Cornering position

Hi all

I'm a relatively new rider, passed my test a couple of months ago after being on a 125 for 3-4 months. Noticed recently that my positioning around corners isn't the best. From what I've heard/been told the best position to take up is on the outside of the bend so that you can see as far around the bend as possible, and if any car drivers decide to cut the bend there is less chance of them hitting you.

Now I've been making a relatively conscious effort to do this recently but I just can't seem to do it. It somehow feels much safter to be on the inside of the bend, not hugging the white line but definitely on the inside. My logic seems to follow that if I'm on the outside of the bend and I **** up, I'll go off the edge of the road, but if I'm on the inside then it gives me a little more room to sort myself out. Going round corners at 60-70 seems quite unnerving if I'm on the edge of the road whilst going around it.

I do all the normal stuff like looking where I want to go etc, no problems with that; it just seems to be the positioning.

Cheers
Dan

[DJ123]

I'd reccommend reading advanced riding books (Police road craft) and it may also be useful if a more expierenced rider could watch your riding and possibly give tips

You start on the outside and hit the inside as you hit the apex moving back to the outside again on exit. That's the fastest way and the safest.

The general idea though is to stay towards the left entering a right hander, and right on a left hander, so that you can see further into the bend. As soon as you can see that the way ahead is safe and clear then you can move towards the apex (what's left of it once you've gone round enough to see clearly) and 'make progress'. I never venture far off the tyre lines/car tracks as they are the cleanest parts of the tarmac, and still give you room to move a little if you need to adjust. Take it easy to start with and make sure you're focussing on forward vision not exact road position, it will come.
+1 for riding with an experienced rider, but not a loon. And try it on roads you know just to bould up your confidence.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Spank86

You start on the outside and hit the inside as you hit the apex moving back to the outside again on exit. That's the fastest way and the safest.

On many corners that would:

a) not give you the best/any view around the bend
b) severely limit your view at the most committed point of the corner
c) very likely put your swede over the white line on right handers


What you suggest is commonly referred to as a "racing" line, and while perfectly acceptable on open corners is almost the complete opposite of the technique recommended by almost any advanced road riding text or method.
But bollox to them, I disagree with you for the reasons above.

When I said where you position yourself I didn't say the tyres and I didn't say the limit of the outside or inside.

As for not having the best view, as you said it depends on the corner, every one is different.

Incidentally the complete opposite would be to start on the inside and hit the apex on the outside before coming in again, that would be worse.

[yorkie_chris]

That might not be obvious to someone looking for riding advice though.

If you quantified it with some information about where the apex of the corner actually ends up being with the "typical" corner and "advanced" lines... i.e late... it would be different. But if you did mean that then you simplified it to the point of saying the opposite

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by Spank86

You start on the outside and hit the inside as you hit the apex moving back to the outside again on exit. That's the fastest way and the safest.

your life i guess.

Originally Posted by svrich

The general idea though is to stay towards the left entering a right hander, and right on a left hander, so that you can see further into the bend. As soon as you can see that the way ahead is safe and clear then you can move towards the apex (what's left of it once you've gone round enough to see clearly) and 'make progress'. I never venture far off the tyre lines/car tracks as they are the cleanest parts of the tarmac, and still give you room to move a little if you need to adjust. Take it easy to start with and make sure you're focussing on forward vision not exact road position, it will come.
+1 for riding with an experienced rider, but not a loon. And try it on roads you know just to bould up your confidence.

get used to riding how you plan to ride in the future. what you learn now will stay with you the rest of your biking days.

never cut corners only fools do this on the road. the road is not a race track and requires a different technique for riding.

start slow and get used to the lines it might take months and months but you will be rewarded at the end. small tight back roads are the ones to learn on because if you can ride on those well then the big open/sweeping A roads become a doodle.

I was taught to mentally split the lane into thirds and then ride in the middle of:

the middle third on straights
the left hand third on right handers
the right hand third on left handers

[Bri w]

Whatever gives you the best view(hazards) around the corner. I tend to be relatively slow into a bend but because I prefer to take a late apex - it makes the bend tighter but gives you a better view around it and the opportunity to accelerate sooner. Google late apex and you'll get a better idea of what I'm trying(badly) to explain.

At the end of the day go out there and learn on quiet roads.