I have been riding bikes now for 42 years and over that time I have learned a thing or two on the subject, the main one being, when you are having problems, seek expert advice.
Since getting the Fazer I've been having a lot of trouble riding it, to the point in fact that I was wondering if I had made a mistake in buying it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm riding it faster than I ever rode the TDM but it's hard work and heavy on the upper arms and shoulders. I'm concentrating so hard on keeping the bike on track that it's mentally exhausting too, I can barely manage 300 miles in a day.
I was starting to get frustrated with myself, I'm riding it the same as I've ridden all my other bikes for the last 25 years TDM's, XT's, XJ's so why the problem with this one?
My technique is the tried and tested (and widely taught) anchored push.
Excerpt from the popular Full control book.
To countersteer you must push precisely on the handlebar. In order for the steering command to move the
handlebar accurately, and not push your body backwards, you need ‘anchoring’. Just try it; stand with
your side towards a wall with your feet close together. Raise your arm and give the wall a firm push. To prevent
yourself falling you must step out with the foot furthest from the wall to support you. You must ‘anchor’ yourself.
On the bike, the natural anchoring point is the outside footpeg, the peg facing outward from the centre of the
bend.
An ‘anchored push’ means that you anchor yourself on the outer footpeg (consciously feel the peg under your
foot), contract your leg muscles just like a small kick-off, and transfer this force to the opposite handlebar end.
The term ‘anchored push’ signifies that you both anchor and push at the same time in order to achieve precision
in your steering command.
In a normal corner, the anchored push is experienced more as a ‘feeling’ than an exertion of raw power. But at
higher speeds, not to mention emergency swerving, you really need muscle in order to achieve the necessary
effect of the steering command. That is why the technique of an anchored push is so important. To aid that push
consider at the same time pulling on the opposite handlebar whilst still remaining ‘anchored’ to the machine.
Having used this technique for years I couldn't understand why I was having so much trouble.
After literally minutes of ceaseless searching I found the following videos and having used the information from them they have transformed the way I ride and how the bike behaves.
The most informative is the Troy Corsa one, He says the same as the others but actually explains the reasons for it and it was that video that explained why I was having so much trouble.
Basically a 30 year old technique has been fine and worked well for my bikes of choice because they were derived from 30 year old ideas and understanding of suspension and geometry but around 2006 there was a change in understanding of these things and bikes since then have been based on race bike derived technology, this also requires a change in riding technique to get the best out of the bike.
And for the more technically minded of us
Edited by celticbiker, 12 March 2017 - 12:08 am.