Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me....

[nikster]

I have a bike license from Europe and been big biking in Thailand for one year now, but this was new to me, namely how to seriously turn the curves in the mountains. I wasn't that bad at it before but a friend recently told me how to make the bike lean into the curve all by itself.

Does everyone know this already? I know new riders wouldn't. A small push forward of the hand at the side of the turn does it.. the front wheel then turns away from the curve which seems counter-intuitive, but then bike then immediately and very nicely leans into the turn and... zoooooooom... around you go. Counter-steering. So simple. I think I've never done steep curves as fast as today. A ton of fun. The ER-6n loved it

[ScubaBuddha]

I've taken a couple of riding courses, not racing just beginner and advanced safe riding and handling techniques. Form what I recall my instructor used the word, "press" to describe what you are doing on the handlebar. Good stuff. Next combine that with scootching your butt into the corner's side of the seat and feel the bike really respond. You'll be dragg'in your knee in no time! (FTR, I never done that!)

Edited November 13, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[thrilled]

motorcycle riding cources teach it.if ya don't take the course you wouldn't know about it unless ya been riding for years and just experimented with it.

[BSJ]

Been doing it for 40 years. My dad taught me how to ride. Explained trailing braking, off the seat cornering as well. These days it's all covered in the beginners StayUpright course!

[Travelmate]

Practice, practice, practice and it all become second nature.

[nikster]

Practice, practice, practice and it all become second nature.

Not on this one. It's very easy once you are told by somebody. It's hard to figure out if nobody told you.

I mean sure I was getting around corners looking reasonably good before. But with this little tip, it's effortless and much better than before too.

Anyway.. motorcycle riding course would be great, maybe I'll do that ... sounds like fun.

[neverdie]

^Yes, after if becomes second nature, you dont think about it at all and you can just focus on hitting every apex and nice controlled slides of the rear end .

[Travelmate]

Practice, practice, practice and it all become second nature.

Not on this one. It's very easy once you are told by somebody. It's hard to figure out if nobody told you.

I mean sure I was getting around corners looking reasonably good before. But with this little tip, it's effortless and much better than before too.

Anyway.. motorcycle riding course would be great, maybe I'll do that ... sounds like fun.

Fuk me an expert already!

Try it when you up the pace and start entering corners real quick, or even a chicane. You need to put real effort to push, pull the bars.

Once I had to come back into the pits, because I managed to twist the clipon round on the fork, as I was push/ pulling on it so hard!

[alant]

if my memory serves me well this was first described by those prolific cyclists the wright brothers (of powered flight fame). as for me i dont think you could get a 700lb harley round corners without it. it is a good point though, many riders are self taught and not particularly expert (myself included) so it often is an unknown.

[mixed]

many riders are self taught and not particularly expert (myself included) so it often is an unknown.

I'd only ridden dirt bikes and small road bikes, then I got a VFR750 and someone mentioned it to me in passing a few days later. Nice simple technique, but I was never game to 'push' it too far.

[12DrinkMore]

Here is another thread on cornering which might be of interest....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cornering-t2...ml&hl=curve

[Kf6vci]

Keep the head fairly level, even when you lean over.

The actual sterering is opposite to bicycle riding. try it at low speed, turn like with a bicycle and the bike will move to the opposite side.

It is all about the subconscious mind getting it right.

Cornering is an art - good coordination of gear changes, breaking and all is great when you get it right.

[Gonsalviz]

WOW.

[phibunmike]

It is also a useful technique for a sudden dodge, for example if someone opens a car door in front of you. Quickly push one side then the other, and you are round the obstacle.

[MrFrank]

You're not alone in not having been taught this, in fact it has only been included in rider training relatively recently (last 10 years or so). Kieth Code (founder of the California Superbike School) published his guide to counter-steering (amongst other things) in 1980 and was decried by experienced riders and racers for giving false and dangerous information. These and most other riders had been counter-steering for all of their riding careers without realising what they were doing. Generally, riders would learn cornering through experience and would come to believe that leaning, pressing on the bars or dropping their shoulders was causing the steering to work, whereas they were actually counter-steering all the time. (Just try hanging off to one side of the bike at speed and you'll see how little effect it really has on your direction of travel.)

Counter-steering is so counter-intuitive that most non-riders will assume that you are joking if you explain it to them, but once you are aware of it it makes all of your riding better and safer.

[desmondspencer]

i always wtach out for wind vanes whenever possible. surfing the mountains is highly dangerous... go slow if no indicators are in sight.

Edited December 28, 2009 by desmondspencer

[Garry]

I have both of these and they were enjoyable to watch. The Superbike school be the better one as the master class was more advertising program than anything:

Ron-Haslam-Superbike-Masterclass

James Whitham Superbike-School

But intend picking this up in the new year:

Twist-of-the-Wrist