Dominant Turning

[Jagermeister]

This was discussed before, but now I can't find the thread.

I had fun killing off the front BT-021 today (300 miles of perfect roads & weather); it's now bald in certain areas. Upon closer inspection, I noticed something that confirmed a suspicion: I ride more aggressively in right-hand turns. The right side is bald, while the left still has a few mm of tread.

So far, the possible culprits are:

1. Throttle hand. In a left hand turn, I subconciously fear pulling on & twisting the opposing bar's grip.

2. Right hand turns allow a greater margin for error, as the left lane is there as a backup (again, subconcious).

3. I'm right handed.

My next trip to Borders will be to pickup Lee Parks' book. Until then, anyone have suggestions?

 

[HaulinAshe]

Change your rear braking system to the left side of the bike. You'll switch the wear pattern to left side. Or, just enjoy reading the book and you won't be out riding and wearing any tires.



I have a boat load of discarded fronts that are all worn more on the right side. You can't get as much lean to the right AND use drag braking without scraping your toes (or I can't). That makes me brake harder/sharper on right-handers and thus I wear more rubber on that side. Maybe the YourAPeein riders wear out the left side. I have no idea.

Seriously dude, you ride too smooth to worry about a little asymmetry. I bet the little lady doesn't care if you lean to right a bit. It's how you corner that counts.

 

[Kevin Daly]

I have a boat load of discarded fronts that are all worn more on the right side. You can't get as much lean to the right AND use drag braking without scraping your toes (or I can't). That makes me brake harder/sharper on right-handers and thus I wear more rubber on that side. Maybe the YourAPeein riders wear out the left side. I have no idea.

gunny!

my bet is that your going hot into corners and front end breaking into the lean and wearing that tire like a pencil erraser. I do the same thing. If you are going to make a change, try to make your speed adjustments before you lean the bike. as soon as, if you roll on the gas, you will take weight off the front end. if you are decelerating into the apex then you put more weight on the front and thats where the wear happens

 

[Jagermeister]

Now that I think about it, you guys are right.

I do tend to come into corners as fast as possible (for me, at least), then scrub off speed with mostly the front brake, just before entering. Since countersteering begins at that time, that must be chewing up the front-right tread.

In a left turn, I tend to drag the rear brake more. It's mostly a security blanket, because I know the bike is capable of more speed than I'm comfortable with in lefties. But, dragging the rear also allows a little more throttle through the turn, thus more torque, and a faster exit.

" I bet the little lady doesn't care if you lean to right a bit. It's how you corner that counts."

How's it leaning? :lol:

 

[wfooshee]

I'm wondering if this is being over-thought. I'd bet if you live in Great Britain, Australia, or Japan you'd see more wear on the left side.

On our roads, the right turns are the smaller radius.

 

[SPORT]

One argument posed is that you are a left brain thinker, thus your dominate side (right side) is more refined (stronger fine motor skills) and able to more comfortably execute precision turns/leans.

 

[colin]

I'm wondering if this is being over-thought. I'd bet if you live in Great Britain, Australia, or Japan you'd see more wear on the left side.
On our roads, the right turns are the smaller radius.

that's what i'm thinking.

sadly, i just changed the front and didn't bother to look.... ! I'll be on the lookout......

 

[amansker]

3. I'm right handed.

People that are right handed tend to protect their right side and left handed people tend to protect the left side. Just the way our brains "normally" work. Personally, I"m right handed and noticeably more comfortable in left turns. I'm not an expert in human behavior, but have read this many times.

I have not been on this list long, but I doubt there are many "normal" people here. Typically right handed people go faster and wear more on a left turn. With a driving pattern of using the front brake just as you go into the right-turn, that could be why you don't fit this pattern.

 

[SPORT]

I'm wondering if this is being over-thought. I'd bet if you live in Great Britain, Australia, or Japan you'd see more wear on the left side.
On our roads, the right turns are the smaller radius.

Then his tire would be wearing on the left side as most roads slant outward for rain run-off.

