Practising Cornering

[Big Chim]

I'm not to sure if this has been covered before, if so please post a link.

I'm riding every weekend at the moment and sometimes during the week, practising lines and cornering etc but i find that when i am coming to the end of a ride everything comes together really well, like hitting the sweet spot in a golf swing, and I feel like you can take the corners faster than I thought possible due to getting my technique perfect (well, what i think i am trying to achieve).

After each ride I say to myself "man next time i have to find that rythm earlier and practice that more and more" but it tends to still fall into place towards the end of the ride. (this is tending to happen earlier in the ride now though). I find i get my technique and rythm right because i am warm from the previous turns in the ride and starting to relax more into my riding.

I have a few series of corners around the place that i find awsome and i was wondering if anyone else finds the same. I have thought about going out to a set one day and run it a couple of times learning more and more about my technique. Has anyone else done this?? Does it piss the people who live in the area off?? Is it legal to just keep running a set of corners like that?

Technique;

I have found often i am coming into a corner and thinking the corner is to sharp, the physics of the bike arent enough to make this corner at speed. The key i have found with this is to stay relaxed and not to worry what the corner looks like and what the bike is going to do. I find to look through the corner and focus on the way out is the technique i am trying to achieve (best practiced on slow label corners that you can see round with a bit of pace). The key i think is the focus on the exit and counter steering while leaning with the bike , let your body guide the bike round without focusing on it(definatly practice at lower speeds, get your lines right and understand the vanishing point so try the above once you have gained a bit of experiance) Trust your body will follow the line round the corner and trust that the bike has the ability and can make it.

I have heard more experianced KBer's mention that people have often crashed by hitting the brakes and not just leaning further and further into the corner to escape danger if they feel they are going to fast and that often we totally underestamate the bikes ability and its our own abilty which causes us to faulter, I keep this in mind as i am counter steering, leaning over, focusing on the exit and practising. I try and get a bit faster when i find this grove safely always understanding that i am close to my limits.

I know poeple often tell you this stuff but its hard to put into words. When it all falls together its awsome, everything flows and feels effortless and Safer?? maybe due to feeling comfortable with what you are doing.

I have only been riding a sort time and so i count myself by no means quailfied to know exactly what I am talking about, Any help from more experianced KBer's on this will be much appriacted and please do not hesitate to point out support in what i have said or another point of view where you think my assumptions in what i should be trying to achieve may be incorrect.

Thanks

Road Rash

[Jackrat]

Find a set of corners you DON'T like an practice on them.

[Uncle B]

Relax.
Try one thing at a time to find out what works and what doesn't.
Smooth, Smooth, Smooth.
Looking further ahead will slow things down and give you time to react to different situations plus give you time to set yourself up for the next corner.
Look to where you want to go.
If you come in 'hot' on a corner don't slam on the front brake.....a controled 'squeeze' as not to pitch the bike forward too much. Trail the rear brake, you'll find it will help keep the bike down. Braking should be done before the corner when the bike is upright.
Look to where you want to go.
Smooth, Smooth, Smooth.
Drop your upper body down a bit to get the elbows bent, That will give you more countersteering control.
Don't lock your arms......you can't steer with straight arms.

Remember.....Smooth.

[N4CR]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...hlight=carpark

It's in my post. Basically find a carpark and set out a track, get the lean over and over and the speeds up and up. Don't try scraping the pegs in the first session. Try doing an hour or 2 every few days and you will start improving rapidly - worked for me.

[erik]

I'm not to sure if this has been covered before, if so please post a link.

Here's one old thread: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=5482
There's nothing wrong with starting a new one though.

After each ride I say to myself "man next time i have to find that rythm earlier and practice that more and more" but it tends to still fall into place towards the end of the ride. (this is tending to happen earlier in the ride now though).

It's the same with me, it tends to take me a while before I feel like I've got into the rythm. On some rides I'm just not focused enough or too tired and never really get it. But if I'm regularly going on open road rides I tend to get into it quicker.

The key i have found with this is to stay relaxed and not to worry what the corner looks like and what the bike is going to do. I find to look through the corner and focus on the way out is the technique i am trying to achieve (best practiced on slow label corners that you can see round with a bit of pace).

I'd never say "don't worry what the corner looks like and what the bike is going to do". That's the main concern when riding, to be able to read the corner (the road, not the recommended speed sign) and get around it safely.

I have heard more experianced KBer's mention that people have often crashed by hitting the brakes and not just leaning further and further into the corner to escape danger if they feel they are going to fast and that often we totally underestamate the bikes ability and its our own abilty which causes us to faulter....

I still have to force myself to lean the bike over sometimes. Like yesterday, approaching a corner a bit too hot, worrying about the possibility of wet tar on the corner surface, the gravel on the edge, braking... braking... start to focus on the gravel edge (uh oh) then thinking "LEAN".
I think I must've been tired or something.

Sounds like you're on the right track, thinking about cornering and practicing etc.
Good luck.

[Bob]

All sound advice and well worth bearing in mind.

If you're prepared to shell out a few pennies, can I suggest you buy a copy of the "Twist of the wrist" DVD by Keith Code?

Code may be a spaced out old hippy, but what he says makes sense. His technique is - or rather was - aimed at the track, but there is enough in there to apply to a road-going situation.

I wrote a review of the DVD (I say go for the DVD as it is a good thought provoker... and avoids the Californian Psycho-babble that is a common complaint about the books). Link as follows:

http://www.bobpickett.co.uk/bkit/trainingtwist.htm

Within the review is a link to the Califonia Superbike School - it is the UK one, but hopefully they can point you in the right direction to getting a copy of the DVD from closer to home.

[Badcat]

All sound advice and well worth bearing in mind.

If you're prepared to shell out a few pennies, can I suggest you buy a copy of the "Twist of the wrist" DVD by Keith Code?

Code may be a spaced out old hippy, but what he says makes sense. His technique is - or rather was - aimed at the track, but there is enough in there to apply to a road-going situation.

I wrote a review of the DVD (I say go for the DVD as it is a good thought provoker... and avoids the Californian Psycho-babble that is a common complaint about the books). Link as follows:

http://www.bobpickett.co.uk/bkit/trainingtwist.htm

Within the review is a link to the Califonia Superbike School - it is the UK one, but hopefully they can point you in the right direction to getting a copy of the DVD from closer to home.

i have his book "twist of the wrist 2" - and it's really good.
the things that i took away from it mostly were:
1- it's almost always our perception of what the bike can or can't do that causes a crash - often we will chicken out and brake- crash etc before the bike is close to it's limit.
2- always LOOK where you want to go - if you are in a corner and it's getting out of hand - ALWAYS look at the exit, not the wall, curb or other bad stuff.
Where you look - often ends up your destination.

anyway - buy the book, it may save your bike or a crash.


k

[Big Chim]

2- always LOOK where you want to go - if you are in a corner and it's getting out of hand - ALWAYS look at the exit, not the wall, curb or other bad stuff.
Where you look - often ends up your destination.

I have found when I'm warmed up and everything is feeling good your in the zone. The zone being the place where everything seems to be in place, your relaxed, looking far through the corner, not being distracted, confident. Its an awsome feeling. I have been caught once or twice where coming up to the corner i'm not focused and i might have just glimpsed at some thing on the side the road, i havent had an accident yet but i can tell you i saw first hand how its only and instant and things can be going from good to shit in a real bloody hurry.

Thanks all for your input, keep it coming, its great to have food for thought

Road Rash

[MoFunthanmost]

I was taught to slow down before a corner, gently using the front brake to move the weight forward, ( or just engine braking) and trailing with the back if extra slowdown is needed. but i was also told not to use the front brake at all while 'in' the corner (or basically leaning) this way, you should already have brought the weight forward enough before cornering and it'll be easier to cruise through. Also, acelerate through and out a corner - try not to be slowing down during it.

as the saying goes, "Brake of the Straight before it's too late"..

Myself:
I've noticed when I'm not 'thinking' about cornering so much and inthe 'zone' i use my hips rather than lean my body off the bike, kinda pushing them into the bike toward corner, rather than leaning off the side of the bike, and end up bringing my body closer to the bike, towards the bars which brings the weight... seems to work for me.. but then i've only been riding since march last year, so hardly an expert.

my 2c tho...

Good luck dude!

Mo

[bigbadwolf]

Does it piss the people who live in the area off?? Is it legal to just keep running a set of corners like that?

nothing wrong with just running a set of corners like that. cant see a problem with riding up and down a road, although maybe a KB cop could help us out?

although i used to do the same thing with sweet set of corners round a back street near where i live, then one night i hooned along a straight after gettin perfect lines through everything (its a great feeling) and went past an unmarked van on the side of the road.... 79ks in a 50k zone gets ya accelerated tax of $230.... talked to a guy i know who lives around there and some of the residents had been trying to request the van to be placed there because of people like me!

[Big Chim]

although i used to do the same thing with sweet set of corners round a back street near where i live, then one night i hooned along a straight after gettin perfect lines through everything (its a great feeling) and went past an unmarked van on the side of the road.... 79ks in a 50k zone gets ya accelerated tax of $230.... talked to a guy i know who lives around there and some of the residents had been trying to request the van to be placed there because of people like me!

The set i ahve in mind is in the country a wee way out so i think it would be the farms that would get pissed if anything, wouldnt do it at night though, only during the day

[Warr]

The set i ahve in mind is in the country a wee way out so i think it would be the farms that would get pissed if anything, wouldnt do it at night though, only during the day

The ones I like which arent too far away are past Temple View. Going out there is a long open right hander, can crank it up nicely around there. Where is your ones ?

[Big Chim]

I really like the set before you go into french pass out cambridge, there is a series of 45's i think before you get up into the hill. The divi out to rags is awsome also.

[MidnightMike]

Mmm corners

[Big Chim]

Mmm corners

Yeah corners are cool