Tips on cornering

[onlyJaz]

Hello all,

Still fairly new to riding so I thought I'd ask the community their tips/advice on something.

Usually turning into roads I tend to slow down quite a lot before taking it gently. Roundabouts are probably worse as I get over-cautious. I get cautious because I worry about leaning over too much and binning the bike, hasn't happened yet so I don't know how much my bike can handle before tipping.

Also slightly worried how the car drivers on roundabouts feel when a motorcycle is going painfully slow..

I probably sound like a noob but I just wanted to know what opinions you guys have, I ride a YBR 125.
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Yamaha YBR 125

[owl]

twist of the wrist 2 - keith code (cornering bible)
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Observation is the greatest source of wisdom.

[arry]

This time of year isn't ideal for going out to build confidence.

If you're still on the crap rubber that YBR comes with, get some decent tyres on - that will improve confidence no end.

The best way I've found of learning how to corner is to go out with others that can corner.

[Andy_Pagin]

OP - stop over-thinking it. If the bike feels stable as you turn, and it takes the line you want it to then you're more or less doing it right.

As to what other motorists think of you...

Most won't even notice you.
Most of those that do will not attempt to exit their persistent vegetative state regardless.

As for the rest, fuck 'em, who cares.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Pjay]

To learn the leaning over/countersteering technique, just find a big open space and start by weaving using just your weight and light pushing on the grips, you should feel as if you are pushing down towards the front wheel axle.
When you are comfortable with this, try doing ever decreasing circles in each direction, until you are comfortable. You will soon realise that your bike can lean quite a bit further than you imagined.
Just keep going over these movements until they feel natural to you.
New riders will tend to turn the handlebars the wrong way on a corner, pushing them to the outside of the turn, rather than the inside. It is counter intuitive to steer the opposite way, but it's the only way to battle the natural forces that want you to stay upright.

An explanation is here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgUOOwnZcDU

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Azoth]

If you can, make your circumstances work for you. Your circumstances: 125 bike and winter.
A 125 will be more forgiving of throttle mistakes. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage when cornering.

You don't want to go into a corner too hot. That's the basic rule. During the turn, and coming out of the turn, you should be aiming to keep the throttle on and/or opening. That's the basic habit you want to form. On no account should you coast through a corner when 'cornering' (i.e. practising turns at speed). It usually doesn't matter in, for example, urban traffic. Around town and at low speeds, you can coast into turns without any problems, because of the low speeds.

The weather conditions and your small tyres mean that your rear tyre will slide out now and then. This is likely to happen anywhere at this time of year. Because you're on a 125, you won't need a huge amount of speed around a bend to slide the back wheel. This means you can use little slides to gain confidence and remain calm. In any case, little slides always feel big. The important thing is to remain calm and not take any correcting action at all. No brake, no throttle chop, just try to upright the bike and reduce the lean angle.

In truth, cornering ability comes with experience and miles. You can't really hasten it. You should aim to spend little time on roundabouts: don't dally, just shift it, and don't forget to check all around you all the time using mirrors and shoulder checks. You can use roundabouts to develop cornering ability but watch out for manhole covers and road markings, as you'll slip on them, and you'll find that car drivers looking to their right will always underestimate your speed. If they seem to pull out on you, don't panic, just roll off the throttle slowly - no brake. Good luck.
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Safety in numbers

[stinkwheel]

Keep your head up and look at where you want to go.

Corner under power.

At this stage, anything else is overthinking.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Teflon-Mike]

YBR's by all accounts come out of the factory with tyees that have the coefficient of friction of a yoghart pot, and don't get better with age... which unfortunately is the one thing they do well... and retain the stickiness of a used yoghart pot for tens of thousands of miles, inflicting it upon many successive owners, in many cases.

Check'em & chuck'em if in any doubt, and stick on some decent Mitchelins or Pirelli's; they are only about £90 a pair fitted, and likely do most to help your confidence as well as save thier cost in potential drop damage.

CORNERS.... bikes are built to tilt, and they turn by tilting, usually better than they do from twisting the bars.

When they tilt, they are held up by centrifugal force.... so slowing down isn't going to stop you falling over! It's actually removing the force holding you UP!

