Open the throttle or keep her steady??

[Phooey]

Ok guys ... so I am looking for your thoughts.

I have been riding my bike for a couple of months (mostly in the wet) and have been taking it nice and steady, not trying to be a hero just smoothly does it. This past few days what with the weather a little nicer I have been opening the throttle a little more and obviously feeling a bit more confident riding a bit faster.

Now here is my question. I have two mates who ride and one says while riding around town and semi country roads keep the revs higher and drop a gear if I need to, because that will help me to keep control and ultimately feel more confident. The other contradicts this by saying ride in an appropriate gear so as to keep the revs low but not so low the bike struggles and that will keep control and help build confidence.

So which one is right?? At the moment I am keeping revs low, rarely go over 4000 unless on the motorway or dual carriageway. Don't think that I have gone over 6000 yet!

I do all the usual, gentle braking, easy throttle, smooth steering, counter steering , when it is wet so I guess I am really asking about when it is dry and we can enjoy the ride for the rides sake.

[Stu]

have you fallen off yet??

No?

must be doing something right then

ignore the pair and ride how YOU feel comfortable

[Phooey]

No not come off yet, Stu. But I am always looking for tips to improve my riding. Just because I haven't come off yet doesn't necessarily mean I am doing it right ... I could be just lucky.

Thanks for your comment though.

[littlecat]

do they both ride the same bike as you?

if not then they cant say how to ride yours, or what will work for you.

the amount of throttle/revs needed to give appropriate drive/stability will vary immensely from bike to bike.

perfect example of this...my OH can pootle around at 3k on his vfr, while if I tried that on either the R6 or cbr , it would object bigtime... and I'm more likely to be doing around 8k( 10 if I want it to get a bit lively).

if you are getting around corners, staying upright, and returning home with a smile on your face , then you're doing enough right.

having said that I totally agree with challenging yourself to improve, so why not sign up for a bikesafe course, and get some feedback ( or even performance plus or iams)

[fq-craigus]

You should always be in an apropriate gear, ie normal riding you should usually be about 1k away from your power band unless poodling in traffic. When cornering you should enter in correct gear and keep smooth, once you reach the peeling point you shoukd feed the power to either maintain speed as cornering knocks off speed, or feed on more power to accelerate as the corner opens up.

Ultimatly like already said your still shiny side up and you will gain the confidence to corner better

[BikerMooFromMars]

Just f*cking go for it if you wanna, so much more fun! Since the better weather and drier roads, where appropriate I'm gunning along ...not necesarily breaking laws - taking corners a lil bit faster and opening up in a more fun, "pull me along, bitch!" way! Feels amazing after a sometimes nervy winter riding alone and confidence levels have been pretty low. Now beginning do stuff I've avoided and enjoying it. More bikes on the roads too - I'm showing the fair weather riders how to filter now .

Sorry that wasn't really advice, just saying I'm sure you know what it sensible, I think you have rode all through the winter too? Do what feels right for you. I take bits of advice from all the people I trust and see what works best for me. I do higher revs/lower gear for difficult corners as I was told that helps you feel more in control, and it does for me - I don't feel like I will run wide, or I take em at a higher gear and feather the clutch. And the usual, accelerate out of the corner rah rah. I don't tend to go over 6500 revs unless on a national road...then I redline if I can (only on a 125!).

Just enjoy yourself do what makes you feel happier. Hopefully you will get more useful advice, but that's what Moo tends to do...

[Phooey]

Thanks guys. The general consensus seems to be 'do what feels right for me'.

Littlecat: I was looking at doing the bikesafe soon

Moo: Your posts always make me smile. Next time I'm out I'll open that ZZR600 throttle and 'let that bitch pull me along' ... lol

[Joeman]

Depends on your bike, where you're riding and what mood you're in at the time.

Like cat says, on the 600 sports bikes, life begins and 8k rpm, by keeping the engine "on the boil" you always have a nice shot of power available for fun.

Ride how you feel most comfortable, but as the roads dry out they do get more fun

[Stu]

life begins and 8k rpm

 

Mines almost over by then

9.5 is the top end power on mine with a 10.5k redline

gotta love lazy bikes

[Bogof]

( or even performance plus or iams)

 

Are they not both cat food brands?

