I think the reason those kinds of curve are causing you problems is maybe because your suspension hasn't fully settled from the hump before you need to start setting it up for the corner. Check the damping is working as effectively as it should, firm the suspension up a little and try again. Another thing is to make sure your position on the road is "neutral" so if it goes either left or right you can deal with it. Try going over the hump a gear lower than you do currently, that makes the bike feel a little more tight. Just a couple of things that might help.

 

I’ve taken the two week police motorcycle course and have no problems taking corners at speed.


On a trip in North Carolina on Highway 29, a friend on a Kawasaki Concourse was leading with a friend and his wife following on Road King. I was last on my 1986 FL. The guy on the Concourse was going too fast for me so I slowed down. They entered a blind right hand, down hill corner and I heard scraping. I said to myself, “he’s scraping his floorboards”.


I came around the corner and saw their bike on the far side of the road with him laying next to their bike. His wife was laying on the double yellow in the middle of the road. I almost ran over her and stopped with my front wheel about 3 inches away from her head.


No broken bones only road rash and a scratched up Road King. She rode with me for the rest of the trip because she was scared to ride with her husband.

We didn’t even get to Deal’s Gap before they crashed.


Ride your own ride. Don’t think your doing something wrong. Better safe than sorry. I wasn’t embarrassed I slowed down. If I didn’t slow down that time the crash would have been a lot worse for her and me.


By the way, her husband ended up taking a motorcycle racing course in California and can take corners better.

 

Also beware that oncoming traffic may be crowding the yellow line/your lane!

 

You "apex clippers" have never ridden the roads around here. Almost a given that you will find the center of the curve filled with gravel kicked up from the shoulder. Only way is slow down and follow the inner path or outer path that the 4 wheel traffic cleans off. If you aren't familiar with the road go slow. Reducing radius curves will bite you if you can't see all the way thru.

 

Yeah, keep doin' just what you're doin'! One of the worst mistakes you can make with any vehicle is out drivin' your line of sight. Crestin' that hump without bein' able to see the road could have been a real problem if you had been movin' faster. Bendin' into that curve at 55 or 60 might have been a rush, or it could have been a disaster. Sounds to me like you left yourself the time & room to adjust your riding to the point where you were comfortable. Professional racers walk a road coarse before they race it to familiarize themselves, & they aren't expecting traffic in the opposite direction, rocks, or stray animals. You're doin' fine, keep enjoyin' those rides.

 

since its all been said over and over,,dont try to be something you are not,, if you dont know the road there could be a car backing out just around the bend or even someone in your lane,, slow down enough to enjoy the ride and dont try to impress anyone,,,

 

What if there was a tractor stopped in the road? Livestock or a deer standing in your lane? A cager coming from the other direction who decided they needed half of your lane? Gravel/dirt in the middle of the curve? Etc? Sounds to me like you were going plenty fast in that situation on a road you don't know. Asking for tips to allow you to go faster when presented with these situations will eventually make you a statistic. A major cause of motorcycle death is the single vehicle accident where the rider either can't make the turn due to speed and misjudgment, or wrecks trying to avoid something in a curve that they didn't expect.

THIS TIME! You don't know what will be over the next rise, or in the middle of the next turn. Ride safe, ride long.

 

Sounds to me like you are a prime candidate to take a MRF experienced rider course. I promise that you will learn something and you will become a better rider for taking it. Also, don't try to keep up with other riders--- they may or may not be riding according to their ability, not yours.

 

Thanks to all for the pointers and encouraging words. As many have said, it is important to be prepared for the unexpected around the next curve. On that same road yesterday I had to slow down as a deer ran across in front of me from my right to left. If I had been going faster, we might be having a very different conversation. Or maybe none at all. I do realize that riding faster does not make me better and perhaps I should have worded my previous posts differently. I guess I'm just looking to increase my confidence and comfort level without reaching the point of becoming complacent. That's when you can really hurt yourself. I guess confidence comes with experience. Thing is I've been riding for 16 years (some years more than others, and not nearly as much as most of you) but some days I still feel like a rookie. I guess it's good to not think I know everything. I guess I should just keep on riding and enjoying it. When I originally posted this I almost thought I would get more responses telling me how bad I suck, but you guys seem supportive and I appreciate that.
As for the point about the suspension not being ready for the curve after the hump, I absolutely agree. I have been researching and considering what I want to do about upgrading. Probably gonna call Howard and go with some variety of Ohlins on the rear, and maybe Fabrik8r modified Intiminators up front. I will just have to remember to not get over confident after the changes. At that point the bike will definitely be better than me, but it should make the ride more enjoyable.

 

Be Yourself!!! At least when you Ride.
Face the facts of keeping up with those yahoo's carving the curves...
1,Are they going to be the one laid up in the trama center?
2, Are they the ones going to bear the legal and financial responsibilities?
3,And do you really expect them to care for your family after?
4,Are they going to put your bike back together?
The answers are they are Not on YOUR bike to let it out, roll on it, or pull it in, are they?... See? Ride Your Own Ride!!!