[younglion]

That's a lot of meat.

Is that on a 6 or 6 1/2 inch rim ?

OEM rear rim, 6" wide. No fitment issues, spoons on nice and feels great actually.

I believe even though they call it a 200mm rear it's only 196mm or so.

 

[C. Dolan]

OEM rear rim, 6" wide. No fitment issues, spoons on nice and feels great actually.

I believe even though they call it a 200mm rear it's only 196mm or so.

Knid of sounds like what they did with the early Hayabusa.

200 named tire being a 190 something.

I have a set of 16 1/2 " wheels with a 200 slick on a 6 1/2 inch rim I might fit on something one of these days.

 

[edgyver]

It used to bug the crap out of my boss at the shop when a 100% street rider would come in with 1-2" chicken strips in a 180 or 190mm tire and ask for a 200. "Why? You aren't using the tire you have now." {But, it looks cool.} "It's more unsprung weight and can slow the handling down." {But, it looks cool.} "Fine. It's also X more expensive." {How much was that 180 again?} LOL

 

[edgyver]

There is something to be said about not riding on the very edge of the tire...so you leave some room for error....BUT not using MOST of that rear tire {on the street} means you're pretty slow in the cornering game. Any more than 1/4 inch of chicken strips means you could be cornering faster. Lean the bike over until you have a 1/4 inch left ...and THEN it's time to start hanging off a bit. Most bikes come with geometry that won't allow using all the front tire....so the front chicken strips would always be wider than the rear are. If you change tire brands.....that rule doesn't apply.

My front with 1/4" chicken strips on the rear tire:

 

[baconrocket]

.25" left. .5" right.

It doesn't matter anyway. I'd like to test my limits on the track, but I'm not taking the 09 to the track as insurance won't cover a crash and I don't want to not have the 09 around.

I would however like to pick up an older beat on R6 just for track days.

 

[doozerdave]

I'm working on removing my chicken strips, not because of ego, but because I want to be sure the tire is scrubbed right to the edge in case I ever really need to haul it over in an emergency. I'm mainly waiting for warmer weather and for the roads to clean up, then they'll be gone.

About contact patch, keep in mind that even if you have no chicken strips, in all likelihood you have barely been to the edge of the tire. The main portion of the contact patch will still be a good few inches away from the edge of the tire. Most tire profiles get steeper as you get to the edge so the contact patch stays uniform. FYI, I have about 1/8" chicken strips front and rear on my track bike (using a 190 on a 5.5" rear rim), running amateur racer pace. Loads of traction "at the edge".

 

[v2Bob]

... It doesn't matter anyway. I'd like to test my limits on the track, but I'm not taking the 09 to the track as insurance won't cover a crash and I don't want to not have the 09 around.
I would however like to pick up an older beat on R6 just for track days.

It's great to have a dedicated track day bike. In 2000 a 70mph fawn catastrophically converted my first street SV650 into a track bike, and I bought a 2nd new SV650 for the street. Was great having the same model for both track and street, spare parts, mods, feel etc. I don't recommend the fawn method, but you can buy someone else's salvage 09 for the track.

Yes, I've seen a lot of nice street bikes become not-so-nice at the track, but I don't rule out recommending a rider do their first track days on a street bike either. Just don't push your limits hard, use the track to improve your street skills, not to start a podium chase. Pick a good track day organization, their Beginner/Novice group will be like a school, well controlled etc.

 

[triplethreat]

Just a little plug for Sportbike Track Time.....they/we are known for having the very best Novice program in the track day world

 

[buck]

Mmm all this chicken strip talk is making me hungry.

I don't have strips, but I'm way slower in the corners than all of my riding buddies. Must have something to do with my form?!

 

[doozerdave]

LOL.... actually the FZ makes me corner like that sometimes because I feel like I'm on my dirt bike!

 

[v2Bob]

Yeah, that photo is one of the reasons I believe in leaning to the inside(! lol) on the street long before you are at a pace that requires it. I don't mean ass and shoulders hanging off of the side of the bike, but shoulders and one knee a bit to the inside, to get you used to thinking not on the outside like that photo. It gets you into the rhythm, feel, awareness of it.

I am not a good all around athlete, one of the things I have trouble with is awareness of body position, I need to practice at an easy pace and build up. Not that I do a knee dragging pace on the street, I don't feel the roads around here are safe for that.

 

[doozerdave]

It was just weird for me this morning, after a few hours yesterday riding my dirt bike, getting back on the FZ, which feels like a dirt bike. I only counter lean on slow speed turns though (ie, intersections), so that's a bit more normal.

 

[triplethreat]

Mmm all this chicken strip talk is making me hungry.

I don't have strips, but I'm way slower in the corners than all of my riding buddies. Must have something to do with my form?!

Please don't take this the wrong way, but that body position going the wrong way, is going to get you in trouble sooner or later. Correct body position in that corner could probably reduce your lean angle at least 10 to12 degrees and get you around the same corner just as fast or faster.....with a whole lot more tire surface on the road.

 

[Motley]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but that body position going the wrong way, is going to get you in trouble sooner or later. Correct body position in that corner could probably reduce your lean angle at least 10 to12 degrees and get you around the same corner just as fast or faster.....with a whole lot more tire surface on the road.

That ain't Buck.

 

[emtechbali]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but that body position going the wrong way, is going to get you in trouble sooner or later. Correct body position in that corner could probably reduce your lean angle at least 10 to12 degrees and get you around the same corner just as fast or faster.....with a whole lot more tire surface on the road.

I think he was being sarcastic...I am not sure though.

 

[C. Dolan]

I think he was being sarcastic...I am not sure though.

He was definitely on point describing the body position, though.

Guy would have been better off if he was just sitting straight up on the bike.

 

[triplethreat]

Thanks for pointing that out to me. I now see that the license plate is from Michigan and Buck is Candian......eh!

 

[Motley]

Thanks for pointing that out to me. I now see that the license plate is from Michigan and Buck is Candian......eh!

Your point was well taken though, I'm sure.

 

[Mothy]

Mmm all this chicken strip talk is making me hungry.

I don't have strips, but I'm way slower in the corners than all of my riding buddies. Must have something to do with my form?!

! That picture makes me cringe...

 

[edgyver]

! That picture makes me cringe...

All the makings of "Looking good!" Killboy.com photo.