Pre-cornering routine

[russell_bynum]

Do you have a routine that you go through to engage your mind and body when you're hitting the the twisties?

 

For me:

I tend to ride with the pegs under the back part of my arch and I move around a bunch on the bike...so I may be sitting straight, or turned to one side or the other. I'll often ride with my left hand on my hip or on my left leg. Whatever feels comfortable at the time. I get stiff and sore if I sit in the same position for very long so I just move around a bunch to keep the blood flowing.

 

When it's time to hit the twisties I move my feet so that the pegs are under the front part of the ball of my feet. My knees grip the tank. I slide my ass back. My torso comes down and my forearms are generally parallel to the ground...possibly even slightly elbows-low. My lower body is tense with my weight being supported by my legs and core. My arms are loose. Basically I go from whatever goofy position I was in before into the Master Yoda Riding Position.

 

This started out as a purely physical exercise...getting my body into the right position and setup for cornering. But at this point it's probably as much mental (getting my brain out of freeway mode and into cornering mode) as it is physical.

 

Do you have a routine, and if so what is it?

[Capn Nak]

It depends whether low speed turns off-road or high speed turns on pavement. On pavement my only pre-twisties action is to lean forward a bit. I work at being relaxed - arms, back and legs. I grip the handlebars as if I was holding bananas - gently but firmly without really grabbing them them tightly. I focus forward as much as possible. I try to, as Yoda might say, "become one with the bike, you must. Feel the force, use the force (centrifugal force), flow with it you must."

 

Additionally, I physically work out at the gym (2-3x week) to prepare for riding doing a lot of core exercises especially crunches for the stomach and back. I also work on upper shoulders, chest, shoulder blades, and forearms. Finally 10 minutes on the Bosu Ball for balance. I find as an older rider the above are all necessary for me to enjoy riding.

 

That's my routine, and it works well for me.

[russell_bynum]

Good point about off-road vs. on-road.

[norah]

I get a big ass grin on my face........

[sardineone]

I do what I did this week. Got a new PR-4 tire installed to replace a worn PR-2 front.

[Selden]

I have this lettered on the tail of my soon to depart Honda Hawk: "In soft, out hard."

 

Farewell, Old Friend

[walton66]

I've a reminder in my take bag map case, "hard knees soft arms".

[Jake]

[russell_bynum]

 

I prefer "Full throttle until you see God, then Elvis. Then brake."

[Bill_Walker]

I sometimes remind myself of the cornering advice of the great race car driver, Sir Stirling Moss: "It is better to go in slow and come out fast, than to go in fast and come out dead."

 

Well, actually, I don't usually do that until AFTER I scare myself a little bit.

 

Physically, it's pretty much what Russell said. Balls of the feet on the pegs, MYRP, make sure the arms are loose, look ahead, etc. Although it's not really something I do consciously at this point.

[russell_bynum]

Although it's not really something I do consciously at this point.

 

That's interesting.

 

By that...do you mean that you just normally ride that way, or that you subconsciously do it when you get to the twisties?

[Bill_Walker]

Although it's not really something I do consciously at this point.

 

That's interesting.

 

By that...do you mean that you just normally ride that way, or that you subconsciously do it when you get to the twisties?

 

The latter. Although "normal" isn't that far off from it, really.

[Huzband]

Since I'm in Fl, there isn't much prep work to do for corners. My best hope is to chase down on/off ramps & the occasional freeway crossover.

 

That said, all I can do is, once I see it coming, a good head swivel to be sure the noggin turns as prescribed. Balls of the feet on the pegs, arms loose & elbows dropped, eyes & chin bar looking where I want to be, & not run up the a$$ of the slow dolt I'm closing in on. Which is regular.

[Bullett]

I get a big ass grin on my face........

 

You GO girl!

[CoarsegoldKid]

Around here corner prep happens in the garage; air pressure check, clean windscreen, select appropriate gear, turn key, go. Hands covering grips with two fingers on the clutch and brake and feet ready for what life throws. It's with the straights I have mental issues. I must ease out of normal mode to the citizens mode. Think Bach or Mozart sounds. Hands covering grips with two fingers on the clutch and brake and feet ready for what life throws. So I guess it's a mental adjustment as opposed to a physical one.

We need to bring Norah up this way Sharon so we can see that big ass grin.

[UberXY]

I scope out the apex.

[JerryMather]

Do you have a routine that you go through to engage your mind and body when you're hitting the the twisties?

 

Not really that I'm a where of. It all comes so naturally at this point without much thought. Prior the being "in" the twisties.

When I'm in the twisties and fully engaged, I don't have what you call a routine. I look at each corner & make a split second decision on how & where I want to be going through it, always looking through to the horizone or vanishing point as much as possible. I'll adjust my body position depending on how fast I want to go through each turn & how tight the radius is.

The only routine thing about my riding is that I have a tendency to ride closer to the fog line than most others & I use the entire lane like a racer will do by straightening out the corners, it's an old habit I learned from Pridmore but I do go closer to the middle than he teaches.

[russell_bynum]

When I'm in the twisties and fully engaged, I don't have what you call a routine. I look at each corner & make a split second decision on how & where I want to be going through it, always looking through to the horizone or vanishing point as much as possible. I'll adjust my body position depending on how fast I want to go through each turn & how tight the radius is.

 

Right. I was talking about before you get to the twisties. Like...after the long drone up the freeway, past the strip malls and the residentials...coming up on that first real corner on Angeles Crest.

 

 

 

The only routine thing about my riding is that I have a tendency to ride closer to the fog line than most others & I use the entire lane like a racer will do by straightening out the corners, it's an old habit I learned from Pridmore but I do go closer to the middle than he teaches.

 

Yup, I'll take most of the lane as well. I paid for the whole thing, so I might as well use it.

 

One thing that the Tuono's changed about my riding, is I carry far less corner speed than I used to. I tend be more point and shoot now...really squaring off the corners when possible and if it's a sweeper I tend to stay wide and slow until I'm confident of the exit. Then it's a flick in, cross the apex, stand it up towards the exit and fire it out.

[Matts_12GS]

I tend be more point and shoot now...really squaring off the corners when possible and if it's a sweeper I tend to stay wide and slow until I'm confident of the exit. Then it's a flick in, cross the apex, stand it up towards the exit and fire it out.

 

+1...

That style has served me very well riding boxer powered bikes, really most twins I guess.

[russell_bynum]

I tend be more point and shoot now...really squaring off the corners when possible and if it's a sweeper I tend to stay wide and slow until I'm confident of the exit. Then it's a flick in, cross the apex, stand it up towards the exit and fire it out.

 

+1...

That style has served me very well riding boxer powered bikes, really most twins I guess.

 

On my R1100RT, I carried far more corner speed than I do now. I think that's mostly because it was the only way to make good time across a road given the bike's weight and lack of power.

 

Strangely enough...I slowed down now that I have a faster bike.