Counter Steer.

[bomb]

So what is it ??

[r5gttgaz]

When you lean a bike over to the left you actually steer to the right and vice versa.

You do it automatically but it can help sometimes if you exaggerate it.

[rsv gone!]

The action of pushing the handlbars in the opposite direction from that which you intend to travel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Let the debate continue......

[m3evo2]

It's quite strange to do, very un logical but it works very well. Just gently push the bar away from you and you will feel the bike start to lean into the corner instead of you having to lean the bike. Only been riding a couple of months and since learning this its made a big difference.

[RemaL]

m3evo2 said:

It's quite strange to do, very un logical but it works very well. Just gently push the bar away from you and you will feel the bike start to lean into the corner instead of you having to lean the bike. Only been riding a couple of months and since learning this its made a big difference.

got to agree with your. much better once you got used to it

[bomb]

So I won't end up in a hedge !

[Carl-H]

No. Dont try to do it though. Its all natural but if you try you may well end up in a hedge. If your leaning, you will have had to counter steer to get there.

[slim_boy_fat]

rsv gone! said:

The action of pushing the handlbars in the opposite direction from that which you intend to travel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Let the debate continue......

Its not the only way, a car hitting the side of you make the bike turn pretty quick too. But you are correct. Above about 10mph the only way to turn a bike to to move the handlebars in the opposite direction than you would below 10mph!!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Its talked about as if its black magic!!

Go get some training you all.

[bomb]

am at the very basic training stage, and am enjoying it.

Currently on a 125 but expect to progress onto the 500 in the next couple of lessons.

Now kitted out with jacket / troozers / boots and gloves.

Next purchase to be a 'helmut'.

To a novice, its a sheer minefield of new kit, but thats all part of the challenge.....

I'm lovin' it !!

[m3evo2]

Great, I only started out a couple of months ago at the age of 35. All the wifes fault as well, she wanted a bike so I thought it rude not to and have a go my self. Been bitten by the bug completely, great fun and a whole bunch of new skills and physics to learn. Have my test booked for the 29th and with a bit of luck I can go bike shopping.

[black-k1]

slim_boy_fat said:

rsv gone! said:

The action of pushing the handlbars in the opposite direction from that which you intend to travel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Let the debate continue......

Its not the only way, a car hitting the side of you make the bike turn pretty quick too. But you are correct. Above about 10mph the only way to turn a bike to to move the handlebars in the opposite direction than you would below 10mph!!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Its talked about as if its black magic!!

Go get some training you all.

It is not the only way to turn a motorcycle, it’s just the fastest way. To prove it, find a nice long, wide, straight stretch of road with no other traffic and get up a good bit of speed. Now, while just holding the throttle open with you thumb and forefinger of the right hand, and the left hand off the bars so there can be no ‘bar input’, try pressing hard down on the peg on one side of the bike. The bike will slowly pull to that side. Change the pressure to the other side and the bike will move the other way. – Steering without use of the bars thus no counter steering!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

[dern]

Feels a bit odd when you start to do it on purpose but I found it made it easier if I lead with moving my head and shoulders in the direction I wanted to go and then countersteered and then it felt less odd.

[Kawasicki]

black-k1 said:

slim_boy_fat said:

rsv gone! said:

The action of pushing the handlbars in the opposite direction from that which you intend to travel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Let the debate continue......

Its not the only way, a car hitting the side of you make the bike turn pretty quick too. But you are correct. Above about 10mph the only way to turn a bike to to move the handlebars in the opposite direction than you would below 10mph!!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Its talked about as if its black magic!!

Go get some training you all.

It is not the only way to turn a motorcycle, it’s just the fastest way. To prove it, find a nice long, wide, straight stretch of road with no other traffic and get up a good bit of speed. Now, while just holding the throttle open with you thumb and forefinger of the right hand, and the left hand off the bars so there can be no ‘bar input’, try pressing hard down on the peg on one side of the bike. The bike will slowly pull to that side. Change the pressure to the other side and the bike will move the other way. – Steering without use of the bars thus no counter steering!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

It's like sticking your hand out the window of a car, the car will turn slowly in that direction.

[slim_boy_fat]

black-k1 said:

slim_boy_fat said:

rsv gone! said:

The action of pushing the handlbars in the opposite direction from that which you intend to travel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Let the debate continue......

Its not the only way, a car hitting the side of you make the bike turn pretty quick too. But you are correct. Above about 10mph the only way to turn a bike to to move the handlebars in the opposite direction than you would below 10mph!!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Its talked about as if its black magic!!

Go get some training you all.

