5 ms·
I got a new (to me) motorcycle this year for a long trip I was planning and one of the things that surprised me was how much countersteer it needed to navigate
by agurk 4y ago
I got a new (to me) motorcycle this year for a long trip I was planning and one of the things that surprised me was how much countersteer it needed to navigate tight mountain turns. I could definitely feel it in my arms at the end of each day.
A few thousand kilometers into the trip I changed the front tyre as it had hit the wear bars and was amazed how completely it changed the handling of the bike. Instantly I stopped needing to consciously countersteer to enter turns and needed to shift my weight in the saddle a lot loss too.
My assumption is that the new tyre has a cross-section that's a lot rounder than the old/worn tyres. I would have taken photos to compare them if I had realised that it would make such a difference. It was also a different brand (I didn't have much choice when I changed it) which also would have brought a different profile with it.
- pryelluw 4y agoNice, what bike?
- agurk 4y agoA Yamaha XSR900 - probably not what people would think of as a natural bike to go on a 5500 km journey from Northern Europe to the Balkans, but you really can tour on anything. It was great in the alpine roads - especially the few days I did unloaded. It wasn't ideal on the few unpaved roads I found - especially with road tyres - but I coped with it. A few more litres in the tank (only 14L, ~300km) would have been helpful. Luggage was a bit harder due to limited options but I got a 48L tailpack and a 12L tank bag. With a few straps and bungees I had enough space to fit everything needed for riding and camping.
- pryelluw 4y agoThat’s a nice bike. Enjoy!
- tbyehl 4y agoA noticeable reduction in steering effort and weight shifting sounds like the new tire was inflated a few PSI higher than the old. Every motorcycle I've owned takes the corners MUCH easier with 2-3 more PSI in front than the manual states.