To the OP: Ride in the manner that makes you feel comfortable. There's plenty of summer ahead to allow you to develop your own style.

What feels right to you is way more important than what looks right to others, imo.

[littlecat]

I would however play devils advocate on the 'let that bitch pull me along ' thing.

yes , opening the throttle can be an awesome feeling ( understating that slightly...theres a reason why I ride supersports) , but the real thrill is in being in complete control of that powersurge....not so much 'pull me along' , as 'do your best bitch, im the one calling the shots' :D

[Joeman]

"If in doubt, flat out" - Colin McRae (RIP)

[Phooey]

life begins and 8k rpm

 

Mines almost over by then

9.5 is the top end power on mine with a 10.5k redline

gotta love lazy bikes

 

So how do I find my power band? Is it simply opening her up and feeling where the power kicks in?

There is a lot of summer to come and I will be out there hopefully developing my own style. I will be pushing her a bit as the dryer, warmer road appear. I have been really tame so far. This weekend promises to be lovely so I will cover a few miles then.

[Stu]

Yeah basically

On the zzr it starts at about 6k oh you will feel it

[littlecat]

when you find it, you will know, and you will either love it or hate it.

[Stu]

You will hate it at first and you will shit yourself if you have been running around at 4k

[Phooey]

You will hate it at first and you will shit yourself if you have been running around at 4k

 

lol ... better make sure that I am on a straight road then. Motorway trip sounds like a favourite.

I must admit, lots of people was talking about ZZR being poky and I was wondering why I wasn't feeling it ... now I know.

[techno]

( or even performance plus or iams)

 

Are they not both cat food brands?

To the OP: Ride in the manner that makes you feel comfortable. There's plenty of summer ahead to allow you to develop your own style.

What feels right to you is way more important than what looks right to others, imo.

 

Here's a first, ...this^^^^^

[John933]

The old chestnut. I'm I doing it right? Look at it this way. I ride my bike at about half the power of the bike's capacity. Why? first you get a lot less SP30. Second maintains cost's are less. On an over all journey your only going to be a few min's longer getting to where ever you want to be. Chances are you will live longer as well. In my book road craft is a lot more important than skill. If you can read the road and see a problem before it happens that could just save your life. Ride to your comfort zone. Believe you me the better rider is not the one that ride's the fastest, it's the one that lives' the longest. and at 67 year's old. I've rode my fair share of bike's. With that length of time in the saddle it's not all luck.

John933

[Chrissb6]

Ok guys ... so I am looking for your thoughts.

I have been riding my bike for a couple of months (mostly in the wet) and have been taking it nice and steady, not trying to be a hero just smoothly does it. This past few days what with the weather a little nicer I have been opening the throttle a little more and obviously feeling a bit more confident riding a bit faster.

Now here is my question. I have two mates who ride and one says while riding around town and semi country roads keep the revs higher and drop a gear if I need to, because that will help me to keep control and ultimately feel more confident. The other contradicts this by saying ride in an appropriate gear so as to keep the revs low but not so low the bike struggles and that will keep control and help build confidence.

So which one is right?? At the moment I am keeping revs low, rarely go over 4000 unless on the motorway or dual carriageway. Don't think that I have gone over 6000 yet!

I do all the usual, gentle braking, easy throttle, smooth steering, counter steering , when it is wet so I guess I am really asking about when it is dry and we can enjoy the ride for the rides sake.

From MCN: A surprise, to say the least. The Kawasaki ZZ-R600 looks so docile by today’s standards yet twist the throttle and a ridiculous surge of power carries you up to the 14,000rpm redline in no time. The Kawasaki ZZ-R600 engine is reliable, grunty enough low down and positively mental at anything above about 4000rpm. Bloody hilarious! You've not even touch what's lurking underneath yet mate take your time and ease yourself into it.

