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ylwf3vr

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Aloha!
07/29/13 at 12:20:11

Aloha from Hawaii. Just purchased a 2007 S40 with about 8000 miles on it. Not my first bike but first cruiser. On my way home getting on the on ramp, ran right into the grass area thinking it'll handle the same as my old Triumph Daytona. It didn't lean like I thought it would nor did it turn like I thought it woud. Embarrassing! Shocked

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any tips/advices for new (but not new) riders for the crusiers. I realized I need to take corners slowly.

Also, any other suggestions would help as well. Bike is basically stock. I've purchased (after reading through the posts on here) Dyna exhaust and planning on getting it rejetted.

One thing I've noticed is the throttle handle moves left to right like it's loose. There is about a 1cm of wiggle room. Wondering if that is normal for this bike or not. Thanks!!

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2007 S-40: Dyna Muffler, Raptor, K&N Air Filter, everything else stock

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #1 - 07/29/13 at 12:50:41

ylwf3vr wrote on 07/29/13 at 12:20:11:

Aloha from Hawaii. Just purchased a 2007 S40 with about 8000 miles on it. Not my first bike but first cruiser. On my way home getting on the on ramp, ran right into the grass area thinking it'll handle the same as my old Triumph Daytona.
Uhhh,, as youve seen,, Noperz! Its got a lotta rake in the front.. Slowish in handling,, gotta stay out ahead of it,,

It didn't lean like I thought it would nor did it turn like I thought it woud. Embarrassing! Shocked

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any tips/advices for new (but not new) riders for the crusiers. I realized I need to take corners slowly.

Nope,, ya dont,, one you get a handle on it, youll be draggin pegs hard enough to pinch your foot between peg & motor..
Also, any other suggestions would help as well. Bike is basically stock. I've purchased (after reading through the posts on here) Dyna exhaust and planning on getting it rejetted.

GETTING it rejetted? You mean diggin & doin it yerself, right?

One thing I've noticed is the throttle handle moves left to right like it's loose. There is about a 1cm of wiggle room. Wondering if that is normal for this bike or not. Thanks!!

Nope,, otta not shift left & right like that,, a coula MM's? Yea,, but not 10.. So,, whats the fix? Damfino..

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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ToesNose Serious Thumper Offline Pardon me, do you have Hot Sauce? Posts: 1993 Mooresville, NC Gender:	Re: Aloha! Reply #2 - 07/29/13 at 14:20:48 Welcome YellowFever! Yea the LS650 handles quite well for a cruiser, but it's definitely not a sport bike. Just take it easy till you acclimate to the cruiser feel of things, don't worry you'll still enjoy scraping pegs once in a while
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28669 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Aloha! Reply #3 - 07/29/13 at 14:42:50 Learn to steer using your arms,.. not by leaning... The bike is quick and nimble with direct input... It's not the rake that's slowing you down... ...(I'm guessing you have drag bars)... they do require some input... ... Mostly start out slow, and ride safe...
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Aloha! Reply #4 - 07/29/13 at 14:53:38 Well,, Rowboats( serowbot) right,, This thing Can be made to HOP from one lane to the next, with enough crank into the bars..
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Steve H

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #5 - 07/29/13 at 15:17:06

Like they said, it takes a while to get acclimated to a cruiser. I have noticed that my forks will actually flex a little on quick maneuvers sometimes. It seems to me that it takes a little more steering input that the other bikes I've had. Back brakes are a little twitchy. There's not much between slowing down some and sliding.

You're so low, it feels sort of funny after a standard or sport. But, you'll love it once you get accustomed to the way it does things. And, it will definitely go when you get into it a little.

I try not to scrape pegs like some around here do...last thing I scraped was the valve cover on my goldwing. (it's not a sport either) Pegs still had a couple more inches.

Something's definitely not right about that throttle grip. It shouldn't move side to side like that. Make sure it's not gonna come off in your hand before you do too much riding.

Be safe and have fun.

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87 LS650, 2005 Ninja 250, 2009 Yamaha C3, 2001 Honda Reflex. On 2 wheels since 6/80.

