back to center - need help with smooth

[speedevil]

After I've completed a turn and am still hanging off (a little or a lot, depending on the turn) there is a quick weave when I come back to center.  What is the best way to smooth out the "back to center" move?

Lift up your butt a little and come back to center?  That way seems to be the best when you're in a series of right-left combinations because you're shiftiing your weight as you decelerate to set up for the next turn.  I'm talking about the last turn of a set or a lone turn, where the next section is straight.  Sliding back to center doesn't work well, the seat is a little sticky.

Suggestions?  Just trying to figure out smooth and build good habits every ride.  Thanks in advance.

[Slide Panda]

Baby powder on the seat...

I find that lifting my butt of up bit makes for a smoother transition - just make sure to lift up using your legs and core.

[somegirl]

Have you practiced with the bike on a stand?

[johnster]

I usually just apply some pressure on the tank with my outside thigh/knee while simultaneously straightening the bike out + accellerating, to scoot back over to center....For me personally, lifting up off the seat isn't as smooth, because it puts more weight on the footpegs + causes an unstable exit... But that's just me...

-Or you could just keep your butt hanging off the inside while bring your upper body back to the outside, and look over your outside shoulder and rip a kick-ass crossed up power wheelie!!   

[Moronic]

Speedevil,

are you hauling on the handlebars to pull yourself back onto the bike?

Just a thought. 

[Statler]

yup...my thought is the little weave is from unintentional handlebar input.

Light a grip as possible and little input as possible on the bars...use your legs.   But let us know in any event. 

[speedevil]

unintentional handlebar input

That may just be it.  In the turn, all steering input is pressure on the inside grip, and the outside arm is relaxed.  When exiting the turn I relax inside pressure and slowly add outside pressure at the same time.  Maybe I am pulling on the bars when coming back to center.  I'll have to pay close attention to that the next time I'm riding.

Thanks for responding.

[Ducatista]

I agree with Statler and others and I think you're inadvertently pulling yourself back on the seat using your hands.  It's natural to want to do it that way, but you have to break yourself of that habit.  On my Monster, I generally don't ride hard enough to need the extra few degrees of lean angle cushion, but on the SV, I have a superbike tail with very thin padding on the seat, so it's a bit easier to do right.  You want to keep all your weight in your toes and tush and your lateral stability in your knees around your tank.  When you are getting off the bike, you want to open your hips and basically face them in the direction you're turning, which will in turn force your knee out even more.  This takes a bit of flexibility.  Then to get back on the bike, you just squeeze your knees together and it pulls your rump back on the bike.  Make sense?  I got this from one of the Cornerspeed instructors on Monday when he was coaching my boyfriend, Stillie.  I hadn't ever thought of it that way.

[topspin_flyer]

1+ on turning your hips, a great tip that nobody seems to talk about, no mention of it in any books i've read, but that is what I heard for the first time in the Total Control class (but not in the book!) - that is key and really helps you point the inside knee (makes all the difference in the world).  Turn you shoulders with those hips too, right?  Squeezing your knees to get back center over the seat is another great tip, first time I heard it articulated that way, but that makes a lot of sense so I will thankfully take that one.  And also let me add you should not to get back over center until after bike is standing up, that is the last thing to do, so as to be a good passenger and not upset the suspension of the bike.  Good stuff.

[johnster]

When you are getting off the bike, you want to open your hips and basically face them in the direction you're turning, which will in turn force your knee out even more. 

WOW...I wasn't going to reply to this until I actually tried it, so I went for a spirited ride today with a very good m750 rider who I met on the road (and should be joining the DMF soon if he keeps his word!!  )...

I read this post the other day + gave it a shot today, and it  REALLY helps to turn your hips a bit!!  Not only does it improve your body position, but I felt like I could look even farther through the turn without having to turn my neck as drastically, and I was taking turns at 70mph that I use to take at 60 ... And this is all on top of cenering yourself again easily...Great technique-enhancer!!

Thanks for the tip, Ducatista!! 

-John

[jasaretta]

No matter how often I come back to this site I always learn something new - thank you guys 

[Ducatista]

Thanks for the tip, Ducatista!! 

-John

Thank Stillie for needing form correction.  It was when Cornerspeed instructor, Steve Broadstreet, was instructing him that I heard the lesson and passed it on. 

[PizzaMonster]

So Ducatista...Where can I sign up for your lessons. 

You are making it so easy that even an old fool like me can understand .    

[Ducatista]

So Ducatista...Where can I sign up for your lessons. 

You are making it so easy that even an old fool like me can understand .    

   www.cornerspeed.net

Everything I've learned about good performance riding, I've learned from my friends there.  The instructors are fabulous and I'm friends with several of them.  They have nothing but top notch instruction and as far as I know, only one of them is not an expert licensed racer.  (She doesn't go to enough tracks to get enough points to point up to expert, but she's no joke and she's my favorite instructor.) 

Aaron Stevenson runs a really tight ship and you will learn a ton if you take this race school.  Once you've completed the first level of the course, you can go down anytime they're there for a track day.  I'll be taking Level 1 this year.

[PizzaMonster]

Thanks for the link .I'm afraid it's a bit out of the way for me.

I have a riding buddy who just completed the F.A.S.T. course at Shannonville (Ontario) and he is doing his best to convince me to sign up for one.  He said it was a total eye-opener.

All I need to do now is to find a way to get rid of that yellow streak I have running down my back.