Cornering and Curves
Cornering and handling curves takes a great deal of experience. Curves are inherently more dangerous because:
- the roadway is often obscured
- the chosen path through the turn limits escape options
- some traction reserve that would be available for braking or accelerating in a straightaway is being used for turning. It is therefore important to learn proper cornering technique before plowing into a hairpin curve at high speed
Cornering is deceptively complex. Decide as soon as possible the line (aka route) you will take through the curve. Then "set up" the turn by taking the best position from which to attack the curve. Setting up a turn involves moving the bike to the right side of the lane on a left-hand turn, and the left side of the lane on a right-hand turn. This gives the best view of what is ahead and puts you at the best angle from which to assault the curve. Once in the turn, always look ahead to where you want to go. This is known as "looking through the turn."
A good rule of thumb is: slow in, accelerate out. Reduce your speed before going into the turn. Gradually accelerate as you come out of the turn. Deceleration while in the turn can destabilize the motorcycle.
Another good rule of thumb is: start wide, go in close, come out wide. As you go into the turn start on the outside of the curve, or "wide." Lean the motorcycle inside, bringing the bike "close" to the apex of the turn. Exit the turn by moving to the outside and accelerating.
Remember to lean. Motorcycles are cornered primarily by leaning, not steering (see counter steering). Push right, lean right, go right. Push left, lean left, go left. The tighter the turn or the faster your speed, the more you must lean. Lean your entire body with the motorcycle in a fast turn. Lean only the motorcycle in slow turns, keeping your body upright.
One of the most common errors riders make is giving up on a turn too early. Modern motorcycle tires offer a tremendous amount of cornering capability. Usually you will be scraping a footpeg before you have the bike leaning beyond the traction reserve of the tires. In other words, if you find that you have taken a turn much too fast, hang in there and lean the bike harder. Push the tires to the limits of the bike's capability and the limits of your skill. You will find that trusting the technology can get you out of bad situations. Of course, you must later reconsider how you got into a bad situation in the first place, and avoid making that mistake again.
A quick series of two or three turns in order to avoid an impediment or hazard is called a "swerve." For example, push hard right, go hard right. Then quickly push hard left, and go hard left. Swerving is a good skill to learn since this is how you avoid many sudden road hazards.