Author Topic: Chicken strips (Read 21441 times)

adeejaysdelight · « **on:** 18 July 2013, 11:46:31 pm »

Right-o, to start off, I'm no GP Hero, or even a wannabe. In the last 4 years of constant riding, I have managed to reduce my chicken strips to about 5mm'sh, with slightly more lean to the right than the left.
Next year I am looking to grow my garage again and add something more focused like a GSX-R750, Triumph Daytona 675 or Fireblade 900RR. I have been looking online to get an idea of prices and noticed that ALL of the ones for sale have 25mm+ chicken strips on both sides. Have a look yourself. I know that maybe that IS why they are for sale, but surly there must be some capable riders moving on to pastures new?
So, I guess my question is, what is the point in having a bike like that if you are incapable of using it? And, what about you guys and girls, do you/can you utilise everything your bike has to offer? I know I can not (yet), as I have that 5mm I spoke of before.

wezdavo · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 July 2013, 11:53:53 pm »

Quote from: adeejaysdelight on 18 July 2013, 11:46:31 pm

Right-o, to start off, I'm no GP Hero, or even a wannabe. In the last 4 years of constant riding, I have managed to reduce my chicken strips to about 5mm'sh, with slightly more lean to the right than the left.
Next year I am looking to grow my garage again and add something more focused like a GSX-R750, Triumph Daytona 675 or Fireblade 900RR. I have been looking online to get an idea of prices and noticed that ALL of the ones for sale have 25mm+ chicken strips on both sides. Have a look yourself. I know that maybe that IS why they are for sale, but surly there must be some capable riders moving on to pastures new?
So, I guess my question is, what is the point in having a bike like that if you are incapable of using it? And, what about you guys and girls, do you/can you utilise everything your bike has to offer? I know I can not (yet), as I have that 5mm I spoke of before.

Im on about the same dam 5mm too, with pilot road 2's!!
I am abit sceptical as to weather I dare lean any further! Im putting it down to tyre shape

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 July 2013, 11:59:25 pm »

Absolutely no way can I use every last drop of potential from my bike. As to sports bikes, I've already paid the price of trying. Finding the full potential of a bike's capabilities is something best left for the track. However, that doesn't mean I don't have a bit of fun and, now and again, scare myself s*****ss! It also doesn't mean I'm having less fun than Mr. full-leathers GSXZXR9000000000 whatever. Knee-down, elbow -scraping, wheelie-ing, no-chicken-strip antics are all very good fun, I'm sure, but YOU DON'T HAVE TO! Then again, if I could still reach the bars on sports bikes, I'd still like to have a go now and again.
(God, my posts are all long-winded tonight - must be the codeine...)

dBfazer600 · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 July 2013, 12:07:47 am »

My chicken strips mean I have not had a course to visit the hospital and I is still alive. Potential of a bike will always out weigh the capabilities of the rider as its the human who goes through the Ho shit Ho shit Ho shit motion before the bike complains about the input from the thing it is giving a piggy back to.

Daz

Doddsie · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 July 2013, 12:21:12 am »

lol, The point in having that sort of bike for a lot of people is cos they can talk the talk. look around any bike meet at the number of people who turn up with untouched knee sliders and then stand there spouting off about how they have changed the front mudguard for a carbon one to save weight etc. Really gets my goat when some twat in the pub starts the old `I dont like Dunlop, they dont handle good enough` routine. Let Guy Martin have a go on your bike and see if its the tires or the rider that are no good.
Lapping the TT circuit at 170+mph you might be pushing things to the limit, but how many of us ever really come anywhere close to it in reality??

Im not saying there arnt people out there that dont ride hard, but for everyone that does, there are another 50 wannabes!!

adeejaysdelight · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 July 2013, 12:51:11 am »

I agree with y'all. I am in no hurry to scrub the shiny bits off my tires (4 years riding, as stated) but I am always looking to improve on my ability, which is happening. The tyre works well beyond the chicken line though. I have 2 riding buddies, one with a Gixxer and the other with a Z750 and a BMW supermoto. One is a trackday nut the other is a riding instructor. Both or them have chewed up fronts and shredded rear tyres. Gixxer goes through about half a dozen rears a year. That bike is his transport though. The other rides for about 50+ hours a week. You should see that supermoto thing fly (past those guys with the 1000cc superbikes with big chicken strips

). Those bikes get used, not to Mr Martin standards, but far more than I could manage.
Speaking of average speed, I use an app called runtastic. I measured one of my routes on a day out jolly, riding "enthusiastically" and still it read 50mph average over 156 miles. OK, traffic lights, traffic, roundabouts and junctions are in there too, but still. I don't think we should, or can, be comparing ourselves with the TT though

. On coming traffic and all that.

