[c_dlc]

I was riding back from school and started taking the turns in my community a bit harder practicing. I been trying to see how far I can safely lean the bike…a 1982 Nighthawk 450…While making this circle u-turn I was leaning left and had to switch to a right hand lean so I can get out of the circle I scraped my right peg. At first I was like “JESUS” but then realized what happened and by that time I had straightened up and was traveling straight. A rush ran through my body. I have to keep practicing though to get a little bit more comfortable.

[Rab]

You little devil you…

[Kickprivate]

Stop scraping hard parts. The pegs have feelers to tell you you are going to fast through a turn and you have no more lean angle. Research lines, turn speeds and counter-steering. The rush from doing it right will be much more thrilling then that of scraping hard parts.

Grats anyways, i remember my first time.

~Not your average hairless monkey
Kick

[Jiriki]

guessing kick scratched the feeler and had the peg bend up… not sure whether or not that is considered a consumable…

[Kickprivate]

huh?

~Not your average hairless monkey
Kick

[c_dlc]

Feelers? What do you mean by that? Before the scrap I should feel I am at the lean limit?

[Ben]

I’ve never scraped a peg before, i’m too slowwwwwwwwww. So I’m no help in this thread

Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin

[megaspaz]

Experienced riders on a variety of message boards say when you start scraping pegs, you’re not entering the corner correctly… Either way too hot or not picking the right line. Scraping your parts is like a final warning that you’re skirting on the edge of a low side. It also leaves you vulnerable to anything that might pop out. You have almost no chance of standing the bike up for an emergency stop and if you’re on a decreasing radius turn and your drifting wide into the other lane, you pretty much have no room to lean more which at best means you blow the turn and at worst you loop it. I’ve seen some people that think scraping pegs is cool and it certainly would give you a sphincter-puckering, adrenaline rush, but most I’ve seen don’t think highly of those that consistently scrape parts with shouts of squid thrown in exchanges.

—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…

[Kickprivate]

Bottom line, scraping hard parts is a good way to wrap your bike around a pole or be with the bugs in the grill of that oncoming car because you lose your line and cross the center line.

You need to do your math. In other words you need to read up on somethings.

Different types of turns. (Apex, Double Apex, Increasing/decreasing radius and increasing/decreasing elevation turns)
Looking through the turn
Proper posture
Choosing your line/Holding your line
Slow in fast out
Trail braking (Just know what it is)
Hang offs
Counter steering
Braking before a turn
Throttle control (Getting on the throttle as early as possible)
Emergency stoping (Straight line and in the middle of a turn)

I would rather you read about these things then see you post about how you shattered your leg/hip/skull because you screwed up in a turn.

I bet you never guessed half of these ey? Good Luck

~Not your average hairless monkey
Kick

[Jiriki]

so.. on the 250R, your footpeg has a 2″ rod (covered in rubber) that extends at 30 degrees towards the ground below your peg… if this touches the ground, it bends up your footpeg around its movable joint to the frame… no warping of your frame or anything catastrophic

yes, you are not supposed to scratch hardparts… yes, these parts can get caught on anything in the road and tumble you over… yes, scratching hard parts means you are doing something wrong… no, i don’t try to scratch my pegs… i have only scratched it once, when I was practicing my first u-turn on my own bike…

oh, and if you took the MSF course, you really should know about all the types of turns that kick talked about… another reason to take the MSF…

edit:
consumable = meant to be ground down… from reading the other posts, it looks more like the feelers are a warning and really shouldn’t touch…

[megaspaz]

I’ve heard and seen countless riders talk about late apexing (delayed apexing) in canyon roads. A couple of them do it all the time. Hough recommends it on canyon roads as well. I’d go as far as to say learn and practice trail braking. Very useful for double apex and sharp decreasing radius turns. But everything still pretty much depends on your turn entry speed. You just need to get that down.

—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…

[c_dlc]

I need to learn more about those different type of turns.

I don’t try to ground my pegs but did it that one time. What I am trying to do is get comfortable leaning my bike as far as she will go.

Unfortunately down here in Florida I haven’t been able to find and real curvy roads like some of you have experience on where I can really get some realistic practice in. Hopefully I will take a trip soon and ride some of these nice roads.

[megaspaz]

Try doing a trackday. You get to go real fast on some real turns with wide lanes and no trees, cliffs, animals, cross traffic, etc. to worry about…

—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…

[Kickprivate]

The best place to practice is a large; well paved empty parking lot. Get some soft rubber cones (Not hard plastic) and set them up for different turns. Many people use bottles filled with water but I don’t like the hazard of hitting one of them leaned over. On the MSF website you can find 1 3/4 inch tall rubber cones for a couple bucks..

Here is a starter for you. A great parking lot practice exercise.

Set up a circle with a diameter of 50′
Place a 2 liter bottle in the center of the circle
Go around the circle starting at ten miles per hour
Keep your eyes on the bottle and do not take them off it
Do ten laps without removing your eyes from the bottle.
Note: If you panic and lose your line during your first ten laps you need to restart. Do it until you do not fear it.
After your ten laps increase your speed by 2mph every 3 laps until you reach 16mph
Note: you may need to increase your hang off to keep the same line. If you get stuck at a certain mileage stop and master the speed by increasing your speed 1mph every 5 laps. Repeat at same speed until comfort level is increased.

Warning: It is recommended that you have at least 20 feet of run off on all around the circle.
Warning: Sweep the ground from 45′ to 60′ from the center of the bottle.
Warning: Never practice alone, always have someone with you.
Note: It is best to have a person stand in the middle of the circle. They will be able to tell you mistakes and when you lose eye contact or panic.

This exercise is meant to teach you to look through your turn, hang-offs, proper speed adjustment, throttle control and use of second vision.

Good luck, remember that practice does make perfect. Also practice will boost your confidence which will increase your faith in your bike. Please don’t lose respect for your bike as you increase your skill level. Keep the shiny side up.

~Not your average hairless monkey
Kick

[Kickprivate]

Just to add.

Turn entry speed = Slow in fast out. Learn what it means and learn how to apply it. The sooner you do the more money you have in your pocket.

If you don’t think you can make it slow down. You can always go back through the turn and try again at a higher speed.

~Not your average hairless monkey
Kick

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