busa riding skill dilemma

[storm]

When I owned a k6 gixxer living in Byron I rode murwillambah, Hinze road etc all the time knee down thro the twisties knee down coming and going into Byron from Pacific hway. Then from 2008 to 13 rode off road thro deserts before getting back on a road bike - the Busa
30,000 kms later haven't had a single knee down moment but haven't ridden my old haunt northern river roads
I hang off like a monkey and keep the bike up
Riding from Mansfield to Whitfield etc yesterday I was thinking
maybe I need a skill refresher course or the Busa is a different kettle of fish
Busa needs a suspension set up will drop front by 2 threads,( gixxer had a 4 thread drop)
anyway the question is coming from litre bikes has others had any similar experience?
thanks

[Batfink]

Hi storm...
From personal experience when I jumped on my first busa about 4 years ago I found I could not throw it about using my weight (90kg) like smaller bikes. I had to learn to use all the proper riding techniques to enjoy the bike. I am still getting used to it.. This is what I found
Don't pull bike over into corner, push the inside bar forward
Don't pull bike back up, use the throttle

[storm]

Thanks Tony, yep I flick bike in and roll the trottle on. I did levels 1&2 of CSS. Have no issues in 60+ kmph corners but even on gixxer did not feel comfy in less than 60 corners. I am 65kgs only and maybe the Busa's 60+ weight over the gixxer does not help

---

Plus am riding unknown roads

[Batfink]

Ask others, I am very timid on unknown roads.. but I ride to my comfort. Put me on a road I know and I started to push myself and bike, have to start over again on the 13 running std tyres though LOL
Smart move on doing the CSS 1&2, wish I had access to something like that here in Tassie. Looked at available courses and they tend to focus on defensive riding rather than higher technical cornering. When I move north I will def get myself some advance courses completed.

[storm]

All gixxers come with Bridgestones, don't mind them the tyre life is shit though

[Ward P]

If you could get knee down easily before, you know it's just a trick for the road. It has nothing to do with lean angle or corner speed. If I'm just cruising along or showing off in a group ride, I can put a knee down on just about every corner, but if I'm going really hard on the road I hardly ever do. It's just technique, you're obviously trying too hard, remember the CSS bit about only going 75%, don't aim in getting your bum off the seat, that will just twist you and make the bike unstable, practice your hang-off style, locking your knee with no hanging onto the bars on the sidestand, and make sure you're turning your body to face thru the corner and not twisting up. Then practice on the same small series of corners again and again so you can concentrate on technique and not the corner. at 65kgs on a busa it will make bugger all difference . . . but look awesome!!

[Batfink]

Wardy demonstrating "hands off" technique

   

[storm]

Analysed my riding today from Goulburn to Mt.Victoria and realised actually its good, I am not riding like a lunatic and carrying serious speeds as I used to 6/7 years ago, another 20 to 30 Kms more and the knee will touch down, also the roads I did before I rode every weekend/ daily, today am a bit more cautious about losing my license and a lot of roads are bumpy and shit, I hang off well only throttle input and left arm relaxed on tank, only leg working pushing down on peg.
also riding solo so no pressure to keep up with fast riders etc
next week will be up in northern rivers and will ride familiar roads and just enjoy.
I think I have become a bit mature and enjoy the ride than race other lunatics as I used to before.
Maybe a track day is in order

[cyndemgum]

Had plenty of episodes where the front has started to low side and keeping the knee buried on the roadway whilst knocking the countersteer off has allowed me to regain proper control of the front end. Just my experience but knee down on the gen11 and k6 1000 is pretty much same same. I find hanging off and keeping the bike fractionally more upright gives you more response time when things start going pear shaped. Whatever keeps you from hitting the deck I guess. Have a blast, Paul.

[storm]

Thanks Paul I have picked up the bike with the knee few Times when losing the front on the gixxer, roads near me are not like the hinze with hotmix and smooth, rather fyetrippled and dirty on the line, out of curiosity what are your rebound and compression settings for the gen2,?
I am going to stiffen the preload the front by about 2 turns and see how it feels,
the gixxer was set up stiff and tipped in quick as he'll,
might be coming to your neck of the woods- Oxley in the next few days.
putty and the Oxley and the hinze

[cyndemgum]

Thanks Paul I have picked up the bike with the knee few Times when losing the front on the gixxer, roads near me are not like the hinze with hotmix and smooth, rather fyetrippled and dirty on the line, out of curiosity what are your rebound and compression settings for the gen2,?
I am going to stiffen the preload the front by about 2 turns and see how it feels,
the gixxer was set up stiff and tipped in quick as he'll,
might be coming to your neck of the woods- Oxley in the next few days.
putty and the Oxley and the hinze

From memory the preloaders are down one segment from standard and 2 clicks harder on bump dampening. Think I added 1 click harder of rebound dampening. If you like I will recount all settings. Let me know when you are running the Oxley. Don't know if you have run it before. Have done hundreds of runs on the Oxley, If you like I could dump a bit of pace and show you a good line from end to end. Never need much tempting for an Oxley blast. All the best, Paul.

[storm]

Thanks Paul I have picked up the bike with the knee few Times when losing the front on the gixxer, roads near me are not like the hinze with hotmix and smooth, rather fyetrippled and dirty on the line, out of curiosity what are your rebound and compression settings for the gen2,?
I am going to stiffen the preload the front by about 2 turns and see how it feels,
the gixxer was set up stiff and tipped in quick as he'll,
might be coming to your neck of the woods- Oxley in the next few days.
putty and the Oxley and the hinze

From memory the preloaders are down one segment from standard and 2 clicks harder on bump dampening. Think I added 1 click harder of rebound dampening. If you like I will recount all settings. Let me know when you are running the Oxley. Don't know if you have run it before. Have done hundreds of runs on the Oxley, If you like I could dump a bit of pace and show you a good line from end to end. Never need much tempting for an Oxley blast. All the best, Paul.

Thanks Paul, have done the Oxley once in 2005, will let you know when I might be around and would appreciate you showing me the lines at a slower pace, the old Pacific hway and the hinze raceway were my playground although 7 years ago, old Pacific is highly policed and dnot know about hinze, obviously the Oxley is a bit more free of cops, anyway will PM when am ready, cheers Madhu

[Banter]