Yamaha R6 Forum: YZF-R6 Forums banner

leaning the bike?

4K views 29 replies 22 participants last post by  69z28lt1 
#1 · (Edited)
Anyone have any tips on leaning, on a turn.. I am too chicken shit. Faster u go the harder you lean? I notice my turns are wide on the freeways.. Kind of scared me on a right turn on carpool I was running over the reflectors on the left making a right curve.

i'm a noob.. looking for tips..

plus how long does it takes to get use to a bike In miles?
 
#4 ·
OCboy03R6 said:
best tip i can give you is take the motorcycle course because you would know how to take a turn :fact

smoothness is the right word. I know if u turn the bars on highspeeds.. U will get tossed off. I guess it comes with pratice..

As for the course.. i heard it is common sense pratice with technical word like highside an lowside, and powerslide.. what do they mean anyway?

I am going to take the corse though.. After i am done with school. Because i work weekends; no time..

I would lean more but I would like to do it on a old bike.. U know what i mean..
 
#5 ·
really the best bet would be to get some reading material. It has done wonders for my riding ability. The msf course will help, but I feel it is way overrated compared to reading material centered on sportbikes like ours. So look up Keith Codes a Twist of the Wrist or Total Control by Lee Parks. Both have helped me a lot in my riding, and any emergency stuff like changes in turns or dumb cagers comming in front of me. There are other books out there too, and most will help.
 
#6 ·
Iv only been riding for a couple of months now, but practice practice practice, the more you ride the more comfortable you will get. After enough time you will get a feel for the bike and learn how to respect it and not fear or abuse it, and as far as turns go i just read alot of material off the net and watched videos of ppl taking twisties. Even the sunday rollin vids posted on this forum will give you an idea about body position and the like, helped me out alot...

Just get out and have fun, i wake up every day waiting for the time when i can just go out and ride... good luck
 
#9 · (Edited)
04focaR6 said:
How so? Turn the wheel to face left you go right and vice versa. Pretty easy way to turn in my opinion. I suppose if you jam it as hard as you can in either direction you'll get tossed but that goes for low speeds too.
at those speeds you would have to be the hulk to get those bars to turn more than a centimeter, youl just end up flicking it over so fast youl run right off the road. just be gentle and smooth, dont beat on her and she wont beat on you!

but pay attention when your turning on the hwy, you do push the bars "push left, lean left, turn left" your body is just doing it for you.


MrSpace said:
Try this:



Not he his on threaded tires... :)

E.
:werd
those look like rennsports tho, not exactly street tires, but holy shit thats a deep lean! even for slicks looks sweet
someday!
 
#10 ·
bpowa said:
smoothness is the right word. I know if u turn the bars on highspeeds.. U will get tossed off. I guess it comes with pratice..

As for the course.. i heard it is common sense pratice with technical word like highside an lowside, and powerslide.. what do they mean anyway?

I am going to take the corse though.. After i am done with school. Because i work weekends; no time..

I would lean more but I would like to do it on a old bike.. U know what i mean..
Highside - what u see in racing crash videos. Flicked over the bike.
Lowside - Basically bike sliding underneath you (doesnt hurt as much as the first one)
Powerslide - goin round the corner with the rear wheel sliding aka Sultan of slide Gary McCoy.
 
#11 ·
people say that MSF is over rated....some say its not....I know that from what i was tought there in MSF it has saved me acouple times...thought before that all the riding experence was on a moded when i was 14....sooo, i needed it. and my 05 6 was my first bike...so i leared alot from the course. When you turn, best thing is never look down...alllllways look in the direction that you want to go...and you will go...and ill rather some1 else post about the turning, i dont have the time and complete knowledge to fill you in...but i have 3200 miles under my belt and i still have very slight chicken lines on the outside of my tire where as my friends who have rode before...same bike same year...bought same day lol....has his all the way down allready.....allways ride at your own pace bro....never try to keep up with the hot shot in front of you gl brotha
 
#13 ·
bpowa said:
threaded tires?? slicks??

now that is leaning.. i guess i got the fundamentals of it but just dont have the balls on a new bike..


