Working on cornering

Well there you go Bub. You asked for our thoughts and there you have them. Even sow piped up with his opinion. I kinda like the learn on the track in safety myself. Maybe I should take my own advice. Or not.

 

I remember my instructors at driving school just hammering the point "keep your eyes fixed on where you want the vehicle to go" whether an emergency vehicle or motorcycle it holds true.
The two things I know are guaranteed to put me off line in a big way are looking at the other side of the road instead of where I want to go, or braking heavily on the approach to the corner.

Most motorcycles can corner twice as hard as their riders believe.
Specifically for bikes when you are in a highly faecally enhanced cornering situation (running wide) just keep pulling the bike lower and lower until you low side - you will probably get around the corner safely.

 

Yup, good replies. Thanks all.

 

man, you don't need a track. just take a day trip south to the columbia river gorge. klickitat canyon, windy ridge, wind river rd.. cross over do the run to vista house etc... etc..

last "twisty" ride I did a few days ago was a 3 mile section of 211 outside skyline drive. squids and confederate flag parade.

the east coast sucks. : /

 

Trying to make the corner is something that is often preached at track days. Like you said most bikes will corner a lot more than newer riders think. They usually panic, run off, or hit the binders to hard, or to fast/aggressive input ect and end up binning it. A lot of the time if you control your fear and look to where you want to go you will make the corner. And then low and behold..... you are amazed at what you just accomplished. Confidence goes up and you ride better. At least until your head gets too big at how you are near Rossi's level and you find yourself sliding on your noggin. lol

 

I know about the looking part, it's "making" the corner that can be the problem. It feels better to flow through, than fight your way around. If I screw up and start swing wide I can bring it back by counter steering -hard. It's literally like taking the bull by the horns. Not much fun.

 

If its that hard you probably need to look at your set up. odds are your rake/trail is off.

 

It sounds like you are stiffening up on the bars. Motorcycles aren't hard to steer sometimes or only in certain corners. But the wrong human input will make it feel that way. This would also explain why it feels good when you get it right, but feels so bad when you go in hot. You might be stiffening up on the bars which will make you run wide.

To simply say you need to relax is a bit of a misnomer. You don't want to go into a turn laid back with no sense of purpose; it does take some effort to ride agresssively, but if you get stiff, you don't allow the bike to work as it was designed.

 

Here is an article in Motorcyclist about corner braking. http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/h...-tips-corner-braking-street-savvy-bike-skills

 

An easy way to stay loose on the bars is to squeeze the tank with your knees/knee and hold your weight with your core, instead of your arms. This is especially true with braking.

 

I was riding with my buddy who is the current Canadian National Power Toboggan champion (and former World Champion) ... he rides an R1.

We were taking a clover leaf on the way to meet another friend for a ride - he said he couldn't believe it when he looked down and saw he was doing 95 km/h and I was pulling away from him on my VFR. He said he had to do a double take on the amount of lean I was putting into that turn.

Tell you what ... these bikes sure can hold a line!

I squeeze with my legs and your right, it helps a lot - it's the first thing I learned in MX ... I want to get some Tech-Spec for the tank to help for grip.

 

My 2p

http://www.lifford-cooke.com/motorbiking/documents/cornering.pdf



SkiMad

 

Randy is the King here at corning here , he really knows how to get a knee down-all the way down:bluesbros:.

 

Get this and save a bundle. It is something you have to pattern and cut yourself, but it's about $50 cheaper if you count the tank protector. 1/4" thick, so very grippy!http://www.htmoto.us/store/p/478-Universal-Freestyle-Kit-7-Pieces.aspx This kit is probably enough to nearly cover your tank.

 

The only time I get a knee down is when I tie my shoes. That's because I can't reach over the belly prosthesis I always wear.

 

Here is another article to read. https://rideapart.com/articles/10-t...out-motorcycle-body-position-for-sport-riding

 

An interesting read. All makes sence when you think about what is being said.

Have wanted to take an advanced riding course for a few years now. Have put it off, hiding behind flexibility issues. I have never been really flexable even as a child and teen. Stiff as a board. Maybe a well qualified instructor someplace would prove to me that this may not make any difference. Might encourage me to do some track days. Then I sould discover a whole new reason to buy more neat stuff, a new bike and a new found ergency to come out of retirement and get a paying job.

 

Hands, elbows I try to tell myself. Trying to loosen my grip on the bars and relaxing my arms, especially the outside one.

Was reading Lee Parks and in one section of the book he says your inside elbow should be below your wrist. Kinda ridiculous, your have to be laying on your tank. I'm not racing.

 

True, but, what I have found from experience is that in an emergency where you may have come into a new corner too fast, NOT knowing how to be able to push your bike into that corner and get down fast and properly to make the turn, maybe on the brakes, could be your last turn ever. If you know what to do in that circumstance can make a huge difference for the rest of your life. Knowing how to add/subtract brakes mid turn can be life changing or life saving.

 

Thanks Lint, that makes a lot sense.

Had to brake mid corner a couple weeks ago, thought I was going down. Instinct made me pump lightly. That probably wasn't right.