Do you have a prefered cornering side???

[Davey]

1. I'm a lefty
2. I'm a righty
3. I shred both ways!

Hi All,

Had a great ride yesterday after 2 weeks off the bike (I keep it at my girlfriend's parent's place and haven't been back there at weekends for a while). There are some great twisties here in France and the roads are almost always empty :thumbup:

There was a really nice section of smooth, long lefts and rights (about 15 in a row I'd guess) of various degrees and on a slope also. They were so good I turned round and did them again about 6 times in an aim to reduce my chicken strips to nothing and just practice my cornering techniques. Didn't have the camera with me unfortunately so no video :spank: (will do so next time!).

When getting home to inspect the progress on the chicken strips I find that I have about 5mm on the left side but maybe 8 or 9mm on the right. When I got to thinking about it I do seem to be more comfortable cornering to the left but really don't know why! We drive on the right and I am left handed but don't rationally see how this could affect it.

So do you have a favourite side?

 

[McLovin]

Because of the way the FZ6 handlebar is curved, I feel like i have better throttle control leaning on the left...

 

[OZXJR]

I,m a lefty,a mate told me once it may be because I don't like leaning into traffic.

 

[Circle]

Gday Davey
Good question!
My name is Rob and I like a long walks on the beach, motorbikes, and leaning into right handers.

I feel more comfortable leaning to the right (I'm a 'mighty righty'). Felt that way when I learnt, but has evened out a little as I improved/ing.
When braking hard into corners (and not thinking I'm going to make it) I've found that at a reactionary level I'll find myself lying over to kiss the bitumen on the right rather than the left.

Righties, Ambis - Speak up, defend what appears to be the minority here - Does this happen to you?
(Or am I doomed to ride in ever decreasing clockwise circles?)
Cheers,
Rob

 

[stryken]

I,m a lefty,a mate told me once it may be because I don't like leaning into traffic.

You will have to bring your bike to the states so you can even your tire wear up. I am sure you joke that we drive on the wrong side of the road the way we joke that you do. :thumbup:

 

[bluemax89]

Definatley more comfortable leaning to the left. Just feels more natural to me. I dot get a chance to go on many roads except 95 and 695 so I really don't get to lean to far over at all!!!!

 

[Speedygonzales]

I used to be a righty ... now I do both sides.

Do a track day, best way to get comfortable with right and left. :thumbup:

But it' human nature to prefer one side ... it has something to do with you "master" eye ... if it's right or left. So I heard :Flash:.

 

[Adirondack Jack]

I have to make a conscious effort to lean hard to the right and get down there! Left seems natural.

 

[Have2BeFree]

I used to be a righty ... now I do both sides.

Do a track day, best way to get comfortable with right and left. :thumbup:

But it' human nature to prefer one side ... it has something to do with you "master" eye ... if it's right or left. So I heard :Flash:.

I did a track day and low sided on the left. Anyway, I pefer the right - my group at the track actually had this conversation with our instructor (before I crashed LOL) but even she wasn't sure why. Out of the four in my group the instructor and I preferred the right - the other two women preferred the left but this was the beginner group (I was later moved up to the intermediate group).

This is an interesting thread and I look forward to hearing from others.

 

[Stumbles06]

Dunno why it is, but I feel much more comfortable taking the lefty's.
I'm right handed, so I'm puzzled.

:rockon:

 

[Coopdman]

For what it's worth but I'm a lefty on the bike and fixed-wing planes, and a righty in a helicopter.

Cornering airplanes and helicopter's has a similar comfort effect for me. Weird thing is, left turns are more common in the air around here, to follow the local pattern. I think in the air, I prefer for my seat to be on the low side... I can see the ground better. Not sure about the bike...


Edit: It's been a while since I could do the math, but anyone know if centripetal/centrifugal forces could be at play here?

 

[Speedygonzales]

I'll try and explain the "master" eye theory.

ps: I don't think this is THE right answer why some like left, some like right.

Your master eye is the eye which is dominant.
Everybody knows (or should know ) that riding a bike good is having good looking abilities.
You go where you look.

When your right eye is the dominant and cornering left.
Your head has to turn more to get a good view, cause you see more with the master eye.
When cornering right, you will get a good view sooner.

Lets say we do a tight hairpin.

Turn to the left your head will have to turn 65° before your view will be good.
Turn to the right your head will only have to turn 50° before you will have a simular view.

I hope it's a bit well written my explanation.

 

[RJ2112]

I'll try and explain the "master" eye theory.

ps: I don't think this is THE right answer why some like left, some like right.

Your master eye is the eye which is dominant.
Everybody knows (or should know ) that riding a bike good is having good looking abilities.
You go where you look.

When your right eye is the dominant and cornering left.
Your head has to turn more to get a good view, cause you see more with the master eye.
When cornering right, you will get a good view sooner.

Lets say we do a tight hairpin.

Turn to the left your head will have to turn 65° before your view will be good.
Turn to the right your head will only have to turn 50° before you will have a simular view.

I hope it's a bit well written my explanation.

Makes sense to me... I'm left handed, right eye dominant, and like right corners more than left.

There's almost no difference in the width of the strips on the tires; I just know which way I am most comfortable. To the right.

 

[audible]

Left from my time racing Flat-track on my TT-500.:rockon:

 

[Wavex]

In general I prefer to go right... might be due to the fact that every track day I've done we were going clockwise, so more right turns... in the canyons I don't care much if the next corner is going left or right, but I definitely prefer to go uphill... coming down the mountain scares me...

 

[oluap]

Definitly , I'm lefty!!!
Why?
Whish I Knew!!!!!!!!

 

[abacall]

I'm ambidextrous, right eye dominant, but prefer lefts. I lean farther over, flick faster, and dive lower on lefts. I'm working on it, but it's just so much harder on the right.

 

[paul1149]

In the US, where we drive on the right, right-hand curves have the disadvantage of heading into oncoming traffic. This is a significant intimidation factor, and I think that via lack of practice it carries into curves even when no traffic is around.

bb,
p.

 

[Davey]

In general I prefer to go right... might be due to the fact that every track day I've done we were going clockwise, so more right turns... in the canyons I don't care much if the next corner is going left or right, but I definitely prefer to go uphill... coming down the mountain scares me...

Tell me about it! Although I do love that 'heart in the mouth' feeling when you REALLY gotta squeeze the brakes!

 

[Davey]

Makes sense to me... I'm left handed, right eye dominant, and like right corners more than left.

There's almost no difference in the width of the strips on the tires; I just know which way I am most comfortable. To the right.

Ha! I must be the exception to the rule! I am left handed, right eye dominant, ride on the right hand side of the road and still prefer to curve left into the traffic!