left or right

[FzerozeroT]

OK, Motoracer made the comment that he needs to improve his lefties, I need to improve my righties. I think this is because I am goofy footed (right foot foward on a skate/surf board)

[riffer]

Definitely the right. I need to work on my lefts.

It's probably because I've had two reconstructions on my left knee (ACL and Medial ligaments) that I'm a bit more chicken on that side. It just hurts trying to lean over that far on that side. The right hand side - no problem.

Still - practice and exercise is supposed to sort that out. Trouble is getting both (especially when I'm still at work :( )

[dangerous]

I dont mind eather way, I have a mate that hates his right handers, he all ways ends up on the otherside of the road. We have tried to nut this one out there was a big decussion on a Guzzi forum on this subject.
It was a US site and of course they ride on the other side of the road. The gen was that most people dident like right handers which I have found here.
So this means that the oncomming lane has nothing to do with it (what I mean is its in the head cos you know that you have more room on our right cos of the empty lane)
The other thing is if you look to were you want to go then you will automatical drift to far that way.

However what we came up with was those having trouble with the right handers dont like 'reverse stearing' with the throtle hand (pushing not pulling)
So it will be interesting to see how this poll turns out.

[modalx]

No diff on the track but I reckon rights are easier to push on the road because you can usually see further around the curve. It also comforts me to know if I totally blow it I'll end up in a ditch not sliding into oncoming traffic.

[spudchucka]

OK, Motoracer made the comment that he needs to improve his lefties, I need to improve my righties. I think this is because I am goofy footed (right foot foward on a skate/surf board)

I'm goofy footed as well and definately prefer left handers. I'm quite comfortable pushing hard in a lefty and don't mind the bike sliding around a bit. Quite the opposite on a righty, I fair crap myself if the bike starts moving around in a right hander. The leftys just feel more natural.

[matthewt]

OK, Motoracer made the comment that he needs to improve his lefties, I need to improve my righties. I think this is because I am goofy footed (right foot foward on a skate/surf board)

Keith Code has an article on this.

http://www.superbikeschool.com/us/keiths_corner/badside.shtml

Personally I've always preferred lefthand corners. Then one day out of the blue I figured out why. I wasn't looking into the corner properly whereas I was going into left handers. Once I sussed that I started to sort it out.

If anyone wants to really sort out there right handers then do a track day at Manfeild (just make sure it's not reverse circuit!).

[Motu]

Always prefered left corners - and after going around and around anticlockwise for awhile you get used to them.

[MacD]

My chicken strips suggest I prefer right-hand corners! :msn-wink: And I was goofy-footed on a skateboard too. I think its to do with being able to see further around your average right-hander?

[Motoracer]

I did pick right but it would be untrue to say I prefer right over left. I like all properly desgined corners but I only get an idea of which ones I am better at after looking at my tires.

[Holy Roller]

Left feels more natural, Right has a tendancy to start the tank slapper syndrome, may just be the shaftdrive though :D

[pete376403]

I/m with Motu on this one - on speedway you don't get much choice :mellow:

[Two Smoker]

I prefer both left hand corners because they generally are on camber rather than the right handers which are often off camber..... but then again looking at my chicken strips i dont mind either lol.... Also with the left hander there is more swinging wide room, so if you go in way too hot (even though risking a head on) yea have a little extra room to recover..

[phil_elvey]

I'm definately a bit more cautious on right-handers. Being able to hug the apex of a corner gives me more confidence, and there is no tendancy to cut corner (you can't)

[Zed]

OK, Motoracer made the comment that he needs to improve his lefties, I need to improve my righties. I think this is because I am goofy footed (right foot foward on a skate/surf board)
I'm happy either way, but sometimes the right handers drive me around the bends! :confused2

[fzr400rr]

Either / Or I'd have to say. Taking lefties you start on the RH side of road anyway (when blatting round the back roads) You just back off if there's an oncoming cage when you're half way round.
Same goes for righties, you come in hot, and depending on cages coming into view - you cut the LH accordingly, then wind on the power while in full lean and use every bit of road as you bring the bike back up. boff :done:

[White trash]

I have no problem with either, I'm just not particularly good at either!

