Cornering report card (cont.):
Besides cornering; I will also put down a few generic lines on "living with the 390" (having covered over 700 kms now).
In traffic - She does not like it; I do not like it ..... period! Dense traffic is not where she wants to be. Severe heat up is something I have not yet experienced but constant modulation of throttle (for me) is not great. The bike feels choppy and its probably because I am not very smooth with the throttle operation. Not squarely blaming the tools but the throttle seems to have quite a bit of play. Its an exercise to find the point where the power delivery begins after the play. Basically; I feel if I can get the play set right; I will be able to play much better than I am playing right now
With a pillion - Took the Mrs. for a spin (40 km roundtrip). After a while; she started complaining of back pain. Every time I braked; her weight came crashing down on me; and I would promptly transfer them onto the handlebars. She loved it every time I gunned it though and like a child would go "YAAAAYYYYYYYYY". By the end of the ride; she was smiling but was quick to mention - We'll take the bullet for a long distance ride; whenever we plan one.
Now she is not a big girl; vertically or horizontally. But with her at the back; I could not sit as far back as I wanted. She could not have gone any further back than where she was. This is not a bike for 2 up riding.
Comfort - A lot has been said about the 390's stiff ride and seating. I dont see it; sorry. The seat is sooooo comfy. I honestly feel more comfortable in the 390's saddle than the bullet. The rear suspension seems quite soft; the front is a bit hard though. In fact; with a pillion it almost feels like the bike is flexing backwards on hard acceleration.
Now the cornering report card:
I am not hanging off and stay put in the saddle. Have not scraped pegs yet but seem to be getting better at managing lean angles. I really need to practice throttle control though. Cracking open the throttle causes a bit of a jerk which trust me; takes a chunk of your attention away from the corner. Not good.
Even blipping is not perfect. Although better than from when I started; I often over or under-rev the bike. Coming down from 6th; all the way to 3rd is mostly fine (not 100% though). 3rd to 2nd is where I get it wrong most often.
I am getting a hang of where my "sweet spot" in the seat is as well. But the gear lever position I feel is not ideal. My foot often fouls with the lever as opposed to smoothly sliding under it. This causes me to move my entire left leg to get in position (as opposed to just slightly moving the lower leg to reach the lever) and I lose my grip on the tank. I need to then adjust my seating position (as I would have moved a bit) and grip the tank all over again. Imagine doing this every time you change gears. Very tiresome.
I think this (gear lever position) can be adjusted. Another task for the service folks to do.
I am hoping that these little tweaks (throttle play adjustment, suspension stiffening and gear lever adjustment) will go a long way in improving my stability & comfort level on the bike.
No post of mine on this thread is complete without a set of questions; so here goes:
- How do you hold the throttle? I am used to of riding with my index and middle fingers resting on the brake lever. However; a few rider forums (including some MSF guys) suggested holding the throttle with all 5 fingers; just as you would a tennis raquet. I tried this today and immediately felt a lot better about my throttle control. I am afraid though that in case of a panic braking situation I will chop the throttle and instinctively grab the brake. My cornering may not be all there but I can safely say that my braking is quite consistent. Comments?
- How do I see the level at which the suspension is set up? The manual speaks about how to soften / stiffen suspension but nothing on how to check the level its currently at. Also; I was thinking level "5" (in case its too soft) to be a good setting for riding solo. Suggestions?
- Using the rear brake to "guide" the bike into corners. In case someone can - as step by step how to would be awesome please (with beginer practice drills if any)
- I am still getting used to the tyres. Whilst leaning; there comes a "tipping point" when the bike leans further much quicker than one may have intended. Anyone face this? I am guessing this is owing to the rounded profile of the tyre; something I am not used to. Anyone else experienced this?
- I have done all my riding thus far in the city. Going fwd; most of my riding would continue to be in the city. About 90% of the time; I am going arrow straight. Whatever 10% corners remain; I cannot charge them all owing to road as well as traffic conditions. How are we "breaking in" the tyres; so that they do not form a "flat spot" in the center? FYI - A solo trip to the mountains is on the cards real soon (Delhi - Shimla only. Baby steps. Good highway; superb / wide mountain roads)
Look forward to hearing from you peeps. Ciao!
Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel You should not be loose on the handle bar while braking in a straight line |
I am a bit confused here. On braking the weight moves to the front tyre. Harder the braking; harder the load. But harder the braking; harder the tendancy for you to slide into the tank. To stop that; you exert force on handlebards that transmit the same down to the tyres. Would this not be the recipe for a grand wipeout?