Brief discussion of cornering technique

[Scab]

Try talking to yourself, seriously.
Rehearse every key step while you are having that beer in front of the TV. When riding, actually speak to yourself in the helmet. Do it over and over and over until both the action and the verbal prompt are automatic. Then just shut up and ride.

I find that as my confidence grows from knowing that I can actually think everything through reliably, shutting up frees the extra brain power to take it to the next level.

It's like climbing steps, except you don't do another step until the last one doesn't hurt any more. I've been thrown off and slammed the ground more times than any old fart should. Same technique worked in dirt so I just transferred the conditioning principles to street. Might work for you.

Came back to edit/add...

You are on a different bike, a VERY different bike now. What used to work no longer applies. You ARE learning all over again. That just takes time. 2:00 a.m. rides don't get you anywhere either!

I'll try it.

And, I couldn't help the 2:00 a.m. thing. I had to see my peeps.

 

[Fencer]

Try talking to yourself, seriously.
Rehearse every key step while you are having that beer in front of the TV. When riding, actually speak to yourself in the helmet. Do it over and over and over until both the action and the verbal prompt are automatic. Then just shut up and ride.

I do that from time to time.

Its usually the, " hey, dumbass, you blew that one" with the occasional " NAILED IT!"

 

[bikerskier]

Neil SD

Turns are OK in both directions skiing. For some reason, I am inclined to think this might be related to a dominant eye issue. Perhaps I turn right better because because I peripherally see the road better on this side??? and less well when turning left??? Does that make sense? I rode about 400 miles today from Southern Alberta (Pincher Creek) via Fernie, Libby, etc to Missoula and had plenty of practise. Today was day 5 of my ride thru BC and area and I am trying to just stay on 2 lane twisties or sweeper rides. So, I am still turning in too early on the left about half the time. Damn it!

PS: You got to love Montana! Posted limit pretty much 70 even on back roads which means 80 - 90, (just kidding for any LEO's reading this), very sweet along the lake and river runs. In one spot I had been passing folks pretty routinely and rolled up and alongside a muddy SUV, going much too fast. As I glanced over, I was pretty startled to see a Sheriff's logo on the door and a deputy looking at me with wide eyes. I grabbed a handful of brake and pulled back even and smiled and waved, and he waved back!!! I thought I had better be prudent and pulled in behind him not knowing what to expect. He turned off the road in a half mile or so and I went around him and watched in my mirror but he was not interested in me. Whew, Thank you!

 

[bandito]

You think braking in a curve the answer to your dilema!?!?!??? Are you out of your freakin' mind? Depending on your speed and lean angle, you're already eating up a huge chunk of your traction, now you want to do some braking? :blink: That's a HUGE bad habit and about the worst advice I've seen given out on this forum. A smooth rolling on of the throttle is what will seat your suspension. Don't even get me started on the idea of shifting your weight in order to negotiate a turn at speed.

Lots of traffic overnight !! If you look at most of the first posts we all chimed in with throttle roll-on as the answer. Bottom line is if you are in the turn with too much lean, too little speed, wrong line you need to adjust. Plus if you are worried about coming out TOO FAST cuz the radar is in your face, then you have to stand it up and slow down. Reading farther down if Jeff is truly a perfectionis as his riding companions attest, then asjustments are a fact of life. just don't make the bandwidth too large is all I have to say. And for the braking, notice I said braking with throttle simultaneously. There will be a time when you have to brake in a turn, so best to practice it for when you need to.

Gotta ride to work now :angry:

 

[Neil San Diego]

The day you think you have mastered the motorcycle, sell it! It's about to kill you.

Dayum, that's the most profound thing I've read in years. Think I may borrow that in the future iffen ya'll don't mind...

bikerskier,

Yea, that kinda makes sense. For me, I know for a fact that I get lazy on the left turns on skis; kinda always thought it was a similar thing for my right turns on bikes. I figure I just need to concentrate more on the right turns. Eye dominance is an interesting thought though (right eye dom here).

