Turns

Turns

by Bre
(Milwaukee, WI)

I just started back riding and I'm uncomfortable with my turns. I have a Yamaha V-Star 650. When I turn left or right its to wide, and it scares my husband to death. He tries to guide me but I try to tell him I'm still trying to get use to riding. Any suggestions?

Comments for
Turns

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Jul 07, 2011

Look way ahead!
by: Anonymous

If you are looking where you want to go when you do a left or right turn from a stop and still having problems, ask yourself if you are looking far enough down the road. You may think that you already were but it may not have been far enough. Look far into the lane that you are turning in to, right where you want that bike to go. My right hand turns used to swing too wide but as soon as I figured this out the difference was amazing!

Good luck with that and ride safe!

Jul 03, 2011

Turns
by: Beverly

I have trouble also with wide turns it scares my boy friend to death he rides behind me which is fine. What can I do to stop this?

Jun 30, 2011

Those Turns
by: cgg

I have a Honda Shadow 600 and the first time out from my neighborhood, I made a left hand turn and ended in a yard. Kept the bike up though. My husband wasn't very happy who was following me. Then I remembered from my class like others have noted LOOK TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. TURN LEFT LOOK LEFT. TURN RIGHT LOOK RIGHT. I was looking at the traffic coming towards me. I haven't been back out yet but soon.

May 23, 2011

Experience...the HARD WAY!
by: Ladonna

Yesterday I wrecked my '05 Harley Sporster...and it was the turn that got me! I lost my focus b/c it was my first time out on the road and I was so worried about the traffic that I forgot to "look where I wanted to go"...instead I took a wide turn and ended up laying it down and sliding into the curb. NOT A GOOD FEELING! My husband was behind me because we had been in the parking practicing. I was ok but the bike is going to need some repairs :( I was so disappointed that I did that because I KNOW what I was supposed to do...I just got nervous and didn't do it...I WILL get back on my bike though! The fall didn't scare me away...just a reminder that you can never have enough practice.

May 23, 2011

Turning
by: spyder

Like one post said....spend some time in a large open parking lot. Learn to lean with the bike and what speed works best for you. If you to slow the bike has to work harder to turn. If you go a bit faster and lean into the turn the bike will follow. On certain turning, I even find myself letting my knee move away from the bike to use for balance in the turn. At faster speeds you actually put more force against the turn on the handle bars then trying to turn the wheels in the direction your going...kinda seems counter-intuitive but works...practice practice practice...in a large parking lot.

May 18, 2011

PROFICIENT MOTORCYCLING:
by: Sandra

The Ultimate Guide to Riding by David L. Hough!

It was a great resource book...

Also, I read somewhere to use the "COFFEE METHOD" when turning. When you are walking with a full cup of coffee, you will spill MORE coffee by walking slowly and staring at the cup, than if you keep your head up, focus on a normal walking speed and walk normally (smoothly).

Now I don't know if this method makes me turn my motorcycle better, but I spill less coffee now! LOL

Same theory - head and eyes UP and watch where you want to be, not down and in front of you.

Chin up - it gets easier!! Really, chin up...head up...eyes up and ahead...

May 18, 2011

Turns
by: Anonymous

Was also having trouble with L & R turns, but when I trained myself to LOOK around the corner, the bike goes right where it suppose to.

Take practice since we tend to want to look at the front tire or just in front of the tire, but look Around the corner.

May 18, 2011

Turns
by: jp

It takes practice. Did you take the MSF course? They teach to "look ahead, into the turn"...in other words, look where you want to go and not at the bike or road.

The Ride Like a Pro DVD is also very helpful. It's made by a motorcycle cop (I want to say a 'former'motorcycle cop because I believe he makes more off these DVD's and doing demos).

He and his wife both demonstrate tight turns on several styles of bike including big GW and HD cruisers and even with a passenger.

He has a few DVD's out and one is focused on women riders.

I still have to get out and get 'loosened up' and back in my groove after a winter season of little or no riding before I'm doing nice tight turns.

May 18, 2011

Keep the Tips Coming!
by: JoAnn

I'm so new I'm not even on the road but reading these tips and trying to keep them in my head.

Thank you all.

May 18, 2011

Knees hugging tank?
by: Sandra

My Suzuki Boulevard C50 is 800 cc - just a smidge bigger than the Savage - and the only time I have dropped her is when I first tried to turn and just could not...then I went to class...

But even in class on the smaller bike (I got the only Suzuki 250 in the class :) ) I realized that the turning was better when I kept my knees hugging the tank and looked at where I want to be, then initiate the turn with your whole body leaning, not so much using arms to "steer" to initiate. It's a whole body experience and you really have to become an extension of the machine.

Also I read a book on motorcycling - it hardly competes with parking lot practice! - but learning the mechanics of how and why a bike turns, how its wheels are designed to HAVE to turn, just the basic science of why the bike "wants" to remain upright helped me to trust that "leaning" versus "steering" works. After that, there's nothing like an hour in a parking lot, turning left and turning right about a hundred times each! Speed does help - not racer speed, but enough to keep the bike's "perpetual motion" working with you. It's a finesse thing that is really hard to break down step by step so much as practiced until it is felt.

What was the name of that book??? Progressive?? Professional??? Motorcycling??? David somebody...I will come back with the title!

May 18, 2011

Cape Town, South Africa
by: Cathy

Bre, I've had the exact same problem on my Suzuki 650 Savage, and am so relieved to hear I'm not the only one, would love to hear from other more experienced riders about this. I'm still not completely "fixed", but have got better, one of the things that really helped me was when I gained confidence and started using a bit more throttle, somehow turning with meaning and trusting the bike has made all the difference.

Also, being told to look where I WANT to go, not where I'm trying to AVOID going has helped! Once I got this second tip into my head, I was amazed at how it works in all situations! Good luck, and keep riding, it will get better.

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