Rider Training - Getting around the bend.
But what is GOOD cornering? Rossi, Stoner and Co. make it look easy, but successfully tackling a corner isn't that simple, and requires a lot of planning and practice, as Stay Upright's Wayne Carter explains.
One of the main areas of concern for most riders happens to be one of the potentially most enjoyable - getting a corner right. Why is it that sometimes we seem to get a buzz out of a corner and the next corner we get a fright? How can that be? Surely if we had things in place for the first corner, then how come we made a mess of the second corner? The answer can be very simple, we need to plan (in multi corner situations) for more than just the corner that we are approaching.
How far we can effectively plan ahead has all to do with the vision available to us. Basic principal number one - if you can't see - slow down. It is often not the vision to the entry to a particular corner that is limited, and this is the area that we all feel comfortable with, it is the area beyond the entry point, the middle and the exit of the turn.
Very few riders feel uncomfortable at the entry, because if a mistake has happened the realisation will not occur until they attempt to turn the bike.
It is quite common to see riders enter a vision restricted turn, then realise at the middle of the turn that their speed is not appropriate (normally on the high side) and they either need more space to exit the turn or they need to reduce their speed in order to turn the bike tighter. All in all, it is an area of immense discomfort. Spreading the discomfort with others can also happen. Too many riders in groups use the rider in front as their reference - trouble is if they make a mistake, what happens to you? - basic principal number two, make your own plan and do not focus on the rider in front of you. Many times I have heard about the corner that rushed up on a rider. The only reason that riders gain this impression is because they are not looking far enough ahead. The faster you go, the faster you need the appropriate information. The only way to get this is to look further ahead.
Basic principal number three - You should always ride within your vision.
Surely the whole idea of riding motorcycles is pleasure. You will go a long way to making your riding more pleasurable by using some basic principles. You should never be feeling that you are relying on luck; you should feel as though you are in control of what you are doing.
Until next time . . see you in the bend
Wayne Carter
General Manager
Stay Upright Motorcycle Techniques