See comment on tyres... this IS the thing reacting that cornering force, but at the same time, 'grip' is the load the tyre can transmit, which is scientifically the force clamping the tyre against the road x the coefficient of friction. When you 'tilt' the clamping force is actuall increased by the cornering force, so a tyre can actually grip better when loaded a little...

I say a little.... and with severely reduced traction due to cold, wet damp and possibly frosty tarmac, tha coefficient of friction is likely not that great... so you DO have to be a bit careful and ride for maximum traction and not waste any....

Grip is finite, and reacts cornering force, steering force, acceleration forces and braking forces... so the trick is to BE CONFIDENT....

Tip it in, with enough speed to have some corner force to hold you up, BUT keep OFF the throttle, dont give the grip any more work to do, trying to 'change speed', accelerating or slowing... and again BE CONFIDENT, stick to your line, dont rob aby more grip trying to turn tighter or wider, or change lean angle...

Be COFIDENT, be 'committed' be SMOOTH... take your bends or roundabouts in one studied smooth arc; dont pussy foot, wobbling changing line and speed and lean, fretting about it all correcting and compensating, over loading those poor tyres with commands all begging the grip they have.

Like talking to a child or training a dog; be clear, be firm, and say it only ONCE....

Round abouts are one of the most involved bits of road we have to cope with, with traffic from many directions all at once; they ARE daunting to deal with, and trying to remember checks and life savers and signals as well as simply pilot the bike round it all, IS a lot to manage..... you have every sympathy for being more 'hesitant' on them... BUT....

If you are struggling.... dont go there... or go there when its less 'busy'. I have to assume you are a Learner on L's.. and them L-plates is for Learning; to 'practice' for tests, not so you can ride around avoiding them.... And CBT is only your first lesson, a qualified rider it makes you not.

So if you need to build confidence; back up, and work on what you need to build confidence on, and do it AS A LEARNER practicing in a more apropriate situation, of time and place, not trying to get to and from work or college in the thick of daily commuter traffic.

If needs, book a lesson; CBT was only your first one, and lessons is for LIFE not licences. Intent of them is you give you know how that will help save you crashing, not just get a bit of paper to let you ride a bigger bike. And, CBT and going it alone, learning by doing, is the school of hard knocks. With no one to tell you what to do, or how to do it 'right' you have to learn by trial and error... which tends not to teach you what is 'right', but more often simply punishes you for getting it wrong... which is when them knocks start coming hard, and £90 for a new pair of tyres seems rather 'cheap' compared to trying to knock the dents out of the petrol tank and stick tent patches on your waterproofs!

BUT, confidence and commitment is the key... question is best way for you to acquire that, without dodging dicks on thier phone being told to not forget to pick up the sausage meat for the turkey stuffing, on their way home!!!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Nobby the Bastard]

[M.C]

With the skinny tyres on a ybr I would be taking it easy. Slow in, fast out, don't bother over complicating things by thinking about counter-steering etc.

[brains_t]

[Nobby the Bastard]

Ignore all the comments about countersteering.

Nobody conciously countersteers when riding to and from the shops. I know my 12 and 10 year old don't when cycling.

If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for you.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Pjay]

[Pigeon]

[onlyJaz]

Thanks for all of the advice guys, it's actually very helpful and appreciated! Confidence will come over time I guess and definitely will look into tyres because my rear tyre is the main thing I worry about slipping out, resulting in me being cautious
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Yamaha YBR 125

[onlyJaz]

[Cali747]

I love all these replies. I too am a YBR 125 rider and did my CBT last month and these tips are really helpful. I am glad I joined this forum as there is loads of great advice on here.

[Teflon-Mike]

[Pjay]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Pigeon]

[Pjay]

You might need to rethink your logic.
https://sportbike.natkd.com/Tires/contact%20patch.jpg

[ThatDippyTwat]

YBR sizes are 90/90-18 and 2.75-18. I have Avon Streetrunners on mine, and it's a world of difference from the crappy Cheng Shins that are OEM. Even in sub-zero I've not had any issues where I wouldn't expect them ( unavoidable manhole covers etc). Word has it they're a bit soft, but you hopefully won't have the bike long enough to find out before you pass your test and trade up. Not scarily expensive for a pair. Needed about 150 miles to get properly grippy.

It's all been said. Look through the corner, watch the vanishing point.

[Teflon-Mike]