New Rider

RuthB

New Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Brackley
Visit site
Hi all,

I didn't realise there as a ladies forum here.

I'm just past my test (admittedly possibly a bit late in life) and have just got my first bike. Obviously an FZ6 and love it.

I saw a thread earlier that asked what was the hardest riding technique to master. I'm really struggling with cornering at the moment. I'm fine on the straights and have no problem picking up decent speed. But I see a corner and seem to have a real lack of confidence leaning and looking through corners.

Does anyone out there have any tips or is it just something that will fall into place eventually??

Cheers,
Ruth
 

ebster1085

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2011
Messages
723
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
New York
Visit site
Welcome Ruth!

A few tips:

1. Take things slow at first. Nothing wrong with taking your time and feeling out the bike. Last thing you want to do is rush into a corner and then go down because you went into a state of panic.

2. Trust the bike. Hard as it may be to believe, you will probably never max out your tires and lose the contact patch. You can will scratch the feelers on the bottom of your footrests before you lose traction on the tires edge.

3. Look where you want to go. When turning, dont simply look straight ahead, look through the turn. On a bike it is always important to look ahead where you want to go.

4. Always try to take the shortest route through a corner. What this means is, come into the corner on teh outside edge, turn inside to teh apex, and come out high. This reduces the amount of turning/leaning you will actually have to do.

Good luck, be safe, and enjoy the bike! The FZ is a wonderful machine!
 

PFD023

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Messages
376
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Ontario
Visit site
There was an excellent video link posted in one of the other threads..... Carolina Motorcycle Cooperative Association: The Cornering Bible Take a few minutes and watch the videos....I think there are 6 parts to it.
Being relatively new myself (after about 20 yrs off) I take the time to practice my skills in a nearby parking lot which is painted for weekend motorcycle courses. With no one else around I can take my time and practice everything from countersteering to emergency braking.
 

huy

Junior Member
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Chicago
Visit site
Welcome!

Have you taken the msf course? I would definitely recommend it if you have not. There is a lot of practice of the fundamentals of cornering.

My tip, same as in msf: slow, look, press, roll. Just keep practicing this technique at slower speeds until you get more comfortable.

Also practice your emergency braking as well.
 

pookamatic

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2012
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
5
Points
38
Location
Wilmington, DE
Visit site
Cornering is unnatural from everything you've learned throughout life. All the input going into your brain is saying "Noooooooo" but really, it's fine.

When I got my bike a few months ago, I went out for a ride with my buddy. It felt weird going that fast, wondering if the tires would hold... and I was probably "pushing" the FZ6 maybe 20% of its ability.

A little fear is good... it keeps you slow/sane until you have the experience to go faster.

Have you taken the MSF course? It will help in ways I can't describe.
 

Erci

Howie Mandel's evil twin
Moderator
Elite Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
7,229
Reaction score
126
Points
63
Location
Pittsford, VT
Visit site
Practice, practice, practice!! I'm sure you've been taught to slow - look - press -roll. Start by setting comfortable entry speed (sloooow at first) so that you can stay on the throttle through the turn. Looks as far as you can see through the curve. Stay on throttle to maintain speed and when the road starts to straighten out and you can see FAR ahead, start feeding in more throttle.

There's no magic to this.. just more saddle time if your technique is solid. Consider taking another course (BRC2.. same as BRC, but on your own bike).

You can practice this in your car too! Try to take curves like you would on your bike. Slow in.. Look as far as you can see through the curve, stay on throttle through and add throttle as you exit.

Be safe and have fun!
 

PFD023

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Messages
376
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Ontario
Visit site
...........4. Always try to take the shortest route through a corner. What this means is, come into the corner on teh outside edge, turn inside to teh apex, and come out high. This reduces the amount of turning/leaning you will actually have to do.

Good luck, be safe, and enjoy the bike! The FZ is a wonderful machine!

Always seems to exceptions.....be careful when doing this on hilly roads which have blind spots.......being tight to the apex on an uphill curve can be pretty adventorous especially if buddy coming the other way is carrying too much speed in his vehicle and has to cut across the centreline in order to make the turn......just a thought....
 

Nelly

International Liaison
Elite Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
8,945
Reaction score
125
Points
63
Location
Co Offaly, ROI
Visit site
Hi all,

I didn't realise there as a ladies forum here.

I'm just past my test (admittedly possibly a bit late in life) and have just got my first bike. Obviously an FZ6 and love it.

I saw a thread earlier that asked what was the hardest riding technique to master. I'm really struggling with cornering at the moment. I'm fine on the straights and have no problem picking up decent speed. But I see a corner and seem to have a real lack of confidence leaning and looking through corners.

Does anyone out there have any tips or is it just something that will fall into place eventually??

Cheers,
Ruth
Welcome to the forum,

Kieth codes "A twist of the wrist" is a very worthwhile read.

