The most amazing lean angles.

[IsMad]

After riding for a whole month, I am of course now using the bike to it's fullest capabilities with massive acceleration and lean angles of upto 50 degrees, or so I thought. Was out this weekend to the renult festival with a couple of mates in a Lotus elise. making good progress but not stupid speeds. Was getting the bike into the bends and was thinking I had it over nicely and powering out.

Imagine my disappointment to get off at the end to find a full inch left on the tires and my mates saying that I barely seemed to lean it at all

So how long before you guys managed to get rid of the chicken strips

[Rawwr]

During my CBT.

[Chilli]

Mate, I know what you mean. When on the track I'm convinced that another degree will see the front wash out from underneath me, as I am on the edge of pysical possibilities...only to look at the photos, and I'd doubt I'd spill a cup of tea!!!

But, it will come. I never thought I'd see the back of those strips but am now tearing/melting the rubber on both sides! It doesn't take long...half a dozen or so good trackdays with an instructor at hand to advise will see you alright!

[Hobo]

Not sure I did on the road, or for that matter see the point of doing so.

2nd track day though I think, so about 3 weeks after getting the bike

[Rawwr]

In all honesty, a couple of months after getting my licence a friend of mine who is a very experienced biker took me out to a nice roundabout in Peterborough and taught me how to get my knee down, destroying any sign of chicken strips in the process.

[IsMad]

Hobo said:

Not sure I did on the road, or for that matter see the point of doing so.

2nd track day though I think, so about 3 weeks after getting the bike

In all honesty I am not sure I would ever be able to commit to that extent on the road, just a big chicken, . I am getting the feeling that a trackday and some more tuition is the way forward. anyone know of a good midlands based outfit?

[dern]

IsMad said:

So how long before you guys managed to get rid of the chicken strips

Still don't habitually and I passed my test in '96. I've got to the right edge a couple of times but as I only commute on the thing there's generally a couple off mm on the right and a bit more on the left.

[Yoda954]

IsMad said:

So how long before you guys managed to get rid of the chicken strips

Years....the sort of junk I rode in the early 80's had virtually square profile tyres....well the ahem...C90 did any way ....it wasn't until I found a nice roundabout a few years ago (on a more capable ZX6) that I managed to get near to the edge of the rear. Even with a track day I still have chicken strips on the front on t'blade (but I don't think that's quite the same kinda thang due to the front's profile?)

[IsMad]

dern said:

Still don't habitually and I passed my test in '96. I've got to the right edge a couple of times but as I only commute on the thing there's generally a couple off mm on the right and a bit more on the left.

Yeah I have noticed I lean further to the right than the left, oh - eerrr . must be something to do with the feeling that there is more space to lean into on the right.

Yoda954 said:

Even with a track day I still have chicken strips on the front on t'blade (but I don't think that's quite the same kinda thang due to the front's profile?)

I have the feeling I do not want to lean the bike that far to find out if there is grip on the edge of the front. . Will have oto see if that changes with some track time.

[dern]

IsMad said:

dern said:

Still don't habitually and I passed my test in '96. I've got to the right edge a couple of times but as I only commute on the thing there's generally a couple off mm on the right and a bit more on the left.

Yeah I have noticed I lean further to the right than the left, oh - eerrr . must be something to do with the feeling that there is more space to lean into on the right.

I think it has more to do with the route I take to work to be honest. There's a big roundabout with good visibility where I guess I must go more quickly. There's no big left handers where I've as much visibility so presumably go slower.

Also (and crucially) I don't have the complete confidence in the bike's ability to grip to a degree although I'm getting to the point where I'm a lot happier when it's starting to move around than I used to be but mainly I'm thinking how I'd get out of the situation I'm in if something appeared in my path. Getting old I guess.

Edited by dern on Monday 10th September 11:31

[shot2bits]

Always manage to loose my strips on the back wheel but maintain a little bit of chicken on the front! On the track though, you'll see no strips left on the back or front. I'd get some tuition - it's amazing what a bit of experience gives you, you'll soon realise how you're riding with some constructive advice rather than your Lotus mates making comments!

I've got to the stage now where I don't really want to ride much faster on the road - and, as I say, that's still with some front chicken. I do enjoy road riding but the corner speed and lean angle is nothing like it is when I visit Snetterton.

I'll check my R1 rear in a sec and post a pic - not sure if there's any chicken or not!

[Rawwr]

Lotus owners all have a strange belief they're the fastest thing in the corners. This is never true.

[shot2bits]

Rawwr said:

Lotus owners all have a strange belief they're the fastest thing in the corners. This is never true.

Yes, I remember! Although my 111R was pretty damn fast in the corners!

[IsMad]

Rawwr said:

Lotus owners all have a strange belief they're the fastest thing in the corners. This is never true.

though to be fair they were going faster round the bends than I was, but we were just getting home after a long day out so were not trying too hard.

I must admit to being impressed how flat the 111R is through the fast stuff, looks really settled.

[Rawwr]

Pfft, the 111R is a lardy bucket.

[shot2bits]

Rawwr said:

Pfft, the 111R is a lardy bucket.

And it has this horrible step when it hits 2nd cam - hit a bad gear change and end up a few hundred RPM below 6.2K RPM and the car doesn't pull hard at all. I should have saved my cash and bought the Rover engined version.

[Rawwr]

shot2bits said:

Rawwr said:

Pfft, the 111R is a lardy bucket.

And it has this horrible step when it hits 2nd cam - hit a bad gear change and end up a few hundred RPM below 6.2K RPM and the car doesn't pull hard at all. I should have saved my cash and bought the Rover engined version.

Yes, you should

I never got on with the 111R. Although the press rave about it, there just wasn't anything special there, and with enough options you could tilt the weight to spookily near the big 1,000kg.

[catso]

Rawwr said:

took me out to a nice roundabout in Peterborough and taught me how to get my knee down, destroying any sign of chicken strips in the process.

On both sides of the tyre??

[Woody]

IsMad said:

Was out this weekend to the renult festival with a couple of mates in a Lotus elise. making good progress but not stupid speeds. Was getting the bike into the bends and was thinking I had it over nicely and powering out.

IsMad - think I followed you too and from the circuit.
Were you holed up in the lay by on the 42 talking on your phone? if so passed you there and was gauping at your bike when you got back into the traffic.
And also followed you and the elise out of the circuit - think you pulled off and took the old measham road back though and not the 42?

Nice bike - and very sensible riding from what I saw.

Chris

[IsMad]

Woody said:

IsMad said:

Was out this weekend to the renult festival with a couple of mates in a Lotus elise. making good progress but not stupid speeds. Was getting the bike into the bends and was thinking I had it over nicely and powering out.

IsMad - think I followed you too and from the circuit.
Were you holed up in the lay by on the 42 talking on your phone? if so passed you there and was gauping at your bike when you got back into the traffic.
And also followed you and the elise out of the circuit - think you pulled off and took the old measham road back though and not the 42?

Nice bike - and very sensible riding from what I saw.

Chris

Well spotted, yes that was indeed me!!

It was the fist time I had been in heavy traffic and had an opportunity to filter on the way there. Pulled over to let the elise catch up, found out that they had passed by and only found them just before the slip road off the A42. We took a longer route back via the A515 and A513. Thanks for the comments