My bad cornering

[Mr Merde]

19 months ago I had a fairly serious accident whilst going for a lesuirely ride in the countryside.

I went round a nice right hander at a speed that was not too fast for the corner but quite rapid (about 80 kph). Next thing I knew I was sliding down the road on my right shoulder, side of the helmet pushed hard to the tarmac and the bike on top of me.

My right arm was dead for over a month. I couldnt lift the arm at all.

Front tyre was taken out by gravel on the apex and I had gone down like lead balloon.

Back to the reason for my post.

Since then I have been very leary about right hand bends in particular and any bend in general. I've been over turning, under turning and gererally making a "DOGS BREAKFAST" of every corner.

This last week, having just bought a home in the country, I have been forced to ride the corners a little more frequently than any time in the past year.

What did I find. I have been watching the road too closely, I've been concentrating too much on the surface of the piece I am on or just about too be on. I suddenly realised that I have not been looking far enough ahead of me.

Forcing myself to look further afield when cornering and trying to concentrate on the next corner not the current one.

Lo and behold my style improved. I am getting smoother, less flustered, making less mistakes than this time last month. I have been too worried about the surface to actually ride properly.

Its little things like this that constantly keep me intersted in riding bikes. After 35 years I am still learning and improving.

Anyone out there got any tips as how to improve the enjoyment of riding then please post the tips here.

[Kflasher]

sweet dude, nice recovery, just remember complacency could take you down again.
I too improved after a long look at my riding style/ dump, funny how experience works aye...

[skidMark]

i havn't been on a sportsbike on the open road since november last year, when the vfr is sorted i'm gunna be such a n00bie!

[MSTRS]

After 35 years I am still learning and improving.



...and discovering that you probably already knew the right way, but....
Good read. Go do a RRRS course - you will thank yourself.

[skelstar]

I agree, keepin gyour head up and looking through the corners is the way to go.

I find that concentrating on getting into a corner at the speed you want, and then 'attacking' the corner from there is a good way at getting faster. By not getting to the corner at a great rate of knots gives you more time to find the quickest way out.

[Krusti]

As far as looking ahead goes...Riding home from Cold Duck rally I decided to relieve the boredom of tootling along legally.

Try this, pick a line on the road and try to drive along it. First keep looking down just in front of your front tyre at the line. Very difficult to keep on track.

Now look way up the road. Keep looking at the line way ahead.

You will be amazed at the difference.:yes:

Pays not to try this on wet slippery white lines though :shit:

[onearmedbandit]

I too have found myself doing the same, concentrating too much on the road surface taking me away from concentrating on the road ahead. I realised this pretty quickly and found a lot more confidence and smoothness by looking further ahead.

[Chickadee]

RRRS course is always useful, + get a mentor to ride with you perhaps? They're good for pointing out lots of shit you forget to do!

Setting yourself up for corners, looking where you want to be, keep telling yourself in your head 'I can do this'. Practise countersteering away from corners, carparks at night (empty) are great for this.

Keeping the speed even, be in the right gear for you and the bike on corners. Try no to go too slow or too fast - or brake like buggery just before the corner as that doesn't do your confidence any favours as you'll feel (and be) less in control.

Keep going out for wee rides, & ride with folks that take corners well so you can watch how they take corners (of course riding with someone that rides at an appropriate speed too).

Good luck with getting over corners, I'm working on my cornering too - you're not alone. I've binned in two corners and I'm getting better with practise and time.

Ride safe buddy

[RantyDave]

I find that concentrating on getting into a corner at the speed you want, and then 'attacking' the corner from there is a good way at getting faster.
Agreed. It's nice to be able to go in to a corner in the right gear with just a tad of throttle on then build as you go round. Much better than having to come off the brakes and then on the throttle. Yuk yuk yuk.

Dave

[skidMark]

what are brakes?:innocent:

[Babelfish]

...After 35 years I am still learning and improving....

My first tip would be to take off yer bifocals!

....by the way, great read and I could really relate to it. I did that alot, especially in built up areas and my cornering around streets was rubbish. Keeping my head up and putting some faith in the machines ability to cope with most stuff has me riding a hell of a lot smoother. Also, keeping my head up looking at the horizon improves overall balance so if I do hit slippy stuff my chances are improved (given the chance that is).

