Cornering

**pipeman** · 29th September 2004, 17:50

Originally Posted by firestormer

Instead of looking at the corner, look through the corner. Pick yourself a favourite set of curves, and go through them a few times until you're comfy.
Lead with your chin.
Relax.

" Yes I agree with you firestormer "

do this and the force will become strong in you Erik

**aff-man** · 29th September 2004, 18:02

yeh don't look at the corner or thats where you gonna end up aye

**slob** · 29th September 2004, 18:22

Late apexing definitely improved my cornering on the road. In addition to that I found that getting most of my braking done before leaning, and then accelerating a little bit before maintaining a constant or slightly accelerating throttle while mentally willing my body to become jelly-like and breathing deeply also helped quite a bit. It's very important not to shut the throttle while going through the corner as it can result in understeer. Of course after apexing you'd progressively ease the throttle open wider.

Last but not least: have a good read of Twist of the Wrist 1 and/or 2. I've only read 2 myself, but it has improved my cornering noticeably!

**slob** · 29th September 2004, 18:23

.. oh yeah and keeping my eyes pointed towards the direction where I want to go and keeping my head level with the ground also works for me!

**DEATH_INC.** · 29th September 2004, 18:24

This is a tricky one....I use different techniques depending on the situation.
I usually apex lateish,slow mid-corner speed and hard acceleration as soon as I can see where I'm going.Leftovers from my mx days....
The best bit of advice has already been given,look well ahead and use the vanishing point if you can,and try not to focus on anything,you'll find your eyes getting captured by something all the time,try to notice this and force yourself not to look at whatever it is,even look at lots of stuff,as long as you don't fixate on anything.
Celtic,when you master looking ahead and not focusing,you'll find you don't notice how fast you're going,and it'll be easier.

**erik** · 29th September 2004, 18:32

Originally Posted by Celtic_Sea_lily

Bing a newbie rider I get really nervous about cornering. I'm not even up to understanding all that "apex" stuff. I just get nervous about binning off and tend to slooooow down and squeeze on the front brake. I know the whole priciple of counter steering but I guess it's just the leaning over thing that really gets me nervy.

How do I get over that??

Maybe doing some figure 8's in a big carpark would help you get used to leaning the bike over. For low speed stuff, you could try doing what it says in the attached pages. For slightly higher speed stuff, maybe just do slightly bigger figure 8's and lean with the bike.
I've found doing slow speed figure 8's like this quite fun, but it gets tiring on your legs balancing on the pegs like that.

**Motu** · 29th September 2004, 18:51

I don't really know what I do,my riding is varied and I would see more hazzards in a day's ride than most see in a month - as Death says,different techniques for different situations.I don't know about this apex stuff - but from off road and dirt track riding I'd say I have a late turn in,from the outside of the turn,drop in quick,look as far into the turn as I can....and go there.I set up my turns well before I get to them,and if I see several corners - I look to the last one and go there.Pushing wide on corner exits? - look deep into the corner and get on the throttle....you push wide because you think you are going too fast for the turn and throttle off to slow down,this loads the front tyre and makes it worse.Get on the gas,not much,but just enough to unload the front and settle the rear - shit,if you got big balls and nothing to lose,just snap the throttle open and square it off.

**Mr Skid** · 29th September 2004, 19:22

Originally Posted by Celtic_Sea_lily

I do actually have a fav route but it's a 50km/hr route. I'm kinda more nervous on cornering on the open road and approaching corners I've never been round before. Some riders just seem to have no fear and just plow on in

Am I just being too impatient?

I'm in no position to offer sage advice after my last cornering effort, but fear is not a bad thing, it will keep you in one piece.

If you don't know a road then it's a good idea to take it easy, rather than being caught out by a corner that exceeds your or your bikes abilities.

What do you find difficult about cornering on the open road? I find that the higher speeds gives me less time to react to a corner, but I've been improving my (still slow) response times, which allows me to approach an unknown corner faster, and make a decision later.

I agree that leaning the bike over is a bit scary at times, as you don't know how far you can actually lean it before it low sides, but I've been slowly leaning it more and more in a corner, and can scrape the pegs now.

