MSTA Forums
Main Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: David on May 02, 2015, 07:34:48 pm
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Well, I'm out riding today trying to reduce the size of chicken strips getting ready for Sparta rally. I can't find any tire chalk to mark my tire tread. I guess all the old members will be leaving me in the dust again. Maybe some curb feelers? or training wheels? 3 more weeks, I can't wait. Old but no so bold.
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Remember this...the racy types hang off to keep their bikes more upright to maintain cornering clearance and to stay on the fat part of their tires. What is it that you're doing by maintaining a more moderate pace? You're keeping your bike more upright to maintain cornering clearance and to stay on the fat part of your tires. So what's the problem? I've often wondered if the best riding technique would create the biggest chicken strips.
Yeah, I know it's a gross simplification, but there's some truth to it.
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I agree with Geoffrey.
Last summer I was doing a day ride near Bryson City with a couple of guys that were definitely quicker than me.
At the end of the day we were looking at our chicken strips. I had none and they had some visible unused area on their tires.
I learned two lessons that day.
#1 - Your lean angle does not necessarily make you quicker
#2 - I was pushing way to hard!
I backed off after that and I enjoyed the riding even more! -JEP-
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I agree. Chicken strips are a measure of your safety margin and technique. The more the better. (too a point of course)
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Also, remember that the more upright your bike stays, the more the suspension is able to do it's job, and keep the tire in contact with the road. With what the winter did to our roads here in Ohio, we need all the suspension we can get! :-[
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Sometimes chicken strips tell you something useful and sometimes not. One thing is it is not always the rider and technique that determines the width of the strip. Tires and the bike you ride are significant. Where you ride does too. In PA there are a lot of reverse camber twisties while in the SE there is a lot of high center camber. In the end I'm not sure, as previous posters have alluded to, that it is even worth trying to equate speed and strips. If you "really" and "truly" want to go faster, IMO, find someone who rides at the pace you want to ride with and follow them. You'll either improve or decide a longer life has more enjoyment to it than just driving fast on a motorcycle.
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In my experience.......wide tires=wide strips. skinny tires=skinny strips
I had wide strips on in 190/50.....zrx
I have narrow strips on my 180/55....FZ6
I have no strips on my 150/80....thruxton
over the same bit of road
What does this prove?........heck if I know! :)