Turns and Twisities....I need help

[Dubbington]

Just did the ride to Jenner/Bodega Bay via Highway 1. It was great but I suck at taking turns. I'm usually around 10 miles over and know I should be able to do better than that.

How does one practice? I focus on keeping a line, maintaining speed in entry. I find myself coming into turns too sharp meaning I start in the outside part of lane like everyone I see but cut it too much, its hard to explain.

Any tips?

Thanks
Rc

 

[Just J]

Practice.
Practice.
Practice.

When I started out, I rode with more experienced riders so that after the ride, they could tell what I was doing wrong and what I was doing right. Everyone (even Rossi ) starts out slow.

Better to learn slow and safe, rather than quick and dead. Just my 2 cents

 

[Momo-san]

Practice.
Practice.
Practice.

When I started out, I rode with more experienced riders so that after the ride, they could tell what I was doing wrong and what I was doing right. Everyone (even Rossi ) starts out slow.

Better to learn slow and safe, rather than quick and dead. Just my 2 cents

+1
Don't worry about how fast you "should" be going. Focus on your lines, throttle control, entry speed, body position...plenty to think about besides going fast If you focus on good technique you will become faster without even realizing it.

 

[pahhhoul]

Practice.
Practice.
Practice.

+1

 

[Burning1]

Just did the ride to Jenner/Bodega Bay via Highway 1. It was great but I suck at taking turns. I'm usually around 10 miles over and know I should be able to do better than that.

Dubbington,

In my opinion, speed is not the best way to judge your cornering ability. An evaluation of your relaxation, line selection, body position, and focus are much more important. I think that if you focus on these points, he speed will come much more easily.

For me, the biggest limiting factor in how fast I could corner was focus. By looking further through the turn, and using my eyes better, I had much better confidence which helped to increase my cornering speeds and decrease my tenancies to panic.

Good luck.

 

[Aluisious]

Don't be worrying about "lines." You're not racing. Keep a line that lets you see what's going on and gives you options if something bad comes up.

 

[Burning1]

Keep in mind that both the DMV handbook and MSF course teach line selection. "Lines" does not necessarily mean racing.

 

[FoolishMortal]

+1
Don't worry about how fast you "should" be going. Focus on your lines, throttle control, entry speed, body position...plenty to think about besides going fast If you focus on good technique you will become faster without even realizing it.

Totally.

Look ahead as far as you can - point your chin where you want to go - and just concentrate on being smooth with everything.

 

[VFRrider]

Just did the ride to Jenner/Bodega Bay via Highway 1. It was great but I suck at taking turns. I'm usually around 10 miles over and know I should be able to do better than that.

Worrying about how fast you should be able to take turns usually ends badly. Remember that it's not a race out there. Take it nice and easy, the more you ride the more comfortable you'll become taking turns. You'll naturally increase the speed, but don't try going faster until you absolutely know you're ready to.

 

[redline]

I'm usually around 10 miles over and know I should be able to do better than that....

...Any tips?

Thanks
Rc

There's a lot that influences your corner speed...
Why do you "know" you should be able to do better than 10 mph over in the turn? Would you go the same number of mph over regardless of the turn & how it's shaped? Are you going at a pace that allows you to modify your path if you have to?

If I'm unhappy with my riding, I'll sometimes go over the same stretch of road at a greatly reduced speed & try to ride it "perfectly." When that fails (and it always does), I slow down some more to see why I'm making the mistakes that I do. Usually, I can find some bad habit that I can fix.

 

[DaleC]

Just did the ride to Jenner/Bodega Bay via Highway 1. It was great but I suck at taking turns. I'm usually around 10 miles over and know I should be able to do better than that.

How does one practice? I focus on keeping a line, maintaining speed in entry. I find myself coming into turns too sharp meaning I start in the outside part of lane like everyone I see but cut it too much, its hard to explain.

Any tips?