^^^ people say the msf course saved them... care to explain how and when?

thanks 4 all the opinion though.
i personially did not take the msf course but i was went out and rode around in a parking lot with a friend who is going to be an instructor, than i just read everything i could get my hands on, i passed the written and skills test 100%

But from what i have heard the MSF is a must take for new street riders and i plan on taking one of the classes as soon as i get some $$

treaded-threaded= tires with treads for the street, sport tires like metzler m1 michelin pilots and others that are fitted onto our bikes are still amazing tires compared to 99% of what it out there. but dont offer quite the performace of a track only tire, although tires like the metzler rennsport and others are allmost as good as slicks.

slicks/racing slicks- tires with 0 tread, 100% of surface area contacts ground, made of extreamly soft and sticky rubber, track only, illegal to ride on street with.

im still a nOOb so :bash me if im wrong on anything
 
#14 · (Edited)
bpowa said:
Anyone have any tips on leaning, on a turn.. I am too chicken shit. Faster u go the harder you lean? I notice my turns are wide on the freeways.. Kind of scared me on a right turn on carpool I was running over the reflectors on the left making a right curve.

i'm a noob.. looking for tips..

plus how long does it takes to get use to a bike In miles?
This is the best advice I can give you..
Loosen up your arms. Loosen your grip on your clip-ons a bit. Use your lower back muscles to hold you up. When turning you have to be ready to rotate around the tank hanging one ass cheek off while holding on to the tank with the other thigh. Have your feet planted firmly on the pegs and slightly weight the inside peg. Bring your helmet over your inside forearm and LOOK into the turn. I cannot stress this enough. Don't look directly infront of the bike but far into the intended path. For tighter turns and "flicking", input into the handle bars will be needed (countersteering--search it) Also, already be in the correct gear and scrub off excess speed before you dip the bike over. Don't ever shift in a turn. Make sure your tires & bike are warmed-up first. Make sure your familiar with the street. Wear gear, this really boosts confidence. Also, you may want to get better tires (if you already haven't) and tune your suspension. Practice and read some books on technique.

Good Luck!
 
#16 ·
The only real advice I took any advantage from is the fact you need to be loose on the bike, When I went frmo my dirtbike to my R6 it was a completely different world and I got owned as I would go around corners and grip on as tight as I could, Don't sit there gripping the **** out of it, be calm and let your body move around on it, take it into a carpark for a few hours so you can get your shit worked out, other then that just stay loose and ride more, just be carefull, wear your gear. We dont need more dead riders :jacked
 
#17 ·
also another thing a bud taught me that helps....when in a turn, Twist your upper body into the turn... I.E Left turn twist upper left (as well as your head so your looking INTO the turn) also, i was getin lower then i have before this last big ride i did...I found if i look inbetween my mirror and my windscrene thing...it helps me get lower. Maby itl help you...but bro, prac prac prac. dont rush it....itl come to ya
 
#18 ·
The best way I learned about how to get my lean on was to read a bunch of literature on the subject. FLscurfR6 's write up, in addition to all the other great advice posted in this thread, was just the type of stuff I read - then I put it into practice. Worked like a charm. Especially the "looking through the turn part". Whatever you do, try not to get "target fixated". This is when a rider looks at the object that he DOESN'T want to hit...and guess what happens? HE HITS IT!

Also, try to find yourself a nice "clover" (highway on-ramps/off-ramps) to practice on. Just keep going around and around, each time leaning the bike a little more. You will start to get more comfortable the more you are aware of what the bike can do.

