What's the fastest you've taken a 15mph turn?

[Pluot]

Random question out of curiosity.

I was browsing threads, including the Gone but not forgotten section, and was reading about a rider who passed away taking a 15mph at 50mph or so. She was a novice.

I myself have trouble on tight 15mph turns frequently, and at my skill level would not go faster than the speed limit +5 on them. But it did make me curious: What is the fastest speed you guys have taken a 15mph turn and executed it well? Differences uphill, downhill, flat? And what is the normal entry speed you guys would take into one?

 

[phocup]

A bit hard to answer .. most of the time when I'm riding at a spirited pace and come up to a tight and likely technical 15 mph turn, I'm not trying to looking at the speedometer.

 

[Pluot]

Yeah, true. I figured it's not safe to so I try not to look at my speed during turns, too. But I was wondering maybe you guys might have a guesstimate/feel for the speed.

 

[bruceflinch]

I usually glance at my speedo when I see a speed marked turn.
Maybe 10 over the limit. I tend to ride a bit conservatively.
On faster turns, maybe 15 over.

 

[Aware]

A bit hard to answer .. most of the time when I'm riding at a spirited pace and come up to a tight and likely technical 15 mph turn, I'm not trying to looking at the speedometer.

Right.

On faster, longer curves there's time to look. When a sign says, say, 45, it's not that hard to take it at 70++ provided there's visibility through the turn. If a turn is marked 15, 30 or more is possible. But usually lack of visibility precludes such shenanigans.

 

[Blankpage]

How many will now go out and crash because of this thread while trying to beat their alltime fastest 15mph turn speed?

Warning: Do not try this at home

 

[phocup]

Or at least only try it with a GPS lap timer .. then u can check the data later to your heart's content AND have proof in case you happen to win on the internet.

 

[Pluot]

How many will now go out and crash because of this thread while trying to beat their alltime fastest 15mph turn speed?

Warning: Do not try this at home

Note, this thread started off because I read a thread on someone dying speeding. Hopefully, no one will go out and try to beat their 'best' time. I'm just curious what the max was on what has been SAFELY done.

 

[gixxerjeff]

On the short list of things I am looking at while cornering, my speedo isn't one of them.
(I'd glance at the tach long before I cared about the speedo)

 

[Maddevill]

A couple of thoughts. Not trying to be mean, but who cares? If you are riding on the street, you should not be thinking about how fast you can take this or that turn. You should be thinking about how safe you are riding, how much you feel you have adequate control, how much fun you are/ aren't having. For the track, every portion of every second counts. On the street there are many other considerations that should be counted.

 

[Smash Allen]

It's like asking how big of a fish have you caught?

If I am on an unfamiliar road, or a road that I can't see through the turn, you bet your ass I am within 5mph of the suggested limit.

That said, conditions permitting there are a couple turns on Mt. Diablo that I take comfortably at twice the suggestion.

 

[Pluot]

A couple of thoughts. Not trying to be mean, but who cares? If you are riding on the street, you should not be thinking about how fast you can take this or that turn. You should be thinking about how safe you are riding, how much you feel you have adequate control, how much fun you are/ aren't having. For the track, every portion of every second counts. On the street there are many other considerations that should be counted.

I'm just curious as to the speed that it is safely executable. I've already stated how fast I take my turns, and I've no intention on going any faster on them. I'm not asking for people to look at their speedos, either. I'm guessing for those of you who have been riding a while, you might have a better sense of speed.

I'm not looking for a big pile up of replies on how I should be focusing on riding safer, etc. I'm not looking to go fast, period. I'm merely curious of the pace/capability of more advanced riders.

 

[Blankpage]

The access road to my office has a 15mph speed limit. I'm usually doing 45.

 

[day004]

Not sure if I'm attributing this quote eight ,but here goes

Someone once asked Kenny Roberts, "What's the best way to take a slow corner?"

His response??? "Slow"

Ride your own ride.
Ride at your own speed.
Practice what you feel you need to know in a controlled environment.

Stay safe!

 

[GAJ]

Really don't look at my speedo so not sure.

What I do use those speed limit markers on turns for is gear selection.

If it says 20, I'm in second usually, if it says 30 usually 3rd and if 40 usually 4th.

 

[ZCrow]

I think this is an impossible question to answer in general because what gets marked as a 15 or 20 MPH turn varies widely. So one turn marked 15 MPH you might be able to execute and exit at 30MPH+ and another 50MPH+. Also beyond how sharp the turn is, the road surface is going to make a big difference and sight lines. You are not going to go as fast on a blind turn as one you can see through.

So really we would need to talk about a specific turn. But beyond what speed you can technically make a turn there is also, what speed is safe because on the street you always have to have a safety buffer either for emergency braking, trail braking, counter steering and/or leaning more.

There is the speed you can technically execute and then there is the speed that is actually safe. You will reach a point that you can make a turn much faster than you should. May we all have the wisdom to judge what that speed is.

 

[afm199]

There is an old racer saying.


A lot more people crash going fast in slow turns than slow in fast turns.

 

[aminalmutha]

There is an old racer saying.


A lot more people crash going fast in slow turns than slow in fast turns.

True, but those people are losers.


Every corner is different, every day is different. As has been said, there's not hard and fast rule for posted corner speeds. Some people on certain bikes on certain roads could possibly 4x or more a posted corner speed, but that doesn't really matter. If the person in question died doing 50 in a 15 corner, that person obviously didn't make the corner; someone else on a different bike on a different day may be able to do that and not blink. Just make the corner, worry about speed when someone writes you big fat checks to do so. arty

 

[DTM74]

Depends on the corner as ZCrow mentioned. Some 15mph corners you can take at 30-35mph...some I've encountered I need to be at 20mph. All depends on the road.

I'm generally more conservative in unfamiliar territory as well.

 

[Zerox]

I myself have trouble on tight 15mph turns frequently, and at my skill level would not go faster than the speed limit +5 on them. But it did make me curious: What is the fastest speed you guys have taken a 15mph turn and executed it well? Differences uphill, downhill, flat? And what is the normal entry speed you guys would take into one?

To me the phrase "15-mph turn" brings to mind a very tight corner with limited visibility, and probably not much runoff either. Like a cliff edge on the outside, and a dirt embankment/ditch on the inside. With a dump truck coming from the other direction, still out of sight, that will soon appear in your vision as you notice it's over the center line and taking up half your lane. You might not see the dump truck at first, because a tourist in your lane missed their turnoff and has decided to do an illegal U-turn right in front of you....

So in my opinion the skill level is not the issue, what you are already doing is perfect. Not going faster than +5 the speed limit is smart for any skill level. Save the fun for corners with better visibility!