How fast do you make 90* turns?

Ok this is my first street bike, but it really shocks me when I just took a 90* right hander, look down at the speed, and realize I did it at 30-40mph without feeling like I was pushing the bike hard or getting crazy. Just cruising. Thats also where my friends in cars following me places lose me. I don't speed or accelerate real fast, I just zip around city streets like they're nothing without thinking about it. Do sport bikes ride like this too? or is their speed focused geometry less agile at low speeds?

Fast enough for the road conditions, tires, and pace on the ride that (usually) doesn't involve me going straighter than the road allows and seeing whats on the other side of the berm.

But... generally supermoto bikes tend to be more agile than just about anything this side of a scooter at legal-ish road speeds.

Keep in mind that speed measured when the bike is upright differs from speed measured when the bike is leaned over.
When leaned over you're using a smaller diameter which causes the speedo to read higher than actual.

I used to notice it in the RPM's when I would track my CBR600RR. Same speed but when I rolled it over the rpm's would climb, and then fall as I transitioned. (Shameless plug for my last trackday video. Clicky.)

pbnut wrote:

Keep in mind that speed measured when the bike is upright differs from speed measured when the bike is leaned over.
When leaned over you're using a smaller diameter which causes the speedo to read higher than actual.

I used to notice it in the RPM's when I would track my CBR600RR. Same speed but when I rolled it over the rpm's would climb, and then fall as I transitioned. (Shameless plug for my last trackday video. Clicky.)

You sure it works that way on our wr250's?

remember - our speedo's are horribly inaccurate and don't read off the front wheel.

oic0 wrote:

Do sport bikes ride like this too? or is their speed focused geometry less agile at low speeds?

A sportbike is a completely different experience.

Your X has you sitting upright. Feet directly underneath you. Hands spread wide on very wide handlebars. Leverage on the handlebars is huge.

A sportbike has you leaning forward. Feet are higher and farther rearward, Your hands are much closer to gas tank, on angled clip-on bars that offer very little leverage.

The rake and trail between the two bikes is vastly different too.

Generally speaking, low speed stuff on sporttbikes is very difficult where-as the same maneuvers on our R/X are easy-peasy.

motokid wrote:

You sure it works that way on our wr250's?

remember - our speedo's are horribly inaccurate and don't read off the front wheel.

Positive.
It wouldn't matter where the speedometer is connected. As long as the rear wheel is connected to the engine you're RPM will vary with lean angle (or tire diameter).

Think of it like this: if you could somehow install a wheel/tire from a CRF 50 on the back of our bike, what would happen to the speedometer? It would read ridiculously high because you're lowering the overall ratio of the drive line. Same thing happens when we gear down. Speedos read even higher.
Same applies when you go from the center of the tire to the side of the tire. It's a small change, yes, but a change nonetheless. And our terribly inaccurate speedos aren't helping anything.

pbnut wrote:

Keep in mind that speed measured when the bike is upright differs from speed measured when the bike is leaned over.
When leaned over you're using a smaller diameter which causes the speedo to read higher than actual.

I used to notice it in the RPM's when I would track my CBR600RR. Same speed but when I rolled it over the rpm's would climb, and then fall as I transitioned. (Shameless plug for my last trackday video. Clicky.)

Dunno if its the proper way but I measure speed at the corner exit, when the bike stands back up. I can glance at it in a sweeper, but not a hard turn. Usually its too see how much I lost in the corner and how much I need to speed back up to go the speed limit. I'm super speed limit conscious since Ive had two tickets in the last year and a third means court plus me getting kicked off insurance for the company vehicle at work.

Due to geometry and next to zero steering lock, a sportbike can't turn anywhere near as tight as a dirt bike. I once watched a pizza delivery kid on a 110cc scooter hook a turn into an alley in Thailand at a speed that had me picking my jaw off the sidewalk. Agility is fun.

A sportbike can turn so much harder at higher speeds, but a dirt bike setup can change direction quickly. They can also compress their suspension and "pop" into and out of turns. Just don't try to keep up with a sportbike at 60+ when the sparks are coming up off the pegs... :)