How Do I Get Over The Fear Of Leaning/Cornering?
Discussion
black-k1 said:
I agree completely about race schools. 
Practice is good but ONLY if you know how to do it correctly. Practicing bad technique does not make things better..
As mentioned before, I would bet good money that the actual issue is where the focus of attention is. Most people with "cornering concerns" are looking at the tarmac 20yds in front of them, not at the vanishing point. Sort that and cornering comes naturally. Practice will then add speed/lean angle without fear or concern.
I'd agree with that.Practice is good but ONLY if you know how to do it correctly. Practicing bad technique does not make things better..
As mentioned before, I would bet good money that the actual issue is where the focus of attention is. Most people with "cornering concerns" are looking at the tarmac 20yds in front of them, not at the vanishing point. Sort that and cornering comes naturally. Practice will then add speed/lean angle without fear or concern.
Shame about the race school - the website still appears active(??)
I did a day with Patsy Quick off-road. Amazing experience! Fair enough, it's lightweight dirt bikes involving mud, but the lessons in bike control made a massive difference to my riding.
I think that you are thinking about this wrong. You don’t choose the angle of lean of the bike, it’s completely decided by the speed on any particular corner (leaving aside hanging off the side) so if you aren’t leaning far that means that you aren’t going fast enough in that corner to do so.
If you want to lean further, find a nicely surfaced corner with great visibility and little traffic, and try going through it again and again at higher speeds. Each time concentrate on doing it smoothly, not running wide; taking the same line each time.
It’ll help a lot if you can find a right-hand bend to do it on, with run-off in case you panic and sit up and go straight ahead.
Don’t brake through it, although you can possibly have a very slight positive throttle which can help the bike to feel more “planted. Get the speed right before you enter, and hold it through the bend.
There will come a speed where you’ll be leaning as much as you want.
If you want to lean further, find a nicely surfaced corner with great visibility and little traffic, and try going through it again and again at higher speeds. Each time concentrate on doing it smoothly, not running wide; taking the same line each time.
It’ll help a lot if you can find a right-hand bend to do it on, with run-off in case you panic and sit up and go straight ahead.
Don’t brake through it, although you can possibly have a very slight positive throttle which can help the bike to feel more “planted. Get the speed right before you enter, and hold it through the bend.
There will come a speed where you’ll be leaning as much as you want.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Hopefully you’d never push it so far on road to think you are likely to come off. I don’t subscribe to the whole ‘chicken strips’ thing on road bikes. You should always have a bit in reserve for the unexpected.
Even on track crashing doesn’t normally enter my mind.
The one exception is going through Craner Curves at Donnington. I’ve been through there a good few times and thought “this is gonna be painful if I fall off here”.
Probably because it’s fairly calm as you go through there so you have time to think but also massively quick at the same time.
Never had that thought on any other track or road.
I’m getting back into biking soon (I’ve got the TT booked with a couple of mates next year) and I’m going to do the MC1 i2i course before I go.
I passed in 2017 and had a Street Triple for two years but I was never overly confident. I did BikeSafe which was good but I need more actual bike skills training and confidence.
I passed in 2017 and had a Street Triple for two years but I was never overly confident. I did BikeSafe which was good but I need more actual bike skills training and confidence.
Northernboy said:
I think that you are thinking about this wrong. You don’t choose the angle of lean of the bike, it’s completely decided by the speed on any particular corner (leaving aside hanging off the side) so if you aren’t leaning far that means that you aren’t going fast enough in that corner to do so.
But it's a catch 22 - lack of confidence means you slow down, the angles are lessened, rinse and repeat as you get into a vicious cycle of being scared of lean angle.Krikkit said:
But it's a catch 22 - lack of confidence means you slow down, the angles are lessened, rinse and repeat as you get into a vicious cycle of being scared of lean angle.
Yes, and the best way (in my opinion) to get over it is to find the right piece of road and just practice over and over again, upping the speed a tiny bit each time.Ideally you want a bit where it’s a “dip” and back up again after the apex so you’re not struggling to keep it on the road if you have a wobble.
Choice of bike can make a huge difference to confidence too. I can happily ride my GS right off the side of the tread, I never got close to those lean angles on my Fireblade as it just felt too nervous.
ThreadKiller said:
When racers race or quick riders do what they do, is “i might bin it here” in their minds when they tip the bike in to a turn? I’ve done numerous courses, track days, and dirt biking riding, and this thought is always too much in my mind. I try to push back on these negative thoughts as they slow me down and affect enjoyment.... but they are always there, usually too much in the front of mind. I think I may be just a wuss - Keep trying though.... next is knee down course end of June!
Just to update as quite pleased with myself:
Just get yourself on a trackday with some instruction.
All the fast group boys will be a bit bemused at a cruiser rocking up but get in the slow group and explore the space on track.
An instructor will give you lines to follow, gradually picking up the pace. You can explore the limits of holding a sharper lean angle with plenty run off and no street furniture to hit, at higher speeds than you might see on the road.
Thus having been there and done it on track you become a lot more relaxed about doing it on the road.
Send us a pic when you get your titanium handlebar tassles down and sparking!
All the fast group boys will be a bit bemused at a cruiser rocking up but get in the slow group and explore the space on track.
An instructor will give you lines to follow, gradually picking up the pace. You can explore the limits of holding a sharper lean angle with plenty run off and no street furniture to hit, at higher speeds than you might see on the road.
Thus having been there and done it on track you become a lot more relaxed about doing it on the road.
Send us a pic when you get your titanium handlebar tassles down and sparking!
Nick928 said:
Hopefully you’d never push it so far on road to think you are likely to come off. I don’t subscribe to the whole ‘chicken strips’ thing on road bikes.
You should always have a bit in reserve for the unexpected.
Even on track crashing doesn’t normally enter my mind.
The one exception is going through Craner Curves at Donnington. I’ve been through there a good few times and thought “this is gonna be painful if I fall off here”.
Probably because it’s fairly calm as you go through there so you have time to think but also massively quick at the same time.
Never had that thought on any other track or road.
I've posted this pick before (melbourne loop), and I've got video, hopefully photo of left knee down through craner. It never popped into my head coming off, ever, even when i did come off at mcleans, it was pure error and not ut oh, im coming off, it was more gas, more speed, better exit.... oops. You should always have a bit in reserve for the unexpected.
Even on track crashing doesn’t normally enter my mind.
The one exception is going through Craner Curves at Donnington. I’ve been through there a good few times and thought “this is gonna be painful if I fall off here”.
Probably because it’s fairly calm as you go through there so you have time to think but also massively quick at the same time.
Never had that thought on any other track or road.
A few things from me OP, ignore idiots who bang on about chicken strips. its been said in this thread, but seriously, ignore the dicks. As you get more confidence on track you will realise that road riding is blooming dangerous, and riding upright is no issue at all
well done RE knee down
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