I been doin this a long time....first bike in 68, and more than 50-60 including about a dozen HD's. I knew about having to countersteer to get things moving into a corner, which is normally done automatically, or at least for myself. So, my latest HD is an F with wide tires. It is not real happy in the squigglies down the back roads. Not awful, but the small bikes with normal tires are happier to turn in and just with some weight transfer, follow a corner line. But not this big boy. I have had several big ones, but normally am not driving down the back roads with real hard corners. So, recently, I have been reviewing cornering videos. And, we all know that you countersteer. But, I wanted to go over my recent. I have begun to PUSH the inside bar, noticeably, and hard. And, what do you know, I am loving life. By really pushing the bar on the inside, I now have a heavy boy that will corner. Now, I think, the wide tires make it more difficult to track nicely. It want to be what I would call uneasy in the turns, and not at home. But, when it comes to running into it harder, a bit of a push makes a big difference, and makes me a lot happier. My last is that I am old, learn slowly, and am still trying.

 

You can teach an old dog new tricks! Counter steering using the push pull method makes it effortless to turn in on a curve.

 

Also check your tire pressures front and rear as the fall in rate will change with just a couple of PSI difference. A couple of extra PSI will make it turn in easier and a couple of PSI less will make it feel sluggish.

The manufacturer and type tires make a difference also.

 

Way, way back, in the 1970's or so when I first started to learn to ride, the Superman technique was pretty common.
Remember how Superman "steered" his flying by pushing his left fist forward to make a left turn in the air?
Use the same technique.

 

You lay on your bike, wearing blue tights and a cape...??

Cool....

 

 

Ouchy to the no-no parts!

 

That's the pic I had in mind when I made that joke....


For those who don't know...

That is Rollie Free. He was on a Vincent Black Shadow doing 150mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, in 1948. He claimed stripping to his trunks gave him an extra 2.3MPH, which allowed him to reach the magic 150MPH mark.

Rollie SHOULD have been wearing blue tights and a cape for that feat!

 

If I had the means......I would have this Vincent, a Norton commando, maybe my old Honda 750, and a Harley flathead, prob UL on display where I could just drool over them every day. But, I have to rely on my one F for now. Rollie and the Aussie with his Indian.....Bonneville has been checked off my bucket.....way cool during race week. But I have made a couple trips to Maggie Valley....just cant win the old bike.

 

Bring along the BIG box of Band-aids. All that salt too. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about it,

Dan