Falling and Sharp Turns

Falling and Sharp Turns

by Paige
(Elk Grove, CA )

I am a new rider. I am 5'1" and I have fallen a lot and it's mostly when I am making sharp turns. I have a 2010 250 Ninja. Is it normal to fall so much? I have my license but I still fall a lot when I am making sharp turns. Is there anything I can do to help me Not fall?

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Falling and Sharp Turns

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Sep 24, 2011

Falling is NOT normal.
by: Anonymous

Please please please take a rider instruction course. They will supply the bike for you to ride and everything. Lots of very slow riding around pilons at very sharp angles etc.
It will save you alot of grief and repair bills.

Jul 27, 2011

Look Lean and Roll
by: Anonymous

It is not normal. The reason you fall might be because you don't look a long way to the point that you will be in 5 seconds time - only where you will be in 1 second.

So don't look down but turn your head (a lot) turn your eyes too and look right round about 90 degrees. Don't look down at the road.

That way you will be amazed at how stable you become. Your peripheral vision will look after everything happening "now" and your eyes will help you get to the end of the turn.

Not looking is why people fall.

Jul 27, 2011

Wanda is Wise!
by: Sandra

She gave great tips. A girl in our MSF course dropped her bike doing tight cones because she was going TOO slow...with just a little more throttle, while using the clutch to utilize your friction zone allows the bike to "pull" itself through the curve/turn. Just that little bit of "speed" may solve your problem.

The other hard rule is your bike goes where you are looking. In other words, where are your eyes focused in your turn? Are you looking through the curve and down the road where you plan to be in a few seconds? (You SHOULD be!) Or are you focused on the curve itself and your front wheel - essentially looking right down at the ground - where you keep ending up? Head up, chin up, eyes focused where you want to be, NOT where you are.

Practice in a safe place, like those large parking lots we keep preaching about. You will master it!

Jul 27, 2011

Cause?
by: Wanda

What is causing you to fall? Are you letting the engine RPM's drop such that the engine stalls? Anybody would probably fall if the engine stopped in a curve. Try braking and down-shifting BEFORE you enter the curve, so that you enter the curve at a slow enough speed. The lower gear will help keep you in the power band of your bike. After entering the turn at a comfortable speed, you likely need to apply a little throttle (gently) to keep your RPM's up thru the turn; you can even accelerate out of the turn. Avoid grabbing the front brake while in the turn, as this can also lead to falls. Let us know what you are doing leading up to the fall, and maybe we can help you more. I am still tentative in curves too after a year of riding, but I don't have any experience with falling in turns.

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