Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: zhangjx0545 on October 26, 2020, 09:41:20 PM
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Feel embarrassed asking this question about fundamental riding technique
but my rusty riding and such a HEAVY bike, I feel hard to turn right from a stop sign. I saw a few videos online, saying turn handle bar all the way to the right when stopped and then release the clutch, haven't tried yet
How is everyone make tight turns from stop?
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Hmm, I don't think much about it. But I don't ever start off with the wheel turned. Almost always mostly straight, then power, then turn.
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What Max said.
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What I do and what I should do are two different things.
I should turn the bars to the right and then add power and quickly lean the bike to the right, but with such a heavy bike it's very difficult
to do without practice. Without practice and consistent technique sooner or later I know I'll end up stabbing a foot down and
it won't be enough because I'm short and weak. Flashed ECU or no, my bike can be jerky at slow speed throttle changes so that adds to the problem.
If you just turn the bars to the right and apply power from a stop without leaning the bike to the right it will lean itself to the left and most likely take you
across the center line before you can get it sorted out. If you use your bike to commute there is a better chance that you'll get good at it. If like me however,
where the bike just sits between trips, then there isn't much chance of getting proficient at it nor maintaining any proficiency that one might develop.
So I do what max' and Freddy said but it makes for a wider turn. One little thing you can do is not stop right at the point of the turn but rather stop
a car length back from the intersection so you'll be rolling and feet up before you need to initiate the turn. Hard to do though when you are trying to
turn right on a red traffic light because of limited vision down the cross road.
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I do ride every day and it is a non-issue for me. One of the main roads I use leaving home ends with a uphill and a stop sign so I have to approach straight. I take off with just enough power and a bit off slipping the clutch to get me over the hump, turn in then feather the clutch to avoid running wide. At this point the bike wants to fall over and I just "pick it up" with the throttle and I am on my way.
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Perhaps a basic course in MC riding is in order? You can brush up on your technique and get some pointers from someone more experienced.
https://www.msf-usa.org/ (https://www.msf-usa.org/)
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Thanks for the advice on MSF course. I just finished a refresher course but using provided bikes which are small and light. Hesitate to take my concours to the course :- :P afraid to drop it in the tight turn setup
Pretty different feeling when transition from light to heavy bikes
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Thanks for the advice on MSF course. I just finished a refresher course but using provided bikes which are small and light. Hesitate to take my concours to the course :- :P afraid to drop it in the tight turn setup
Pretty different feeling when transition from light to heavy bikes
In daily life, on the street, right turns are not so tight that you have to start with the bars turned. Start with the bars straight, look where you want to go, and don't overthink. It will become natural once you stop thinking.
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I just finished a refresher course but using provided bikes which are small and light. Hesitate to take my concours to the course :- :P afraid to drop it in the tight turn setup
Pretty different feeling when transition from light to heavy bikes
I agree, my DR650 is considered kind of a pig in the dirt bike arena but it is so much easier to navigate at slow speed because my weight shifting standing on the pegs affects it
so much more than anything I can do with my weight on the C14. I'd love to be able to do police bike maneuvers with lock to lock slow speed turns, but that takes some parking lot practice.
Even with a 10 year old 100,000 mile bike with top block tip over protection I don't want to risk the ensuing damage that would occur to achieve those skills.
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In daily life, on the street, right turns are not so tight that you have to start with the bars turned. Start with the bars straight, look where you want to go, and don't overthink. It will become natural once you stop thinking.
Correct. Thinking is very overrated.
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Correct. Thinking is very overrated.
Perhaps, but certainly under utilized as well.
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Correct. Thinking is very overrated.
:rotflmao: That was supposed to be, overthinking.
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There you go....thinking again. Never works out.
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Perhaps a basic course in MC riding is in order? You can brush up on your technique and get some pointers from someone more experienced.
https://www.msf-usa.org/ (https://www.msf-usa.org/)
Thanks for the advice on MSF course. I just finished a refresher course but using provided bikes which are small and light. Hesitate to take my concours to the course :- :P afraid to drop it in the tight turn setup
Pretty different feeling when transition from light to heavy bikes
WAY back when I first got my C-14 I took the three MSF courses as a refresher for myself. Time well spent.
As you said, they use small lightweight bikes for the first two courses. Those Honda Rebels were fun to ride. The instructor nick named me Sparky because I was always dragging the tip over bars while making turns. :)
The 3rd course was the most fun for sure. Riding my C-14 in this setting was a blast. It really improved my low speed handling of the bike. I was a bit concerned that I might drop the bike during the course and I even took the bags off before class, just in case. But I do have drop bars on the bike so at least any damage would have been minimized. The good news is that I didn't drop it, or even come close. The best way to avoid dropping your bike is to install crash bars. ;)
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There you go....thinking again. Never works out.
:rotflmao:
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One little thing you can do is not stop right at the point of the turn but rather stop a car length back from the intersection so you'll be rolling and feet up before you need to initiate the turn.
Hard to do though when you are trying to turn right on a red traffic light because of limited vision down the cross road.
You can also stop on the Left side of your lane {away from the curb} as it allows you to do the turn in a larger arc.
Being farther from the curb also gives you a better view to your right.
Ride safe, Ted
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Sometimes I'll line up to the light or stop sign at an angle. Helps the turn in but more importantly helps me see behind with my '09's low mirrors. I've been reawakened to that danger after getting rear ended in my car from someone three cars back. $13,500 in damage.
Glad I wasn't on the Concours that day.
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I have always preferred to take off with the bars straight forward, and turn once moving.
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Just a tiny bit of countersteering on a straight takeoff helps me with the heaviness of the bike. Seems to work OK.
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Maybe stop a bit further back so you can get moving BEFORE turning. She's much more nimble on her feet when already moving forward.