|
SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> Flatlander in the mountainous windy west /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1438855241 Message started by rijopiatt on 08/06/15 at 03:00:41 |
|
Title: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by rijopiatt on 08/06/15 at 03:00:41 I just returned from a trip to Yellowstone N.P., Devil's tower area of Wy, Black Hills area of S.D. and Badlands N.P. My wife and I carried the S40 (2012) on a Versihaul attached to the trailer hitch on our truck and did day trips from our campsites. We're from N.E. Indiana, so the riding was an eye opener. The bike turned 10,000 mi. on the trip, so I'm sure I'd still be considered a novice by this forum. BTW- I'm 65. Observations: I'm 200 # and my wife- 130#- without her weight on the back, I don't know if I could have handled the wind conditions at all- certainly not the 65-75mph postings in Wy. I slow down with perhaps the false sense of having some recovery control in a strong gust. Once in the Badlands, I saw a string of HDs coming up on my rear and frantically searched for the mostly not existent pull-off to keep from getting rear-ended. I ran into a motorcycle training instructor from WA. on the trip that just chuckled when I recounted the experience and replied I needed to learn to dance with the wind! Lack of power was never an issue. Even with my wife on the back, the bike never faltered climbing in any of this environments. Downhill grades were a bit intimidating ( sometimes 7 % for miles), especially with lack of guardrails and tremendous drop-offs, but I managed. Cornering- I don't know. I would usually find myself slowing to about 5 mph. less than the posted curve speed (ie. 25 posted- me 15-20). Then I'd see women my wife's size or smaller taking turns on big HDs seemly much faster than me. Sharing my observation on this with various bikers on the road gleaned responses such as: It's an illusion that they're going faster because they're coming at you in the opposite direction. Yes, they are going faster. It's called more saddle time. Ignorance is bliss. The s40 is capable to easily take those turns a 40 mph. ( riding instructor from WA. again) If you enjoyed the ride and stayed on the road, that's all that's important. Note on WA instructor- In his courses there, they have 9 levels of training in cornering alone, ranging from courses at a local race track to maneuvering thru multi-story parking garages. I've read somewhere here on the forum of some woman that cruises at 80 mph (?). A young woman is presently traveling across the U.S. on her S40 (drawingonredwing.com). Maybe I'm just a chickensh*t. Your thoughts on wind and cornering would be appreciated. Rick in Indiana |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Steve H on 08/06/15 at 04:43:19 Wind will blow the bike around some. Don't stiffen up and fight it. More seat time will help, but it needs to be seat time in the wind. Dance with the wind is a good metaphor. That's sort of what youare doing. Cornering takes practice. Pay attention to your lines. Don't go faster than you are comfortable. Maybe an advanced rider course? Dunno what all they teach in those. I don't turn as fast as a lot of people but not nearly as slow as a lot too. A good instructed track day would really help get your cornering speed up if it bothers you. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by runwyrlph on 08/06/15 at 04:47:24 I can't think of a WORSE idea than pushing past your limits to prove you're a better rider than a girl, or a Harley guy, especially with your wife on the back. You're riding on unfamiliar roads, unfamiliar KIND of roads, stay in your zone. Do you usually ride with your wife on, or are you accustomed to riding alone? I used to give my wife a ride, very infrequently, and it made things tricky, especially the first few miles. I would want some more practice with a passenger before taking some curves with my usual aplomb. 8-) Correcting for wind gusts has always seemed "instinctive" to me, but I've probably never ridden in wind as strong as you did. 2 up is going to give you a lot more "sail" in the wind also. If I remember from David Hough's book, statistically, 10K is around where accidents "blip" up again; (riders gaining confidence, start pushing the envelope a little) ("Proficient Motorcycling" Also has some good cornering info- required reading) (Never having ridden there, my opinion probably isn't worth much...) |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Dave on 08/06/15 at 05:11:41 If you learned to ride late in life, and have only ridden on the street and learned to ride in the flat part of Indiana......then curvy, steep roads was a whole new experience for you. You may never become a rider that leans the bike over and drags a knee in the curves - but as long as you are enjoying your ride that is the most important thing. I went for a ride on Sunday with a friend who has road racing experience. Although I ride pretty quickly around curves, I could not stay with him if I stayed in my comfort zone. I am sure that he was riding in his comfort zone while he was pulling away from me....his brake lights never came on before the curve while I was often applying some brake to slow down a bit while entering the curve.....it is OK as we both