errrr thanks a lot shadow......after some studying and head scratching think its best I leave well alone,god only knows what could happen if i start fiddling with spanners!
brakes are generally fine when stopping in a nice controlled fashion,but from time to time as Im sure happens to all of us I need to stop very quickly, which i could do quite confidently on the cbf the R1 takes it upon its self to go sideways in quite an alarming fashion!
is that because of the back wheel skidding or does the front end turn the bike sideways? and is it always the same way ie the handle bars pull to one side
Don't be afraid of adjusting the suspension settings. Mine was way too hard when I bought it and have set it back to standard...made the world of difference.
prob about 3rd or 4th time out on it, and i have been very wary and taken it easy as its an animal I did an unplanned stoppie and since then have not used front brake to much or too hard,but i think its made me do most of my braking with the engine and or back brake and the back wheel has a tendency to go sideways with a little hop skip and jump thrown in for good measure.I dont think its a prob with the bike its in really good nick its down to my lack of skill. I`ve done about 2.5k on it and am still getting used to it.
If the back is skipping around it's probably the rear compression. If you have a manual, it'll tell you how to set it back to standard. start there and then have a play around.
you could try using less fingers on the lever like two or three. The reason for the turning is you're using too much back brake. You need to develop a feel for the brake but be careful because this is not the best time of year with damp slippery roads
ha yes! have done the locked wheel wet skiddy bit too which was interesting think you are right about getting used to it, the new levers help and someone else mentioned using less fingers but i will take suzannes advice too and see if the suspension needs sorting. It was prob not the best bike to buy, just wanted to see if i could cope with a sports bike without buying a new one but i really like it so hope that in time i do get to grips with it.
Julie, stick with it, you'll be fine. I don't think we're that far from each other so if you need any help I'll do what I can. Can't make any promises for getting it right though lol.
suzanne I did a whole days training different braking techniques on my cbf which has ABS, emergency stops, braking whilst leant over on a bend etc but the change of bike has meant that none of those skills i learnt fit now and i really had it drummed into me so now i instinctively brake as i was taught on that bike and it doesnt apply at all to the R1.
I think the answer is to get out on it more, not the best time of year tho but it would be good to get a little ride out with you suzanne and pick your brains a bit!
Ah, I've adopted some habits over the years that don't really apply to my current bike but I can't break them. You could always try a track day with an instructor. It's something I've been thinking about.
yes think i might be about ready for a track day, ive always been a bit intimidated by the thought of it cos i tend to be quite a slow rider but i shall look into it next yr.
Julie is there any one near you that is competant enough to check your bike regarding the pads that are fitted and also the suspension settings, as if its been used for track use as you suggest, a mixture of two will give the probs you're having. The hoppy skippy rear is a bit of of a giveaway.