[Thorgrim]

I'm one of the newest idiots here, so I'll comment.

First I should explain that prior to this year, most of my riding was on dirt bikes - MX, eastern US strip mine roads, single-track, and that colored my experiences a lot - as in I was either on the pegs, or on the tank. IMnsHO, it works a bit differently on the street. I'm confounded by the design of my CB500F (yeah, I know, I know, a Honda owner on a Ninjette forum, WTF, but I learn here and I had the Honda when I found this place), the seat is canted strongly to the front and at first I ended up with my naughty bits on the tank by virtue of gravity. Gradually I adjusted, but I still have a subconscious creep toward the tank when I'm seated. It's a problem, I'm working on it. A lot of dirt riding translates roughly to street, and a lot ... just doesn't. My riding buddy keeps trying to talk me out of trading for a supermoto, but I'm not sure he's right.

While I was first concerned with comfort/discomfort regarding the seat angle, I've gradually found that weight distribution is just as important on asphalt as dirt, maybe even more so. The feeling of getting the weight where it should be helps me break old habits, choosing effectiveness over comfort and familiarity. I've still got a long way to go, but it's getting better.

With all that rubbish in mind, are you sliding up on the tank to gain control, or simply because the bike is set up to put you there? There's a very critical difference in the two. I've also noticed that at very, very slow speeds, I gain control of a dirt bike by sliding forward, and lose control on a street bike by doing the same. Even if you don't topple at a light, that lack of balance/control is unsettling and will affect your comfort on the bike.