Doddsie · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 July 2013, 01:00:25 am »

Point I was trying to make is the amount of people out there who think they can ride but the tires etc arnt good enough for them, when in reality, 90% of the time, its the rider, not the tires that is to blame.

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 July 2013, 01:02:30 am »

Every now and again you come across a rider who is exceptionally fast on the road. I once had a mate who could jump on anybody else's bike and leave everyone for dead no matter what they had. Not every such talent finds their way to the race track. As I recall, he was a plumber and kitchen fitter by trade. Back then, there were no track days like we have now - you either had the money and went racing, or you didn't. But try to keep up with those guys at your peril! I tried once: he took my 750 Turbo, and I jumped on his Kwak Z1R, big-bore kit, hairy cams, 13:1 compression ratio, the works. All I managed was to get into an almighty tankslapper, trying just too hard. Needless to say, I ate his dirt...

slimwilly · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 July 2013, 08:28:35 am »

On my VFR i had strips, quite big ones, seemed like i did not want to lean any more,, i wish i could of though

Now on my Fz1s , the confident riding position, dry hot roads and guess what? , yes on the right the chicken strips have gone, last Sundays Wales roads saw them off, plus some good leading from a good rider.
on the left i have only a fraction, like 2mm,

Now this is just how good and easy these bikes are to ride,, plus i never ever put my knee out, i just lean it and when in a confident part of the corner give it the gas!!!!!

These bikes are awesome, a dream to ride, so,easy.

Relax and enjoy

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 July 2013, 08:58:22 am »

The other thing about that mate of mine was, he never boasted about how good he was. Everyone else would be talking the talk, and he'd just be quiet. Then he'd go out and trounce everyone again. If I'd had that skill, I would have scraped every penny to go racing, but as far as I'm aware, he never did. Made it look easy too.

simonm · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 July 2013, 09:25:02 am »

Quote from: Doddsie on 19 July 2013, 12:21:12 am

lol, The point in having that sort of bike for a lot of people is cos they can talk the talk. look around any bike meet at the number of people who turn up with untouched knee sliders and then stand there spouting off about how they have changed the front mudguard for a carbon one to save weight etc. Really gets my goat when some twat in the pub starts the old `I dont like Dunlop, they dont handle good enough` routine. Let Guy Martin have a go on your bike and see if its the tires or the rider that are no good.
Lapping the TT circuit at 170+mph you might be pushing things to the limit, but how many of us ever really come anywhere close to it in reality??

Im not saying there arnt people out there that dont ride hard, but for everyone that does, there are another 50 wannabes!!

Definitely agreed. I think it's a personality thing. In I.T. I can normally smell a bull@$&&&er a mile off.

simonm · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 July 2013, 09:27:13 am »

Quote from: nick crisp on 19 July 2013, 08:58:22 am

The other thing about that mate of mine was, he never boasted about how good he was. Everyone else would be talking the talk, and he'd just be quiet. Then he'd go out and trounce everyone again. If I'd had that skill, I would have scraped every penny to go racing, but as far as I'm aware, he never did. Made it look easy too.

Often the quiet ones are the guys that think and apply themselves (not all the time tho). I just gab and gab and grasp the fundamentals and don't apply them whilst getting myself in trouble

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 July 2013, 09:33:09 am »

I'm not sure that he was particularly a deep thinker. It just came naturally to him to be able to go fast without (seemingly) any real effort. Then he'd just laugh it off afterwards.

simonm · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 July 2013, 09:44:44 am »

Deep thinking doesn't have to be philosophical, mathematical or anything imo.

Imo a natural will study their performance and learn even if it's just something they toss around in their head during idle periods.

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 July 2013, 09:49:49 am »

This is all bringing back some memories. The funny thing was, sometimes it seemed like he wasn't even all that interested in bikes. He'd turn up in some tuned up car now and again, and he had, I think, other interests that meant sometimes you wouldn't see him on a bike for quite some time. Of course, as a self-employed plumber, that took up much of his time. Wonder where he is now.

stevierst · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 July 2013, 09:51:52 am »