This YouTube vid talks about some of the principles.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWH_QiXw5n4&feature=related]Bike Cornering Bible - YouTube[/ame]

Cloggy posted a really good thread a short while ago called "Weekend work out" it is a really worth while set of training routines aimed at rider improvement. The great thing about it is that you can work at your own pace.
http://www.600riders.com/forum/track-tech-riding-techniques/44865-weekend-workout.html

Take things steady and try to remain relaxed. As you stated looking through the corner is very important. Try not to snap the throttle shut mid corner or be to aggressive on the brakes. Let us know how you get on. The girls on the site will be delighted to have a new member and also have a wealth of experience.
good luck
 

Poot

Thank God ^ was there!
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
91
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Pittsfield, MA, USA
Visit site
Welcome!

The biggest tip would be to look where you want to go. The bike will follow. If you feel like you are not going to make the corner do not break, lean the bike more and you will be fine.

Roll the throttle through the corners, break before if needed.

Hope this helps! :thumbup:
 

ChevyFazer

Redneck MacGyver
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
3,309
Reaction score
27
Points
0
Location
ATL
Visit site
I agree with everything already said but will add that if you can find a big empty parking lot to practice different things and how the bike reacts that would also be a big help.

If you can find a place like this notice how if you put more weight to one side of the bike it will naturally turn that way, notice how you turn left to go right or vice versa. Practice makes perfect, or at least it will get you closer there.
 

ELIZABETH

Goofball Extraordinaire
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
1,825
Reaction score
112
Points
0
Location
St Louis
Visit site
Welcome, Ruth! You picked a great bike, and this wonderful forum just happens to come with it!! :D
 

Erci

Howie Mandel's evil twin
Moderator
Elite Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
7,229
Reaction score
126
Points
63
Location
Pittsford, VT
Visit site
Another critical thing I forgot to mention .. countersteering! Thats the press step. The more you push the grip away from you the harder the bike will lean in direction you are pushing.. and the tightet it will turn. No lean .. no turn. Practice this in a quiet lot as has been mentioned.
 

Susan

That Romance Author Lady
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Messages
256
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
BC
Visit site
Welcome, Ruth. :) Congratulations on passing your test late in life like me. :cheer:

I was a corner chicken when I started riding last year, but eventually I got used to them, and now I enjoy them. Some things that might help you feel more comfortable:

1) Always go the speed that feels right for you, especially if that speed happens to be slower than what feels comfortable for your riding buddies. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, but you do want to take the corners safely and confidently (you just can't be confident if you think you're going to shoot off the road or lay the bike down on the pavement). While you're learning, slow is a good thing. You can speed up coming out of a corner a lot more safely than you can slow down after you've entered it, too, so if you go in too slow, no harm done.

2) Before you get to the corner and as you go through it, pick the straightest and safest line while also scanning for deer, potholes, tar snakes, etc. Yes, look through the corner to where you want to go, but it's also important to be aware of hazards along the way. This is especially good on those long corners that seem to go in a complete circle. So focus on where you're going but observe, too. You mainly don't want to be staring at the road six feet in front of the bike.

3) Assume that around every corner there will be a puddle of grease, a pile of animal guts, a boulder, some gravel, or a tree across the road (just yesterday I met up with two good-sized rocks, some gravel, three mountain sheep, and a plastic oil jug). Are you traveling at a speed that'll allow you to stop safely or maneuver around/through a hazard? Make sure you are. And practice your emergency braking so you're ready to deal with a hazard when you see one.

I ride with some guys who take corners faster than I do, and I'm OK with that. So are they. The important thing is to ride within your skill level. With time and practice, your skill level and confidence will grow, I promise. And if you always leave yourself a little wiggle room in terms of speed, lean angle, etc., you'll know you can adjust through the corner if necessary, and you'll feel that much more confident.

Have fun and ride safe. :)
 

Lefty

Quis, mihi fatigo?
Elite Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
1,446
Reaction score
45
Points
48
Location
Southern Oregon
Visit site
Welcome to the forum Ruth. :welcome:

My uncomplicated version:

1. Countersteer
2. Look where you want to go (duh, but it does take practice)
3. Trust your tires

Lots of great advice thus far as is the norm for this forum. :thumbup:
 

JimStl

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
165
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
St. Louis
Visit site
Thank you for this thread, Ruth, and welcome to this forum. Just got back into riding about 2 months ago myself, and I've felt a bit unsure in the tighter turns. I figured I was managing ok, and that more time would take care of things. But wow, after reading about counter steering in this thread I went out for an 80 mile ride to test out pushing the handle bar on the side one wants to go. I was amazed at how instantly responsive the bike was. Also worked with rolling on the throttle though the turn as mentioned in the video that Nelly posted, combined with counter steering, it was great stuff, wow! I had a super day on my bike, and here is another example of this forum helping to make for better riders.

Thanks everyone! :thumbup:

:welcome:
 

sherry

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
courtenay, british columbia
Visit site
Hi RuthB I too am a newbie rider, and am having some issues with my fear of dropping my bike. I was just lent the DVD "Ride like a Pro" by Jerry "Motorman" Palladino, it has been so great for building confidence in my skills, you can get it on line, not expensive and comes with a book. He has a great way of communicating what to do and what NOT to do when it comes to cornering among many other manouvers. Its all about your head and eyes and friction zone, rear brake and throttle for slow speeds, its my new bike bible...best of luck to ya! Sherry
PS. Has anyone out there read/viewed it and feel the same way as I do?
 
Top