Do you need to go faster though? I'm keen to become a fast rider, but if your happy with cruizing and enjoy it, then stick with that.

**Two Smoker** · 29th September 2004, 20:29

Hey Eric, dont move over for us in or before a corner. it is upto us to pass you safely, not you.... Ive got no worries about sitting behind you for a few Kms ok? And if you want ill take you through some corners....

BUT THEN..... what do i know.... im a nana and wouldnt know my arse from my elbow when it comes to cornering.....

**Skyryder** · 29th September 2004, 20:44

All this techno stuff on cornering................If you have to think, that is going to slow down your reaction, inaction or whatever else you want to call it. I do not consider myself a fast rider, but in my younger days, I could keep up with the best. Ride so that it feels right. Use your senses not your brain; it's too slow. Someone got's a signature that says taking a corner just right is spiritual, that's not far off the mark but when you get it right alow you body to memerise what you did, then in time you will do this instinctively. Then and only then can you ride on the edge, knowing that you have control and will not cross it. Hope all this makes sense but in short if you have to think what you are doing slow down to a speed that you do not, and work up from there.

Skyryder

**jazbug5** · 29th September 2004, 20:44

Originally Posted by StoneChucker

This is all very technical like, and I should be making myself very familiar with it (I have a great book about it, which I recently lent to a certain KB'er),

Thanks, Stoney; am reading it religiously, along with this thread. Definately recommended for newbies like myself. Thanks also for my 'special insert' :sly: .
The dressings have come in handy too...
back on the bike, tomorrow, I reckon.

I have nothing to add here as of yet, except for the sage advice: "Avoid the sodding %£@* gravel, young 'un.."

**erik** · 29th September 2004, 21:14

Originally Posted by Two Smoker

Hey Eric, dont move over for us in or before a corner. it is upto us to pass you safely, not you.... Ive got no worries about sitting behind you for a few Kms ok? And if you want ill take you through some corners....

Gotcha, I'll keep that in mind in the future.

Originally Posted by Two Smoker

BUT THEN..... what do i know.... im a nana and wouldnt know my arse from my elbow when it comes to cornering.....

You're a comedian...

**Posh Tourer :P** · 29th September 2004, 22:48

Cathy,
When you go through those corners, try a few things. First, try and stay to the inside and go around the corner. That is early apexing - ie hitting the tightest part of the turn early. Then the next corner, try hanging out on the outside of the corner for a long time, and move across the lane later than you usually do. Late apexing. See which one feels better.
Also, try going through with a feather on the front brake, a feather on the rear, or a feather on the gas. See which one feels better. (Im assuming these are fairly easy corners, and you wont be going as fast as you could through them, so you will have lots of "room" to play). You will (hopefully) experience first had what everyone is saying on here, and then you can put that into practice on unknown corners. You don't have to do this fast at all, infact slower than you normally go might even be good.

Also, cornering is a matter of confidence. Firstly, lean angles are a confidence thing. Secondly, on unknown corners, most people apex late, and are confident that they can go through the corner, because they can see well through it. I could quite happily go a lot faster around corners than I do, and I know this because I have done it a few times before. I just lack the confidence to do it regularly - and perhaps thats a good thing - I have some reserve left for when it all turns to shit.

**bluninja** · 29th September 2004, 23:22

All this talk of apexing on roads...phew! Was always told the rule of thumb for any corner....make sure you can stop in the distance you can see.

(Most 'advanced' riders exceed this and are therefore hoping there is nothing untoward out of sight....me included).

The main reason for holding a wide position at corner entry is to give a better view of the road ahead....the earlier you can see stuff the more time you have to decide what to do.

The biggest 2 things, after position in the corner are:
1) RELAX....if your arms are stiff you can't steer too well...and if your body's stiff any bumps get stransmitted to the steering.
2) Keep the throttle cracked on. (You should have done all your slowing down BEFORE the corner) This reduces the load on the front tyre so it's less likely to slide and stops you getting a jerk through the transmission when you wind it on after the apex which could make the back end slide in slippery conditions. It also helps ground clearnace and balances the suspension.

I'd also recommend that you keep your fingers well away from the front brake...it's too easy to tighten up and squeeze the lever...even when you know it will probably put you on the tarmac.