[ST] BT 020's and a Little Dragon Blog

["James Goldston" <jgoldston@xxxxxxxx>]

Two issues buried 'neath the various ruminations below:

 1. Is the profile of the 020's really that much sharper than the 57s or
208?  That would explain why the edges of the tires didn't get scrubbed that
much.  ...  Never mind this question.  I went downstairs and compared the
tires.  Profile looks pretty similar.  I'll leave the note for completeness
sake, however, since it was introduced below.

 2. Any idea what's with the floppin' over business?  Is it due to the steep
angle of the tread close to the sidewall, do I need to take a MSF Beginner's
Course, or maybe I just started a bad habit on new tires.  The latter could
happen, as it's been a while since I ran the Dragon.  (I can't say that I
HAVEN'T started a new bad habit.)

Thanks,
James '02 ST

PS. (So I don't have to do another post...)  Checked my front wheel while I
was comparing profiles.  NO WHEEL WEIGHT on the front!  Wonder when that
disappeared?  This could explain the weaving, I think.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Goldston [mailto:jgoldston@xxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2003 1:34 PM
> To: KnoxvilleRATs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [KnoxvilleRATs] Digest Number 534 and a Little Dragon Blog
>
>
> Since I haven't yet scrubbed in my new BT 020s on the sides I
> went to the Dragon last night after work.  Got in 2 round-trip
> runs.  I'm not sure I like the 020s.  I did not know I had this
> habit(?) of allowing the bike to coast down so much as I get into
> more of a lean angle.  The surprise was the bike wanted to flop
> over!  Happened a number of times.  That's why I said I did not
> know I had developed a habit, as this has never happened on the
> BT57s or the DT 208.  It was somewhat disconcerting.  Later, as I
> gave the tires the Friar Tuck scrutiny, I saw that there was a
> good 1/4 inch left on the front that hadn't been touched and the
> edges of the rear hadn't been scratched up much at all.
>
> Once, as I finally passed a cage that didn't want to be passed, I
> naturally went into the corner too hot (for me too hot means I
> may have to cross the double yellow).  Well, I decided I would
> brake hard, downshift to first, then smoothly apply throttle
> (~hard) to really swoop on the corner.  Much to my surprise I
> felt the rear doing some kind of grinding thing, letting loose,
> then re-hooking up, I suppose.  All was well.  I just keep telling myself:
>
>   These tires can go a lot further than you can.
>   These tires can go a lot further than you can.
>   These tires can go a lot further than you can.
>
> All the while I'm wishing I'd remembered to zip my jacket to my
> pants.  Har, har, har.  Loads and loads of fun, fun, fun!  What a
> wonderful time it is to lean on the Dragon.  Man, but I do love it!
>
> ON the Dragon I met:
>
>   1. A Canadian guy who had just put his Suz 1000 SV in the
> ditch.  Another rider escorted him to Alcoa highway to a hotel
> across from Airport Honda to get it fixed today.
>   2. Two really nice people riding 2-up on a beautiful green
> Speed Triple!!!  They were Brits, amazingly enough.  They were
> putting lots of miles on the Triple.
>   3. Gave a guy my spare gas when he pulled up to the tanks and
> discovered they were already shut down.  New hours are to 6pm.
> He asked if I should leave some for the next guy.  I said this
> was a first ever, how could I possibly meet someone else tonight,
> take it all.
>   4. Met another guy who ran out of gas.  Lands sakes!  Went back
> to the Deals Gap hotel and started walking up and back asking for
> gas for a broke down rider, all the while waving my little
> canister.  Met another Canadian! (Ontario plates) who hopped into
> his hopped up truck and said he'd had enough drinking and sittin'
> around and he'd just take the gas to him himself.  Glad he let me
> around him, as that truck would move!  As we were leaving I had
> to shake his hand and say "Welcome to America!"  We all had a good laugh.
>   5. Waved at the same bicyclist approx 6 times, as I went back
> and forth on the Tail.  He probably thinks we're related by now.
>   6. Took another set of pics of the 2-up Brits at the Overlook.
>
> All in all, riding in the evening was a somewhat different
> experience.  People seemed even more friendly than is usual for
> the Dragon.


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