I prefer doing half mile long wheelies. I can wheelie around slight corneres to the left or the right, does that count?

[Posh Tourer :P]

Used to dislike righties with a passion, due to holding on to the throttle too tight, off-camber road, and lack of runout room. Now I got over further on the right cos the left scrapes my sidestand earlier than the right which scrapes my toe.
Only fixed it after having it pointed out though... then did 40 round a tight roundabout and found out how far the right would go...

[Vagabond]

The heading reminds me of my army days !
I picked left as I always feel more comfortable, but the 'chicken strips' suggest otherwise. :thud:

[dangerous]

Either / Or I'd have to say. Taking lefties you start on the RH side of road anyway (when blatting round the back roads) You just back off if there's an oncoming cage when you're half way round.
Same goes for righties, you come in hot, and depending on cages coming into view - you cut the LH accordingly, then wind on the power while in full lean and use every bit of road as you bring the bike back up. boff :done:

Mate, you wont last long with that riding tecnec "you start on the RH side of road" :doh: You do relise that one on one aco's ONLY happen when someone is on the WRONG side of the road.
"depending on cages coming into view - you cut the LH accordingly" :argh: What about the one you dont see?

"wind on the power while in full lean and use every bit of road as you bring the bike back up" :brick: Mate if you were to do that on a bike bigger than a 400 you WILL end up on your arse
Do you think that you would pass a driving test if you rode like that?

Hay all only IMHO :spudwhat:

[Big Dog]

Better at rights, fair at lefts but more confident right.

[Skyryder]

As Dangerous said this topic was asked on a Guzzi site a few months ago. The Americans by far preferred the left hand turns and it will be remembered that they drive on the different side of the road than we do. Our response is mixed. More mixed than the Americans who definately preferred the the left hand turns. Some here have commented on the camber. While this suites us as we ride into the camber on a left hand turn it is the opposite when driving on the other side of the road and remember the American on the Guzzi forum preferred the left to the right. Dangerouse mentioned the throttle. One poster on the Guzzi site suggested that in the left hand turn the left hand grip on the handle bar is more stable and as a result the rider is more in control than in the right hand turn where throttle twist or instbaility of the right hand grip is looser. (my words) In the absence of further evedence this seems to me to be a reasonable explanation. However I do belive that other factors should be taken into consideration. I recall reading a post on this forum, something about do you put your knee down when corning or some such subject. Someone mentioned that the technique is to twist the body. Someone said that they could do this one way but had trouble when cornering the other way. This to me suggests a co-ordernation preference Ultimately we have preferences in most things and it may be that cornering one way over another just depends on what side of the side of the brain we prefer to use. AS an aside to this I wonder what preferences woman have in cornering.
Skyryder

[Indiana_Jones]

I like going left better, maybe cause I'm left handed ?

:blah: <-------Wtf is that?

-Indy

[Slingshot]

I seem to scrap my toes more often on lefties, but I don't really think I favour right or left.

The thing I like the most is a stretch of road that lets you go from from one side to the other without pausing in the middle. So I guess that means that I don't like go straight :msn-wink:

[Motu]

Interesting it was on a Guzzi site - from what I remember of riding V twin Guzzi's they would torque up out of a right hander and pull down into a left,I prefered the rights because you could just relax and let it right itself - maybe I've got this all wrong,it's been awhile.I never noticed my BMW doing this,more power with the Guzzi I expect.Chicken strips tell the story - depending on tyres,I never have any on the left side and am always frustrated when I look at the right.

[DEATH_INC.]