Thanks
Rc

Ryan - one option to seriously consider for improved cornering techniques is the Streetmasters Precision Cornering Workshop held down at the Willow Springs International Motorsports Park at Rosamond, Ca. It's a fabulous school that will really help improve your cornering and turning techniques on a motorcycle. You have 4 students for each instructor while on the track and you'll get some excellent coaching and instruction on how to improving your turning/cornering/riding techniques. I went a few years ago and still consider it one of the best weekends I have ever had on motorcycle instruction (plus I made it a fun and interesting routes to and from the event).

http://www.streetmasters.info/index.html

Here are also some great reviews of the school and a little more about it:

http://www.canyonchasers.net/reviews/program/streetmasters/

http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/master-the-street-29987.html

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/April Streetmasters1.pdf

DaleC

 

[Don Tuite]

Assuming "10 over" refers to the numbers on yellow signs, keep in mind that sometimes those signs take into account things like blind driveways, shit that affects traction, or the end of an uphill straight that encourages cagers coming the other way to pass on the DY, and not just curve radius. It's nice to have already scouted what's around the bend and not just assume you can take them all at the legal speed limit or better just because you're on two wheels.

 

[masameet]

There are lots of BARF threads on the importance of late apexes.

Also read Chapter 4 in Nick Ienatsch's "Sport Riding Techniques." That chapter will teach you how to ride well in the twisties. I know it's helped me tremendously.

Riding well is a process. Understand how to make late apexes, practice making them, and then work on countersteering.

 

[Raz0rback]

Practice.
Practice.
Practice.

When I started out, I rode with more experienced riders so that after the ride, they could tell what I was doing wrong and what I was doing right. Everyone (even Rossi ) starts out slow.

Better to learn slow and safe, rather than quick and dead. Just my 2 cents

+1

 

[Dubbington]

Thanks everyone for the help and info. Most of the rides I have gone on are with good riders too. I watch their lines, how they set up for a turn. It did trip me out because I thought everyone was turning really late....one time I thought "holy crap this guy isnt going to turn" but then all of sudden he put his left knee out, leaned and it was smooth.

I really want to do a saturday Novice school followed by a sunday next level up. I cant go during the week because of work.

My backyard is basically norris canyon so once they are done working Ill practice with my speeds down.

Thanks
Rc

 

[wanda maximoff]

Ryan - one option to seriously consider for improved cornering techniques is the Streetmasters Precision Cornering Workshop held down at the Willow Springs International Motorsports Park at Rosamond, Ca. It's a fabulous school that will really help improve your cornering and turning techniques on a motorcycle. You have 4 students for each instructor while on the track and you'll get some excellent coaching and instruction on how to improving your turning/cornering/riding techniques. I went a few years ago and still consider it one of the best weekends I have ever had on motorcycle instruction (plus I made it a fun and interesting routes to and from the event).

http://www.streetmasters.info/index.html

Here are also some great reviews of the school and a little more about it:

http://www.canyonchasers.net/reviews/program/streetmasters/

http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/master-the-street-29987.html

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/April Streetmasters1.pdf

DaleC

why do all the links to this workshop show the most recent calendar as from2007?

 

[Jcrocker]

Eyes

Dubbington,


For me, the biggest limiting factor in how fast I could corner was focus. By looking further through the turn, and using my eyes better, I had much better confidence which helped to increase my cornering speeds and decrease my tenancies to panic.

Good luck.

Serious , if your cutting in too soon it may be sign that your not looking as through the corner as you can , you can pick up a book or go to a doc wong clinic , I find it helps to ride with people with more experience .

 

[kxmike]

Cutting in too soon is a pretty common problem with new riders. As mentioned...looking farther through the turn helps. As well as keeping your speed at a comfortable level. Sometimes bike set-up can play into it as well. A bike with good tires and proper geometry will turn in much quicker and more predictably than a bike with old squared tires and improperly set suspension. It also helps to know the road. When I taught my wife to ride, we practiced on the same stretch of road over and over. It helped her feel more comfortable and thus stay relaxed which is a key to good riding.

 

[Dubbington]

The streetmasters looks interesting but its 5+ hours away. Gas, + hotel + $360 for the class sounds like a pricey weekend. Or is that not a bad price?

Guess I could sleep in the truck and shower at a 24hour fitness if one is close by...haha

 

[DaleC]

why do all the links to this workshop show the most recent calendar as from2007?

Good question Annette, I'd guess someone is not updating their web site, but I don't know. Best bet if you are interested is to call their office and talk to them to get their current schedule. I went a few years back and have had many friends that have gone since and have yet to hear of a single person who didn't rave about their experience there. In my class we had people there from all over the western half of the US.

Good people and talented instructors.

DaleC