 

[Toecutter]

Hell, I always turn in too far, then push the bike up a little to get just the right line. I'm no racer, so I guess it really isn't going to make all that much difference in my ride. Kind of a late body pre-position, if you will....

I just recently figured out how to avoid the occasional (and embarrassing) take-off kill.

Maybe Highlander will come along and enlighten us. I don't apex corners much at all, so my technique is unorthodox at best.

 

[FJRski]

Somehow, this discussion doesn't mesh with the mental image I have of last Saturday at EOM.

'splain please!?

Drunkards, Marti Gras beads, bare breasts, parking lot burn-outs, vommit in the parking lot, etc., etc.?

I was trying to block some of that out.

More seriously, Jeff, what I saw from my perspective was a couple of FJRs riding staggered close-up sweeping into a single file arc through a corner behind you and then closing up again and repeating it all over.

I was talking to myself that day, I kept chanting: This is what sport-touring is all about.

Let me tell you, it was a pretty sight. Wish I had a video. Thanks for a great ride.

This discussion just didn’t mesh into that picture. Is all this introspection about cornering technique really helpful? You won’t find the answers you seek on the internet. More Saturday rides with Kevin and Wayne will help. Me2+. Yes, I’ve learned a lot on this Forum, and enjoy the discussions here. I am always trying to get better, and like everyone else, I carry a scary vestige from 20 years ago of a downhill left hander that went bad when I tried to berm off a curb. (Caution: Don’t try this on the street, it f'n hurts, but you will see the most interesting collection of trash as you slide up the gutter face first. Now there’s an image that stuck.)

But your cornering technique looked damned good from my perspective, and that’s all I was trying to say. So much for a short post.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

<snip> how I tend to setup for entering the corner.Point-1, I've noticed lately, especially when solo, that I have a tendency to overdo the lean angle .....and must do what I call "the double take"......lets you know you screwed up the precise corner entry

Point-2, ....objective was ..... to maintain a constant speed and lean angle throughout the turn.

Point-3, to combat this tendency, I've been ....slightly shifting my body weight back and forth

When riding two-up I don't have as much problem

Anyone have thoughts/suggestions/techniques?

bandito: If you look at most of the first posts we all chimed in with throttle roll-on as the answer. Bottom line is if you are in the turn with too much lean, too little speed, wrong line you need to adjust.

Looks like you partially answered your own question in Point-1 of the first post. Still, what to do about it? Bandito's right -- you need to adjust (and, your solution seems valid). The cornering equation is a complicated one; involving speed, corner radius, and lean angle (just for basics). Even this relationship gets complex as increases in speed (in a corner) vary the turn radius and lean angle exponentially. Add to this: just maintaining a constant speed in a corner requires the addition of throttle to overcome drag induced by changing direction and, too, the effect of smaller tire size (mentioned elsewhere, here). Changing throttle (changing power delivery) has the tendency to de-stabilize the motorcycle as well as changing the fore-and-aft weight distribution -- and, thus, the steering geometry (requiring more, or, less turn radius). Your "two-up" comment ('better results') seems to reinforce this -- less change.

So....to agree w/several others here, throttle control may be the key (key to controlling speed -- which will have a huge effect on turn radius and lean angle). Also, 'judgment' (for 'precise corner entry') is a critical component to any successful (blissful) curve.

As an added comment: I'd say (by looking at your avatar) try to take a page from Ben Spies' book and -- "Get those elbows out".

 

[bikerskier]

It seems to me that a huge key to good cornering, while riding somewhat spiritedly... is to use lower gearing and higher engine revs, which allow for excellent engine braking and throttle for quick line adjustments. If I find myself using the brake at all, it is because I have screwed up and did not let the engine to the work.

Worst ever ride today, north and east of Lewiston, ID. Went out on hwy 3 to Saint Marie in cool, showery, breezy weather and had to return to my hotel in very cold (43 degrees) very gusty winds and heavy rain. My hands fekkin' near froze.