I prefer lefts,more comfortable,though there's no chicken strips on either side.....
I think it has to do with the rear brake,you can't position yer body properly(to the right) with yer toes on the brake pedal.....

[Lou Girardin]

My chicken strips tell me that I like both equally. They also tell me I'm crap in corners.
Lou

[Motu]

I guess I better retract my previous statements - the Honda has a tyre with a much rounder profile than I normaly use,looking at it this morning the evidence is clear....after my saturday ride it has gone a good 5mm more on the right,I musta been trying hard.

[dangerous]

Interesting it was on a Guzzi site - from what I remember of riding V twin Guzzi's they would torque up out of a right hander and pull down into a left

Yeh, thats true but with the 1100 sport's and most Guzzi's from 97 on the fly wheel's are much lighter there for the up/down thing isent as noticable.
However with the Guzzi and CX's that I've had I dont realy notice it anyway, just like the sharft drive thing, it pulls you around a bit aswell but that I dont notice either.

[Motu]

I thought that might be the case,I haven't ridden a modern Guzzi,but have seen the flywheels in the flesh.I'm talking S3,loved those things,but ignored now,like Le Mans is the word man.

The BMW had more torque reaction at low speed,I noticed the Guzzi's in the corners and rear end rise under acceleration.The XLV750 has shaft drive - the only time I notice it is on a hill start - lifts the bike and my feet come off the ground!

[Posh Tourer :P]

I thought that might be the case,I haven't ridden a modern Guzzi,but have seen the flywheels in the flesh.I'm talking S3,loved those things,but ignored now,like Le Mans is the word man.

The BMW had more torque reaction at low speed,I noticed the Guzzi's in the corners and rear end rise under acceleration.The XLV750 has shaft drive - the only time I notice it is on a hill start - lifts the bike and my feet come off the ground!

Always go thru corners on the gas on a flat twin beemer... lifts the bike up. Incidentally thats part of the reason shafties arent as good at wheelies. acceleration lifts the bike, not rotating it around the rear sprocket/axle like a chain/belt drive. Its a bit unnerving trying to go harder when you are in trouble, but it works... lay it down further and accelerate gently, and you come through. Doesnt apply on chain drives tho....

[Motu]

Well,it does lift the bike,but it bends in the middle,giving the impression of the bike rising.The driveshaft is rotating around the rear axle making the driveshaft go up,also on another plane the crownwheel is trying to rotate around the pinion,lots of things happening back there.

First time I got on a Guzzi...I went down a quiet back street and popped a full on tyre smoking start,feet on the pegs as I started to move...then I felt the whole bike start to rotate anticlockwise,the front wheel was in the air,the back tyre spinning,so I had no way to control it.If I hadn't a got some traction I felt it would of just rolled onto it's side!

[bungbung]

Going back to the cornering,

Most people seem to have a preference for one direction over the other. For myself, left handers feel more comfy.

Question - do your chicken strips back this up?

On my front tyre the strips are identical. I can't say for sure on the back, its a bit messy

[Posh Tourer :P]

Gravel makes your chicken strips unreadable sometimes....They ought to back it up, but you may be preferring one side, and pushing yourself harder on the other, if you see what I mean... Ie you dont like the right, but feel like you are going further when you really arent

[dangerous]

First time I got on a Guzzi...I went down a quiet back street and popped a full on tyre smoking start,feet on the pegs as I started to move...then I felt the whole bike start to rotate anticlockwise,the front wheel was in the air,the back tyre spinning,so I had no way to control it.If I hadn't a got some traction I felt it would of just rolled onto it's side!

going back to Guzzi :msn-wink:
Weeeeheeeee ya gota love em, they are one of a kind :)

[Skyryder]

Well it looks like the lefties won. Same as the States and they drive on the other side than us. So it has nothing to do with the camber. Seem to recall some lefthanders both here and in the states prefering the left hand turn so being left or right handed does not appear to be the reason. I tend it to think that it has to do with the throttle and the stability of the hand grips. But having said that................there my well be another reason. I am a little intrigued by this. Still would love to know what the woman prefer. I have a sneaky suspician that they may well prefer the opposite from the guys. :beer:



Skyryder

[Big Dog]

My right is 1 inch narrower. And the tread is shallower. This could be becuase there are lots of big rights going to and from work with only one left in each direction worth mentioning. All the rest of the lefts are cambered all wrong.

