Taking Corners

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

Hi guys,

What speeds should I be taking corners at? at the moment I'm not cranking the bike over at all and keep it relatively upright when I turn, obviously I think if I go faster I will have to lean more, but I don't want to cause an accident!

Any tips?

PsychoHippy · Jammy Git Joined: 01 Jul 2002 Karma :

That's not really a question that can be answered easily.
The right speed to take a corner at, is the speed that feels right to you. As long as the bike feels stable and you feel in good control then you have it right. Thumbs Up

____________________
I spend all my money on bikes and beer, the rest I simply waste!

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

Hmmm, well I slow down to a ridiculous speed when I take large corners, and its a bit embarrasing.

My instructor told me to tilt my head the other way when I'm cornering... I've never heard of this before? This usually ends up in me sitting straight up and the bike leaning... surely that can't be right?

BenBray · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Karma :

The whole point of leaning is so you dont get pushed outwards and off the bike. The whole purpose of getting the knee down is so that you dont over-lean the bike and bin it. Essentially, "hanging" off the bike is what getting the knee down is all about.

Taking corners faster is a mix between pushing your limits [not breaking them] and finding out the limits of your bike (also trusting it). I hear it's a long process getting it right, and if you really want to find the limit you'll possibly end up sliding out if you're not careful.

It's something you need to learn for yourself. Not that I know what I'm actually on about - and I might be wrong about everything I just said.. I'm just trying to give back to the forum Razz

Find a not-so-busy road and go for it Very Happy

EDIT: and yeah, your instructor is right Thumbs Up

map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

Regarding speed then you should always be able to stop in the distance that you can see is clear ahead.

With corners this is at the 'vanishing point'. This is where the road can be seen to disappear. On a straight road this is a point in the distance where the sides come to a point. The same is true in a corner. The sides of the road will come together. If this point remains at a constant distance from you then keep at the same constant speed. As you approach the bend, then as required brake, change gear and set the speed to be constant, again in the distance you can see to the vanishing point. Remember to position your bike so you can see as much as you can round the bend. Generally tighter the bend=closer point=slower speed. If the vanishing point starts to get nearer the bend is tightening and you should react accordingly. Once the vanishing point starts moving away the bend is opening up and you can apply acceleration and set yourself up for the next.

Being able to take one bend is useless unless you can link them all together and sweep round a number of them. It's being able to do it in a smooth way, without excessive braking or acceleration that I find best (for the record, I'm still practicing that, every trip Wink

).

Regarding where your head goes, don't think about it being the opposite or anything. Just look where you are going and keep looking around the bend at that vanishing point. Obviously keep this in reason, I wouldn't want you to not see the slick mud left by the farmer. Keep looking where you want to go is also a good tip to remember if you overcook a bend. Don't get target fixation on the curb/tree/sign you're heading towards as that'd be what you hit. Look down the road to where you need to be. Trust your bike to get you there Very Happy

. With looking at the vanishing point like this you'll probably find this achieves what your instructor means with your head anyhow.

HTH Thumbs Up

____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger? Very Happy

The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

Good stuff!

I'm definately getting a lot faster, still stalling at random intervals put but im putting the power down in corners and cranking it over a bit more! it's fucking great Very Happy

The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

THCi · Nearly there... Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Karma :

The first sweeping corner that you take at 60 will be an exhillerating experience, and will teach you a lot about how your bike has larger limits that you have.

It will always be true that bikes are better performers than we are on them, as human beings make a mistake here or there. I still do, and mine (in my recent accident) was not janking the bike up before I threw out an anchor or so. I was on an island, front, back and engine breaked whilst leant over. DO NOT do this, it will end up with you in hostpital and your bike in several bits.

Ride to the vanishing point, if you cannot see far, dont go fast, its as simple as that. Smile

Plus, as has been mentioned, its all about experience.

Sidenote: Toby R, I too find myself adding the prefix of "In my day" to TOG's posts. But, I find them to be very good posts, hes definately underrated. Very Happy

____________________
Past: GZ 125 K4 Marauder, VL 125 LC Intruder, FZS 600 Fazer. Present: GSF 600 N K3 Bandit, GSX-R 600 X(soon)
"We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so...very...pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die."

The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

I like lard man... Smile

Didn't come on the bike to work this morning as I'm going to my girlfriends straight after, and we're drinking all weekend, so it's the train for me!

Miss it already though... Got it on the 30th June with 3817 miles on it, it now has 4190 miles on it Smile

Got a Haynes as well... Looks daunting as hell

Bought it a nice Motrax Aegis tank protector as my current one is ugly and has ROCHDALE written on it :s

dransy · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 May 2005 Karma :

just got at what you feel your capable of
better late and safe than never and dead
____________________
Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles

edd · Nearly there... Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Karma :

just take you'll get used to it soon enough, just make sure you get used to the limits of grip. I made the mistake of not respecting the limits of grip on my first bike (in the wet) and I ended up in a hedge Mr. Green

____________________
Bluespark Automotive - Diesel Tuning for Performance and Economy

Josh|RD125LC · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Karma :

I took the piss a bit on the 50 today, misjudged my speed and the angle of lean and nearly ended up hitting the kerb of the roundabout if I hadn't of tapped the front brake. You just got to learn through practice really. Judge the corner and think about what speed you think you should do and how far you should lean. But I was trying to be cool by taking the turn a bit too quick lol.
____________________
Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

PsychoHippy · Jammy Git Joined: 01 Jul 2002 Karma :

Josh|RD125LC · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Karma :

Yeah I know its the wrong thing to do, but I had no choice, because I was approaching that kerb very fast and I didn't have time and space to lean. And I have worn rear brake pads so I didn't have much choice. When I hit the front brake I felt it jerk so I thought I was off, but I somehow managed to stabilise the bike.
____________________
Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures