Nighthawk S riders question:

[gammer]

The biggest thing I learned early in my moto-cross racing days (and this applies to any riding, even in cars), is to keep your head up...

When approaching any corner look into the apex of the corner, as soon as you enter the corner your head should be up and looking out at the end of the corner...when you hit the apex, look down the strait stretch.
Never look into the corner or look down when going through the corner.
If you look up, your body and bike will do the work and balancing for you.

Seriously, keeping your head up and looking in the proper spot is the biggest part of cornering good.

[coffee_brake]

We lean farther into the left turns because we are Americans who drive on the right side of the road. At least that's one theory I've heard, dunno if it's true. I've heard it's handedness that lends more skill to one side, and I'm left handed, dunno if that's true either.

AND...let it be known, that since I learned to lean my body with the bike instead of sitting bolt upright and leaning the bike under me, I have not scraped a peg on the NH in thousands of miles. HP followed my line and did the same thing.

[hppants]

I told ya'll I learned.  She's good I tell ya.

[coffee_brake]

Good at what, is the natural progression....not much but I love me some motorsickle ridin'!

[isleofmanfan]

Good at ridin' a motorscooter wit skirt and pumps donned!      

[OhCrap]

Your limit is going to be your tires ability to grip the pavement and the skill you use to maintain that grip through proper riding technique.

Public road pavement is highly variable and introduces significant unknowns to the equation.  The Nighthawk S is capable of dragging pegs under ideal conditions.  It is a considerable risk to assume you have ideal conditions at any moment in an uncontrolled environment.  A maintained race track is a more controlled environment that reduces some risk.  On public roads one should maintain a greater safety factor considering these unknowns.  

I have increased my skills over the last 6 years driving aggressively and have been lucky to have survived it.  I have witnessed 4 serious accidents of riders behind me, one fatal.

It would be good to know your limits but they are not a constant.  Unfortunately we often find our limit by exceeding them.

I couldn't agree with you more. After reading your post I realized this thread could be misconceived as some sort of daredevil thread. I would like to add that I'm by no means an unexperienced driver. I might be a little rusty, but I do have 20 years on two wheels under my belt and I've always been an aggressive driver. I really don't want to encourage anyone to try what I'm doing, unless it is in a controlled environment (that usually means not on a public road!) and you absolutely know what you're doing with taking all necessary safety precautions beforehand. This doesn't mean to just wear your gear, but more so to think about what you could inflict to others around you if things go wrong and preventing that in every way.


I usually don't go over 70% of my capabilities outside of a racetrack. But sometimes you are coming up towards this fantastic corner you just went through shortly before so you know it's clean and sticky, and there just happens to be no traffic other then yourself. To me that's playtime, and this Nighthawk happens to be my new toy. I'm just curious about experiences of other experienced aggressive drivers with this bike, therefor this thread.

[tomb raider]

Just like Motor Cross, the attack position..

[spiritof86]

Yes, I have dragged my pegs and centerstand following behind Loki, lol.

[gammer]

Yes, I have dragged my pegs and centerstand following behind Loki, lol.

Oh...so its all Loki's fault then
If I ever drag my foot pegs, I'm immediately going to blame it on Loki
 

[gammer]

Just like Motor Cross, the attack position..

Motocross racing involves allot of standing. Should really only sit when going through a corner.
Even when riding on the street now, I stand when going over rough roads, over railway crossings, etc. Helps absorb the bumps.