Counter Steering

[rac3r]

This has been mentioned by quite a few people lately so I decided to find out what it actually is but all I did was end up confusing my self From what I've read you 'turn left to go right'

Anyone care to explain in n00b terms?
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[Muscle Bike Rider]

Have a look at this site, loads of info including counter steering.

https://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://www.flamesonmytank.co.za/photos/steering.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.flamesonmytank.co.za/ride.htm&usg=__vQCjC9obSCTO1EerOX2qbRpSl4A=&h=258&w=202&sz=9&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=2wrgk-5sItf2IM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmotorcycle%2Blook%2Bthrough%2Bbend%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4DMUK_en-GBGB258GB258%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[ms51ves3]

Go out on your bike, take your left hand off the handlebar, pull on the right handlebar, you will go left. Push on the right handlebar and you will go right.

[Vin]

[Jayy]

Waste of time really, who even uses it?

[chris-red]

[Alexio]

Agreed, it's entirely impossible to steer without counter steering.

Here's another test you can do:

Find the biggest / steepest hill with a straight road that you can.

Ride to the top.

On your way down, let go of the handle bars with both hands - don't worry, it's not possible for the bike to fall over

Next, try to lean the bike down as far as you can only by throwing your own body weight to the left or to the right.

Finally grab the handle bars in terror as you realise that this is entirely impossible to steer the bike more than a couple of degrees to the left or right.

This is what happens if you lock the front forks in place so it's impossible to turn the handle bars:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nRUeEkS644
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?

[chris-red]

[DEN MONKEY]

[ToGGoT]

I use it pretty much all the time - you get so used to doing it that you dont think about it.

Watch some of the youtube videos, then go out and have a go. Its surprisingly easy to figure out!

Makes a lot more difference on heavier bikes im told.

ToGGoT
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2005 BMW R1150R

[silky666]

[arry]

[the grim reaper]

I got a mate to do this on his mountain bike because he didn't believe us when me and a biking mate explained it to him. Sure enough, at about 20mph on the flat he tried it and was completely amazed

Moving your body weight alone will NOT get a bike round a corner. Superbike once fitted a second set of bars, mounted on the screen brace, and got some trackday people to try to steer the bike through body weight alone. The bike hardly moved and would certainly not have made it round a corner. The gyroscopic effects of the spinning wheels make a bike stand upright, how many times have we seen racers come off and then the bike picks itself up and carrier on until it hits something? I remember Foggy's Ducati parking itself against the pitwall after he had come off once (someone post the youtube link, it's blocked at work).

As a result of the bike wanting to stand up stright when moving, you need to change the angle of the gyroscopic front wheel relative to the direction of the bike, weirdly this is in the opposite direction to sensible thinking. There is the issue of canber thrust and tyre profile but I'm not getting into that now.

Cheers

Grim
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Adverts don't always work: Remember that advert, where the army are running across the desert and they have a wounded man on a stretcher. They get to a ravine, the bridge is down and a caption pops up that says, 'What are you thinking?'. I don't know about you but I was thinking, 'Christ, I'm glad I'm not in the f***ing army'.

[Gashead Harry]

Am I right in thinking that countersteering doesnt turn but helps lean the bike in better for when you do turn?

Sorry if that seems daft its just a concept im struggling to get me head around.
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98' Honda CG125W --- 03' Yamaha DT50SM (Gone!) --- 05' (55) Suzuki GS500 K5

[Jayy]

After making that comment and taking the bike out this morning, I realised that I do actually do it but never thought about it.

[MarJay]

[arry]

[Alexio]

I would like to apologise for for my obviously stupid advice of telling people to let go of their handle bars.

However, when ever I have done I find that it isn't possible to take any kind of sharp corner, but then maybe I'm always travelling at a speed that's fast enough to always require active counter steering. Yeah that would probably be it.
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?

[rac3r]

Well I've managed to make it round corners so maybe i'm doing it already?

I'll check out next time I go for a ride
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[sickpup]

[arry]

[rac3r]

[Flip]

I still don't feel like I counter steer, no matter how much stuff I read.

[bazza]

[Alexio]

That ancient thread that was linked to just up there makes a really excellent suggestion. Try steering just one handed for a while.

Once you're in gear, take your left hand off of the handle bars (assuming you're now safe to do so and won't suddenly need the use of the clutch) and try some corners. You will indeed be forced to counter steer if you're going at any kind of speed.

In fact, I can remember adjusting my helmet and steering quite sharply a couple of times, and I didn't use my body to lean what so ever (it stayed where it was, balancing the bike towards the other direction).
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?