 

[SPORT]

3. I'm right handed.

People that are right handed tend to protect their right side and left handed people tend to protect the left side. Just the way our brains "normally" work. Personally, I"m right handed and noticeably more comfortable in left turns. I'm not an expert in human behavior, but have read this many times.

I have not been on this list long, but I doubt there are many "normal" people here. Typically right handed people go faster and wear more on a left turn. With a driving pattern of using the front brake just as you go into the right-turn, that could be why you don't fit this pattern.

I must concede to your logic as it makes more sense to me. We are either right or left brain thinkers and as such, tend to prefer turning one direction over another. I was taught that it depended largely upon whether we were right brain thinkers or left. Although that statement is partially true, it did not jive with my left brain tendancies yet preferring to turn left. The fact that I want to protect my dominant side (right) makes more sense. But it is still ironic that my dominant side requires more thought for precision and steep turns. Would that say the dominant is NOT my right?

Thangs that make you go Hmmmmmmm?

 

[wfooshee]

I'm wondering if this is being over-thought. I'd bet if you live in Great Britain, Australia, or Japan you'd see more wear on the left side.
On our roads, the right turns are the smaller radius.

Then his tire would be wearing on the left side as most roads slant outward for rain run-off.

But not at 20 to 30 degrees off of center. I'm assuming we're talking about cornering lean wear.

 

[SPORT]

I'm wondering if this is being over-thought. I'd bet if you live in Great Britain, Australia, or Japan you'd see more wear on the left side.
On our roads, the right turns are the smaller radius.

Then his tire would be wearing on the left side as most roads slant outward for rain run-off.

But not at 20 to 30 degrees off of center. I'm assuming we're talking about cornering lean wear.

ooops, not very clear now was I?

I was referring to straight riding. Most roads are convexed (that is, the high points are the cetnerline between oncoming traffic. So, in America, motorcycle tires have a tendany to wear quicker on the left side.

This is what I originally meant.

 

[twowheelnut]

Click for enlightenment.

 

[HotRodZilla]

There was an article in Rider magazine about this a while back. Said something about people in general being being better at turning one way or the other. Kind of like the dominate side issue. I think it said most people could turn to the right with less mistakes and smoother transitions, partly due to road construction. I searched for it, but got nothin.

 

[rushes]

I've noticed I like right turns better because I'm more comfortable not leaning in toward oncoming traffic.

And on a left turn, if you move to the outer tire track away from the other lane, you don't have much room to error.

 

[amansker]

Click for enlightenment.

Bingo. Great catch.

Why is this wear more evident on the left front in most cases? Actually, excessive side tire wear is only evident on the left front in countries where one rides on the right side of the road. Riding right means that the left side of your tire will have more (and likely faster) miles on it than the right side. Left hand turns have a larger radius than right hand turns in right side driving countries,

 

[Jagermeister]

I've noticed I like right turns better because I'm more comfortable not leaning in toward oncoming traffic.And on a left turn, if you move to the outer tire track away from the other lane, you don't have much room to error.

+1

I'm trying to overcome this, but it seems counter-intuitive to lean into traffic, or ride the right edge of the road in a left turn.

 

[Jagermeister]

Click for enlightenment.

Great article; I haven't seen that before.

Thanks

 

[wheatonFJR]

This was discussed before, but now I can't find the thread.
I had fun killing off the front BT-021 today (300 miles of perfect roads & weather); it's now bald in certain areas. Upon closer inspection, I noticed something that confirmed a suspicion: I ride more aggressively in right-hand turns. The right side is bald, while the left still has a few mm of tread.

So far, the possible culprits are:

1. Throttle hand. In a left hand turn, I subconciously fear pulling on & twisting the opposing bar's grip.

2. Right hand turns allow a greater margin for error, as the left lane is there as a backup (again, subconcious).

3. I'm right handed.

My next trip to Borders will be to pickup Lee Parks' book. Until then, anyone have suggestions?

Click for enlightenment.

What Jager describes (and I experience) is opposite of that posited by the link.

I just think I subconciously ride more aggressively into right hand turns and ride like a weenie in lefthanders...therefore scuffing less on the left side of the tire.