Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I have 7,300km under my belt now...or should that be shifter....and I have gained considerable experience....however, I have noticed I am still weak in a couple of areas.
For example, sometimes when I make left turns ( and always on a particular corner) my turns are too wide. Certain curves on some twisty roads still present me with a bit of a challenge also.

My question is do I just need more practice or should I call an instructor for a bit of one on one to figure out what my problem is?

I hear lots of people talking about "advanced rider training". What is that exactly?

The ERC - experienced riders course - goes over much the same (cornering, etc) with your own bike.

Did you take the MSF course?

It sounds like you need to "trust the lean" and really push the grip to countersteer and lean more. Maybe, before entering a turn, you need to tell yourself which grip to push on if you want to tighten up that turn. It helps when you suddenly need more lean and don't trust your under-developed instincs. - It works for me.

DustyJacket wrote:The ERC - experienced riders course - goes over much the same (cornering, etc) with your own bike.

Did you take the MSF course?

It sounds like you need to "trust the lean" and really push the grip to countersteer and lean more. Maybe, before entering a turn, you need to tell yourself which grip to push on if you want to tighten up that turn. It helps when you suddenly need more lean and don't trust your under-developed instincs. - It works for me.

Yes, I took the MSF course. Reading what you wrote, I think you may have hit on it exactly.
I don't trust my "under-developed instincts" and I need to learn to "trust the lean".

I will work on that tomorrow. Thanks.

I find that if I concentrate on looking where I want to go that my turns are a lot better. Maybe that can help you. As humans we have a very strong target fixation.

nelamvr6 wrote:I find that if I concentrate on looking where I want to go that my turns are a lot better. Maybe that can help you. As humans we have a very strong target fixation.

Hmmm, you have just jogged my mental image of the particular corner I have the probelm with. You see, where I make the left turn, there is also a right turn lane opposite....Now that you have used the phrase "target fixation", I realize that when I am turning, I am also looking at the car waiting to turn right. Now I have a few things that will help me tomorrow when I go to practice.

Hi Blues, cornering is a developed skill that entails a whole lot of aspects, entry speed, counter steering, body lean and looking where you are going. Go to an empty parking lot and try this. Drive straight, not too slow, push down with your foot on a foot peg. try left then right. Do not shift your body weight, stay upright. Next, same thing drive straight, not too slow and push your handlebars first one way and then the other. Last thing, try and combine the two. If you want to go left, push left with handlebar and push on foot peg, same for right. Look up my thread on riding tips and info, this takes you to a pretty cool site.

sapaul wrote:If you want to go left, push left with handlebar and push on foot peg, same for right.

I couldn't find your "tips" post, so I'll ask you to clarify your statement, if you don't mind.

Push down on which foot peg for a left turn?

Thanks.

http://www.flamesonmytank.co.za/navigation.htm Thats the link Spiff. I Know what you are thinking, there are many threads relating to counter steering and body steering and it sounds weird but it works. If you sit upright on your bike and push down with your left foot with straight handlebars you will drift left, same with the right. As long as you have sufficient speed, if you push your handle bar left you will lean to the left and turn left. This is the single most important skill that I have ever learnt and it has allowed me at the ripe old age of 44 to handle A BMWK1200S. No way I could have done it without learning these skills. BUT you start slow. Think of an SBK rider when he drops the knee for a corner, automatically he is pushing the bar the way the way he wants to go. I ride with my knees against the tank and it still works.

I am riding out to the valley today...if I make it over the dreaded Port Mann Bridge without getting too frazzled...
I will put all the tips that have been shared into practice and see if I can "fine tune" my skills.

I am happy to report that my left turns were much better today. I was pushing harder on the handlebars and leaning a little bit more. It made a difference in how I made the turn. I was tracking much better.

Thanks everyone.