Number one stay Safe and sod the rest

[Chrissb6]

life begins and 8k rpm

 

Mines almost over by then

9.5 is the top end power on mine with a 10.5k redline

gotta love lazy bikes

 

8k in top on the Busa is looking at jail time

">

[Phooey]

The old chestnut. I'm I doing it right? Look at it this way. I ride my bike at about half the power of the bike's capacity. Why? first you get a lot less SP30. Second maintains cost's are less. On an over all journey your only going to be a few min's longer getting to where ever you want to be. Chances are you will live longer as well. In my book road craft is a lot more important than skill. If you can read the road and see a problem before it happens that could just save your life. Ride to your comfort zone. Believe you me the better rider is not the one that ride's the fastest, it's the one that lives' the longest. and at 67 year's old. I've rode my fair share of bike's. With that length of time in the saddle it's not all luck.

John933

 

John ... I appreciate your words but I must stress that I was not referring to speeding or riding like a prat. What I meant was that one of my friends say that keeping the revs a little higher but dropping a gear if necessary, gives me more control while the other says the opposit.

[Phooey]

Ok guys ... so I am looking for your thoughts.

I have been riding my bike for a couple of months (mostly in the wet) and have been taking it nice and steady, not trying to be a hero just smoothly does it. This past few days what with the weather a little nicer I have been opening the throttle a little more and obviously feeling a bit more confident riding a bit faster.

Now here is my question. I have two mates who ride and one says while riding around town and semi country roads keep the revs higher and drop a gear if I need to, because that will help me to keep control and ultimately feel more confident. The other contradicts this by saying ride in an appropriate gear so as to keep the revs low but not so low the bike struggles and that will keep control and help build confidence.

So which one is right?? At the moment I am keeping revs low, rarely go over 4000 unless on the motorway or dual carriageway. Don't think that I have gone over 6000 yet!

I do all the usual, gentle braking, easy throttle, smooth steering, counter steering , when it is wet so I guess I am really asking about when it is dry and we can enjoy the ride for the rides sake.

From MCN: A surprise, to say the least. The Kawasaki ZZ-R600 looks so docile by today’s standards yet twist the throttle and a ridiculous surge of power carries you up to the 14,000rpm redline in no time. The Kawasaki ZZ-R600 engine is reliable, grunty enough low down and positively mental at anything above about 4000rpm. Bloody hilarious! You've not even touch what's lurking underneath yet mate take your time and ease yourself into it.

Number one stay Safe and sod the rest

 

lol ... thanks for this Chris. The friend who came down with me to collect it, and rode it back for me, said I needed to be confident below 7K and I better be f***ing good above 7K. He said he got 146 mph out of her with a bit more to spare.

You will understand why he get's a definite NO! when ever he invites me out for a ride. lol I had never seen him ride before and naively believed him when he said he doesn't ride mentally! Hmmm, I must ask him where he got that limp from one day!

[Thinkbiker]

All bikes are smoother with an open throttle being adjusted to match the speed required compared to opening and closing the throttle for the same purpose.

If you find yourself having to close and open the throttle for small adjustments in speed then you are in too higher gear.

Try using 3000rpm as your bottom line unless of course your in 1st and need to go slower.

You can still change up at around 5-6000rpm so thebike doesnt take off like a scolded cat

you will find the bike alot smoother and more stable as you will not shift weight from back to front and destabalise the bike.

[OhJay]

My VFR is certainly more responsive higher up the revs. It pulls from 3k but is happy higher. It's actually easier to ride hard than potter gently, I just need to convince myself of that most of the time

Advice I was given from the bikesafe I've done was to go into a corner at about 6k, half way to redline, that way you've got the engine braking to roll off and slow if you need to (engine braking at the bottom of the revs is nil and using the brakes on the lean is even more a no-no) and the responsiveness to drive through the corner positively.

DISCLAIMER: I do none of these things I notice if I drop a gear because the engine sounds a lot quicker I roll off until it's back at about 3k and then tip into the corner meaning I'm doing it about 10mph slower because I'm at the same revs and a lower gear. It takes some recalibration of brain and ear to do.

I noticed it at Castle Combe, one of the chicanes I only dropped one gear instead of two so went round it at 3 or 4k revs and it felt really bogged down compared to when I was going through it at 6k