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Low Speed Turning questions...
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:57 am
by ClearDark
Couple questions....when turning from the main road to a side road, I dunno what im doing wrong but im turning awful wide, sometimes into the other lane, which isnt good.
Couple questions...when turning, do I counter-steer into the turn? Or do I just turn the wheel towards the road that im turning on? I know im supposed to roll the throttle all the way through.
My other question is do I lean much with the turn? Or let the bike do its thing. Once it stops raining..if it ever does, im going to a parking lot to get better at turning but these are the only questions i have for now, thanks.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:15 am
by trancified
Take the MSF. Do not pass go, do not collect $200... just take the course... I did this weekend, passed with flying colors... and I can't recommend it more... it is the best course..
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:26 am
by earwig
If you are turning slow enough you don't need to countersteer...it depends on your speed... just don't even think about it. I think the best way to accomplish what you are trying to do is... just look at where you want to end up and the rest will come naturally... I am willing to bet you are nervous taking the turn and looking at the area that you do not want to go to... and ending up there anyway. Look through the turn and you will be fine.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:44 am
by ClearDark
Yeah I just re-read the MSF manual again. I DID take the MSF course, but not the BRC. Either way, I re-read the manual and it said just look where you want to go. I havent been doing that, so I will give it a shot.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:21 pm
by Sev
That's something you should have been taught in the MSF.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:37 pm
by sharpmagna
Are you counter weighting yourself when you turn?
For example,if I'm going to be making a slow u-turn to the left, I lean the bike to the left while I'm leaning my body to the right a bit. My bike can lean further because I'm counterbalancing it with my body's lean to the right so this allows me to do a tighter turn. Try it out on an empty parking lot.
You said you took the MSF course, but not the BRC? What course did you take then? This should have been covered in the MSF BRC.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:52 pm
by 1will
trancified i passed the brc just this weekend too and couldn't agree with you more. the classroom portion wears on you but once you get on the bike it's like cocaine. disclaimer: i do not know what cocaine is like but it's probably similar to the feeling of being on two wheels.
Re: Low Speed Turning questions...
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:11 pm
by Kal
ClearDark wrote:Couple questions....when turning from the main road to a side road, I dunno what im doing wrong but im turning awful wide, sometimes into the other lane, which isnt good.
Couple questions...when turning, do I counter-steer into the turn? Or do I just turn the wheel towards the road that im turning on? I know im supposed to roll the throttle all the way through.
Assuming that you are looking through the turn and running wide
Could it be that you are not slowing the bike down enough to take it with the angle you are confortable having the bike at?
If so there are two solutions, in the medium term practise until you become comfortable leaning the bike over or in the short term at least slow down further before making this turn.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:25 pm
by ClearDark
Yeah,
I practiced in a parking lot for about 45mins or so. Im pretty much golden now. I was doing everything mostly right, but not counterbalancing quite enough. So, I hit the center of town and did fine. But thank you guys for the advice.
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:39 pm
by bok
the whole "look where you want to go" thing is so integral to the whole riding process and it may seem like they really harp on it in the motorcycle courses, but only because it's so true