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T.W.R
20th July 2006, 01:43
I remember recently browsing over a thread that mentioned about hugging the centre line whilst negotiating R/H corners, This is fair enough when you can see through the corner clearly & have a good view of the road ahead.

The clip attached even though short & from the US (the bike is negotiating a L/H corner) is still a good reminder of what can happen when vision is obscured in R/H corners here. Even though the bike isn't travelling fast, it's a damn good reality check on what can happen (it isn't hard to visualise what could have been).

acewheelie
20th July 2006, 04:20
I agree wholeheartedly. Even the car racing fraternity reckon that to be on the apex of a corner you can only do it if you can see the exit. If you can't see the exit how do you know that the corner doesn't tighten up, just out of sight? If you are at 10/10ths in that situation you are going to fall off or hit something, (like the bus!)

ZeroIndex
20th July 2006, 06:57
THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION IS THE QUESTION NOT ASKED
There are no stupid questions, only stupid people - Mr. Garisson (South Park) :D

Blackbird
20th July 2006, 07:31
I agree wholeheartedly. Even the car racing fraternity reckon that to be on the apex of a corner you can only do it if you can see the exit. If you can't see the exit how do you know that the corner doesn't tighten up, just out of sight? If you are at 10/10ths in that situation you are going to fall off or hit something, (like the bus!)

That's one of the first things you're taught on an advanced riding course. Staying away from the centre line gives you a bit more vision round a blind corner (and room to make other line choices if something unexpected happens).

98tls
20th July 2006, 07:37
i stay away from the center line cause the damn things slippery:yes:

acewheelie
20th July 2006, 08:03
That's one of the first things you're taught on an advanced riding course. Staying away from the centre line gives you a bit more vision round a blind corner (and room to make other line choices if something unexpected happens).

I remember on a rally once going hard into some corners a bit too hot, and still having enough room to stand the bike up, hit the brakes, bleed enough speed off to get around the corner. Not recommended for clean underpants though!

Blackbird
20th July 2006, 09:07
I remember on a rally once going hard into some corners a bit too hot, and still having enough room to stand the bike up, hit the brakes, bleed enough speed off to get around the corner. Not recommended for clean underpants though!


Hahaha. The secret is remembering to actually use the skills that you've learned! When I'm riding on my own, it's not too bad but in the heat of battle with another bike or a cage, that's when it's easy to let things slip and when you're most at risk. Trying to minimise mistakes is what it's all about, innit?

Lou Girardin
20th July 2006, 09:35
That's why it pays to take a late apex on right handers. Squaring off the corner as it were.

acewheelie
20th July 2006, 09:35
Hahaha. The secret is remembering to actually use the skills that you've learned! When I'm riding on my own, it's not too bad but in the heat of battle with another bike or a cage, that's when it's easy to let things slip and when you're most at risk. Trying to minimise mistakes is what it's all about, innit?

I learnt along time ago that those sorts of mistakes hurt, a lot!

T.W.R
20th July 2006, 11:39
Maybe I should clarify a bit as the thread I'd browsed over. A few had commented about keeping a healthy distance from the centre line to avoid such instances, which is whole heartedly correct & this video is a good visualisation of what can happen (luckily without the graphic reminder of when things go bad).

acewheelie
20th July 2006, 12:05
We have another hazard unfamiliar to the Americans, Sheep!

Interesting on a blind corner to have a flock come into view.

Macktheknife
20th July 2006, 12:08
We have another hazard unfamiliar to the Americans, Sheep!

Interesting on a blind corner to have a flock come into view.
Or cows, they are really nasty to ride into.
Ride a line to see the exit, then tip in as much as you like.

Goblin
20th July 2006, 12:33
...Even though the bike isn't travelling fast, it's a damn good reality check on what can happen (it isn't hard to visualise what could have been).
Can and does happen! The worst road I have seen that sort of thing is the Thames to Coromandel road. For some reason SUV drivers think they can cut the corners when bikes are coming towards them up there:gob: Arseholes!

T.W.R
20th July 2006, 12:38
We have another hazard unfamiliar to the Americans, Sheep!

Interesting on a blind corner to have a flock come into view.

Ha you should try the Kamakazi sheep down here (up around the summit road on banks Peninsula) I've had them jump down onto the road from ledges above in front of me :gob:.

Digress a bit but a mate who drove a bulkgrain truck collected a heard of sheep that were being shifted along a road at full noise :sick: cleaned up about 50-60 of them (truck looked like something out of madmax with blood & guts other bits pasted all over it).

acewheelie
20th July 2006, 14:24
Ha you should try the Kamakazi sheep down here (up around the summit road on banks Peninsula) I've had them jump down onto the road from ledges above in front of me :gob:.

Digress a bit but a mate who drove a bulkgrain truck collected a heard of sheep that were being shifted along a road at full noise :sick: cleaned up about 50-60 of them (truck looked like something out of madmax with blood & guts other bits pasted all over it).

Should have gas axed the remains, steak and kidney anyone?

T.W.R
20th July 2006, 14:34
Can and does happen! The worst road I have seen that sort of thing is the Thames to Coromandel road. For some reason SUV drivers think they can cut the corners when bikes are coming towards them up there:gob: Arseholes!

It does happen quite regularly unfortunately :yes: & not just from cars,4x4s or trucks/buses. I've seen bikes almost cleaned up by other bikes in tight blind corners like that.

erik
20th July 2006, 15:15
That wasn't a blind corner though. The rider should have been able to see the bus and change his line well before he did.

But apart from that, yeah, it's wise to stay away from centreline on RH corners.

LH corners you've got the issue of staying to the right of your lane so that you can see further around the corner (also helps to avoid taking a corner too quickly and running out of road if you apex too early), but also you've got to be careful of other people coming the opposite way and cutting the corner so in some cases it pays not to be too wide.