[wkid_one]

My right is 1 inch narrower. And the tread is shallower. This could be becuase there are lots of big rights going to and from work with only one left in each direction worth mentioning. All the rest of the lefts are cambered all wrong.

It was weird for me....I hated right hand corners - yet my tyres indicated I leant the bike further on the right hand side. I got used to liking RH corners after many stints and Puke - where if you don't like RHers don't bother going.

[pete376403]

Normal road camber will wear the right side of the tyres more then the left, even when running in a straight line. Turning left you use the camber to your advantage, even tho the bike is leaning, relative to the road surface the tyre is not far off vertical . In a right turn the camber works against you, so the chicken strips indicate you were way over, but you might not have been.
(this was so easy to sketch on paper, and so hard to explain in words)

[Hitcher]

I was a bit apprehensive of right-handers for a few thousand km after losing the Zrex on the 'takas. However my mojo returned on the Milford road!

[wkid_one]

Normal road camber will wear the right side of the tyres more then the left, even when running in a straight line. Turning left you use the camber to your advantage, even tho the bike is leaning, relative to the road surface the tyre is not far off vertical . In a right turn the camber works against you, so the chicken strips indicate you were way over, but you might not have been.
(this was so easy to sketch on paper, and so hard to explain in words)Sorry I was referring to the race track as per my post- which is usually camber neutral or positive - where I got over further on the right hand side than the left even tho right felt more 'uncomfortable' - however interestly enuf - even with the weird feeling - it was easy to knee down to the right

Yes - roads are cambered from the centre out to allow rain run off....I wouldn't bother looking at my road chicken strips for this reason.

[Posh Tourer :P]

Yes - roads are cambered from the centre out to allow rain run off....I wouldn't bother looking at my road chicken strips for this reason.

Why not? You are still pushing the bike relative to the road surface.... If you go further on one side according to chicken strips while riding on the road, it is a lesson to get you to push a bit harder on the other cos you obviously are able to and just dont want to.

[wkid_one]

Why not? You are still pushing the bike relative to the road surface.... If you go further on one side according to chicken strips while riding on the road, it is a lesson to get you to push a bit harder on the other cos you obviously are able to and just dont want to.
Because it will always show you corner harder to the right - where in actual fact you don't due to the camber of the road.

If you are pushing the bike you won't have chicken strips anyway - I only had them on the front - which I wasn't to concerned about given it is the rear wheel, I used them as a gauge as to how I was turning in to corners. Given that the rear steers the bike mid corner anyway (don't argue this point please - have you ever pulled a mid corner wheelie and still stayed on line), no chicken strips on the rear I was happy I was using the whole footprint of the tyre.

[wkid_one]

RIght handers are apparently a common side to be tentative about - I have read it is due to the fact that when cornering to the left - it appears as if you have a whole lot more road to play with (ie: the other lane) - whereas when cornering to the right - if you fuck it up, you end up in the marbles or worse. In the States on R1-Forum it seems to be the other way around.

[Posh Tourer :P]

Because it will always show you corner harder to the right - where in actual fact you don't due to the camber of the road.

Doesnt how hard you push a bike rely on how much grip your tyres have? therefore the relevant measure ie what chicken strips measure is how leaned over your tyres are relative to the road ie the bit directly under the tyres (camber is irrelevant here)? I agree that you may be naturally inclined to lean further relative to the immediate road surface on the right as it appears to be not so bad when you look at the bigger picture, but how far your tyres show is the ultimate indicator of how fast you can go. So if you go further over on your tyres on one side, then you can reasonably expect to be able to push it that far on the other side.
(On another note, I do note that a cambered road will wear you tyres with a slight bias when you go in a straight line, but cornering need not be so. With the camber you can go faster in terms of road speed round a leftie cos it is cambered advantageously. You shouldnt be able to lean further one way the the other though.)

