I first encountered the term "counter steering" a few years back, in a magazine. I read it. At first I didn't get it, then realised I had been doing it for at least four decades of cycling and motorcycling....... "Just some instructor trying to impress with science," I decided.
Don't worry about it. Just do it; do what works.
__________________ there are old motorcyclists and bold motorcyclists,
but you seldom meet an old bold motorcyclist
It is really easy to remember and it works, I am now able to countersteer every time I go around a corner.
you have always been countersteering. Everytime you turn a corner you countersteer, you haven't now been able to countersteer, you have always done it, unless you have been crashing on every corner you enter, then i can believe you weren't counter steering
Reading the replies it seems most of the replies are misunderstanding what I'm asking. I'm not asking about counter steering I understand that, if not I wouldn't have survived 30+ years of riding. What I'm asking is what is the benefit if any, to pushing on the left handlebar to turn left as opposed to pulling on the right handlebar to turn left as both will accomplish the same thing. I know it's less confusing when teaching a new rider but other than that are there any true benefits to push as opposed to pulling?
Reading the replies it seems most of the replies are misunderstanding what I'm asking. I'm not asking about counter steering I understand that, if not I wouldn't have survived 30+ years of riding. What I'm asking is what is the benefit if any, to pushing on the left handlebar to turn left as opposed to pulling on the right handlebar to turn left as both will accomplish the same thing. I know it's less confusing when teaching a new rider but other than that are there any true benefits to push as opposed to pulling?
Ive always pushed to tip in then pushed the other bar to stand it back up.
Reason being pulling makes the bike track wider and thus run wider.
Only pulled only in extreme changes of direction (like the chicane), but will test this on friday if I remember at the track and report back, there is an ideal set of Esses to test the theory both ways.
__________________
Team Gumby.
The Following User Says Thank You to Aufitt For This Useful Post:
Ive always pushed to tip in then pushed the other bar to stand it back up.
Reason being pulling makes the bike track wider and thus run wider.
Only pulled only in extreme changes of direction (like the chicane), but will test this on friday if I remember at the track and report back, there is an ideal set of Esses to test the theory both ways.
Thank you, I look forward to hearing what you find out on Friday.
The Following User Says Thank You to bdangelo829 For This Useful Post:
Reading the replies it seems most of the replies are misunderstanding what I'm asking. I'm not asking about counter steering I understand that, if not I wouldn't have survived 30+ years of riding. What I'm asking is what is the benefit if any, to pushing on the left handlebar to turn left as opposed to pulling on the right handlebar to turn left as both will accomplish the same thing. I know it's less confusing when teaching a new rider but other than that are there any true benefits to push as opposed to pulling?
go back and read post #5 (from jme250RA) makes sense what he wrote.
i like the track school tip posted above about leading with shoulder. This counter steer stuff confused me for a while because i read 2 variations of it. One was like posted in this thread (push right go right) The other was to go right you momentarily push left then right. Doing this left/right to go right causes the bike to "fall" to the right and sets up the lean.
go back and read post #5 (from jme250RA) makes sense what he wrote.
i like the track school tip posted above about leading with shoulder. This counter steer stuff confused me for a while because i read 2 variations of it. One was like posted in this thread (push right go right) The other was to go right you momentarily push left then right. Doing this left/right to go right causes the bike to "fall" to the right and sets up the lean.
I went back and read post #5 and agree that some of what he said made sense and some doesn't. I agree that pushing is easier when you are dealing with heavy objects or large amounts of force, however we're not dealing with that here so I don't see that as a real concern. As far as being light on the controls I can be just as light pulling as someone that is pushing you don't need to have a tight grip to be able pull something, think about lifting a bucket by the handle just be curling your fingers. As far as accidently accelerating because you are pulling, you could do the same thing if you were pushing.
I'm not trying to cause an arguement I'm just trying to find out if there really is a true benefit to pushing as opposed to pulling, and so far the only reasons I've seen listed are it's easier to teach, and it might be easier to do because you can put your body weight behind the push, however I don't see how you should need to be pushing so hard that you need your body weight behind it.
I drifted into a guard rail because I initially tried to start a turn on slippery road without a counter steer. Since then I have concentrated on the push of the handlebar inside the turn and its been smooth as silk. Amazed at how easy it became after I concentrated on it. I know you aren't initiating a turn with a lean like some think. The push is easier to equal to the required turn radius, not the pull from the opposite side. Just my two cents.
