Counter steering at speed >100k's

[Posh Tourer :P]

Somewhere easy in central Auckland to practise cornering is the domain but sometimes there's quite a bit of traffic.

I go through there everyday on my way to uni and am slowly beginning to realise what I can do on the bike...

Just be careful you youngun.... I had a big rear wheel slide up that hairpin on weds

[FROSTY:Me]

Dude a bit of simple advise here -Just relax.
At your stage of riding your brain is having to process a shit load of new information. -Brakes,cars,tyre grip,indicators etc.
It is totally fantastic that you want to improve your riding But focussing on countersteering silly. Im NOT saying its not important BUT Il betya $100 you are already doing it without realising.
You wont fall off by pushing too hard on the bars -You might find you oversteer but thats not gonna be a problem on a bike at your pace.

[toads]

A good rider will get to know his/her motorcycle's capabilities, this most definately includes how far over it is able to lean in a corner. There are several ways of obtaining this knowledge, for instance you can lean the bike over while it is stationary (with the help of another person) and see how far it will lean before any parts touch the ground! One day you may need to lean your bike far into a corner for emergency's sake and if you don't know the bikes limits you will probably bin it.

In saying all of that, if you ride like an absolute granny and freak out when the bike leans over & brake heavily on every corner you approach - forget about it! Leaning the bike over is supposed to be the fun part.

I am an absolute granny Zed!

[tuscan]

Just be careful you youngun.... I had a big rear wheel slide up that hairpin on weds

Yeah, especially if its wet...

[dhunt]

For me it was all natural, it wasn't until I was trying to show someone how I went round corners and thought about what I did, did I realise I was actually turning the other way (counter-steering).

I really don't think it is anything to worry about it pretty much happens by itself.

David

[pete376403]

I don't think you can turn a bike (apart from at walking pace) without countersteering, whether you consciously do it or not. I understand it is one reason people (especially new riders) crash into things they are trying to avoid - eg there is an object on your left that you don't want to hit - instictively you turn the bars to the right. If you have any sort of speed on at all this immediately flicks the bike onto a left turn.

[Zapf]

tkns. once I get my jacket back from amps then more pratice for me

I just go out to the highway at like sunday or monday night, and there is pretty much zero traffic as everyones asleep. And counter steer between the cat eyes.

think I remembered the push part, will try with pull as well this time

[spudchucka]

This link has some relevant articles about steering etc.

http://www.bikepoint.co.nz/portal/al...opDefault.aspx

You are countersteering all the time on a M/C, whether you realise it or not.

[marty]

have a look here too:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ountersteering

[Quasievil]

I don't think you can turn a bike (apart from at walking pace) without countersteering, whether you consciously do it or not. I understand it is one reason people (especially new riders) crash into things they are trying to avoid - eg there is an object on your left that you don't want to hit - instictively you turn the bars to the right. If you have any sort of speed on at all this immediately flicks the bike onto a left turn.

Thats a fact you cant turn a bike by leaning you must counter steer, someone posted a site where this is all explained in detail, a guy put false bars on his bike that were not connected to the wheels in anyway and he tried to turn and simply he couldnt he just went off in a bike dictated direction without any control avaiolable by shifting his weight. ant be bothered finding the site but its here somewhere.

[sedge]

Ummm, seeing as no-one has mentioned it... bring in and drop your elbows and push/pull more parallel with the road (or triple trees) otherwise you are putting all your effort into trying to bend the bars.

I find I kind of rotate myself 10 degrees on the bike, leading hip/shoulder go forward and down into the corner, drops my weight over the inside nicely and makes pushing easier coz I can use my outside foot to help the push on the bar on the opposite side...I keep the inside peg unweighted so my leg can flap around and it doesn't upset me as much when the peg or boot grounds.

It's hard to describe without sounding like some kind of comedy clown riding routine.

Actually I only do this when I can see around or know the road well and can prepare for the corners, otherwise I tend to just kind of push the bars and keep the flappy bits in... Too lazy a rider most of the time.

Cheers,

Sedge.

[riffer]

I find I kind of rotate myself 10 degrees on the bike, leading hip/shoulder go forward and down into the corner, drops my weight over the inside nicely and makes pushing easier coz I can use my outside foot to help the push on the bar on the opposite side...I keep the inside peg unweighted so my leg can flap around and it doesn't upset me as much when the peg or boot grounds.

Yup, you just about described exactly how it happens Sedge. I sometimes feel like I'm pushing with my foot as well. Sometimes when lanesplitting it feels like I'm steering the bike just with the inputs of my feet, but you're right, it's just pushing the opposite side bar isn't it.

[sedge]

Heh heh...Celtic... When I lanesplit I tend to ride up the middle in a straight line. If you are countersteering, flapping your legs around and grounding the pegs your commute from the Hutt must be about 2 1/2 minutes. Fun tho

[Motu]

Try riding a trials bike sometime - you can control it with just input through the pegs,remember walking beside your pushbike holding onto the seat? Don't overanalise countersteering,as others have mentioned,you can't ride a bike without it,that's how you go around corners.Me? I use my shoulders and wide bars,just lean on the inside bar.Riding on gravel roads I'm working the bars a lot more than street riders - flap,flap,flap,who cares,just get the job done.

[Blakamin]

Ummm, seeing as no-one has mentioned it... bring in and drop your elbows and push/pull more parallel with the road (or triple trees) otherwise you are putting all your effort into trying to bend the bars.

I find I kind of rotate myself 10 degrees on the bike, leading hip/shoulder go forward and down into the corner, drops my weight over the inside nicely and makes pushing easier coz I can use my outside foot to help the push on the bar on the opposite side...I keep the inside peg unweighted so my leg can flap around and it doesn't upset me as much when the peg or boot grounds.

It's hard to describe without sounding like some kind of comedy clown riding routine.

Actually I only do this when I can see around or know the road well and can prepare for the corners, otherwise I tend to just kind of push the bars and keep the flappy bits in... Too lazy a rider most of the time.

Cheers,

Sedge.

Holy Flappin DuckButts, Batman..... I just realized thats what i do!!!.. no inside foot weight in case i get caught up, but far enuff over to... wow.... what a thought...better not tell the missus