I am the weakest link...

[plasmasurge]

What I'm about to relate might seem obvious to the more experienced guys out there, but it might be of some help to new riders or those getting back into riding after a long lay-off (like me).

Over the past couple of months, I've posted several whining messages along the lines of "my bike feels funny" and questions about suspension setup. It all began when I started to use my new DRZ-S for commuting to work and became concerned about the bike's on-road manners. I was convinced there was something wrong and I've spent hours checking and re-checking tyre pressures, wheel bearings and chain tension and fiddling with the suspension. Last weekend I found the cause, and it wasn't what I expected.

In reply to one of my early messages, some sage person wrote "are you sure it's not you're ass that's loose?" I started thinking about that and when I went out on the bike and I made a concious effort to relax, enjoy the bike and try to ride as smoothly as possible. Suddenly, the bike felt solid and sharp and the perceived handling problems disappeared. It turns out that my ass wasn't loose, it was too tight (yes, I was being a tight-ass).

A DRZ isn't a 'blade or a 'busa, it's a trail bike with over 10" of suspension travel and semi-knobbly tyres. There's no way it's going to handle as well as a sports bike on the road and if you ride it hard, tarmac seams, diesel spills etc. ARE going to cause you minor (and maybe major) dramas from time to time. When you realize this and that fact that by sitting rigidly on the bike with your hands gripping the bars so tight your knuckles hurt you're actually making your own life more difficult (and dangerous), only then can you start to chill out and just RIDE the thing, dammit.

Exactly the same thing applies off-road, only more so. Even on the relatively tame terrain that my abilities limit me too at the moment, I'm spending more time on the pegs rather than sitting down paddling wildly.

Like I said, this is no doubt laughable to most of you but I had to share my revelation and it'll hopefully help some other dual-sport novice.

[Moredesert]

Right on. Glad you found the grove.

[EZGZ]

Come on Hotler don't tease us. LAY IT ON US BROTHER.

Have you been reading them high speed street bike mags? ?

Tell all and you will feel better.

[FMFDRZ01]

Glad you foud the grove with yor DRZ. Now its time to bond with it. hahahaha

[DR-ZEZ]

plasmasurge, I identify with you, not so much as far as road riding, but with the trail riding. I had been away from trail riding for 20 years. I fell a lot in the woods in the beginning. But now I find myself not falling and I am beginning to find the groove. I actually feel more confident on this bike on the tarmac than I did on my Kawi ZR7. I remember last summer going around a corner and riding a seam of new and old pavement. The bike got a little wobbley and got my heart pumping a few extra beats. This seems to handle irregular surfaces without the extra excitement. I guess it helps that it is about 150 lbs lighter. But anyways, like Moredesert said, I'm glad you found the groove. It can only get better. ?

[Hotler]

YES, YES, YES, the force is with you now. Always be light on the bike especially in the nasty stuff. You are the third suspension member. ?

PS. Have any of you "S" or supermotard riders learned to back it into a corner on the street yet? If so tell us how you did it.

[ December 17, 2001: Message edited by: Hotler ]

[Gyro]

learned to back it into a corner?

Well I can lean the bike pretty far down with my street tires on it (not the trail wings).

but I'm thinking you mean something else?

[WILD_FX]

When I slaped on the street tires on my stock rims ther was a day that I went to work and I backed it in to my favorite off ramp at about 50 MPH .I was a gear too low and trying to slow up real fast the back end came right out on me !! With the dirt tires I would have pulled in the clutch and let the bike snap back but with the added traction from those sticky street tires made it feel ok to be layed out on my side with no fear of high siding or droping the bike on it's side . So my riding style on the DRZ got looser and better! One day I met up with a guy that works near me and he races sport bikes and road with him on a trip down town, after that ride he all ways calls me Supermoto man so I went all the way with it .SSSOOOOOOOOO much fun ?

[Gyro]

yea it can be fun sliding the bike in corners, takes a long time to get used to it, I'm still not used to it! But the drz really can out-handle, out corner the street bikes in the city.

The drz can take a much sharper corner then a street bike.... Although it would never keep up with a street bike in a big long fast turn.

When I get out of college I'll be buying a street bike so I can have the best of both worlds. Dirt and over 180mph Well unless my prioritys change.......... lol ? yea right!

[EZGZ]

How can this be. Sounds fun but I figured the center of gravity is way to high on these bikes for that street stuff. Please tell more.

Another Question: I was looking at Dirt Rider mag at the grocery store and on the cover there is this front view photo of all the hot dog Mx stars coming around a rutted corner with there inside foot off the peg, foot stuck out front. You could see the soles on all of there boots. I thought the idea was to keep your weight on the pegs to keep the center of gravity as low as possible. Whats up with that? Oh young sages of speed!

[Gyro]

all I know about putting my foot out is, that it has become second nature. I can see using the method when on the trail going along soft corners and almost washing out. Or on the street I could see doing that when your not so sure you will be keeping traction.

The drz may have a higher centre of gravity, but it also turns much sharper, and is lighter.

just works better in the 90* corners and such.

[Hotler]

I learned to ride by roadracing when I was 16. Yes all the fast guys are hanging the rear end out going into the corner just like a flat tracker only on asphalt. I have a KX500 supermotard street legal, it just doesn't have enough engine brake to get the rear to hang out so I just ride it like a TZ250 and lean it.

Sticking your foot out front over the front wheel helps weight the front for more traction. MX and roadrace tracks ok, but watch hanging your foot out on the trail it will get ripped off by rocks and/or roots.

[WILD_FX]

Originally posted by EZGZ:

[QB]How can this be. Sounds fun but I figured the center of gravity is way to high on these bikes for that street stuff. Please tell more.

QB]

I know a few guys who have thrown a leg over a Supermoto ,who swore that the sport bike rules until that moment...

So now the sport bikes were sold or gathering dust just waiting for that HWY ride once and a while.

Do to the shear fun factor of the SM style of riding and like jumping curbs , loading docks , loading ramps , stairs , side walks , steep streets SanFransisco like and full throttle over cobble stone roads , stoppies , wheelies BLAH BLAH blah.......

I do not think that a sport bike would stay together with me kickin the $hit outa the poor thing ?

[dendrz]

I spectated at two supermoto races near Belfast Ireland and driving up to watch the first one my brother remarked that it was like when we were younger and used to scobe around town and the back country roads on our old XT600s.

Any way first supermoto i seen, it was brilliant fun even just to watch and listen to those tires howl ?

No feet out on corners BTW most seemed to keep that inside boot on footrest.

Lots of fun, pity it has not caught on as big in Canada yet, i put a post in CMG Online once and not many had even heard of it.

It would be far less expensive and more fun than road racing IMO.

Den

[Hotler]

The best part is when you catch the left turn arrow just right off of a fast street and hang it out in front of all the people in their cars stopped at the light, they're thinking what a crazy ba$tard and you're going yeehaa! ?

I love motorcycles.

[WILD_FX]

Originally posted by Hotler:

The best part is when you catch the left turn arrow just right off of a fast street and hang it out in front of all the people in their cars stopped at the light, they're thinking what a crazy ba$tard and you're going yeehaa!

I love motorcycles.

You show em Hotler

?