It is not the only way to turn a motorcycle, it’s just the fastest way. To prove it, find a nice long, wide, straight stretch of road with no other traffic and get up a good bit of speed. Now, while just holding the throttle open with you thumb and forefinger of the right hand, and the left hand off the bars so there can be no ‘bar input’, try pressing hard down on the peg on one side of the bike. The bike will slowly pull to that side. Change the pressure to the other side and the bike will move the other way. – Steering without use of the bars thus no counter steering!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Our survey says nul points, lols

What its actually happening is that the weight transfere is turning the front wheel which then turns the bike, what your doing is just using another method to turn the front wheel.

Now im really scared..............pmsl

[bomb]

Kawasicki said:

It's like sticking your hand out the window of a car, the car will turn slowly in that direction.

I'l get the wife to try this antic this morning......

[rsv gone!]

slim_boy_fat said:

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Its not the only way, a car hitting the side of you make the bike turn pretty quick too.

OK, I'll give you that one!

[rsv gone!]

slim_boy_fat said:

black-k1 said:

slim_boy_fat said:

rsv gone! said:

The action of pushing the handlbars in the opposite direction from that which you intend to travel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

It is the only way to turn a motorcycle!

Let the debate continue......

Its not the only way, a car hitting the side of you make the bike turn pretty quick too. But you are correct. Above about 10mph the only way to turn a bike to to move the handlebars in the opposite direction than you would below 10mph!!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Its talked about as if its black magic!!

Go get some training you all.

It is not the only way to turn a motorcycle, it’s just the fastest way. To prove it, find a nice long, wide, straight stretch of road with no other traffic and get up a good bit of speed. Now, while just holding the throttle open with you thumb and forefinger of the right hand, and the left hand off the bars so there can be no ‘bar input’, try pressing hard down on the peg on one side of the bike. The bike will slowly pull to that side. Change the pressure to the other side and the bike will move the other way. – Steering without use of the bars thus no counter steering!

I'm scared at how many motorcycle owners dont understand this. (Notice motorcycle owners NOT bikers !!)

Our survey says nul points, lols

What its actually happening is that the weight transfere is turning the front wheel which then turns the bike, what your doing is just using another method to turn the front wheel.

Now im really scared..............pmsl

By loading the peg you're just introducing counter steer unintentionally, however careful you might be. By doing it you are placing a force on the middle of the bike, which will have the effect of bending the bike around its pivot point - the steering bearings. This will have the effect of introducing some steering angle.

It would be the same if you took your hands off the bars and leaned. It is another method of introducing the steering input but it is still countersteering that makes the bike turn.

Scardiness is now a Defcon 1

[Yoda954]

I've illustrated counter-steer (to myself) by bimbling along at a lowish speed on a straight, just resting my hands lightly on the bars enough to maintain control & gently pushing one bar an ikkle bit...the bike leans away from the 'turn attempt' which shows how it works
When you get a bit more used to what happens you can push a bit harder without fear of heading into the undergrowth & control the 'turn' to a degree by leaning against it.

Have a go - it just illustrates the 'mechanics' of what happens to the bikes geometry-kinda-thing...but be careful first time ok

[fergus]

slim_boy_fat said:

What its actually happening is that the weight transfere is turning the front wheel which then turns the bike, what your doing is just using another method to turn the front wheel.

Counter steer is nothing to do with weight transfer whatsoever. You're thinking of weighting the pegs.

Counter steering is to help you overcome the gyroscopic force of the front wheel. Get a bicycle front wheel in your hand, holding it by the spindle. Spin the wheel and try and twist the wheel. This may help explain why you need to counter steer.

Alternatively, if you want someone to go through it at a very slow pace, go on a Keith Code course with Calif. superbike school, and get Andy Ibbott to treat you like a child whilst he explains the concept.

[rsv gone!]

fergus said:

slim_boy_fat said:

What its actually happening is that the weight transfere is turning the front wheel which then turns the bike, what your doing is just using another method to turn the front wheel.

Counter steer is nothing to do with weight transfer whatsoever. You're thinking of weighting the pegs.

Counter steering is to help you overcome the gyroscopic force of the front wheel. Get a bicycle front wheel in your hand, holding it by the spindle. Spin the wheel and try and twist the wheel. This may help explain why you need to counter steer.

Alternatively, if you want someone to go through it at a very slow pace, go on a Keith Code course with Calif. superbike school, and get Andy Ibbott to treat you like a child whilst he explains the concept.

So we don't go off at crossed purposes, this paragraph from the wikipedia article is relevant;

It is important to distinguish between countersteering as a physical phenomenon and countersteering as a rider technique for initiating a turn (the usual interpretation of the term). The physical phenomenon always occurs, because there is no other way to cause the bike and rider to lean short of some outside influence such as an opportune side wind, although at low speeds it can be lost or hidden in the minute corrections made to maintain balance.

I think we're really talking about deliberate rider technique to initiate the turn.

Edited by rsv gone! on Saturday 19th January 12:38