Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I passed my MSF course today and I'm getting my endorsement this week. I just have a quick question. When you swerve is it ok to lean? When we were practicing the avoiding the obstacle part (not correct terminology I know) I just leaned when i turned the handle bars. I surpassed the state standard by something like half the distance but I'm just curious.

Leaning as you re doing it will quicken the turn which is fine unless you need to recover fast.

Crocket07 wrote:I passed my MSF course today and I'm getting my endorsement this week. I just have a quick question. When you swerve is it ok to lean? When we were practicing the avoiding the obstacle part (not correct terminology I know) I just leaned when i turned the handle bars. I surpassed the state standard by something like half the distance but I'm just curious.

Congrats on passing.

As for the lean when you swerve...if its for obstacle avoidance, more than likely you will be counterleaning. Meaning, leaning away from the lean of the bike. Kinda like as if you were standing up on your bicycle pedals to lean the bike over. Remember, the swerve is a fast swerve tossing the bars side to side, not a slower, methodical high speed lean.

I was told by my instructors this weekend that when swerving, your body should not lean in any direction and just have the bike weave under you.

In my MSF class, I was deliberately countersteering the bike when doing the swerves.

An instructor picked up on it and specifically told me *not* to lean against the bike either way. Stay loose and move with the bike. I did this and my swerving improved 100%.

Keep loose, don't lean, and stay with the bike.

Thats what I thought. That brings forward another question. In the practice swerves I kept leaning and I was having a really hard time just moving the handle bars without leaning at all. The instructor said to just move my hands not my elbows. How exactly can I do that and are there any hints or tricks you all can give me?

Crocket07 wrote:Thats what I thought. That brings forward another question. In the practice swerves I kept leaning and I was having a really hard time just moving the handle bars without leaning at all. The instructor said to just move my hands not my elbows. How exactly can I do that and are there any hints or tricks you all can give me?

Do it like you're punching someone. You just throw one hand forward, then quickly throw the other hand forward. Quick 1-2 punch. Let the bike lean you over. Don't lean against it and don't lean with it.

Ok I'll try that. Should I expect to fall the first few times?

Crocket07 wrote:Ok I'll try that. Should I expect to fall the first few times?

Uh, no. You shouldn't fall.

Alright. Thanks