Cornering On Your Motorcycle
Whether your motorcycle is for chasing the horizon or just for getting from A to B, it’s a fun, fast, and dangerous means of transportation. That’s the fun of it! But if you want to keep enjoying it, you need to know how to corner. The right techniques will help you retain speed without sacrificing control. That can mean the difference between a tight, smooth turn and losing your balance entirely.
We here at Crossroad Powersports want to keep you riding as long as you want to be, so we’ve put together some tips on cornering properly. If you want to know more, or you just want to see the motorcycles we have for sale, contact our store in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Our friendly and experienced staff will work with you to find what you need at the prices you want.
Counter-Steering
This maneuver is one of the most efficient and safe ways to corner on your motorcycle, but counter-steering is counter-intuitive. Normal turns are straightforward: to turn left, you rotate your handlebars so your front wheel is facing left. Counter-steering is entirely different.
Basically, the moment before you enter the turn, you turn your wheel just slightly in the “wrong” direction. For example, to turn left, you start the process by first rotating your handlebars and front wheel to race just a bit to the right. Then you continue as you normally might.
The physics behind this make sense, in an odd sort of way. To turn on a motorcycle, you need to achieve an angle with your wheel and your entire bike that carries you through without throwing you off. Counter-steering helps tilt your bike in the appropriate direction sooner than normal steering, leading to faster and more efficient turns. We recommend learning a bit more and testing this method before using it on highways or busy roads, for safety.
Handling The Corner Itself
No matter your turn technique, it’s important that you decide on your entry line before entering the turn. If there are obstacles like brake bumps or debris, try to avoid them with a wider angle. After that initial step, you’ll need to make sure your body is in the right positions.
Body Positioning
If you prefer seated cornering, which is simpler and more comfortable, that’s just fine. However, for more speed and efficiency, you’ll want to do a standing turn. This can be a bit more dangerous, but will save energy for your bike and keep your momentum up.
For a standing turn, as you approach the corner, you’ll want to slightly lower your speed and enter a low standing position. At the start of the turn itself, lean slightly forward to transfer your body weight to the front of the motorcycle, helping increase traction to the front wheel, which chooses direction.
As you lean into the turn, it can help to raise your inside leg up and forward with your toes pointed downwards—inside meaning the leg on the side you’re turning towards. This leg movement helps shift the combined center of gravity for your and your bike inwards, lessening the lean angle necessary for the turn while keeping your body in line with the bike to maximize torque.
Consider practicing this position changing while you’re riding straight to ensure you can lift yourself up and from side to side easily. Remember not to use your handlebars for weight transfer and rely on your footpegs for leverage. Leaning on your handlebars will interfere with steering.
Stay Sharp
As obvious as it may sound, the best possible advice we can give for cornering safely is to remain aware of your surroundings. None of these tips will help in the slightest if you don’t know exactly where you, your bike, and all potential obstacles are at all times. Watch out for bumps and debris and avoid them if possible. If you can’t, be extra cautious and lower your speed.
It might feel natural to only focus on the road a few meters ahead of your lead tire, but it’s a better practice to scan further out along your route. This keeps you prepared for unexpected changes in traffic flow or obstacles, so check out your route regularly and remember your speed. That way your body will naturally follow your focus, so your bike will as well.
We hope these tips help you take turns more efficiently and safely! If you want more tips, or if you want to see the motorcycles we have for sale, contact us at Crossroad Powersports. We proudly serve the people of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware—let us serve you today!