Most important of all...JUST HAVE FUN!! :YEA
 
#19 ·
I would say go to the track......go somewhere to do a track day. most places have instructors that will teach you...The track I go to has a beginners course. There is a girl that I know who had only been riding 2 months and had crashed her Ducatti (thats right a Ducatti for a 1st bike) 3 times. She has went to the beginners course 3 or 4 times...the instructors have worked really good with her and now she is carving the corners up like crazy....This was all in one summer....You have to invest in some protective gear (leathers) but if you go somewhere like cyclegear or newenough.com, you can get a set really cheap..just take it slow and soak up everything they tell you.

Reading twist of the wrist also gives you some good pointers and the MSF course is also good for beginners.
 
#20 ·
I never took the msf course, but Iwould suggest going to a empty parking lot and do figure 8s, and with each one tighten up the circle a little bit. You should be able to to circle with the steering all the way to one side and just on idle, after some practice. Also next time you want to turn try pushing down on the footpeg on the side your turning, that should help.
 
#21 ·
FLscurfR6 said:
This is the best advice I can give you..
Loosen up your arms. Loosen your grip on your clip-ons a bit. Use your lower back muscles to hold you up. When turning you have to be ready to rotate around the tank hanging one ass cheek off while holding on to the tank with the other thigh. Have your feet planted firmly on the pegs and slightly weight the inside peg. Bring your helmet over your inside forearm and LOOK into the turn. I cannot stress this enough. Don't look directly infront of the bike but far into the intended path. For tighter turns and "flicking", input into the handle bars will be needed (countersteering--search it) Also, already be in the correct gear and scrub off excess speed before you dip the bike over. Don't ever shift in a turn. Make sure your tires & bike are warmed-up first. Make sure your familiar with the street. Wear gear, this really boosts confidence. Also, you may want to get better tires (if you already haven't) and tune your suspension. Practice and read some books on technique.

Good Luck!

awesome advice.
 
#22 ·
There are only two things that are going to make you ride better and be more confident.

Practice and education.

Seems quite obvious, but think about it. Seat time will come. Education can come in many ways. What I did was I went out riding with the best riders I could find. Then tried to emulate them in a way that was comfortable to me. Mainly working on body position and lines. Once you get past the initial fear of the bike, thats when things get dangerous.

I would also recommend some kind of track school. Even though they are expensive and many people will tell you that they are not needed at such a low experience level, they will help a lot. They are most usefull in teaching you to avoid bad habbits. Don't go expecting to drag knee or haul ass on a the track, go expecting to learn the correct body position, braking procedures and shifting.

Track school really improved my riding more than anything.

And if you are worried about running wide in corners, you should take the MSF. It will do nothing but help
 
#23 ·
FLscurfR6 said:
This is the best advice I can give you..
Loosen up your arms. Loosen your grip on your clip-ons a bit. Use your lower back muscles to hold you up. When turning you have to be ready to rotate around the tank hanging one ass cheek off while holding on to the tank with the other thigh. Have your feet planted firmly on the pegs and slightly weight the inside peg. Bring your helmet over your inside forearm and LOOK into the turn. I cannot stress this enough. Don't look directly infront of the bike but far into the intended path. For tighter turns and "flicking", input into the handle bars will be needed (countersteering--search it) Also, already be in the correct gear and scrub off excess speed before you dip the bike over. Don't ever shift in a turn. Make sure your tires & bike are warmed-up first. Make sure your familiar with the street. Wear gear, this really boosts confidence. Also, you may want to get better tires (if you already haven't) and tune your suspension. Practice and read some books on technique.

Good Luck!
Good advice. If you do any of the above, you HAVE TO LOOK. That's "turning 101" that they teach you the first day of beginning riding courses. Not only will it help you move the bike where you want to go, but it'll keep you from noticing how much you're actually leaning. I would also say pay close attention to the road conditions. If there's gravel on the road, you could have the best technique and you would still scrub...which is where the gear comes in.
 
#24 ·
You have a fundamental riding issue...

Leaning does not turn a motorcycle…Countersteering does…

You can lean off until you are blue in the face; it is not going to make you turn. You need to learn and read up on the fundamentals of Countersteering if you want to learn how to ride well…

All Leaning off the bikes does is changes the COG so that you can turn sharper, and faster, but you must Countersteer to turn the bike…

I would suggest taking a MSF Course, and practice in a clean parking lot free of debris.

