Deep Cornering

[docc]

Many of us have learned the side stand is first to ground in deep lefthanders. It has a springy, forgiving zing much like a spring loaded foot peg without the vibration to the boot.

 

I found the stock LaFranconi to ground in right handers but haven't touched anything down on the right since changing to the round Mitsrals.

 

Going over the bike carefully for a trip to the mountains I found a bent bolt that activates the side stand switch. Apparently it touched down in deep left cornering. Failing to activate the switch, the system thinks the stand is always up. Not a good thing if the bugger is down waiting to trip you up in that first lefthander.

 

So, give it a look and be sure your side stand switch is telling the truth

[al_roethlisberger]

...geez, you guys must corner a lot "deeper" than I do. Scary stuff

 

al

[Guest Jaap]

There shouldn't be an unused piece on the tire left...

[al_roethlisberger]

....ummm, yeah. You're scaring me

[Guest Jaap]

No really, these things are so easy to throw into a corner it's scary.

[al_roethlisberger]

...no really, you're scaring me

 

 

 

Seriously, I don't mind leaning over into a curve... in fact that's great, but I'm just not confident/skilled enough to push this thing over far enough to scrape bits

 

....I'm sure however, that others are confident and skilled enough. I just keep imagining a little bitty bunch of dirt/gravel/tar-snakes ... slide... kapow!

 

[Murray]

This is one of my major concerns with the V11 as the 1100 sport touches down eventually without the big springy loop attached to the side stand the rider foot peg touches on the other side but when you are wearing the tyres right to the edge front and rear thats enough. Good news on the mufflers that replacement does the trick. I have even considered removing he big wire loop off the V11 hard wiring the cutout switch and putting the bolt from the older 1100sports in the sidestand so it is spring loaded like they used to be athough I could see some people not very keen on that idea. Hmm maybe a new cafe racer with clip ons and a high rise exhaust system is the go hardly ever use the pillon faclities anyway. If someone wants to come riding with me they can bring thier own bike. Might even have enough money for a super motard cause the series is trying to kick off here again localy.

[Guest carlomoto]

I've been riding my V11 Sport for almost a year now. As I get more comfortable with it, I'm leaning more and more into turns.

 

I'm amazed at how nimble and stable it feels. Awesome bike.

[RichMaund]

You can trim the thickness of the rubber bumper that the sidestand rests against when retracted. That'll give you a bit more room before it touches down!

[Guest Jeff Kelland]

I must have big feet, my boots hit first

[docc]

Honestly, I've only touched down a few times. I'm of the opinion that touching down hard parts is an indication you've screwed up and blown your entry speed or line.

 

I still can't see any other way that bolt could have bent.

 

Haven't touched anything down since this last suspension revision. Headed to the north Georgia mountains next weekend and may find the limits there . . .

 

There's this road called "War Woman Road" . . .

[dlaing]

You can trim the thickness of the rubber bumper that the sidestand rests against when retracted. That'll give you a bit more room before it touches down!

True enough, but keep in mind that it is better to hit the foot of the kickstand rather than the kill switch actuator.

I too like the idea of putting a self retracting spring on the kickstand.

[Dirtybill]

Scraping stuff is not an indication of blowing a corner entry. It's an indication of some engineer not thinking if it's hard stuff like the damn stand on the Guzzi.

[Guest Le Man]

Coming from a number of performance bikes recently (Honda 929rr, honda rc51, ducati 996) I was amazed how well the Lemans does a corner. For my style of riding (chicken-shit street) I have a greater feeling of confidence in a corner with this bike than any of the others. Part of it ,I am sure , is I don't feel I have to prove I'm the fastest in the group anymore. But I swear this thing feels as if it has a lower CG than the others.

 

Mike

[Guest Jeff Kelland]

I tend to be a pretty aggressive rider, one of the reasons I went from a duck to a goose was to slow down a bit. I though my duck was the most confidence inspiring motorcycle I have ever ridden. I find the Le Mans suprisingly competent. I have not pushed it anywhere near as hard as the duck but I'm getting there. It is more stable than the ducati which felt nervous and demanded constant attention, but it was a scalpel when in it's element. I find the goose a little more work to ride aggressively in the twisties. What I notice most is that it feels different, most of a bike's stability and feel can be attributed to the gyroscopic effects the the wheels and the crank assembly. The goose (and some beemers and hondas) has it's crankshaft along it's roll center as opposed to across it as on the duck, and if fact on all true performance and race bikes. I'm not talking torque reaction here (although on the subject of stoppies and wheelies throttle control adds a new input) but about the effect of gyroscopic precession(sp?) whose reaction is 90 degrees to input forces. In theory it has to handle different. Not necessarily better or worse but different. I do suppose that torque reaction may play a part, but I don't notice it. Now I'm no engineer so anybody who can add to this or try to explain it differently I would welcome their thoughts.