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Chicken Strips

4K views 22 replies 19 participants last post by  Kiel 
#1 ·
I have a couple questions for the more experienced riders out there. Here's a quick prelude: Just purchased a new 08 R1. I'm 6'6" 240 lbs and I've been riding for three years.

I don't have a problem leaning over in a turn. On my last bike (SV1000S) I could pretty much get it all the way over. On my new bike, When ever I get over far enough to get into the "chicken strip" (yes I still have chicken strips)zone of the wheel (about an inch from the edge of the tire I have felt the bike slip. I should note that the tires are warm at this point. I didn't have this problem on the SV. I know that once I wear that portion of the tire in, I should be fine but since the rear tire has slipped a couple times on me I've eased off in turns. Any Suggestions?

I've also wondered since I'm a bigger guy, if theres a certain point where the bike will give out under me in a turn? I'm sure there's bigger guys out there that drag knees but I'm having a hard time getting that tought out of my head. The bike should be able to handle it right?

THese questions are pretty nooby but I don't know many people that ride who I trust getting advice from. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
What tire pressures are you running?

You probably just need to get used to the new bike. Just ride within your comfort level and the lean angle will come. Or do a trackday and you will realize how much more the bike has left.
 
#3 ·
I have a couple questions for the more experienced riders out there. Here's a quick prelude: Just purchased a new 08 R1. I'm 6'6" 240 lbs and I've been riding for three years.

I don't have a problem leaning over in a turn. On my last bike (SV1000S) I could pretty much get it all the way over. On my new bike, When ever I get over far enough to get into the "chicken strip" (yes I still have chicken strips)zone of the wheel (about an inch from the edge of the tire I have felt the bike slip. I should note that the tires are warm at this point. I didn't have this problem on the SV. I know that once I wear that portion of the tire in, I should be fine but since the rear tire has slipped a couple times on me I've eased off in turns. Any Suggestions?

I've also wondered since I'm a bigger guy, if theres a certain point where the bike will give out under me in a turn? I'm sure there's bigger guys out there that drag knees but I'm having a hard time getting that tought out of my head. The bike should be able to handle it right?

THese questions are pretty nooby but I don't know many people that ride who I trust getting advice from. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


I'm a bigger guy too; 6' and 240 w/ gear...
Now without actually seeing your riding style while leaned over its hard to speculate. However, one thing I have done in the past to work around this issue is to find a very familiar stretch of road, right and left turns, run it multiple times using late apexes, slightly increasing the aggression level with each run will increase your lean angle which in turn will reduce the infamous chicken strips.

My preferred method is to use "3M Adhesive Remover" or "M.E.K." (both available at Home Depot) by applying the solvent to a shop rag and simply wiping down the tire. This will remove the super slick mold release effectively eliminating the general rule to "tip-toe" around for the first few hundred miles...
also using a coarse wire brush to scuff the tire doesn't hurt either :secret:


As far as your other question goes; YES, the bike and the tires can handle it...TRUST THEM!!! :thumbup


Hope this helps
 
#4 ·
i dont know about being a big guy... cuz im a foot shorter and 100 lbs less... but i can scrap my pegs... but i couldnt do it on the first several rides up the mountains out here... the reason was i didnt know/trust my bike i did what the guy above said... i took it to some familiar roads that arent crowded... then they went away in a few days...
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the advice. I'll try m3 stuff and get that slick areas off the tired. It also could very well be my riding style as well. I'll have to read more about cornering because when people talk about apexes and things of that sort, I'm :dunno.
 
#7 · (Edited)
first of all, i'm 6', about 220 lbs and riding an '08 R1.

once you set your tire pressures & tune the suspension some, i would say that you need to start with body positioning. the more you get off of the bike and create a better overall position, the less lean angle is required to make a turn at speed, which in turn gives you more of your tire contacting the road / track surface at all times. that will definitely help you with the fear of the rear slipping out. that takes some getting used to also but it's actually a very comfortable and natural feeling position to be in once you get used to it.

i had about 1/2" chicken strips on my tires from the street and thought i was really leaning it over and getting off of the bike well. my first set of track days proved me wrong. i've really improved my body position and lean angle and can carry a lot more speed thru the turns and feel 10x more confident doing it. there are no strips on the rear and very little on the front now. you will be amazed at what your bike and tires can do for you, especially with a little suspension tuning done to match your weight better. keep in mind though that the track is the best place to play around with these things. if things go bad you have an easy run off with no obstacles to crunch you or your bike. if you can't make to a track, at least play on a low traffic road that you know VERY well. and always do an inspection run prior to ripping it up the first time to ensure there is no unexpected debris or surface changes to the road that may get you into trouble. and it's best to have a buddy along, just in case.

one of the cr's at the track days i went to is about 6'6", probably 275 - 300 lbs and he hangs off and drags a knee in any corner and makes it look so easy, lol. and i know he was just toying with me when i was 'keeping up' with him. :dunno :lol
 
#9 ·
I eventualy want to hit a track day. I'll need to find one in my area. Since I've made this post a few days ago, I've been out working on it but still haven't gained any confidence. I know it obviously won't come over night so I guess I'll just have to keep practicing. Thanks for all of the advice. :)
 
#10 ·
What tires and pressures are you running?

