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5K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  BKP 
#1 · (Edited)
How fast can I take this right hand hairpin?it seems like I am always scared coming in to the corner.
 

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#3 ·
25-30? Whatever is comfortable regarding the current conditions.
 
#6 ·
The good answer is as fast as you are comfortable with, no faster. As you gain experience you will find you can take the same corners faster and faster. What speed you should be able to go through that corner is irrelevant because my guess is you aren't doing it right yet.

Take my advice with a grain of salt because I have only been riding for eight months. I am just starting to feel very good in my turning ability.

We all have a tendency to dive right into a turn immediately. This is wrong, especially on a motorcycle. Notice where you have the most turning effort. I bet as you start seeing the exit, you find that you need to turn more. When you see the exit is when you would like to be more aggressive on the throttle. This means you need a later turning point.

Note the turning point you are using. Try moving it 3-4' down the road because this may help you make your apex later in the turn.

Another thing to try, because this is a multiple radius turn, is keep wide at the beginning, lightly turn into the turn, remaining wide until a point where you can make a nice tight arc, without adjustments, to complete the turn. That is your "real" turning point. That is how many of the tight turns in my area seem to be. They are similar to decreasing radius type turns. I think that is easier for cars because we all know how much they like to brake during turns.

The thing about real tight slow corners is it feels unstable and we just got to get comfortable with that feeling. Use the force and have faith that you won't drop the bike.

I'd guess that a good rider could take that turn at 35-40 mph.
 
#7 ·
Read the book or watch the video: Keith Code: Twist of the Wrist. I have already learned a ton from reading/watching this.
 
#10 ·
No problem man. Just practice one thing at a time. I focus on one thing for around a month. This month it's the two step (Code term), picking a turn point and really looking through the turn. You can't learn it all at once. Fortunately, we can practice nearly every day!
 
#12 ·
I agree! However, this is still an interesting topic. Realizing that the internet is filled with so much garbage, I saw a video that said if the footpegs aren't scrapping, you've still got more lean/ability to make the turn. Of course, for a newbie--that's terrifying! And, more importantly, is it factually accurate if you have the skill/experience and the road conditions permit? Just curious--not planning on being a knee-dragger anytime soon. ;)
 
#15 ·
If there's a posted suggested speed. My general rule is double it plus 20km and that's the fastest you can take that corner. It works!
It works in some areas. I could take you down some roads that are clearly marked and if you took the corners using your formula you'd fling yourself off the road at the very first corner.

Hell, I'd like no, love, to see you run the dragon and maintain the posted speed limit. ROLL VIDEO!
 
#18 ·
Just for a frame of reference, this is a run down US421 - The Snake I did a few years back. Were NOT blitzing it, just a nice pace. The important thing to notice here is lane position on the EXIT of a corner. Notice how it's very rare for us to get close to the center line unless we have a good view of the oncoming road way.

Their is a *HUGE* difference between a race line and a "stay alive" line.

EOM 09 - US 421, The Snake | bungie4 on Blip
 
#19 · (Edited)
There's a good book you can download from Amazon (read it on the free Kindle reader) called Total Control by Lee Parks.

Amazon.com: Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques eBook: Lee Parks: Kindle Store


Chapter 8 goes into extensive detail on cornering (line selection), choosing your apex for the turn, etc. He diagrams a number of different turns including your hairpin, which is essentially a decreasing radius turn. The book is worth the $15, and I'm sure Lee will excuse me posting his diagram here, in exchange for the plug:



P.S. The last MSF course a riding buddy and I took, "Bonding with your Bike," did decreasing radius drills, using "lollipops." They set up cones, equal lollipop stick length, with smaller and smaller lollipops at the top of each. You would do avoidance drills on the way up the stem (swerve between the cones), then enter the lollipop and ride the inside of the cones at any speed you were comfortable. Each one in succession reduced the lollipop diameter. Great drill. Best part, is we were using *their* bikes, which happened to be new cbr250r's... ha.
 
#20 ·
There's a good book you can download from Amazon (read it on the free Kindle reader) called Total Control by Lee Parks.

Amazon.com: Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques eBook: Lee Parks: Kindle Store


Chapter 8 goes into extensive detail on cornering (line selection), choosing your apex for the turn, etc. He diagrams a number of different turns including your hairpin, which is essentially a decreasing radius turn. The book is worth the $15, and I'm sure Lee will excuse me posting his diagram here, in exchange for the plug:



P.S. The last MSF course a riding buddy and I took, "Bonding with your Bike," did decreasing radius drills, using "lollipops." They set up cones, equal lollipop stick length, with smaller and smaller lollipops at the top of each. You would do avoidance drills on the way up the stem (swerve between the cones), then enter the lollipop and ride the inside of the cones at any speed you were comfortable. Each one in succession reduced the lollipop diameter. Great drill. Best part, is we were using *their* bikes, which happened to be new cbr250r's... ha.
Thanks.exactly what I needed.Is the green line better than red?or is it just a matter of choice?
 
#22 · (Edited)
with a decent set of tires...id say 35-40...if ur good. maybe faster but i cant see the camber in the road. but that said, only go as fast as ur skill set will let you, and dont forget trail braking. i was tryin to get a pic of my favorite curve.. its challengin as hell. off camber and an elevation drop. followed by a decreasing radius switch back over a bridge with a large hump. LOL. its a 60mph curve but its tough to get right. the other way back its on camber and up hill with no hump and is a blast. google map flattens out the road so maybe ill get some video of it or something.

here ya go.. looks easy from the air dont it? LOL. i have lived on this road for about 5 years now and i still get it wrong sometimes. I also have a trailblazer SS with an upgraded suspension package...talk about a hard curve.. do it at 60 in that thing.
 

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#25 ·
If someone tells you that you can do 50 around it, Will you try it? No, you wont..you will continue to go just as slow around it as you feel comfortable with..

and each time you ride and every additional mile under your belt on the cbr, your comfort level will rise and so will your speed in corners,including this one....without you even thinking about it.

Cool video bungie4....I ran The Snake last year, had a blast....going again sometime soon..its just an hour n half ride from me...just like the Dragon its best to avoid weekends....NC 209 out of Hot Springs is another popular motorcycle road in this region..I rode that one again today..will post a vid in the video section once I get it uploaded to YouTube later tonight
 
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