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ylwf3vr Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 160 Oahu, Hawaii	Re: Aloha! Reply #6 - 07/29/13 at 16:34:46 Thanks for all the input! Serowbot - you said steer using your arms? Can you elaborate more? The grip definitly won't fall off because there is little cap at the end. Wonder if I should take it to a shop? (I think I should do like an inspection to see if everything is in working order ie fluids, etc)
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Aloha! Reply #7 - 07/29/13 at 17:18:45 Dont trust that cap to save you.. those things are allways falling out..
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oldNslow

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #8 - 07/29/13 at 17:23:07

Quote:

you said steer using your arms? Can you elaborate more?

To turn right PUSH on the right grip - to turn left PUSH on the left grip. The bike will lean into the turn. When it's leaning over far enough,quit pushing on the grip. Lots quicker than trying to use your body. This is actually what you are doing anyway even if you're not aware of it. Doing it deliberately lets you - with a little practice - flip the bike from side to side with very little effort.

Try it on a straight road. Gently push on one grip and then the other. You can move the bike from one side of the lane to the other with nothing more than tiny inputs from your hands.

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ylwf3vr

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #9 - 07/29/13 at 18:32:13

oldNslow wrote on 07/29/13 at 17:23:07:

Quote:

you said steer using your arms? Can you elaborate more?

To turn right PUSH on the right grip - to turn left PUSH on the left grip. The bike will lean into the turn. When it's leaning over far enough,quit pushing on the grip. Lots quicker than trying to use your body. This is actually what you are doing anyway even if you're not aware of it. Doing it deliberately lets you - with a little practice - flip the bike from side to side with very little effort.

Try it on a straight road. Gently push on one grip and then the other. You can move the bike from one side of the lane to the other with nothing more than tiny inputs from your hands.

Thanks! Yeah that's what was taught at the BRC..

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2007 S-40: Dyna Muffler, Raptor, K&N Air Filter, everything else stock

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ylwf3vr Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 160 Oahu, Hawaii	Re: Aloha! Reply #10 - 07/29/13 at 18:49:56 What does everyone think about the K&N Air Filters for this bike? Or any other aftermarket air filter? How hard is it to change that out if it's worth it?
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Roberto1444

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #11 - 07/29/13 at 19:00:20

Google counterintuitive. Ops! Counter steering. There are lots of info on it, but basically it's as simple as oldnslow put. Problem is that counter steering is also counterintuitive! And nothing that's counterintuitive is plain simple to do... Oldnslow could have said - to turn right, turn the front wheel to the left - and that would be a precise instruction, except that it would reinforce the paradox, it would add to your logical repugnance to do what he wisely suggests you to do.

I'd definitely go piano, as musicians say. Slowly, gently.

If you're a math kind of guy, you'll find all the equations explaining this absurd phenomenon googling a pdf named "Steering in bicycles and motorcycles". I am not a math head myself, but I cherish this pdf as I'd do to a strange poem.

Don't think that is a special steering technique for cruisers. It's just a quick, instant way to steer any bike. Good luck.

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Nice, nice, very nice. So many different people in the same device. (Kurt Vonnegut)

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #12 - 07/29/13 at 19:07:19

Simple, countersteering Steers the wheels out from under your BUTT. YOu run the front tire to the right, suddenly the bike wants to fall to the left, because the TIRES went to the right, the clown on top didnt,, so, now its out of balance & is about to crash,, youll turn back left or crash.
It may SEEM counterintuitive, but its not,, because it is 100% Intuitive, its not Consciously done. Countersteering is what youve been doing since the training wheels came off. NOW its time to do it consciously.

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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ylwf3vr Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 160 Oahu, Hawaii	Re: Aloha! Reply #13 - 07/29/13 at 20:12:42 Lol all great comments! Thanks! It was a lot easier on my Daytona. What do you all think about KN air filter? Necessary?
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Roberto1444

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Re: Aloha!
Reply #14 - 07/29/13 at 20:20:14

Disagree. It may seem illogical, only it's not. But it is counterintuitive. See, until you reach 25 mph your handlebars work according to your intuition - point the wheel to the right to go to the right. When you approach that magical speed, misteriously, the controls flip.

Think airplanes flying belly up. Not the same but elevator control flips, and the reason many pilots die is because they act instinctively, they pull the stick to go up, and... crash.

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Nice, nice, very nice. So many different people in the same device. (Kurt Vonnegut)

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