Come back and report on progress…

There is no “set” mileage in which a rider just “becomes good” it is all up to you and your ability to communicate with the Motorcycle…

I would also read up on setting up your Suspension, because it will affect how the motorcycle behaves. If your rear end is to low, it will make the bike seem more difficult to turn, to high, and it will feel really loose…
 
#25 ·
extrakt0r said:
Leaning does not turn a motorcycle…Countersteering does…
that is the one thing you need to learn and practice over and over again....just ride down a straight stretch goin about 45mph and just give the bars little flicks....turn it toward the right and the bike will lie down to the left...turn it toward the left and bike will lie down to the right....you'll eventually get the hang of it and then you'll be able to start hanging your ass cheek off the site into turns and get faster and smoother....you'll be draggin knee in no time lol... good luck

another thing that just came to mind was going to a big parking lot and practice slalem (how ever ya spell it...)
 
#26 ·
This should help:

Riding Skills Series: Countermeasures



By Jason Black
Photography: Dean Groover


1. Whether you realize it or not, countersteering is as necessary and vital to your riding as using the brakes. If you're not familiar with countersteering, it's a term used to describe the physical action of steering the bar or clip-ons momentarily in the opposite (yes, opposite) direction of the turn in order to initiate a corner.

The actual physics of countersteering are complicated, and while many people think it requires only a simple explanation, panels of physicists have debated exactly why angular momentum, torques and vectors affect your motorcycle. As riders, we don't need to know the physics, but it is important to have an understanding of how our motorcycle works. We're not going to tell you why, but here is a quick how.


2. Most new riders who have not taken a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course are under the impression that in order to arc through a corner on a motorcycle, the rider must lean and turn the front wheel in the direction of the corner.

In fact, the opposite is true. At speeds greater than 15-20 mph, the rider must initiate a turn by first turning the front wheel toward the outside of the corner (i.e., push on the left bar to go left, push on the right bar to go right). This is a momentary action that rolls the motorcycle off its axis, leaning it in the direction of the bar/clip-on that is pushed. As the bike reaches the desired lean angle, the tire falls into the arc of the turn.

The arrows in the photo above illustrate, from the rider's point of view, the motion needed to initiate a corner. Push forward on the left bar to go left; the opposite to go right.


3. Here's an exercise to practice countersteering. Find an empty stretch of straight road. While riding at steady throttle at a slow speed (35-45 mph), pick a spot on the road ahead and use it as an imaginary obstacle-a point where you'll want to swerve.

As you approach your target, choose the direction you want to maneuver the bike. For the first pass, begin your turn well back from the point you want to avoid and make sure you don't target fixate. Apply slight pressure on the desired clip-on to arc the bike around the "obstacle," then apply pressure on the opposite side to swing back onto your original line. The motion involved in pushing/pulling the clip-ons should be a controlled movement; jerky actions will upset the chassis. As you become more comfortable, advance your initial turn closer to the target. This will require a more forceful action at the clip-ons, but remember to keep your motions smooth. With practice, you can quickly and accurately place the bike using exact countersteering inputs.


4. Remember: At low speeds (less than 15 mph) countersteering doesn't have any effect on turning the motorcycle, but as speeds rise the force of the input required increases. It takes less effort to steer a motorcycle traveling at 60 mph than it does to steer at 100 mph.

Countersteering can be used in two ways: subconsciously or consciously. Those who use it subconsciously perform the action without knowing it, and therefore have less of an understanding of how their motorcycle works. Those who consciously use countersteering-both racers and street riders alike-are able to place their motorcycles precisely where they want.

Whether you are enjoying your favorite road or find yourself in the middle of an emergency situation, the ability to knowingly countersteer your bike and place it where desired gives you greater control in any situation that arises.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top