I'm with Dodsie on this one. I occasionally go to devils bridge at kirkby lonsdale mostly to look at the bikes and for a brew. Its very easy to see the amount of superbikes with chicken strips, and the squeaky leather clad bullshitter stood next to it with mint knee sliders. Its most of them! I'd love to embarrass them, show them my tyres just to shut them up!
Now I'm another 'none GP hero', I just enjoy the ride. I use s/t tyres on the fz1, and maxxis Supermax on the little fazer. The chicken trips have gone on both bikes, and I scraped my fz1 pegs for the first time last week. It has taken me years to get that far over, and to trust in myself, and the machine. I'm pretty sire there's plenty more lean in it yet though.
I'd love to see a pro jump on my bike and ride it to the limit >

mickvp · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 July 2013, 10:01:38 am »

I've saw this too, in fact, one of my work images came in on his R1 today, perhaps ill pop out and see if he has any chicken strips

Mines are huge though, so I'm not slagging anyone. I must have about 1" of chicken strip either side of my Tyre

ill get there one day I'm sure..no rush and all that, main thing is to enjoy it I say

simonm · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 July 2013, 10:18:15 am »

Mine are about an inch all around (front and back) apart from the rear right which is about a cm.

seangee · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 July 2013, 10:20:31 am »

I have no problem with 5mm strips on the road and won't make any effort to get rid of them. Its my safety margin. I'll happily shred the tyres on the track but really can't see the point on the road. You guys should walk around London and look at the sports bikes. 3 inches is common around here

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 July 2013, 10:25:04 am »

My point is, it's not worth even thinking about how wide your chicken strips are (unless there's bigger pieces on the barby of course!). Just go out and ride and enjoy. If you're not having fun because you can't get your bike leant over as far as your mate, you might as well give up bikes - there's more to it all than that. I'm probably enjoying my riding more now than I ever did as a youngster, and I long ago gave up worrying about all that bullshit.

jason1 · « **Reply #20 on:** 19 July 2013, 11:01:25 am »

I just ride to have fun when i can . Chicken strips or not and yes i do have some ( not measured tho ) I think a lot of how we ride is experiance and natural talent, plus confidence in our bike.
Talent became apparent to me few years back when i was on a nice long twisty road with large roundabouts along route . When i was seriously blown away by a guy who rode like a demon and especially round corners and knee down on roundabouts . The surprise to this is , the guy only has one arm , missing his right arm . Bike obviously modified to his needs , but fuck this guy could ride. Sleek fast and pure talent . Tried my best to keep up and follow his lines , but no chance . Just sat back and watched in ore , as be buggered of in the distance .
Enjoy ya chicken strips and enjoy

JoeRock · « **Reply #21 on:** 19 July 2013, 11:15:59 am »

To be honest I'm not that bothered about chicken strips on my bikes, although that said I found the Fazer 6 so easy to toss into the corners that I completely eradicated mine on the day I first rode it home!

On some bikes though it can be extremely difficult to eradicate the strips on the front, I know on older 16" wheel fireblades you could have literally no strips on the back, and still a good 1/2 inch on the front! Drove my mate mad

adeejaysdelight · « **Reply #22 on:** 19 July 2013, 12:06:50 pm »

I agree that it is more important to have fun. It just so happens I do have fun pushing myself and always trying to improve. I am of the mind-set that if you are not moving forwards, you are moving backwards and carry this mentality in all aspects of my life, including riding. I never try to ride at anyone else's pace, and most often go riding on y own. I prefer It that way. I set my own pace. Sometimes I will tag onto another rider or group to see if there is anything I can pick up.
When I think about it, of all my mates who ride (or used to) I am second to slowest. And I'm ok with that. Even if I were the slowest. As long as I am getting better, that's all I care about. My original point was, what is the point in having a focused sports bike with 100 and odd bhp, top suspension and brakes and not using it? Why not but a comfy bike, save some money and relax. Is it just about showing off? I tend not to visit these Sunday biker hang outs as the "leather clad bullsh***ers" just annoy me. I was more impressed by a guy riding his KTM 990 through the snow on the motorway at 5am last winter.

stevierst - as you wish...


2013 Valentino Rossi test the Bridgestone Battlax T30 & Yamaha FZ1 promotional video

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #23 on:** 19 July 2013, 12:11:50 pm »

High Beach I miss tho. Yes you got all the bullshit brigade, but it's been established a long time, and there are a lot of older guys who have outgrown the bullshit too. And some of them are still pretty fast riders if they feel like it.

adeejaysdelight · « **Reply #24 on:** 19 July 2013, 12:16:27 pm »

Agreed. The guy I bought my first "big bike" off was 76yo and rode an MV Agusta F4, and a HONDA DEAUVILLE! He was getting rid of his CBR as it wasn't good enough at either (for him) speed or comfort anymore.