How to get around corners quicker?

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Whatever you do dont ever try and keep up with someone else.Ride it at your speed and learn as you go.If you cant avoid trying to keep up with others then ride by yourself.

+1billion, the above leads to accidents, cancel that leads to crashes.

kd80, plenty of good advice on here already.

What's worked most for me is looking where you want to go... much easier said than done. When you do it properly the bike just seems to make it's way to where you're looking.

One other little thing... I've started moving about in my seat a little, sliding a bit of left cheek off for left corners and vice-versa. I didn't expect this to make as much difference as it did... incredible! The bike just wants to turn! Just be quick about it if you're going from one corner to another!

Good luck.

Originally Posted by ceeshaw

kd80, plenty of good advice on here already.

What's worked most for me is looking where you want to go... much easier said than done. When you do it properly the bike just seems to make it's way to where you're looking.

One other little thing... I've started moving about in my seat a little, sliding a bit of left cheek off for left corners and vice-versa. I didn't expect this to make as much difference as it did... incredible! The bike just wants to turn! Just be quick about it if you're going from one corner to another!

Good luck.

Just to add to that moving your head and body over ie, move left to go left, this helps with looking where you want to go, try it, it works, but as has already been said take it slow and build up when the confidence comes.

[Bri w]

The speed will come with experience, no need to try too hard.

Just remember to get round them safely

Seggons your video cracked me up !!! Proper LOL'd

Originally Posted by kd80

Hi all,

After such lovely weather being predicted for yesterday, I went for a bike-ride with a couple of friends around Hampshire. All three of them are experienced riders (one has been riding for five years, the other two well over 15 years).

It was a good ride all-in-all. I managed to keep up with them on the straights. But I found that they could get around corners a lot quicker than me. I was trying to keep up with them, and would position myself correct (hug the left if going right, and vice versa). But I just freaked when I got to the corner and slowed right down. At one point, I was on the corner when I hit the brakes and steered into the right-hand lane (thank goodness there was no oncoming traffic).

But I wondered how can I get around those corners quicker? It's the main area I want to improve

I have taken a photo of my rear tyre which is evidence that I'm probably not leaning far enough. But when I had a 50cc moped a few years back, I took a round-about (can't have been going that fast) and came off so that has probably scarred me.

Slow in, fast out. Just take everything slowly and let your mates wait. It'll build with time! It took me to going over the top of Scotland in the ****ing rain to get the hang of cornering reasonably well. On a Kawasaki Eliminator. (First bike!)

Originally Posted by Seggons

KD80, How many miles have you done on the SV? It's took me about 20,000 miles to build confidence in myself and the bike. The most important thing you can do to corner quick is to make sure you've got tyres on that inspire confidence. I started on the stock rubber which got me going, then moved to the Bridgestone BT021 which took away confidence and couldn't connect with them. I then tried the Michelin Pilot Road 2's and have stuck with them, they suit my riding down to a T and give me bucket loads of confidence.

Don't try and force it or you'll do something silly like I did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vctLAvlkgo

Edit: I didn't even see the posts above while I was writing this.

Attempting to take the corners is a start! Not that I've never done this LOL!

Originally Posted by ranathari

Just adding another voice to the "practice on your own on a quiet road". If you can find a nice road that has a string of bends linked by some straight bits then that's best because you can focus on hitting the right approach for each corner without the hassle of constantly doing u-turns. Go slow, build up speed slowly, make sure your tyres are warm and properly inflated. Don't overestimate your ability and don't get obsessed with getting your knee down.

I think what helped me feel more confident in doing corners was learning about following the vanishing point. Once you feel confident in using the vanishing point to estimate the tightness of the corner, it makes it a lot easier to get your speed right.

If you're worried about grip, find a quiet roundabout and do lots of circles with progressively more lean! It'll show you how much grip you'll get from warm tyres!

If you can get the hang of it the vanishing point works amazingly!

Make sure you can safely stop in the distance you can see to be clear.

Best o'luck!

[BanannaMan]

Wow! Much good advice given.
I'm proud of the org.

Nothing new to add.
Give it time and ride your own ride till then.

I'm in exactly the same boat, though i am getting better, albeit slowly, have managed to cut my drama's down significantly.

I'm slowly working my way through roadcraft which is a excellent book and theres a lot of help stuff on you tube. The "advanced rider" stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb2gZVuoNU4&feature=fvw

Rob.

[garynortheast]

There's an excellent book called "A twist of the Wrist" by Keith Code which deals with all aspects of riding control, quite advanced including a lot of info on the conscious use of countersteering. Advanced or not it's most definitely worth a thorough read.
TotW book 1 is more track oriented but book 2 is aimed more at the road rider.
Keith Code is the founder of the California Superbike school and has taught most of the top racers in the states over the last 40 odd years.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by garynortheast

There's an excellent book called "A twist of the Wrist" by Keith Code which deals with all aspects of riding control, quite advanced including a lot of info on the conscious use of countersteering. Advanced or not it's most definitely worth a thorough read.
TotW book 1 is more track oriented but book 2 is aimed more at the road rider.
Keith Code is the founder of the California Superbike school and has taught most of the top racers in the states over the last 40 odd years.

If I hear about that book any more I'm going to burn it on TV

Its fair to say that if you like that sort of read, fair enough read it. BUT, IMO you go out and learn yourself, fair to say if you need extra training go and book someone who can teach you,

Old chinese proverb
Show me and I'll remember, tell me and I'll forget.

Its ok to read, but in reality it don't show you nothing, now if you went to the guy and asked him what he was writing about, it would make more sense. A certain somebody of close friendship tried to give me and Peg an idea of this book....well you can't really sell the techniques in there to a combined riding age of about 27 years! or indeed convert them to reading it

Neither do I warm to the train of thought...go on a track day it'll teach you loads.
I've never been on a track nor does it interest me. Going round and round in a circle with a whole load of bikes barging about everywhere to be faster than each other is not my personal cuppa. Prefer to get some real world practise in.....cause I have a road bike, not a track bike!