Cornering and Chicken Strips

[arai_speed]

Hit the track.  It's the best place for this.  Take a look at the picture below, starting from the left is my first track day, moving towards the right is a handfull of track days after.



After a while you'll get comfortable w/the bike and it's lean angle and you'll be able to really throw the bike over as in this picture:



Do this in BABY STEPS, if you jump the gun you'll more than likely eat shit.  Focus on your body position and your corner entry speed, the knee on the ground and the lack of chicken strips will follow.

GL!

[Wonked]

Thank you guys so much for the encouragement. I'm not in any big rush to eat sh!t, so I'll take an incremental approach. [moto]

[TCK!]

If you're only worried about chicken strips just buy some race tire take offs and wam-o chicken strip free.

As MsI stated, time to hit the track man!

[Bizzarrini]

Hit the track.  It's the best place for this.  Take a look at the picture below, starting from the left is my first track day, moving towards the right is a handfull of track days after.
Do this in BABY STEPS, if you jump the gun you'll more than likely eat shit. 

Dude, couldn't agree more, but what happened between pics two and three? I've noticed the new bodywork...

[arai_speed]

Dude, couldn't agree more, but what happened between pics two and three? I've noticed the new bodywork...

You'll also notice a new helmet between pics 1 and 2 

Angeles Crest Hwy is what happened, coming out of blind turn I hit a rock that was directly in my line.  Soon after that I converted the bike to track trim only and sold all the stock body work.

[darkduke]

Sounds like you might be ready for a track school.

+1 I've only been to one track day so far and it made a huge difference on my cornering ability. On top of that I would say make sure your bikes suspension is set up for your weight. That made a big difference for me as well, as far as how it handled throught the turn. Now I have zero Chicken strips but I didn't get the knee down.

[Bizzarrini]

You'll also notice a new helmet between pics 1 and 2 

Angeles Crest Hwy is what happened, coming out of blind turn I hit a rock that was directly in my line.  Soon after that I converted the bike to track trim only and sold all the stock body work.

Man, sorry to hear about that! You get away unharmed?

[arai_speed]

Man, sorry to hear about that! You get away unharmed?

Luckily I did - just bruised up. 

[PanDuc]

I know how ya feel wonked!  i started a 2000 mile trip with an new tire and barely used any of it.  the chicken strps were about 3/4 to 1"  and damn i was riding hard    i learned from this that the chicken strip meant nothing!!!  as i rode for sometime more i found my groove  right know now i am running about 0" of un-used tread on the left side and about 1/2" on the right ---- NOW i am ready for a track day.  good luck with your skills.   

Pan

[duc996]

If you're only worried about chicken strips just buy some race tire take offs and wam-o chicken strip free.

As MsI stated, time to hit the track man!

Or buy a sandpaper and scrub the sides of those tires,there's your chicken stripes.

[Moronic]

I know how ya feel wonked!  i started a 2000 mile trip with an new tire and barely used any of it.  the chicken strps were about 3/4 to 1"  and damn i was riding hard  i learned from this that the chicken strip meant nothing!!!  as i rode for sometime more i found my groove  right know now i am running about 0" of un-used tread on the left side and about 1/2" on the right ---- NOW i am ready for a track day.  good luck with your skills.   

Pan

As many people have pointed out - and I really like the way PanDuc makes the point here - chicken strips are something you get rid of by focusing on something else.

And in order to focus on that something else, you need to lose any obsession with the chicken strips. They just don't matter (tho I appreciate and applaud the OP's explanation for why they matter a little to him).

Here's another way to think about it that might help. If you were on the track, and another rider on a similar bike overtook you and pulled away, and then when you both returned to the pits you checked and his chicken strips were wider than yours, what could you conclude from the strips?

Here's a suggestion: that he was a better rider than even his superior speed indicated (and perhaps was just cruising on a fresh tyre).

[Wonked]

Well, I've adjusted the tire pressure in my bike to 36 front and rear, I suspect that to eliminate a little of the squirreliness I was getting in the curves. I'll practice more later this week and see how much that helps.

Again, many thanks to all who've contributed with a limited data set. I will also post some video.

[CDawg]

Well, I've adjusted the tire pressure in my bike to 36 front and rear, I suspect that to eliminate a little of the squirreliness I was getting in the curves. I'll practice more later this week and see how much that helps.

That's seems to be on the high side.  Let us know how you like it.

[Wonked]

That's actually down some (I was running at close to max PSI). What do you guys run?

[CDawg]

That's actually down some (I was running at close to max PSI). What do you guys run?

   Max PSI is the limit before the tire manufacturer denies any implied warranty on their products!
For the S4RS, manual states (approx) 2.1 bar for the front and 2.3 bars for the rear.  That translates (loosely) to 32psi for the front and 33psi for the rear.