Ride Magazine 50 Best Cornering Bikes Ever

[Geoff2]

All things being equal, a sports bike will be faster than a GS on a tarmac surface: its what they're built for...... QUOTE]

No dispute there, but the topic was cornering. I may be a bit off course here, but do the width of the handlebars as well as centre of gravity etc something to do with handling? Whilst I accept most points on this wonderful topic most F1 bikes seam to have much wider bars than standard 600's and 1000 sports oriented bikes. The other point, as I have not read the article in question, were all the bikes tested using the same tyres

 

[piebaps]

As stated, it's the ability of the rider that counts. It always makes me smile when you read of a bike being 2 kilos lighter than last years model, then some fat bastard gets on it!

Hey. Hold on there a minute. Do you mean me? By all means have a go a sportsbike riders but leave us salad dodgers out of it!

I must say how pleased I am with my very first post!

 

[Warthog]

All things being equal, a sports bike will be faster than a GS on a tarmac surface: its what they're built for...... QUOTE]

No dispute there, but the topic was cornering. I may be a bit off course here, but do the width of the handlebars as well as centre of gravity etc something to do with handling? Whilst I accept most points on this wonderful topic most F1 bikes seam to have much wider bars than standard 600's and 1000 sports oriented bikes. The other point, as I have not read the article in question, were all the bikes tested using the same tyres

Hello Geoff 2,

Like yourself, I haven't read the article in question so I am lost on the specifics, but of the bikes that I have owned, I have always found that wider handlebars seem to make a bike easier to manoevre (Honda Dommie 650 SM, TDM 850). This is particularly true of bikes whose steering geometry was not initially designed for quick steering. For example the 19" front on a GS would be a git to contend with if the bars were the same as one a dinky 600. Centre of gravity also play a part as does the angle of the forks in relation to the frame of the bike. The Buells one of the other members mentioned earlier have very steep headrace angles and therefore tip in really fast. It seems despite a big lump of a motor, they have the chassis and suspension to match (shame about the reliability).

Of the two points I made earlier, I think rider ability is by far the bigger factor: I remember going round the outside of sports bikes (blades, ducatis etc) on my crappy B reg XBR 500 that I commuted on , but I also remember getting equally stuffed by someone on something as benign as I gave it all I had on a 1000 sports missile (the git).

For me its a question of getting comfortable and confident on the bike I own and as I get used to my GS, I am getting more used to its handling abilities, which as I said before are very respectable for a bike of this size and category. Let the fun times roll...only not too fast...and with plenty of warning, for now!

 

[short001]

I have just watched Paul Young on his 1150 GS adventure doing the mountain course at the TT (show us yours/general forums)
How many sports bikes did he pass!
Well worth a look, but I'm sure it was his rider ability not only the cornering capability of the bike.
If you haven't watched it yet have a look.

 

[Schwarz Baron]

simple formula here guys:



Brilliant rider+ GS=(or betters) average rider+sports bike


Other way round and bye, bye, GS.


and yes I've ridden all the GS's

 

[blackburnlee]

Well said there. As with all these things it's down to how well you ride that really matters. Down here I've followed many riders down the A32 and other roads, some on their R1s and Blades and others on Deauvilles and the like. The relationship between speed/progress and the bike they're riding is pretty random. Being able to corner with some of the better riders is one of the best aspects of GS ownership in my humblw opinion.

Pukmeister, when are we going to meet up and go for a spin. I don't like feeling as though I'm the only 1200 GS rider around here!?

 

[Pukmeister]

Alright Lee, you must be the other R1200GS I occasionally see around here then? We could meet up at the burger wagon at Portsdown Hill for a brew one evening if you like, it'd be nice to meet up, and the first cup is on me. I'll make sure to bring my GS and not the Yamaha. Make sure its Micks wagon(the big wagon in the big car park) as the smaller wagon on the roundabout by the radar place sometimes has dirty mugs ( lipstick on the rim, fnarr fnarr), Micks has disposable cups so is more hygienic, plus their burgers are better IMHO.

I may even manage to drag out my mate Mark for a spin on his R12GS as he knows some good local roads (he is busy doing up his house to sell, his dream house is vacant possesion at the moment so not much time). Another mate with an 1150Adv is in France until next week. It would be nice to do a route other than the A32/A272.

I'm beginning to wish I hadn't started this thread now, everyone has an opinion on the subject but it seems like we are all agreed though that it is all about how you ride and not what you ride. My point was that cornering seems easier on my GS so the magazine may be onto something by scoring it highly against other machines.

 

[blackburnlee]

Sounds good to me Pukmeister. Wed night this week sound good?

I agree with your original point. It's the wide bars/CofG that enable mere mortals like me to corner on the GS confidently. More confidently than on my 748 which I almost always felt as though I was failing to use properly...

 

[Wizard]

I recently got (and got rid of) a CBR600. It came shod in standard Dunplop 207's, and wouldn't corner for toffee. I had (and still do) a 1995 400 SuperFour with BT-090s that could ride rings around the CBR on the standard tyres.

I even more recently got (and ain't getting rid of) a 1200GS which came with Dunplop Trailmax (I think). The bloody thing goes around corners like something out of Tron.

Most modern sports bike riders have so much power that they wind it up, stand on the anchors for corners, then wind it up again. They have absolutely no idea whatsoever about carrying corner speed, engine breaking, power bands or any of the other things you learn on bikes with small engines or narrow rev bands.

And to echo the point someone else made about sports bikes.... the reason I got rid of the CBR is than, once fitted with BT-014s, it was extremely uncomfortable to ride at anything below about 80mph (as opposed to at any speed with the Dunplops).

All in all, I found riding a bigish "sports bike" on public roads is a complete nightmare of discomfort, dodgy grip, and far to dedicated a riding style to learn how to ride properly under the ton., And I've a family to return to of a Sunday evening.

 

[Pukmeister]

Nice one Lee, I'll try to be up the hill for 7 o'clock on Wednesday evening unless SWMBO stops me or we have a family crisis. Tea or Coffee ???

 

[blackburnlee]

Sorry Pukmeister. Work got in the way I'm afraid. Will tell you details when I do get around to seeing you.

Managed to steal an hour or so on the the GS on Fri though. Still think that it's the dog's nuts. I see from the latest RIDERPOWER survey that it does rather well... Not surprising really.