Cornering tips for newbs?

**Matariki** · 28th April 2010, 05:15

Ok, so most of you guys that have veiwed and answered to my posts now by now that I am a new rider.

The question I have is regarding cornering, what are some good tips that I should know?

What happens is I tend to tense up and my movements on the bike become more unstable. On the road I get nervous because I feel that I might crash into another car with my cornering.

**DMNTD:Me** · 28th April 2010, 05:24

Twist of the Wrist 2 <<< download, watch...buy my bourbon or rum later

**Matariki** · 28th April 2010, 05:57

Originally Posted by DMNTD

Twist of the Wrist 2 <<< download, watch...buy my bourbon or rum later

Iv'e watched it but I found some of the techniques rather confusing. What I learnt was to relax and bring my knees into the tank while turning. I'm still a little confused on how to use my vision to aid my turning and where to look. My head is still sore from trying to process all that information from the video.

**YellowDog** · 28th April 2010, 06:11

Originally Posted by DMNTD

Twist of the Wrist 2 <<< download, watch...buy my bourbon or rum later

Twist of the Wrist is very good.

Hey Hotkebab, you really do need to put this issue to bed. It's a B I G safety issue. There are lots of youtube videos to explain cornering to you, but you won't be able to feel confident until you get your head around it.

Bikes (should) turn by leaning (not steering). You steer to steer the bike for very low speeds and to stop yourself falling over. Sounds silly but it is true.

To make a turn you have two choices. You can either slow slightly and let the bike lean by transferring your weight to the way you want to go (and then go with it by steering slowly), Or you can make the bike lean. The problem with slowing to let the bike lean is that your turning will be limited to the road surface (cambers can be an issue). You also will not be able to take sharper corners at a reasonable speed.

The way you make the bike lean is to slightly push on the handle bar on the side you want to turn. So what you are actually doing is slightly turning the steering right to turn left and slighly steering the bike left to turn right. Sounds silly, but it is true. It's called counter steering and that is how bikes steer. Many riders don't actually realise thay are doing it.

I remember saying to someone years ago that "I don't counter-steer". They told me that they had seen me riding and I definitely do? I didn't know I was counter steering. All I knew was that to take a bend, I would always swing out slighly, which is the same thing. The amount by which you swing out will depend upon how sharp the bend is.

You need to try this because it does work. Find yourself a straight piece of road and practice very gently pushing the bars on the side you need to go. Use it to change lane. Very gently push on the left side bar and the bike will gently lean left and you will move to the left side of the lane. Very gently push on the right side bar and the bike will gently lean right and you will move to the right side of the lane. It won't take long at all to feel confident as to how you steer your bike.

When you are happy with how the bike moves, then try it on some gentle bends.

Riding with the bike under your control is always preferrable

Good luck.

**TimeOut** · 28th April 2010, 06:30

YellowDog is spot on

Always look where you want to go, not at what you want to avoid

In a corner look as far through the corner as you can (vanishing point)

Don't brake in a corner, better slow in and neutral or positive power around and out

Relax, easier said than done but it helps

**hellokitty** · 28th April 2010, 06:53

I have never unstood what countersteering is either but from what yellowdog says I am doing it

If I am unsure about a corner, I will change down a gear and ride through rather than brake.

**yungatart** · 28th April 2010, 08:01

Get yourself a mentor.
Practice in an empty carpark.
Do a RRRS course.

All will be revealed....

**CookMySock** · 28th April 2010, 08:01

If you ever want to successfully corner a motorcycle (not just newbie-steer it around) then there is only one thing you need to do - learn to steer it by pushing on the bars. Force yourself to steer only by pushing on the bars - do it everywhere until it comes out your ears, and then do it some more until it's second nature. That's it.

Steve

**BiK3RChiK** · 28th April 2010, 08:10

I found that if I took the corners much slower and got my technique right, then, naturally the speed increased. I just had to ignore all the 'slow' comments

Just slow down and relax.... confidence will come.

**sinfull** · 28th April 2010, 08:14

Originally Posted by Hotkebab

What happens is I tend to tense up and my movements on the bike become more unstable. :

Tell me about it, arm pump like ya wouldn't believe, death grip from hell ! I found that dropping the shoulder as far into the corner as i can, so the elbow is nearly touching the track .... oh wait wrong forum !

Try the counter steer thing like Yellowdog said, just pootle down a straight bit of road and give a slight push on the left bar and see what happens and then right bar and see what happens, Thats counter steering !

But what your experiencing are just natural nerves, which will go away in time as confidence grows !

The head fuck your getting from the twist of the wrist is just too much knowledge all at one time ! Keep reading it over the next few years and it'll all fall into place !

Find a track day that suits ya and book yrself in to go round and round and round with no cars to worry about hitting so you can practise your cornering and learn what your bikes limits really are !

Did ya sort the gear shift problem out ?

**Quasi** · 28th April 2010, 08:23

Hi HK,

I am down in Martinborough and happy to ride with you on some quiet roads. PM me if youre interested

**sinfull** · 28th April 2010, 08:38

Originally Posted by Quasi

Hi HK,

I am down in Martinborough and happy to ride with you on some quiet roads. PM me if youre interested

She can't PM yet, too low in the post count !

**CookMySock** · 28th April 2010, 08:48

Originally Posted by BiK3RChiK

I found that if I took the corners much slower and got my technique right, then, naturally the speed increased. [...] Just slow down and relax.... confidence will come.

This is correct, but you must have a proper foundation to build upon, or all you do is rehearse bad habits until they are fully ingrained - then you will never be able to do anything about it.

It's like tennis - "Concentrate on form, and the speed will come."

Steve

**Slyer** · 28th April 2010, 09:10

The basics:
Make sure you are setting yourself up for the corner, for a right hand corner you should be starting the corner in the left side of the lane, coming near the right side of the lane when you are in the middle of the corner and then you should be back by the left side of the lane by the time you exit the corner. This means that you take full advantage of the space given and actually lean as least as possible.

Giving the bike a little bit of throttle just so that you stay at a constant speed will help keep the bike stable but this is not essential, you should be at a speed that you can make it the whole way around the corner without touching the brakes.

Once you are up to certain speed (20-30kph?) you cannot steer motorcycles by steering, have to make the bike turn by leaning. The easiest (and best) way to make the bike lean is as said, to countersteer. Push on the right handlebar gently to make the bike lean right and push on the left handlebar gently to make the bike lean left.

Always keep plenty of stopping distance between you and the car in front of you when cornering, especially on a bike like a GN250, like 4 seconds to start with. I learned this one the hard way...
Hope everyone's advice helps.