[dangerous]

RIght handers are apparently a common side to be tentative about - I have read it is due to the fact that when cornering to the left - it appears as if you have a whole lot more road to play with (ie: the other lane) - whereas when cornering to the right - if you fuck it up, you end up in the marbles or worse. In the States on R1-Forum it seems to be the other way around.

Agree to disagree there fella, Cos like Skyryder and I said, on a US Guzzi site (a bunch of oll farts anyway) the results were the same as here in a poll on this subject :apint:

Ps: don't argue this point please - have you ever pulled a mid corner wheelie and still stayed on line :msn-wink:

[wkid_one]

Agree to disagree there fella, Cos like Skyryder and I said, on a US Guzzi site (a bunch of oll farts anyway) the results were the same as here in a poll on this subject :apint:

Ps: don't argue this point please - have you ever pulled a mid corner wheelie and still stayed on line :msn-wink:
I only commented about the R1 Forum which got the other result - rights easier.

However - apparantly - I was reading this site today that said that women are more inclined to like right handers and guys left.

Re the camber - if the road is cambered more in one direction than the other - if looking at your CS will 'show' you lean the tyre further on the side with the camber - purely because of the 'lean' inherent in the road. It is not about 'leaning further' rather the angle between the road and the tyre differs with camber. As Pete said - it is easier to explain in drawing than words.

You 'appear' to lean the bike further to the right - as the angle between the bike and the road is already less than 90deg due to the camber....therefore it actually takes less lean to get to the edge of the tyre. Whereas to the left you have greater than 90deg - so you have to lean it further to use the same part of the tyre as the right.

Hence is why you will always have more wear on the centre right of the tyre than the left - if riding in a straight line for extended periods.

Theoretically you will be able to lean further to the left than the right as the camber allows you to lean the bike further , whereas to the right the negative camber (wanting to push you to the outside) will prevent maximum lean being attained.

[dangerous]

Wkid..... I intiley agree with you there, you can often see this weir on tyres of those that ride in straight lines all there life. :yes:

[wkid_one]

Yeah......you can see it when bikes are parked - the right always looks better used - yet everyone says they prefer lefts - LOL.

[Posh Tourer :P]

I only commented about the R1 Forum which got the other result - rights easier.

However - apparantly - I was reading this site today that said that women are more inclined to like right handers and guys left.

Re the camber - if the road is cambered more in one direction than the other - if looking at your CS will 'show' you lean the tyre further on the side with the camber - purely because of the 'lean' inherent in the road. It is not about 'leaning further' rather the angle between the road and the tyre differs with camber. As Pete said - it is easier to explain in drawing than words.

You 'appear' to lean the bike further to the right - as the angle between the bike and the road is already less than 90deg due to the camber....therefore it actually takes less lean to get to the edge of the tyre. Whereas to the left you have greater than 90deg - so you have to lean it further to use the same part of the tyre as the right.

Theoretically you will be able to lean further to the left than the right as the camber allows you to lean the bike further , whereas to the right the negative camber (wanting to push you to the outside) will prevent maximum lean being attained.

Exactly what i was trying to say..... you put it much better though

[FROSTY]

A few years ago I'd have said left handers for sure. nowadays i favour the right .Not because of turning into a woman but because of the damage I did to my right shoulder makes me a lil bit shy in the left handers :argh:

[Big Dog]

The other reason I favour the right that noone has yet mentioned is that I have better visability turning right.

[matthewt]

The other reason I favour the right that noone has yet mentioned is that I have better visability turning right.

