Cornering.

Does anyone else feel like it's easier to corner to the left than the right? I feel that there's more room to move and look thru a left hand corner. Maybe it's because we ride on the right hand side of the road. Just throwing it out there. Riding season is finally here. How horrible does that sound.

 

I completely agree! I thought I was just weird!

 

Here is another explanation:

Assume you push-steer to initiate a turn (like countersteering; you don't pull on outside grip, but rather, push on the inside grip).
Turning left, you would push on the left handlegrip.
Turning right, you would push on the right handlegrip.
Pushing on the left grip is mentally easy, just push.
Pushing on the right grip involves mental struggle, because you subconsciously have to worry about throttle position while pushing on the grip.
Thus, you are more mentally challenged turning right, compared to turning left.

This all assumes you are a push-steerer.
If you pull-steer (who knows, maybe some people still do this?), then you would worry about turning left and find right turns easier.

I'm not convinced by the "we drive on the right" because I suffer from the left-turn preference even when going on one-way loops with only one lane so there is no right or left lane at all, but I am more comfortable turning left and my left chicken strip is smaller.

 

Every single rider on the planet likes going a certain direction better. It's the whole left brain, right brain thing. I myself prefer to turn right & I'm much better at it as well.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Answered your own question :smile:

It's easier to corner on our right ( your left ) due to being able to look further through the corner and having more space to position the bike through the Radius in order to set the exit for the next corner coming. Not sure how the US back road twisties are built but the one slight advantage of a left corner ( your right ) is always being more " On Camber ".

 

Left Right, Right Left, seems to me now that you brought it up it's makes no diff. Now throw in an up hill or down hill thats different. I feel faster, feel more in control going up. at least that's the way it's coming across to me, don't have any problem going up or down other than doing double duty covering the brakes going down, Doh!

 

We are a giant community of Zoolanders.

I agree, turning one way better than another is all part of the wacky wacky brain.

 

Agree when the red haze set its in on a known road it dosen't, when threading your path through unknown twisties wouldn't greater viewing distance and ability to see further around through your left corners naturally gift more confidence even to those skilled in roadcraft. ?

 

Yes, you didn't say anything about seeing in general :wink: Guess maybe I'm a freak that way. all thou I will mention on a road I don't know, I tend to play it way safe in squaring up corners, still doesn't matter in how I feel in abilities to get around said corner, Left or Right, Right or left don't matter, I fell fine either way is all I'm saying.

 

My 0.02....if you are right handed, you will naturally, instinctively and subconciously protect your right side, hence the hesitancy to lean lower in right hand turns.

Heard this theory years ago, and as a medical guy it made the most sense to me.

Just a theory.

 

I'm right handed but I definetely feel more at ease leaning hard into right hand turns rather than left. I don't know if it makes a difference, but I am leagaly blind in my right eye. Anyone think that could be a potential reaon???

 

Yes I agree that most anyone will feel more comfortable turning from one side or another we all have natural tendencies. I also agree that controlling throttle on the inside is probably more difficult for some riders than others. Lastly, in the US left handers would naturally feel more comforable to most folks since you will have a better view to see through the turns. It would be interesting to see if a majority of riders from the UK find that right hand are more comfortable due to the better visibility.

Either way, to me right handers are slightly less comfortable than left handers.

 

right, left... blah, blah, blah.... watch out for the damn dead possums!
That, and the off-camber turns and you'll be fine!

GeorgiaRider

 

My "unscientific" poll reviels that right handed people are more comfortable turning left (usually). That, plus the conditioning of right side driving providing better visibility turning left. However, we are human and have our own preferences that buck conventional wisdom. Hey, maybe that's why we ride VFRs????

 

I seem to recall a conversation about this some 35 years ago one night at Ascot Park. Among riders then we seemed to think it had something to do with throttle being on the right grip and pushing on the left grip in a left turn or something of that nature. It might have to do with right hand or right eye dominance. Left handed folks might find it easier to make right hand turns. South paws chime in.

 

Nope, not for me. S. paw over here agrees with it being easier to corner left. My peg feeler on the left is half wore off and the one on the right is barely scuffed. On my back tire the left side is scrubbed all the way to the edge while the right side has an obivous chicken strip. I think this stems from 20+ yrs. of off road mortorcycle racing exp.... left foot out and down, right foot covering/ dragging/ trail braking. Not so easy to do when jamming in a right turn.
Oldschool flat track/ dirt track only turned left. Never seen one turn right at Ascott in SoCal. Good times... too bad "they" (the man) shut it down many, many moons ago.

 

I don't notice a difference really. Usually, though, I'm pretty ambidextrous. Even when I'm snowboarding, I transition from lead leg to front leg...most people seem to have trouble with placing their "dominant leg" behind them. I haven't ever though. Maybe things like this have something to do with a propensity (or lack thereof) to favor a side.

 

I like going right. Then again, there are some left turns that I take every single day that I really enjoy. So, at the end of the day, who knows. I'll have to try and pay a little bit more attention next time. <p>
I'm just here trying to add something pointless to the conversation that won't help anyone see either way, right or left. This is like politics </p>

 

Well, I'm ambidextrous & love right & left turns just the same & with the same ease :tongue: .

But when I raced TT (way the "F" back when ) I had problems with my right wrist from a crash, & had a modded left hand throttle, & put the clutch lever on the right side of my HD XR750. Got so used to it, I ran it that way for 2 seasons w/o probs on left hand turns :wink: .