How to turn sharpish corners?

[greypianosflying]

Hi.

Silly question, but what is the best way to turn sharply into an entrance.  For example, turning right into the entrance of a road.

I have a rather tricky right turn with a drain / pothole right in the bikes line. If I do it in second the bike stutters.  If I do it in first then the bike is quite hard to keep steady when I hit bumps.  Clutch slip in first makes the manoeuvre a bit slow but a bit more manageable.  Not tried clutch slip in second yet. 

Cheers!

[Ant43]

Slow in fast out 

[blizzard]

practice is the only way

[thirdway]

First gear, clutch, back brake and throttle balance. Look deep into the corner. With slow speed turns it can sometimes help to turn the bike underneath you while just taking a bit of weight off your backside, instead of the conventional way of going with the bike.

Watch the drain and try and avoid it if you can, or keep the bike as upright and straight as possible if you have to go over it, because one day it will be slick and down you will go.

[Machine]

Originally Posted by thirdway

Watch the drain and try and avoid it if you can

I know you probably don't literally mean watch it, but given the nature of the query it's probably worth pointing out that's the one thing not to do. Target fixation - you go where you look. Look at a hazard and you'll head for it. Look through the corner at where you want to be going and that's where you'll go. 

[greypianosflying]

Originally Posted by thirdway

First gear, clutch, back brake and throttle balance. Look deep into the corner. With slow speed turns it can sometimes help to turn the bike underneath you while just taking a bit of weight off your backside, instead of the conventional way of going with the bike.

Watch the drain and try and avoid it if you can, or keep the bike as upright and straight as possible if you have to go over it, because one day it will be slick and down you will go.

That's pretty much what I was taught when doing the manoeuvres for my bike test.  Also been how I've been doing it so far, just feels painfully slow. 

Strange thing is I found this turning hard in the car for a few weeks when I first moved here. 

Need to do a lot of slow speed practice - the bike felt horribly heavy the last time I did a u-turn a few days a go...   

Thanks for the advice.

[Red]

I take it this is slow riding and turning at junctions.
 
So back to the training ground called a car park.
 
Keep the practice up, its needed all the time no matter how long you have been riding.
 
Head up and turned into the junction and beyond. Constant throttle and adjust speed on the clutch and rear brake. Once you get this in hand it then might be easier to do yout corner in 2nd, but safely first.

[thirdway]

It's not a bike that is balanced at low speeds. Typical Triumph it's top heavy so it helps with turns at anything above walking pace. You just need extra careful control of throttle, clutch and brake........or buy a KTM 690 / Ducati Monster as they have perfect low speed balance due to the engine and fuel placement.

[Red]

Or the steering lock, so take that careful to in the carpark, its easy to hit the lock when you get a bit more confident in turning.

[0luke0]

The lock is terrible on the STR, much worse than any sports bike I've owned. 

[thirdway]

Originally Posted by 0luke0

The lock is terrible on the STR, much worse than any sports bike I've owned.

Yes, it isn't good.  It's a mistake on a bike like the Street because it's intended as light, nippy urban transport and back road blasting. Not as if it's intended to end its life on motorway runs.

[675babe]

The lock is terrible on the STR, much worse than any sports bike I've owned. 


Oh no.... i found this with my R6, oh well will have to keep this in mind..
Good info guys..
 

[Craig_S]

Best advice I was ever given is look where you want to go. It really does work.

[Deep Vee]

I've spent the last 7 years on an '05 ZX-6R, and I've read about how crap the steering lock on the Street Triple is.

LIES!

It's heaps better than the steering lock on the ZX-6R. And the low-speed balance is far better too.

On topic, I also endorse spending more time practicing the 1st gear/clutch/throttle/rear brake technique.

[cpszx]

i agree with all the others regarding practice

its just time in the saddle that can make this better

in a car park is good advice from Red

my slow speed and cornering/junction abilities improved when i started commuting in London, because i was forced to do slow speed manuevering, rather than choosing to do it just as a practice exercise...