I mentioned this as being my problem with right handers in response #6. For me I preferred lefties and then figured out one day that I wasn't looking far enough ahead when turning right.

[Big Dog]

I mentioned this as being my problem with right handers in response #6. For me I preferred lefties and then figured out one day that I wasn't looking far enough ahead when turning right.
:Oops: It is easier to see left but there is more to be seen looking right is how it was put to me. Especially if you move over to the left before starting the turn.

[sAsLEX]

Prefer lefts, tyres show a remarkable differnce though(maybe camber but I doubt it). One thing I found was that I always turn in to early on rights especially and if I hold off the corner seems far smoother and easier, maybe due to more vision?

[Big Dog]

Prefer lefts, tyres show a remarkable differnce though(maybe camber but I doubt it). One thing I found was that I always turn in to early on rights especially and if I hold off the corner seems far smoother and easier, maybe due to more vision?
It is more likely due to your having a longer line.
ie if you apex to soon you have to turn sharper to make the corner.

There is a better explanation in Graham Allardices book The Bikers Bible, but I neither have a scanner nor the ability to reproduce the diagrams on a computer without one.

The guts of it is that the closer you get your curve to a straightline the less likely you are to f*(& it up.

Also many people apex to early meaning their lines lack fluidity, and often as a result they have to double apex corners to make it around. this is why I like following Firefight and Baby B they both have very fluid lines with good late apex's. Following less skilled riders tends to have me apexing early. :ride:

[Two Smoker]

Well since my last post (donkey's ago..) i prefer my rights due to the better visability.... My knee sliders shows this, but my tyres show that i like both rights and lefts equally :wacko: ........ (taking into account of camber etc)

[matthewt]

:Oops: It is easier to see left but there is more to be seen looking right is how it was put to me. Especially if you move over to the left before starting the turn.

But wouldn't you be able to see just as much going into a left hander if you move over to the right ??

Or have I missed the point :wacko:

[Big Dog]

But wouldn't you be able to see just as much going into a left hander if you move over to the right ??

Or have I missed the point :wacko:
Not if you are on a two lane road, unless you were planning on visiting the opposing traffic. :doh:

On a race trachk it would make no diff but on two way roads it does.

[madandy]

I'm more comfortable moving my ass around coming into a left corner and seem to hang off the bike better.I scrape my right toe alot, but.I
also like late apexing...:)
It keeps you further away from cages who are exiting corners, where they are most likely to cross the centre line.Early apexing is dangerous on the road.

[wkid_one]

I just seem to have a lot of trouble keeping the bike upright full stop?

In saying that - I went bike shopping yesterday after 6 months of not visiting a bike shop....mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

But I think I am going to buy this instead....

http://www.renault.com/img/produits/clio_V6.jpg

[White trash]

I just seem to have a lot of trouble keeping the bike upright full stop?

In saying that - I went bike shopping yesterday after 6 months of not visiting a bike shop....mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

But I think I am going to buy this instead....

http://www.renault.com/img/produits/clio_V6.jpg

Thats funny, I heard they were only built in left hand hook and Renault wouldn't be bringing any to NZ. I've seen the old model around but not the new one which is supposedly a hell of a lot better.

[wkid_one]

Yep - if I buy will be LHD - looking at purchasing it for Targa 2005 (buying ex OS). Yup Renault NZ is actually refusing to even import one to order for me....weird.

I also have a client that is selling an older one (2000 or 2001) for $15k up in New Plymouth - which may be a go-er also. It is the older one with the different cooling ducts ....I think that looks better.....undecided yet tho. Plus once targa is done - I can gravel sprint the car as well.

Just have to part with the readies which is the hard part.

Was also looking at the De Tomatsu Charade as every driver seems to drive one of this in the 1600cc class - but too common for my liking. Want something you don't see much of.

[White trash]

Well if you end up getting one, pick me first for a hoon in the suicide seat :devil2: