Practising Cornering

[Motu]

Trials tecnique again....you ride a trials bike standing on the pegs of course,and you can turn the bike from side to side just weighting the pegs...on a tight turn the outside peg is weighted.

Being one of those old farts I always like to be smooth,that's when I feel like I got it all sussed.But one of Keith Code's little rules has been my bugbear for years (I read the book when it first came out) And that is the tendancy to back off mid corner for no reason,and you always think ''bugger,why did I do that? hope no one was watching''.It always happens near the apex where the corner is tightest,you feel like you've overcooked it and back off a bit - of course you don't need to and it would be better,and smoother,if you kept the power gently on all through the corner.I always feel good when I can do corner after corner in the tight stuff with just smooth power transitions and no throttle corrections mid corner.

[MisterD]

A lot of the foregoing technique stuff is very interesting, but I'd be interested to know what people opinions on the different lines through corners.

I tend to keep a wide line so that I can see further down the road, with the added plus that you tend then to run back to the centre of your lane. Clipping the apex race-track style though means if your momentum carries you towards on-coming traffic on a lefty and the hedge on a righty.

[buellbabe]

Ditto everything said but especially "look to where you wanna go and thats where you'll go" and 2ndly "trust yr bike", even if you are a tad nervous remind yrself this is what bikes were built for.
And most importantly... ENJOY

[Big Chim]

Heyyas, I have been duly Directed to this thread!
OK, Road Rash, this ties in with your feeling of being at one with your bike.

Hey Suglite, I'm gonna try this next time i'm out. I think you were pretty clear in what you were describing. I'll let you know how it goes.

Nice Work

[Big Chim]

on a tight turn the outside peg is weighted.

.

is this as you get more 'lean' on in your turn. Is this to help hold the bike up as you are getting further over?

To understand clearly;

If turning right to start you weight the right pegs to throw the bike over but as you are in the corner you start to wirght the left peg to hold you up and apply further presser to help bring you up out of the corner?

[Motu]

I was talking about trials there,but every technique used in trials can be applied to everything else you do on a bike...the foundation of skills.

[erik]

is this as you get more 'lean' on in your turn. Is this to help hold the bike up as you are getting further over?

To understand clearly;

If turning right to start you weight the right pegs to throw the bike over but as you are in the corner you start to wirght the left peg to hold you up and apply further presser to help bring you up out of the corner?

Go in a carpark and try it.

Try doing slow, fairly tight figure 8's with all your weight on the pegs, letting the bike lean over under you as you turn. Your weight has to go on the outside peg because it's the uppermost one. It's pretty hard on your legs though, would be a good workout.

It is kind of the opposite of hanging off the bike at high speed because it makes you lean the bike over further than if you were sitting on the bike, whereas hanging off at high speed should let you keep the bike more upright giving more ground clearance.

[Teflon]

try to keep your eyes level with the horizon. your reaction times will be better when it all turns to shit... it will all fall in to place with time, and if your like me you will still crash.

[Big Chim]

Cool. Yeah i will give all which has been talked about a go next time i'm out. i have a lot to play with and think about now interms of developing my own technique,

Thanks ya'll

Any other ideas, keep em coming

[Big Chim]

try to keep your eyes level with the horizon. your reaction times will be better when it all turns to shit... it will all fall in to place with time, and if your like me you will still crash.

Hahaha yeah sorry to hear that bud, hope things are getting back together quickly.

Yeah i'm starting to develop the horizon thing. I find that if i crouch down behind the screen in what i think is a more racing postion and look far through to the end of the corner i get a good response in my riding. I find that i'll take note of whats going on directly below me and infront of me when i have spotted it further out and keep recieving th information through my periphials. I find the whole look of the road changes when i do this compared to when i'm sitting up right and try, i find i dont get a more eye to road level perception of the road, instead of looking along the road i'm looking down on it. Along is definatly better.

[Teflon]

Hahaha yeah sorry to hear that bud, hope things are getting back together quickly.

Yeah sweet mate.. to be honest, it has to be one of the better crashes i've had, got the old blood pumping again.

[Big Chim]

Yeah sweet mate.. to be honest, it has to be one of the better crashes i've had, got the old blood pumping again.

Damm have ya had a few?? I'm yet to experiance this aspect of riding but as this thread may suggest i am learning as much i can to hopefully never have to have the pleasure.

[Motoracer]

I have never been a theoretical person, to an extent.. Therefore I have always used the "practice, practice and more practice" theory to get to where ever I am today..

[mstriumph]

Cheers Erik for the advice. Just cause I have ridden for years does not
by any means make me an experienced rider.

One thing that has helped my cornering as well is my hubby said don't take notice of the speed signs (coming up to a corner) - ride around the corner at the speed I think I can do (*he was emphasizing speed consistancy, not being an idiot and taking the corner ridiculously fast for my experience*) - and not to freak out and button off just cause the sign says to go 35 or 55 etc.

This advice has helped me a lot because I would find the signs would freak me out if i'm coming up to a corner at 100 and a sign says 55. I would think " oh shoot, i'm not sposed to go around this corner at 100" so would button off etc and lose all consistancy.

me either ---------- and the NZ roadsigns totally freaked me while i was over there, with a similar result to the one you get ........ *sigh*

[XP@]

A lot of the foregoing technique stuff is very interesting, but I'd be interested to know what people opinions on the different lines through corners.

I tend to keep a wide line so that I can see further down the road, with the added plus that you tend then to run back to the centre of your lane. Clipping the apex race-track style though means if your momentum carries you towards on-coming traffic on a lefty and the hedge on a righty.

You are correct, on the road delay the apex. It gives you the visibility and keeps you out of the way of the nutter coming the other way. The number of times it has saved my life is beyond counting.

I have a lucky friend who crashed because he was early in, late out and crossed the line hitting a car. He was lucky the car didn't kill him then we were both lucky that i had taken a good line and had enough options to miss his vital organs and his bike.