were out enjoying our ride and the scenery. I will work on my smoothness and see if I can become a better rider - but not by pushing myself beyond what is safe for me. MMRanch is a very smooth rider and he corners effortlessly - he can drag his pegs around corners and just makes it look routine for him. I am not sure if I can ever ride as smoothly as he does - but I can still enjoy my ride! I have ridden in some strong winds, and it seems the bike pretty much self corrects if you let it. I was riding through Illinois in a wind that was so strong the bike felt like it was leaning over 20 degrees - and then when a gust would come along and blast us....the bike self corrected and the only thing I had to do was put some effort into keeping my helmet from spinning my head around backwards! The weird part was when I was leaning to the right side into the wind....and then came to a corner to the left while leaning the wrong way - it cornered just fine if you didn't think about it and just rode like normal. Just keep riding and getting some experience, and find some curvy roads to practice your cornering technique. Riding with more experienced riders can sure help - if you can find some curvy roads to follow them through. Maybe you can find some time to come down to the Blue Ridge area in Tennessee/North Carolina.....there are plenty of curves to give you some practice! |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Serowbot on 08/06/15 at 06:44:44 I think you were wise... On unfamiliar roads, it just ain't smart to push... ...(faster people may have ridden those roads many times before)... You should always ride your own ride... Besides,... you miss the view... ;)... Any pics for us?... :-?... |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Serowbot on 08/06/15 at 07:03:26 Sometimes,... especially on unfamiliar roads,.. you can be faster by going slower... Early to brake, then early to gas... You enter the turn slower than you need to, for safety,... then on the gas all the way through the turn... Faster exit speed, and you're never caught off guard in mid turn... |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by old.indian on 08/06/15 at 07:43:02 Rick: Not to worry. Shortly after I got out of the marines I bought my first bike, a brand new 1969 Honda CB450. I remember being on highway 1, going into one particular corner at 45 MPH "ridding for my life"... A year later I was relaxed and comfortable in the same corner at 70 MPH (on my new CB750). It was 20 years between bikes when I got the S40 and I had to spend some time re-learning how to do the twisties... But it's "all good" now. In fact, #3 stepson is getting all pi$$y that he has to work his Hardly so hard to keep up with the old (73) man on the thumper in the twisty bits. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/06/15 at 07:46:25 And if you EVER see a problem, if you EVER get in a turn and think I'm going off the side, right there. Look down the road, look where you WANT to go. If you have to force the bike over by pushing on th handle bars, target fixation, well, target implies Something you wanna hit. but , in this case, no, it's hurt and killed plenty. I always felt like the bike tracked pretty straight with a side gust, the thing seemed to allow the front of the front wheel to blow, inducing a lean, back into the wind, but a Kawasaki I had in West Texas I was nearly blown off of I 20 when I encountered a gust just as I passed a big truck. Put me so close to the edge of the asphalt I couldn't counter steer , so I stuck a leg out and leaned, IDIOT, bullet proof, cut offs, tennis shoes, and a tee shirt. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Dave on 08/06/15 at 08:08:48 I have read that if you enter a corner too fast....the best thing to do is lean that sucker over and "go for it". Chances are the bike most likely "can" make it around the corner (as long as you aren't dragging anything).....most bikes can corner better than you would expect. Also it is better to go off the pavement in a low side skid....then to go straight off the road head first. I hope never to test this hypothesis. ;) |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by verslagen1 on 08/06/15 at 08:23:18 524D4B4C51566757675F4D410A380 wrote:
I never knew you were a squid. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by springman on 08/06/15 at 09:10:53 Hello Dave. As you know from watching me, going off the road on a low side at 20-30 mph was not too bad. I do not recommend it but if you are going fall then that is the way to do it. Like everyone has said so far, ride at your comfort level and enjoy the ride. The more you ride the better you get. By the way, I was lucky Dave was behind me when I fell as he is skilled enough to not have hit me or fallen himself. Ride on and have fun. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Dave on 08/06/15 at 11:01:58 737072696E676D616E000 wrote:
