Just push on your handgrip, bike steers. Forget about names, will give you a HA.

 

i disagree as well. harris neill, a motor instructor out of colorado, says it best:

if you do as you say, initiate the turn, then let up on the pressure, then, to use your words, you're going to have a very bad day. if you go out and actually study the turn as you are doing it, you'll see that you are indeed keeping continuous pressure on the side that you are turning towards.

 

Man there's a lot of misinformation here.

Counter steering happens at around 12mph-20mph and higher. It happens naturally, if it didn't, you wouldn't be able to negotiate a corner at any speed greater than about 12mph. Knowing how to use it effectively is important during emergency situations as you can very quickly swerve clear of obstacles. It's important in non-emergency situations as well, but happens more intuitively.

Push left, go left...push right, go right. Knowing how much pressure and throttle to apply comes with practice.

As for the technical reason as to how it works, the gyroscopic effect of the wheels (all the rotational mass) makes the bike want to continue upright and in a straight line and is the reason that force is required to steer the bike. When you push the handlebar, it moves the center of mass out from under the bike and causes the bike to lean in that direction. When the bike is leaned over, front end trail causes the front tire to turn into the curve which causes the bike to corner. When the corner is complete, use counter steering in the opposite direction to put the bike back upright.

So when you're coming up on a left hand sweeper. Slow to your entry speed prior to entering the corner. Upon entering the corner, push left on the handlebar to initiate the turn and begin to accelerate steadily (this sets your suspension). Accelerate smoothly through the corner. Upon exiting the corner, push right on the handlebar to stand the bike back upright and continue along your way.

Tail wagging does not require counter steer...it's called steering into the skid as you're doing nothing more than maintaining direction. There is no brain trick involved; centrifugal force has nothing to do with it as it is just the effects of inertia in connection with a rotational force so effectively it's just the feeling you get when you're in a corner. Moving the center of mass out from underneath the bike is what causes the lean, not centrifugal force.

Body (weight) steering can also be used, but is slower and, as the vehicle weight goes up, considerably less effective. Don't even bother with it unless you're on a Huffy.

Do yourself a favor...pick up Proficient Motorcycling or similar type of book or a DVD like Ride like a Pro, and read / watch it. Also, don't overthink it...the fact that you've been able to corner before shows that you're doing it...just start paying attention to it.

 

Yup... the internet can be counted on as a source of bad information.

"If I understand you correctly, in your scenario, the front tire's line would be facing even more away from the arc than the rear tire. I promise you, if you are in a left turn and leaning left, and then pressure the left bar, you will have a very bad day"

If you are not countersteering through the entire turn, you may not have a bad day, but you WILL get to see how well your bike handles off road.

Countersteering isn't an option. It's the *only* way you negotiate turns and curves at speeds over about 5 mph. There are no other options. You can't ride and not do it. If you attempt to turn your front tire in the direction you want to go, you will cause it to go in the opposite direction (at the very least), or if you try turning it far enough, you'll wreck.

Just ride and don't think about it so much in regard to turns and curves. As a method to quickly change direction to avoid an obstacle or crash, go to an empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice.

 

I believe this is a man that rides more than he reads and it shows. Well said.



FTR you can negotiate curves without countersteering by leaning, but it's not nearly as predictable or efficient. I do it when I'm riding with no hands on downhill runs (seriously)

 

If you don't know what countersteering is or how to do it properly, and you own a motorcycle, I think you should get into an MSF course before you kill yourself and/or someone else.

 

..just go left right left..pull up with one hand while your pushing down with the other..then pull back with the opposite hand that you're pushing with as you're entering the turn with the ***** of your feet firmly on the pegs, knees hugged tight to the tank, keeping head straight up and down all the way through the turn, chin down on the handlebars, teeth clinched, eyes squinched, shoulders hunched, elbows straight out, *** up in the air like ya just don't care and no matter where ya go, there ya are..

 

Ever ride a bicycle when you were a kid? It comes natural. Don't over think it. Slow going into turn, release brake, play clutch in friction zone while in turn, accelerate out of turn. Try it on a bicycle to get the feel. It works. Just don't over think it, it'll confuse you. Sounds back asswards.

 

the irony is delicious.


Because he agrees with you no doubt.

Been riding 45 years and log 5 digits every riding season. I'll put my experience and skills toe to toe with yours any day.

And it hasn't escaped my attention that most of you have a lot higher post count than I do. Who is the internet king and who actually rides?

I'll wager Challenger has it right - you pretty much know it all. No one's going to tell you anything.

 

Counter steering is the only way to ride a motorcycle. You can rip around turns a hell of a lot faster then trying to lean around them. When riding twisty roads when you push left to go around a left turn it will set you up to lean into it in a very natural riding position.
I have brought this up to young riders that I work with and they give me that stare like WTF? are you talking about. I always get a laugh out of it.