[gijoe1313]

Good to hear you've worked it out for yourself with some reflecting and putting into practice what you thought about!

Yep, back to basics it seems, but its done the trick! Maybe I should flick you my copy of Hough's Proficient Motorcycling for bedtime reading? Invaluable!

And oh yeah, you've been riding bikes almost longer than I've been alive! :eek5: :niceone:

[terbang]

Yup the loose stuff took me down and out your way too. The road surface is fairly critical to us riders and we need to keep an eye on it while taking in the big picture. Scanning close in while looking far enough ahead to get your lines sorted out. Tap dancing your way through an unexpected gravel patch when committed to swift bend gives us all nightmares. I use the situation or my position to determine my threats and adjust my scan, which will naturally slow me down. If I'm in the countryside on narrow rarely used roads that farmers drive tractors on, then I tend to pay a lot more attention to the surface and adjust speed accordingly (once I didn't and it cost 4 grand). Where on the motorway or road that is well marked and travelled on is less likely to be contaminated. Though I use the word 'less' rather than not.

[skelstar]

It's all about risk-management eh...

My process:
Coming up to a corner I decide where I'm likely to tip in, look through the corner while checking the road surface, waiting for the corner to open up, tip in, power out.

Edit: theres some crying and cursing too...

[ManDownUnder]

2 small words for ya.

TRACK DAY (no - really...!)

[terbang]

He is talking about road riding here. You learn only part of the road skills package on the track.

[Mr Merde]

Good to hear you've worked it out for yourself with some reflecting and putting into practice what you thought about!

Yep, back to basics it seems, but its done the trick! Maybe I should flick you my copy of Hough's Proficient Motorcycling for bedtime reading? Invaluable!

And oh yeah, you've been riding bikes almost longer than I've been alive! :eek5: :niceone:

Cheeky young whipersnapper.

[RantyDave]

2 small words for ya.

TRACK DAY (no - really...!)
Shit yes. My riding improved no end after after a blat (or two) around Manfield.

Dave

[vifferman]

What did I find. I have been watching the road too closely, I've been concentrating too much on the surface of the piece I am on or just about too be on. I suddenly realised that I have not been looking far enough ahead of me.
Yeah, I can understand that. I lowsided my VFR750 one morning on a squashed softdrink can on the road: my front tyre hit it just as I tipped into the corner. At least gravel offers some possibility of recovery of grip - the can didn't. So for a while I was very diligent in scanning the road surface for debris.
But, as you've now no doubt discovered, the key is to look right through the corner, to where you want to go, and only give the road a quick scan without staring at it. You go where you are looking.
Or, look where you want to go.

[vifferman]

And oh yeah, you've been riding bikes almost longer than I've been alive! :eek5: :niceone:
I started riding when you were a toddler.

[Skyryder]

Mr Merd you hit the nail on the head. Look to where you want to go and not where you are going.

Skyryder

[Mr Merde]

Been practicing what I preach. Still a little too cautious and making a few errors but on the whole getting better. Only been a couple of days but the confidence returns. Given myself a month or so to feel more relaxed. I may not be better but I will not be as nervous.

Next excercise for me is finding a roundabout somewhere and just go around it until I feel more confident (without upsetting the locals), It is definitely right handers that are spooking me .

I guess the fall did more to me than I originally thought.

[Chickadee]

Been practicing what I preach. Still a little too cautious and making a few errors but on the whole getting better. Only been a couple of days but the confidence returns. Given myself a month or so to feel more relaxed. I may not be better but I will not be as nervous.

Next excercise for me is finding a roundabout somewhere and just go around it until I feel more confident (without upsetting the locals), It is definitely right handers that are spooking me .

I guess the fall did more to me than I originally thought.

Yep the brain can play tricks on us, even if we think - ah I'll be fine next time I ride. Just keep riding and doing those corners that spook the shit out of you and it will improve. You'll eventually get rid of the heebeejeebee's in the righthanders.

[The Stranger]

Next excercise for me is finding a roundabout somewhere and just go around it until I feel more confident (without upsetting the locals), It is definitely right handers that are spooking me .


Well a few here have beaten me to it, but there is an RRRS (http://www.rrrs.org.nz) course on this Sunday.

[vifferman]

Next excercise for me is finding a roundabout somewhere and just go around it until I feel more confident (without upsetting the locals).
Roundabouts are a good test - you have to keep twisting your head around to the right, so you're effectively looking almost behind you. :shit:

[vifferman]

Next excercise for me is finding a roundabout somewhere and just go around it until I feel more confident (without upsetting the locals).
Roundabouts are a good test - you have to keep twisting your head around to the right, so you're effectively looking almost behind you. :shit:

Plus they're often off-camber.

[yod]

Roundabouts are a good test - you have to keep twisting your head around to the right, so you're effectively looking almost behind you. :shit:

Plus they're often off-camber.

yup...i have a roundabout near my house (the only road in and out of my area currently) and on the way home, there's an metal plate (not sure what for) RIGHT in the apex of your natural turn - haven't forgotten about it....yet

bet i do when it's pissing with rain lol

[BarBender]

What did I find. I have been watching the road too closely, I've been concentrating too much on the surface of the piece I am on or just about too be on. I suddenly realised that I have not been looking far enough ahead of me.
Forcing myself to look further afield when cornering and trying to concentrate on the next corner not the current one.
Lo and behold my style improved.

Yep mate...dont sweat the small stuff...

or the stuff so close and in front of you that you forget where you should be going...

[Mr Merde]

Yep mate...dont sweat the small stuff...

or the stuff so close and in front of you that you forget where you should be going...


Exactly what I have been doing.

[Nasty]

I don't like corners and I hate the bendy twisties most the time ... I went and did a track day and worked through a lot of my issues .. after I felt more confident about what I was doing and how i was handling things ... made a huge difference ...:yes:

[vifferman]

I don't like corners and I hate the bendy twisties most the time
Say wha....?
That's a serious problem, because (apart from the acceleration), the corners are one of the joys of motorcycling. Some perfect linked turns on a bike feels SO nice - just like the same thing on skis or a snowboard.
Probably that right brain thing going on, only in your case you're left-braining it....

never mind; after some more practice, you'll stop thinking about it so much and enjoy it more.

[Nasty]

Say wha....?
That's a serious problem, because (apart from the acceleration), the corners are one of the joys of motorcycling. Some perfect linked turns on a bike feels SO nice - just like the same thing on skis or a snowboard.
Probably that right brain thing going on, only in your case you're left-braining it....

never mind; after some more practice, you'll stop thinking about it so much and enjoy it more.


I am getting there ... as you say practice and time ... but I do love the riding ... so the bends will come :)

[skelstar]

Dude, just don't think about it and ride, it'll pass. Fuck the roundabouts...

[BarBender]

Dude, just don't think about it and ride, it'll pass. Fuck the roundabouts...

10 chars!!!

[beyond]

Bikes are for corners. Corners is what bikes are all about :)

Our roads are crap and are covered in crap. It's dangerous to ride on our roads, even ones you know well because one day it's fine then next day unmarked roadworks etc.

But, you need to look ahead and also check quickly in close. When I ride I am constantly scanning ahead as far as I can see but then I am constantly taking in the ground directly before me as well. You have to with the state of our roads.

They are not long scans but quick scans of the surface and then bake to my planned lines. You use your eyes, not your head movement and rely a lot on upper and lower peripheral vision. I will do this all the way through a corner.

[Blackadda]

I suddenly realised that I have not been looking far enough ahead of me.

Forcing myself to look further afield when cornering and trying to concentrate on the next corner not the current one.

Lo and behold my style improved. I am getting smoother, less flustered, making less mistakes than this time last month. I have been too worried about the surface to actually ride properly.

Thanks Mr Merde, I had a similar problem, from a close call myself. I was out of bikes for 15 odd years, then decided to get back into them and after a near miss, was shy of corners myself.

Then today, after reading your post the other night, I had the bestest ride Jafaville to Cambridge good speed, good smooth flow and none of this standing up, gliding out or just losing my nerve.

It was like a revelation.

When do you open your church of the holy corner?

Well done, sometimes, I think you just need to see/hear that your not the ony one.

I have been found

Long live the Merde, Long live the corner. :Punk:

[Horney1]

My first tip would be to take off yer bifocals!

....by the way, great read and ..........).

Seriously though, best achievable vision is a good way forward.

As mentioned, looking out to the exit of the corner is best (using a bit of periferal vision to keep an eye on the corner surface &/or having a good view of it before entering). Figure out why the drop occurred and anticipate it next time the problem arises (if you can spot it)...