If you THINK the tires are warm, they might not be actually up to temp.

Suspension will go a long way in this equation. Is your suspension dialed in? Especially for a bigger person, this is important.

A word of caution: Getting to the edge of the tire, is very equal to the edge of ones and the bikes ability. Achieving this on the street can be VERY dangerous, as there could be oil, cars, deer, turtles, ect... on the road. Be careful out there.
 
#11 ·
What tires and pressures are you running?

If you THINK the tires are warm, they might not be actually up to temp.
Regardless of tire temperature, with 1" chicken strips it is way off the limit, unless the road is very slippery or the tires are crap.
It can't be mold release, this stuff is gone after a few miles. One has just to be cautious to gradually increase lean angles.

So maybe something is wrong with the suspension?
Damper broken?
Settings way off?

If acceleration/decelleration changes while leaning over, this may cause a feeling of a short slipage or even a real slide if the suspension isn't tuned right. That's where I would start looking, specaily if the rider is that heavy.
 
#12 ·
Suspension, and tyre profiles all play into the grand equation as well. A PP has a steep V profile which will get you turned in faster, but you've got less sidewall if something goes wrong. A BT016 or Qualifier is more U profile shaped, slower turn in, but much better confidence in turn and grip (imho). Trusting the bike is one thing, everyone says it, but know that in order to hit that max lean angle, you've got to be going fast enough to counteract gravity. Going cautious and increasing lean angle while NOT increasing the overall speed is a recipe for disaster.
 
#17 ·
Honestly sounds like you are using new rubber. On any new bike I've owned, with new tires, it's going to move around on you on the new rubber part of the tire, until its' scrubbed in. Hell, on any new rear tire change, I'm very easy on the bike until the sides are scrubbed. Ever heard of riders lowsliding the bike right out of the dealership in plain view of the service dept? Happens all the time, the portion of tire, that is unused, when you first use it, is slick until it's scrubbed.

Go ride, and keep leaning it over.
 
#18 ·
Simply you want a stable bike, and lean angle that makes the corners while stable. Lean angle is a by product if it. Look how Skanky rides his R1, then where as I hang and hook off the bike a bit more. I keep my bike more upright and Skanky ends up with 70 degrees of lean angle:crash
 
#19 ·
Rule #1 forget about chicken strips and just ride. I remember being impressed by the lack thereof , but now it's only mildly notable if the front strips are gone. I'd guess the OP's slippage sensation is pressure or suspension related and nothing to do with the the surface of the tire.
 
#20 ·
Pressure, suspension, or possibly riding technique.

I'm 6'5 260. I shaved the strips all the way down on my 07 and am down pretty far on the 08 and I haven't had the rear tire slip on me unless I'm leaned over particularly far and on the gas heavy...which I shouldn't be doing anyway. :D
 
#21 ·
After a few more days out riding, it has become pretty obvious that I need to set up my suspension. I saw that there is a great thread explaining how to set it up properly. I'm sure my riding technique has a lot to do with it as well. Thanks again for all of the advice. :thumbup
 
#22 ·
IMHO I don't thing riding technique is going to be the cause of the sensation that the tire is slipping. I say this because you setup you suspension for the way you ride. Like everyone has already said, I would check the tire pressure first. If it is too high than the tire is not flexing enough when you lean. After the tire pressure, I would work on setting up my suspension. Just from what you have said and how much you way, if you are still on stock suspension settings, then you are not going to feel comfortable riding agressively. Setting up suspension takes time, but my real quick suggestion based off what you have said, I would bump up the rear compression. the rear could be squatting too much when you are entering a corner and thus giving you the feeling that you are losing grip.
 
#23 ·
Here is my two cents. Leaning to the tire's edge is not the terminal lean angle. Tires are designed so that as you lean the bike, the contact patch elongates as the sidewall compresses. You may look at your tire and see no chicken-strips but still have 8-10 degrees of lean angle to use. The edge of the tire does not mean the limit of your lean angle. A good set of tires and properly set up suspension will have you dragging hard parts before you run out of tire.
 
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