Countersteering: Putting theory to practice, my experience

**Bren** · 10th January 2010, 01:43

Well, since I have been back on a bike from a 10 year hiatus I have been hearing this term flung about . Countersteering.
I have never really known what it involved so a few weeeks back I googled it and youtubed it. There is a vast amount of practical info to be found on this new fangled interweeb thing. The gist of it I found out is if you push say the left bar the bike leans to the left and thus starts turning to the left, and of course the same is said of the right. I think as a rider I have been doing this on a small scale anyway subconciously.

Well, I have been practicing this over the last few weeks trying to get my head around how hard you need to countersteer to get a desired effect. Tonight whilst riding back from Palmy to Otaki a hare bounded across the road with the intention of taking on my front tyre. Instincts got the better of me and I countersteered to the left to miss the hair by a hairs breadth (excuse the pun folks).

So Putting theory into practice enough times has made countersteering a skill that I can now safely apply to my riding, not to mention possibly saving my skin and definately saving a bunnies arse!

**mctshirt** · 10th January 2010, 04:43

Originally Posted by Bren

Well, since I have been back on a bike from a 10 year hiatus I have been hearing this term flung about . Countersteering.
I think as a rider I have been doing this on a small scale anyway subconciously.

I take it on faith that since there's not a pile of wrecked bikes on every corner countersteering is happening without conscious effort all over the country...

**CookMySock** · 10th January 2010, 05:45

Originally Posted by Bren

a hare bounded across the road with the intention of taking on my front tyre. Instincts got the better of me and I countersteered to the left to miss the hair by a hairs breadth

Uh, suggest you don't dodge little things. Hitting it square on is far less dangerous than hitting it with some lean on.

Well done of getting you steering sorted. Many are unable.

Steve

**Deano** · 10th January 2010, 05:54

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Uh, suggest you don't dodge little things. Hitting it square on is far less dangerous than hitting it with some lean on.

Steve

Missing them is better still. I'll keep dodging them.

**CookMySock** · 10th January 2010, 06:09

Originally Posted by Deano

Missing them is better still. I'll keep dodging them.

Yeah but now are talking "luck" - rabbits dodge and dive like a bitch. You have no say in the matter of hitting it or not.

Have you hit a rabbit? They give a dull thud and thats it, unless you are leaned way over then they give a dull thud followed by a loud scraping sound followed by sky-road-sky-road-sky-road-sky-road-sky-road.

I don't ride on "luck". I'm not that lucky. Don't dodge little things. If you have the option, hit them head on with the bike upright.

Steve

**sinfull** · 10th January 2010, 06:24

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Yeah but now are talking "luck" - rabbits dodge and dive like a bitch. You have no say in the matter of hitting it or not.

Have you hit a rabbit? They give a dull thud and thats it, unless you are leaned way over then they give a dull thud followed by a loud scraping sound followed by sky-road-sky-road-sky-road-sky-road-sky-road.

I don't ride on "luck". I'm not that lucky. Don't dodge little things. If you have the option, hit them head on with the bike upright.

Steve

Murderous bastard

**CookMySock** · 10th January 2010, 09:30

Originally Posted by sinfull

Murderous bastard

Better him than me, mate.

Steve

**Headbanger** · 10th January 2010, 09:47

As mentioned already, everyone riding a bike counter-steers, Its the mechanics that enable a bike to lean around a corner. Putting it into practice would be more along the lines of tightening a line and speeding up through a corner when your already at your regular limit.

Advanced Kiwibikers wave while counter-steering and mulling over the continuable degradation of the written word as exemplified by common usage on the internet.

**newbould** · 10th January 2010, 11:41

Originally Posted by Headbanger

As mentioned already, everyone riding a bike counter-steers, Its the mechanics that enable a bike to lean around a corner. Putting it into practice would be more along the lines of tightening a line and speeding up through a corner when your already at your regular limit.

Advanced Kiwibikers wave while counter-steering and mulling over the continuable degradation of the written word as exemplified by common usage on the internet.

Yee hah a waving thread!

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Yeah but now are talking "luck" - rabbits dodge and dive like a bitch. You have no say in the matter of hitting it or not.

Have you hit a rabbit? They give a dull thud and thats it, unless you are leaned way over then they give a dull thud followed by a loud scraping sound followed by sky-road-sky-road-sky-road-sky-road-sky-road.

I don't ride on "luck". I'm not that lucky. Don't dodge little things. If you have the option, hit them head on with the bike upright.

Steve

Can you define "little" Hares (Hare not rabbit was mentioned although later called bunny just to confuse) can get pretty big. What about a possum? Maybe yuse a dog scale - fox terrier Ok great dane swerve collie dog trying to get you back in line ??????? I'm serious on this question by the way. I have often wondered about hitting a dead possum so your comments are useful - hit it square and upright no problem - on a lean then it's more like a patch of oil yeah?

Originally Posted by sinfull

Murderous bastard

LOL (but Steve seemed to take offense)

**Katman** · 10th January 2010, 11:45

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Better him than me, mate.

Sometimes I wonder.

**CookMySock** · 10th January 2010, 12:08

Originally Posted by newbould

Can you define "little" Hares (Hare not rabbit was mentioned although later called bunny just to confuse) can get pretty big. What about a possum? Maybe yuse a dog scale - fox terrier Ok great dane swerve collie dog trying to get you back in line ??????? I'm serious on this question by the way. I have often wondered about hitting a dead possum so your comments are useful - hit it square and upright no problem - on a lean then it's more like a patch of oil yeah?

Left as an exercise for the reader, lol. I haven't exactly taken the scientific approach here.. You might try hitting larger and larger obstacles until one of them lunches you.

Steve

**newbould** · 10th January 2010, 12:11

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Left as an exercise for the reader, lol. I haven't exactly taken the scientific approach here.. You might try hitting larger and larger obstacles until one of them lunches you.

Steve

I'll film it and post it on you tube

**sinfull** · 10th January 2010, 12:15

Originally Posted by newbould

I'll film it and post it on you tube

You might like to take note of the name before the advise !

**Bren** · 10th January 2010, 15:32

Originally Posted by newbould

Yee hah a waving thread!

Can you define "little" Hares (Hare not rabbit was mentioned although later called bunny just to confuse) can get pretty big. What about a possum? Maybe yuse a dog scale - fox terrier Ok great dane swerve collie dog trying to get you back in line ??????? I'm serious on this question by the way. I have often wondered about hitting a dead possum so your comments are useful - hit it square and upright no problem - on a lean then it's more like a patch of oil yeah?

LOL (but Steve seemed to take offense)

It was a Hare..probably a jack hare as it was resembly large by hare standards...The mention of a bunny was purely to highlight its luck...people dont care if hares get killed, but a "bunny" draws a different response!