability to soak up the bumps.

Kevlar,

What to you suppose that silver thing is... that looks like it just fell off by the rider's left ankle?

Gary

darksider #44

Gonna have to disagree with you here Gary. While a majority of riders may think their suspension works just fine, ignorance is bliss. FJR is known to be lightly sprung, especially Gen I. Hell, it's been pointed out before that for some riders, compression and rebound adjustments may do absolutely nothing as they are not in the right range. I'm sure riders make do with what they have, but that doesn't make it correct.

 

[ToyQuest]

Lessons learned - 1.Technique, technique, technique, including riding school. 2.Suspension upgrades. ....

It hasn't been explicitly stated but that technique that everyone is talking about also includes reading and dealing with off-camber and/or decreasing radius turns.. You said you only hit twice. I'm betting you got bit by one if not a combo of both on the Dragon.

 

[luvtoride]

No, those aren't stock...they're frame sliders, looks like maybe the OES version.

Actuallly, I'm pretty sure that frame sliders are to protect the "FRAME". Any plastic protection is just a plus.

 

[deanw]

I was told this bike would lean all the way to the pegs on the front fairings.

Whoever told ya that is a blooming idiot..

Bloomin' Idiot, reporting in, SIR! I can drag the footshields on my '04. NOT the fairing itself- but my footshields are rather scraped.

Disclaimer: aftermarket springs and shock, right height properly adjusted, StainTune oval cans. Professional rider on closed course Do not attempt on public roads.

You get over far enough to drag those?? Your insurance agent is not going to be happy

Agreed, especially if he doesn't replace the stock boingers. Turning everything up "full stiff" isn't going to solve the problem, it's just going to make the bike handle like a cold cow pat- nothing pleasant at all and all over the place.

Find a good suspension guru, invest in a good shock and springs, get the preload set up, and you'll be a lot better off.

 

[Bustanut joker]

He indicated the frame sliders man.. Footshields whatever the *** they are I'll buy.

But you are not, I repeat not going to drag a slider .

 

[Fred W]

Dragging the footshields (which most of us don't even have) is a far cry from dragging the frame sliders.

The only way I know of to drag the frame sliders is when the wheels are up in the air.

The engine cases will touch down before the frame sliders do on the left side, which is evidenced by the fact that a zero mph drop still scuffs the alternator cover all up on the that side (DAMHIKT). And if you actually touched down the right side slider, well there wouldn't be any space for your right foot in between the bike and the ground, so you'd better be doing the CanadianFJR high leg kick.

And Heidi, I think that is a common misconception about frame sliders. When you drop a bike with sliders on it you are transferring all of the drop energy into the frame (or integrally frame mounted engine) so I don't really see how that does any kindness to the frame. They are called "Frame Sliders" because they are mounted on the frame, not because they protect it. Wiki LInk

 

[deanw]

He indicated the frame sliders man.. Footshields whatever the *** they are I'll buy.

Gen I:

Gen II:

But you are not, I repeat not going to drag a slider .

Ah- is that what he means? Never mind, guess I should have kept reading. I mean, I *could* drag them, but I'd want an ambulance handy because I always suck at the dismount.

 

[starface111]

Kevlar,

What to you suppose that silver thing is... that looks like it just fell off by the rider's left ankle?

That is his GoPro camera?

 

[CAPT-KEVLAR]

Kevlar,

What to you suppose that silver thing is... that looks like it just fell off by the rider's left ankle?

That is his GoPro camera?

Yup, sure is. Would caught some great video to. Maybe the GOPRO was hanging off to much.... neeyedsmiley: