Quote:
Originally Posted by Sykes92
Hey, so I'm into my third week of riding, and so far I have to say I have trouble making really tight turns at moderate speeds. I usually slow way down (rather be safe than gutsy) before some turns. There is a turn in another neighborhood, its a 90-100 degree angle and I always run wide into the other lane of traffic (never anyone there, but still). I remember to not chop the throttle and I even have started to scoot my butt off the seat and lean my head like Im looking around a doorway. Im also remembering to countersteer. But I can't for the life of me trust the bike to lean. I always think its just going to fall. This is usually sharp angles at low speeds of 10-20 mph. Any tips? I've been watching Twist of the Wrist II hoping it would just stick, but any additional advice is super appreciated. Thanks!
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Take the MSF class!
Layout a 120° arc using a string and chalk in a parking lot that is about 50' radius. Make another arc 42' so you'll have a lane that is 8' wide. Run thru that arc repeatedly in 2nd gear.
Rinse, lather, repeat.
Don't forget to alternate directions so you get practice left and right.
You'll soon figure out as you go slower that the bike has forward inertia and steering into a turn tighter makes the bike stand upright. You'll be amazed at the leans you can recover from by steering.
Also, here's an analogy for you..... A bike is an inverted pendulum. Like a yard stick with a heavy ball at the top. Balance a yard stick on the tip of your finger with a weight on top of it. If you want the yard stick to move left, you gotta move the bottom (your finger) to the right and cause the yard stick to begin to tip over. Once it's leaning, it will fall to the left, correct? You can then move your hand to the left to keep under it. When you want it to stop moving left, you have to rush your hand under it and make it stand vertical again.
This works for a motorcycle too... it is the counter steering. Consider that all the mass of the bike is up high... you, 5 gallons of gas and a motor. If you want a bike to steer left, you gotta get the bottom most part to go right (just as with the base of the yard stick above). Once the bike is leaning and you want it to stand up, you gotta steer the tires back under it.
So to turn, you gotta lean... to lean you gotta steer the tires out from under the bike in the opposite direction briefly. To stand a bike up, you gotta steer the tires back under the bike.
In super low speed stuff (ie walking speed) you gotta ride the clutch. I was always taught not to ride the clutch in a car, but a bike's clutch is designed to slip. Don't get crazy with it, but certainly ride the clutch in low speed maneuvers. Your objective is to use the clutch to make sure you maintain enough forward inertia so that your counter steering can work.
oh, and take the MSF class!