For the last few weeks I have been attempting to actually analyse what happens when I corner . Not the "shit oh shit, I'm gonna die" bit, but the actual physics of the bike.
And I think I have an explananation of an old mystery
Many will recall the surveys that indicated that most riders felt more comfortable with left hand corners than right handers. Even in the States, which eliminated camber etc as a reason. Which was puzzling - why were left handers preferred to right handers, which are actually safer ?
Now I have found, that when going round left handers, I totally subconciously and without realising I'm doing it, often gently countersteer.
On a corner, my left hand is on the bars in such a way that the palm of my hand is along the rear of the bar (ie my wrist is pointed down) . And what happens is that I apply an initial lean based on what the corner looks like. But if it turns out to be a bit sharper, or tightening, on a LEFT hander I push on the left bar to countersteer (NB I didn't realise I was doing this, it is completely sub conscious and automatic). Which of course tightens up my line.
But I DON'T do the equivalent on right handers. The reason being, that at the beginning of a corner I usually have the throttle backed well off (cos I've just finished braking, and I'm just holding a steady throttle until the apex). This means that my wrist is actually pointing up. If it weren't when I wrap on the throttle I'd either have to have double jointed wrists , or change the position of my hand on the twist grip.
And because my wrist is pointing up only the thumb and the wrist-ward edge of the palm is behind the bar. And in that position it's not easy to push on the bar. Also pushing on the bar is more dificult because it's likely to make the throttle move .
So on left handers I subconsciously apply countersteer to adjust for the corner. On right handers I don't which means that if I need to adjust in a right hander I have to do it by body movement or hanging off the bike etc, which is a lot more cumbersome than the automatic unrealised counter steering.
This might also partly explain why bikers prefer uphill corners (twistgrip wrapped on, palm at back of bar) over down hills. Though I realise that some (most ? all?) of that is because of weight transfer to the front wheel.
And since the Yanks weren't quite silly enough to move the twistgrip to the left hand side when they buggered up the gear lever and rear brake locations , the effect will, be the same for them .
Which is why I (and perhaps others, including the Yanks) prefer left handers to right handers. Or part of it anyway.
Anyone else notice this phenonomon (sp?). It's really hard to notice , you have to dissect what you are doing through the corner minutely (which is a bit dodgy, I'd normally prefer to actually pay attention to the corner itself! )
I've tried to reposition my right hand further round the bar, but it's too uncomfortable on small throttle opening, and when closing the throttle to change gear. I'd have to move my whole arm and shoulder to get enough forward rotation.
Originally Posted by skidmark
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so that the said situation is not a problem.
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