I guess some of my old motocross experience kicked in - having folks fall in front of you is pretty common when racing in the dirt. Late braking is a really good technique for passing - but it isn't always successful and sometimes riders fall when going deep into the corners. And some of the credit needs to go to RycaShawn and his big brake kit. I had enough front brake available that all I had to do was stand the bike up out of the curve and get on the brakes hard. It would not have been as easy to do that with the stock front brake. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by rijopiatt on 08/06/15 at 13:25:08 Thanks to all of you for your replies. All were insightful, valuable and encouraging. It would be so easy to trade in the S40 for a heavier bike base on my vacation experience (my wife calls that buying into the bigger pen*s competition mentality). I truly love the bike's look, simplicity and dependability. I'll seek out some advanced course that focuses on the cornering. I met a retired state trooper, turned park ranger that is a high mileage, seasoned rider in and out of the U.S. He said that " in general" Americans tend to operate their motorcycles and autos at lower rpms than their European counterparts. That this also plays into the issue here. I know that my truck red line is around 6000 and I rarely reach 3000. The S40 has no tach, but I know I do the same with it. In the mountains I found that I down shifted ( as I cringed) to a lower gear, the engine revving much higher than I normally would like. But my thought was that I could hold the bike back on the grades better, less braking AND have reserve power to work with in a jamb. The engine didn't explode and probably capable of more than I give in credit for. Thanks again everyone. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by jcstokes on 08/06/15 at 13:41:15 The consensus around here seems to be that it's difficult to over rev the engine and that a tach isn't necessary. Several, including myself, have fitted them as an indicator and they aren't expensive to buy. The owners hand book gives some maximum speeds in the gears as follows for a run in bike. First 35 mph second 55 mph third 75 mph fourth 90 mph and fifth 100 mph. The figures for fourth and fifth are probably suspect on a stock bike. You should be able to downshift comfortably at two thirds to three quarters of these speeds in the upper three gears and half these speeds in the lower two gears. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/06/15 at 20:42:45 293A2D2C333E383A316E5F0 wrote:
I never knew you were a squid.[/quote] Dude, I didn't have a clue... I was a roughneck, and rode a ten speed so hard I literally had a front tire shredded in three weeks. I rode the Kawasaki from Odessa out west to Sierra Blanca, tx, worked seven twelve hour days , off a week. I'd get bored riding and lay down on it, right arm under the chin, left hand on the gas and hit it... I'd go exploring the country, dirt, roads while the rest of the crew slept. Found some neat stuff, if you have ever felt frustrated by being held up by a herd of cattle and you were in a car, try it, out where no one would even think about looking for you, on a bike. And when you're tooling along, gawking around and suddenly you see the dirt road is turning to sand,,, hooo, brother, slide back and accelerate gently, and ride the snake.. slow down and let the front tire sink in, and,Houston, we have a problem.. I never dropped it out there. That's the bike the snattlerake struck at me on. Took a tour of Ft. Davis going home one week. McDonald observatory is out there, fine winding road. They outlawed bicycles, because they kept going off and getting dead. I never had a fast bike, never did wheelies, but, i was undisciplined, ignorant of technique and foolhardy, so, yeah, I was a squid. |
|
Title: Re: Flatlander in the mountainous windy west Post by Dave on 08/07/15 at 04:16:15 454C5C5B40444A5C2F0 wrote:
A tach helps to establish a proper idle speed, and it does give you an indication of what rpm you are traveling when cruising - but beyond providing that information the tach really isn't a necessity. After a bit you learn to shift by ear and by the seat of your pants.....you can feel when the bike is running out of "juice" and needs to be shifted into the next gear. You are not likely to hurt the engine by revving it up in each gear and then shifting it to the next.....you can feel the engine "top out" and stop pulling at high rpm - and it is time to shift. Don't hang out at that high rpm for a sustained period.....shift to the next lower gear! I do believe that you can potentially thermally overload the engine by sustained idling in traffic. Sitting in heavy traffic in hot conditions doesn't get any airflow to the engine, and the oil will become thin and the oil pump cannot pump the thin oil well. At idle with the thin oil a lot of the oil will go to the bottom end, and little will be pumped to the cam bearings or be splashed up on the piston. The cam bearings or piston skirt will most likely be the first parts damaged. During sustained high speed running the engine tends to get hot, and the piston expands and may overheat and score the piston or cylinder. The engine also tends to lose a lot of oil during high rpm cruising. There have been several members that have ruined a piston/cylinder while cruising down the interstate at 80-90 mph for sustained periods. At least one was a result of running the engine oil too low during the ride. I don't think anyone has reported problems when cruising at 70 mph or less. |
|
SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2! YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. |