bends how do you

[priestessuk20...]

how on earth to you learn ?
I see a bend coming and slow right down in a panic,
how do you judge a bend and learn the lean thing !!!
thanks in advance from this numpty
____________________
priestessuk
yes passed cbt 27/10/08
currant - honda CB125 T

[Kal]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Main thing to avoid is target fixation - if you enter a bend, think you're going too fast and not going to make it, look at the kerb/hedge/tree/gate/wall, panic, hit the brakes, then you will hit the kerb/hedge/tree/gate/wall. If however you look at where you want the bike to go (i.e. around the bend) you'll soon find yourself trusting the bike and the steering will become more natural and subconscious.

Another thing I've mentioned before on here - if you have a friend who also rides and you can swap bikes with them, follow them through a series of bends, watching how far your own bike can lean. It's further than you think, so you will then have that extra bit of confidence when you go out on it yourself, knowing that the bike probably has a lot more to give when you're in the "is it going to slide from under me?" dilemma.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Burnleyfan188...]

Its just as Kal said...practice.

I used to be exactly the same, slowing down lots going into a bend, but since I bought my own bike and have been out on a few 50mph roads with bends I'm pretty confident on them now. Just keep at it
____________________
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
A2 Passed - 23/04/09
-- Yamaha YBR 125 (07)

[Kal]

[Moo.]

Also riding pillion may help you, as an example

My dad recently took his partner pillion on his bike, she liked it, apart from the leaning bit, because she wasnt used to it..

I've been riding pillion on my dads bike for years.. kinda becomes 2nd natural

[priestessuk20...]

[The Disapproving Brit]

As has been said, you already lean, more than you think. Every time the road bends slightly, you naturally lean to keep the bike on course.

Leaning is like dancing - if you think about it to much, it all goes to shit. Just look at where you want to end up, and have faith in the bike to get you there. Don't worry too much about how it does it, let your instinct and the bike take care of that. Leaning will be a byproduct.
____________________
Current Bikes: 1983 Honda VF400FD / 2003 Honda VT750 Shadow
Bike Test Passed 18/03/09, Car Test Passed 14/05/13

[mooserx]

When i first started riding bikes i did exactly the same, slowed down, as has been said it's just practice, learning to trust your bike and the grip the tyres have. I found looking as far through the bend towards the vanishing point helps, i also get round the bends by counter-steering whereas the older guys i go out with just use their bodyweight to lean through the bends, (i tried it but it really tired me out).

In the end i found a stretch of twisty road i knew quite well and went for it, kept the pace up and leant more and more through the bends, i did this for a few hours up and down the road and soon got it cracked. Eventually if you keep practicing, you'll learn to read the bend and sort all your road positioning and braking gear changes, etc to get you swooping through the twisties like your hair was on fire!!!
____________________
TL1000r-handful.

[priestessuk20...]

Ok what is this vanishing point???
____________________
priestessuk
yes passed cbt 27/10/08
currant - honda CB125 T

[drzsta]

i think mostly with me it came through just riding and more riding, and you'll find soon enough the bike just wants to lean into the turn!

you have to have confidence and just go for it - you got to understand thats its all experience and the feeling just dosnt come at once but i think the key point is confidence.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

[EUMP]

Hands off the throttle and lean, then slide on the throttle again to take off.

Don't use targets, never works - well for me, i like to feel the road if that makes sense if its broken up, pot holes, vibrates alot riding over then slow down even more if its smooth then you will probably get to do with more speed

It takes a while to get used to, but if you keep at it you'll get alot better and be able to do it faster

[The Disapproving Brit]

+1 to vanishing point advice. Basically, concentrate on the furthest bit of road you can actually see. That's your VP - if a tractor/sheep/small child suddenly appears there, that's the distance you need to stop in. On a straight, that can pretty much be the horizon. On a bend, it can be 50 yards ahead or even less.

That dictates the maximum speed at which you can safely take the bend. It also straightens the bend out psychologically - you're no longer taking a bend, you're just aiming for that end bit of road. As soon as then end bit of road moves away from you, the corner is straightening out, and you can open the throttle again.

It's helped my riding no end, although every time I take a bend now, I hear youtube bloke saying "it looks friendly, it looks friendly, I like it, I like it" in my ear.
____________________
Current Bikes: 1983 Honda VF400FD / 2003 Honda VT750 Shadow
Bike Test Passed 18/03/09, Car Test Passed 14/05/13

[bigup]

Once you learn to lean then comes the good stuff ....

Counter balancing . I.e you push the right grip forward to turn right!

[priestessuk20...]

Thanks for the reply,
feel a bit better now ......thought it was just me holding traffic up.
____________________
priestessuk
yes passed cbt 27/10/08
currant - honda CB125 T

[Kwaks]

[Kal]

[Pickledswede]

Practice will do it even on my ped I find myself able to go faster and faster round corners that before I slammed on the brakes for. There's one example on my way to college I used to practically half my speed to go round it, now I go round it full throttle every day.

Counter steering and looking where you want to go are important too, when you get into a corner it feels weird to look the way you want to go cause you feel like you dont know how far til you hit something, but in reality if you were about to hit something your peripheral vision would have spotted it!

Counter steering is basically pushing the right bar away turns you right, the left turns you left, say you get into a left hander going too fast, you just give the left bar a push and the bike will lean further over, so you can turn tighter!

For now don't worry too much about trying to corner faster, take the corners how you feel comfortable and you will gradually build up speed! That's all I did!

[priestessuk20...]

the only thing I worry about is holding up the traffic behind me,
I hate looking in the mirror and finding a que
as for counter steering that next lessons give a girl a break
____________________
priestessuk
yes passed cbt 27/10/08
currant - honda CB125 T

[The Disapproving Brit]

Fuck 'em. You're on L plates, they should know you need a bit of extra allowance. Something I read (here I think) that helped me a lot: The bike is capable of a lot more than you are, and I guarantee you'll wimp out long before the bike reaches its limits. Just have a bit of faith in the machine and you'll be fine. Consider getting a lesson just to help you focus on corners - round here, it's only about £15/hour on your own bike.

More importantly, don't let drivers bully you into riding in the gutter to let them pass - that's a hell of a lot more dangerous for you. Maintain a defensive riding position, about where the driver's seat would be in a car, so they can't overtake without giving you the same allowance as they'd give a car. This isn't being discourteous or obstructive - it's making sure they don't take a risk because "its just a biker on L plates" or "its only a bike, I can squeeze past".

If you give them space to do a risky overtake, they won't think twice about pulling in sharply when they realise the risk isn't going to pay off. There isn't a good outcome for you in that scenario.
____________________
Current Bikes: 1983 Honda VF400FD / 2003 Honda VT750 Shadow
Bike Test Passed 18/03/09, Car Test Passed 14/05/13

[bigup]

[mooserx]

Any good bike school should be able to give you lessons on cornering safely and confidently. Give a couple a call and get some prices.
____________________
TL1000r-handful.

[drzsta]

as tim said, dont worry the people behind you, they were all learners once! (car or motorcycle) and everybody has the right to learn and in a safe manner too so dont be embarrased!

[Hello there mandem]

For the mathmaticaly minded


Jack