Turning right

[Bend-it]

I can't do it properly!

I was just practicing u-turns at the cul de-sac near my place and realised that I was quite happy turning left, but right was terrible! Felt twitchy and nervous... And the right hand u-turn is the one you'd use more, since we drive on the left... grrr... No, I have never lived or driven in a right hand drive country.

Why is this? Do other people have the same problem, or should I check myself in for psych testing? How do you overcome it, apart from practicing right hand u-turns lots?

[Bend-it]

Oops, just noticed the other thread on Left/Right cornering... but this is alittle different... Not much counter steering here, just real low speed stuff. Positioning on teh road and camber don't apply either, 'coz both lanes are used for u-turns...

[kiwifruit]

practice practice
look where you want to go
practice
relax
dont try to hard
practice

[beyond]

Yeah, practice but the biggest problem is that low speed cornering techniques seem difficult as they are exactly the opposite technique to high speed cornering.

In high speed turns you are aiming at keeping your leaning angles as less as you can for the corner whereas with Uturns you need as much lean angle as possible.

Lets work on a tight right U turn. Firstly shift your weight to the left side of the bike, (the outside of the turning side) as far as your your inside arm (right arm in this case) allows and allow your crutch to get up to the tank as far as you can.

The you put your weight on the left peg to keep balance points and this outside leg becomes the main part to carry your weight. There should be no weight on the inside peg at all (right peg in this case).

The you look into your turn as far behind you as you can over your right shoulder and then using the inside arm (right arm) you push pull the bars to maintain your lean and turn angles. A right turn is a little harder as that hand also controls the throttle.

The left turn is the opposite to the above.

Hope this helps :)

[Maffoo]

thats useful to know
I just did my basic skills test & i was crapper at low speed than at high
I was also guilty of not using the clutch to full effect ..... been drivin auto cars for too long i think

[quickbuck]

Another point:
Look UP, and way off into the distance when turning.
If you look down that is exactly where your bike will go.

[Skyryder]

There was a post in this a way back on U turns. Probably the most diificult manourvre on a bike. Get ya'self into an empty car park and practice practice practice. Very few bikers can execute a U turn correctly. We get round but those that can power out of one............tis a joy to behold and rarely seen these days.

Skyryder

[Ixion]

There was a post in this a way back on U turns. Probably the most diificult manourvre on a bike. Get ya'self into an empty car park and practice practice practice. Very few bikers can execute a U turn correctly. We get round but those that can power out of one............tis a joy to behold and rarely seen these days.

Skyryder

How else do you exit the turn ?

[Skyryder]

Bit difficult to explain Ix. Perhaps I should have worded it better. The power is applied 'prior to sharpest point of the U turn. That would be at the low part of the letter U. Traction and G forces allow the bike to be 'leaned' over and powered out. I knew a guy who could do a 360 turn. Just spin the back wheel and ride off. That's on ashphelt not gravel. In those days it was considered no mean feat. Not until I got a bit older and realised the skill involved in a stunt like that. But as a teenager shit it was different but we all had different tricks.........'cept me:beer:
I've ridden with guys who could scrape there pegs doing U'es. Something I've never mastered. That would be difficult on a heavy cruiser but not impossible. Hope that is clearer

Skyryder

[mooks]

dude - you are in Wellington. Head over to the Makara cemetary late one afternoon. They have great tight little roundabouts. Go 'round and 'round - right way and the wrong way til you get it. You can see any traffic coming from a long way off the little that there is. AND - you have the added fun of Makara Hill when you go home - always good for a grin or two.
It is a great place to practice the slow tight stuff.

[NighthawkNZ]

First of all... relax... dont tense up...

One of the main things with cornering is look way ahead where you want the bike to go around the corner, and the bike will follow.

I find tilting my head to keep it level in the turn also helps with your sense of balance.

You need to judge judge the corner speed to your ability... and practise, have fun.

[Finn]

Bit difficult to explain Ix. Perhaps I should have worded it better. The power is applied 'prior to sharpest point of the U turn. That would be at the low part of the letter U. Traction and G forces allow the bike to be 'leaned' over and powered out.
Skyryder

Bullshit Skyryder. The guy is learning and you're telling him to nail it during a U turn? The easiest way is to ride the clutch and look to where you want to go and practice of course.

Traction & G forces? Eh? Powering out of a normal corner simply shifts the weight to the back of the bike where there is more grip. Nothing to do with G force. Gyro effect maybe.