Cornering tips n hints

Hi all,

Don't know if there is a link on this forum for it, but I'm looking for some cornering and handling books or tips?

Any links or posts appreciated.

Cheers

Start slow!
Do all your breaking before the corner.
Look through the corner.
Think about your road and body position.
Practice.

A good read with a lot of the contributors having many years biking

http://www.bikersoracle.com/vfr/foru...ight=cornering

[northwind]

Pile up to it as fast as you can then hammer on the brakes at the last minute, preferably sliding the rear a little. Wobble around it really slowly keeping the bike as close to vertical as possible, while sticking your knee out as far as it'll go. On exiting the corner, speed off as fast as you can doing rubbish wheelies.

The only actual useful thing I'd add to what's ben said is just trust the Blue Cow... As long as you're smooth about it, an SV on decent tyres will go around bends you wouldn't believe. If it does start to go wrong, jumong on the brakes will just make you crash slightly slower, while trusting the bike, looking through the corner and countersteering will 9/10 get you through a bend even if you're sure you're going to crash.

Learned that the hard way

Originally Posted by northwind

Learned that the hard way

If there was an easy way we'd all have figured it out before something bad happened.

Do your brakeing before the corner, if its a blind corner (see vanishing point) you might need to start your brakeing as far ahead as the SLOW signs in the road. Get in the right gear to get you arround the corner and accelerate out.

Take a good line. On the roads this would idealy be to either side of the road, depedning on if its safe.

Example, you have a right hand bend coming up in the road you cant see arround, you need to be on the left as far as you can safley be.

Same applys for the left, but start off easy, treat the centre line as a wall when you first start and work your way out if its safe to do so.

Your soon get a feel for more visability. Its a compromise though, obviously this will give you a wider line than a race line, so will be slower. Its a speed/safety compromise. But it may be faster than what you are currently doing.

erm Your also need to learn about vanising points but i dont think i can explain that one. Im sure someone better than me will be able to explain.

Counter steer push on the bar of the direction you want to go. To go arround a right hand bend, push the right ar away from you. (Yes, away from you, no you wont go left, trust me.) You need to be moving to do this, sainsburys carpark might not be the best place to try this. An empty stright 30 road might be suitable though.

Standing on both pegs. Not a lot, just enough to lift your bum off the seat, you dont need daylight between the bike and you. You have just lowered your centre of gravity, not too sure what it means but the bike turns quicker.

Once you get a feel for standing on both pegs, try the peg of the diretion you are going. Turning right, put more weight on the right peg. It should tip in easier.

Positive counter streering...
You thought i was mad when i told you to push that bar in the wrong direction didnt you....
Well now pull the thing as well, again start gently, push the right bar, pull the left VERY gently. The bike will go down lower, easier.

Funky chicken. Make sure your relaxed before you brake, just give your elbows a wiggle in a funkey chicken fashion, nice and loose to relax your arms a bit

Get some advanced training!

Put them all togeather and they can help you if you go in too hot, or a bend tightens up on you...

These are just from my experances, and 2 days advanced training. I am by no means an advanced or fast rider. Take it slowly and try one at a time. If you and your bike come crashing down, dont blame me.


Dan

Excellent post Dan, could'nt have put it more eloquently myself

I think it was said in Ride that modern tyres have more grip than most riders have bottle so if you're in trouble going round a bend, just keep pushing the correct bar and leaning: chances are you'll make it!

Worked for me so far....

All above and...

use your body to steer the bike in conjunction with countersteering.

Shift your upper body weight to the side that you want to turn ( lean into the corner) just before you want to turn. A little shift helps but progressively you can learn to shift your weight and "hang off"

You will be surprised how much this helps to make a smooth and fast turn when you combine it with looking up and through the corner with your head upright (vertical).

Good book on the subject - 'Smooth Riding' - by Reg Pridmore

avoiding drain covers in the wet. ooo I caught one today and thought I was about to become a real biker and have my first off... no such luck