Cornering tips

[3Rider]

Hello folks,



Well no one seemed to find my post re: engaging 3rd gear all that engaging so let me try another question as a week-old newbie:



I find it hard to get much of a lean angle going on my '99 at highway speeds. I find this disconcerting; I'm worried I'll get caught unable to dodge a sticky situation (never mind miss out on some potential fun.)



Why is that my usual push-steering technique doesn't seem to get the bike to heel over? When I do manage to nail a corner, why do the wide bars feel like I'm steering it with the outside grip, tricycle-like? I feel like I'm delicately dirt-biking it around corners, if that makes any sense,  even though I'm strafing around at 120kph.



I read a review that mentioned this problem but the writer didn't explain how he got around it. After a few long and fast rides, I'm a bit embarassed that the little whiskers on the sides of my new rear Tourance are very much still in place.



Tips? Thanks!



Rob

[wasions]

Heh.  That's funny.



I've always pulled to turn, and just today noticed that on the Tiger I push to turn (in most cases).  Seating position have anything to do with it?

[apache]

No disrespect to the Tiger, at least my 97, but generally speaking I find it the most stiff bike to quickly manuver around. Unflickable? is that still worthy. I can honestly say at 55mph I can run zig zaging thru the highway broken lines on my Old Harley but no way could I do it on the Tiger. Not sure if thats a good thing or not.but....  I was real hesitant to run TKC`s also after how they felt on my Ducati Elefant. They have the fall over feeling in corners. surprisingly It didnt happen on the Tiger. Look at the benefits of dead steady handeling at speeds though. Guess its all a trade off.

[Guest]

If the bike doesn't feel neutral in corners then its not set up right. You should be able to take your hands off the bars mid corner without upsetting anything. Have you seen pictures of some smartarse running his hand on the deck mid corner? It's not clever. It's just that the bike setup is spot on and everything feels secure.

So, try experimenting with the tyre pressures, shock settings like pre-load. If the ride height is wrong it means the steering geometry is wrong too.

You need to spend time experimenting to get the bike feeling right for you.

[greg]

An obvious one that will definitely affect cornering - is your rear squared off? Which is a bit like asking if you have juice in the tank when the bike won't start. If the tyre is squared off a new one will transform the bike.

[greg]

An obvious one that will definitely affect cornering - is your rear squared off? Which is a bit like asking if you have juice in the tank when the bike won't start. If the tyre is squared off a new one will transform the bike.

What a thicko I am, I now notice you have a new Tourance fitted :oops:

[3Rider]

Thanks for the tips, everyone; I'm listening! Having had the bike only a week, I'm open to any and all suggestions.



And I'm open to the argument that a Tiger isn't supposed to handle like my friend's FZ1 (Fazer to you Euro-dwellers) - it certainly can do things on unpaved roads that the others can't.



Yes, the Metzelers are brand-new. Tire pressures are spec, rear pre-load is one click firmer than factory settings, and I haven't even figured out where the rebound setting is for the rear.



But the roads have been smooth so far so I suspect the flaw is in the rider. Perhaps I need shift my weight more to the inside of a turn. Perhaps I need to treat the bars with the delicacy and respect I never granted to that first-year girl I never got anywhere with. Perhaps I need to get myself those crash bars I can't afford yet and take a few medium-speed risks.



Anyway, thanks for the advice so far. I'd love to hear more.



And thanks for your advice in the past; I was lurking on this site for a while before deciding to go Triumph.



Rob

[kevm]

Is your front tire Ok - worn fronts can end up with a higher ridge down the centre - makes it feel like it won't turn, and when it does, like it won't sit up again.  Really horrible feeling.

[3Rider]

That might have been a possibility, Kevm, but my front is a brand new Tourance too. At least I'm putting some wear onto the sides of that one.



Anyway, I may just have to chalk it up to the characteristics of this type of bike -- jack of all trades,  master of , umm, mud. :)



R.

[Wrangler]

I saw an Discovery channel show that talked about choppers and their propensity to want to go in a straight line (witness chopper guys riding hands free at freeway speeds).  Basically the more raked out the forks of a chopper the less inclined it is to want to turn.  They gave an explanation regarding the physics of this but it fails me now.



OK so look at the Tiger compared to majority of street bikes, relatively long wheelbase and raked out more than most.  Say pre 2004.



With regards to push steering I have found the same thing as other people wrote.  My own observation or comment is that I don't even have to push steer.  Going into a turn if I shift my weight to the inside of the turn the bike leans and follows the turn.



You can't just throw the tiger into a curve with a large +/- variance.  Screw it up on the high end and you could be in trouble compared to other bikes.  But get it right, accelerate through and out she responds beautifully.



I would really like to hear others comments.

[Wrangler]

I saw an Discovery channel show that talked about choppers and their propensity to want to go in a straight line (witness chopper guys riding hands free at freeway speeds).  Basically the more raked out the forks of a chopper the less inclined it is to want to turn.  They gave an explanation regarding the physics of this but it fails me now.



OK so look at the Tiger compared to majority of street bikes, relatively long wheelbase and raked out more than most.  Say pre 2004.



With regards to push steering I have found the same thing as other people wrote.  My own observation or comment is that I don't even have to push steer.  Going into a turn if I shift my weight to the inside of the turn the bike leans and follows the turn.



You can't just throw the tiger into a curve with a large +/- variance.  Screw it up on the high end and you could be in trouble compared to other bikes.  But get it right, accelerate through and out she responds beautifully.



I would really like to hear others comments.

[TRKTEK]

Hey 3Rider,

From where you are I would try the Calabogie Boogie.......

Or Maybe the Ompah Stomp....(County road 509).

Slow at first and pick it up from there.

I Just bought a 05 Tiger last fall and was delighted by the neutral steering characteristics of the big cat......Fast sweepers are more its forte rether than flicking through twisties....

Have fun, Ride safe....



Steve

[speedysheep]

I just put a set of Pirelli Scorpion MT90's on my '05.  Anyone else ever try these?

They handle much quicker than the stock Anakees.  If I so much as look too hard at one of the grips it falls right over into a turn.  It's actually a little tiring to ride in a straight line at some speeds, as it just wants to fall over with the slightest steering input.  Very quick and easy to transition on a twisty road though, and they seem to have pretty decent bite.

If you want a quicker steering Tiger they might be worth a try.

[eviltwin]

My Steamer has a tendency to fall slightly into corners, but a fistfull of throttle at the apex allways adds stability and help straighten her up. Isn't this the way a bike should be ridden anyway?



Also: tight  twisties are tough because the center of mass on these bikes is really high. So, to swing all that weight from one side to the other will take some time and force. Thats why the tiger isn't flickable like a sportbike. But on long sweepers the bike shines, the high center of mass now helps ballance the bike and settle the suspension.



I also run a few psi less than the manual says, to improve grip.  A vague front-end feel seems to be the nature of the beast. Thanks to soft and long-travel forks. The comfort comes at a price.



Just my two cents...

[eviltwin]

My Steamer has a tendency to fall slightly into corners, but a fistfull of throttle at the apex allways adds stability and help straighten her up. Isn't this the way a bike should be ridden anyway?



Also: tight  twisties are tough because the center of mass on these bikes is really high. So, to swing all that weight from one side to the other will take some time and force. Thats why the tiger isn't flickable like a sportbike. But on long sweepers the bike shines, the high center of mass now helps ballance the bike and settle the suspension.



I also run a few psi less than the manual says, to improve grip.  A vague front-end feel seems to be the nature of the beast. Thanks to soft and long-travel forks. The comfort comes at a price.



Just my two cents...