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Thread: WTF has howstuffworks.com been smoking???

  1. #1
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    WTF has howstuffworks.com been smoking???

    Steering a motorcycle at low speeds is a straightforward process. The rider simply turns the handlebar in the direction he wishes to go. This only works at speeds below five miles an hour. If a motorcycle is traveling any faster, the rider must use a different kind of steering, known as counter-steering. This type of steering may seem counterintuitive. That's because motorcycle riders must push the handlebars to the left to make the vehicle turn right and vice versa.

    Here's how it would work out on the street. Imagine that you're riding a motorcycle on the interstate. In front of you, blocking the right half of your lane, is a wreck or some other obstacle. If you're a novice rider, you might be tempted to push on the right side of the handlebar, thinking this will turn the bike to left. In reality, this will steer the bike to the right, directly into the obstacle. Instead, you should push on the left side of the handlebar, which directs the front wheel to the right but steers the vehicle to the left.


    im so fuking confused...

    heres the link as well...

    http://auto.howstuffworks.com/motorcycle5.htm

    i apoligize if this makes me look like a complete noobie



    but if you wanna go right why the hell would you turn the bars left LOL

    somebody please enlighten me as to WTF

  2. #2
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    i never understood that either. but so far i havent managed to steer into anything, so must be doing ok [that car steered into me, lol]
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  3. #3
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    considering you mainly lean a motorcyle..

    i think this guy is a powerslider lol

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by markauckland
    considering you mainly lean a motorcyle..

    i think this guy is a powerslider lol
    nope, they are 100% correct. Go out and try it and you'll see what they are talking about.

  5. #5
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    hey i just ride i don't really think about it havn't failed a corner yet so i must be doing something right lol guess i do it naturally then?:S lol

  6. #6
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    Your motorbike doesn't magically lean over. You have to push the handlebars to the left to manoeuvre the wheels to the left handside underneath you so that your bike leans to the right, and vice versa. The description is completely accurate by howstuffworks.

    I'd say you are countersteering your bike, it comes naturally if you ride at anything faster than 30k/hr.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by markauckland
    hey i just ride i don't really think about it havn't failed a corner yet so i must be doing something right lol guess i do it naturally then?:S lol
    That's exactly it, you do it naturally, like most people. Making it a conscious process can give you greater contro and understanding though, especially when make side to side transitions. Read a Keith Code book...
    ...

  8. #8
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    i just lean it over i guess i do i was just like wtf when i read it just sounded funny but yeah i hardly "push the bars"

    i lean through the corner ive noticed if i try to purposely "steer the bike" with the bars it seems to fight me back ....hmmm all making alot of sense now lol

    meh i see the corner i turn it ...who cares how as long as i turn it i'm happy

    i wish i understood gyroscopic forces lol as you say it comes naturally

  9. #9
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    makes a little hat and writes in vivid marker a big "D" and puts it on his head for the rest of the day LOL

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by markauckland
    i just lean it over i guess i do i was just like wtf when i read it just sounded funny but yeah i hardly "push the bars"

    i lean through the corner ive noticed if i try to purposely "steer the bike" with the bars it seems to fight me back ....hmmm all making alot of sense now lol

    meh i see the corner i turn it ...who cares how as long as i turn it i'm happy

    i wish i understood gyroscopic forces lol as you say it comes naturally
    Thing is, steering the bike quicker in to a corner (the initial tip in) means that you use less lean for a given speed...so your ultimate cornering ability, all other things held constant is higher if you turn-in faster, which is where counter-steering the bike helps. I think that top dudes have steering rates of like, 100 degrees per second, or something like that...
    ...

  11. #11
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    Isn't there something like that in the road code? I'm sure they've got a diagram or something?
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    i aint got a motorcycle roadcode ahhhh the dangers of riding on a car license then aye ......mind you ive done my basic handling test just gotta do the theory...when i can be arsed lol

  13. #13
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    No dis man, just seen something about that somewhere (and my head don't work too well on a Sunday)
    They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.
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    Seems like they are onto it.
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  15. #15
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    maybe its something to do with changing the centre of blance for the bike? because, and im not 100% sure of this, that you counter steer to enitiate a corner and when the bike starts leaning it the bars start turning in the right direction of the turn... eg turn left to go right and then the bars start turning right once leaned over. not 100% sure but I remember reading that somewere

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