Counter steering re-visted (how to turn a motorbike)

[setnburn]

about counter steering, when we think we're pulling to the right/left we are actually pushing the opposite direction. we just think that we are because our bodies are telling us we are. When the truth is actually the opposite, and since we also lean to the direction we wish to turn it further tells us that were pulling to the turning direction ---> got this explanation from a manual from MSC

[marsdestination]

Cool i never think about it as it happens naturaly for me as a seasoned rider of 20 years. Cheers for the tip anyway. ps you crack me up :)

[miniaddict12]

hey, i saw these, went out and thought about it, and i do it always have, just without knowing. when i wanna go left i lean left and kinda lock the left arm so push on the left bar causing the bike to turn left, whilst effictively steering right... why are people so blatantly not up for trying it?

[slodeth5]

Never seen that before. Thanks.

[dav1df0rster]

how come your tryin to teach people to ride a bike when your on a beginers bike yourself. The ER6F as its called in England is slow, I work for a Kawasaki dealer so i know these things!

[barrkel]

@dav1df0rster er6f is not particularly slow at accelerating to any legal speed (0-60 in 3.3 seconds or so) and has no difficulty doing well over the legal limit. What it has going for it is a flat torque curve rather than a peaky one. That means less shifting over a range of speeds; that's what you want in most town riding. For the autobahn or track, I'd agree it's not the best; but for the mountains, you'd want something different again. Sport-touring twin is a compromise across the lot.

[dm4men]

loooks like your just push downward on the handle rather than pushing it forward! i'll try this counter steering yoke tomorrow on my bike(pedal) and i'll get back to you.

[OkayDoood]

2:18 and it begins.

[justaordinaryguy]

Man, that is funny.

[motoJT]

good info mate, cheers

[accountvideos]

july 1st, man...

[h0a9oeuh98id]

ahhh crap...i just typed out a really long message explaining everything and then found out there is a 500 character limit. well, all i have to say is: go try doing circles or serpentine at walking speed without putting your feet down. if you can do that, good job (i'm sure you can). try it again, this time consciously use countersteering. if you still don't believe me, then you win.

[h0a9oeuh98id]

i know countersteering works at any speed because its just simple physics. unless your feet are down and the bike is upright, you cannot steer any other way. the bike would fall over if you didn't properly rotate around the centre of mass (which is what countersteering is; you pivot the bike around the centre of mass).

[h0a9oeuh98id]

counter steering still works at low speeds. if you think otherwise, try consciously using counter-steering at low speeds.

[JohnnyBGod]

I think maybe you should get out of your physics class and actually RIDE a two-wheeler, for a change...

[random11011]

I STILL DONT GET IT!! LOL I RIDE A BIKE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM

sorry caps

mm WHY DOES IT COUNTER STEER!!!

[Plinkerton]

Hey Mordeth, I'm a member over at www.ninja250.org. It's a forum based on the Ninja 250.

Anyway, it's funny, whenever anyone mentions counter steering, someone always links to your video as a "good video on counter steering".

Just wanted you to know that your videos are educational too.

Later man. Go get some Asian booty.

[wingco]

Is it possible to turn a motorcycle at or over around 20 km/h without counter steering, and if so, do you have to turn by leaning.

Thanks.

[what42]

The only way to turn a motorcycle is by leaning it over. The way you lean a bike is with the counter-steer. The counter-steering doesn't actually turn the bike. Counter-steering sets up your lean angle. The reason most people don't understand is because when they lean the bike they shift their weight and press on the handlebars anyway. So, everyone countersteers whether they know it or not.

[mydaughtersdad]

BZ

[sleeplessinhfx]

oh.. and by the way.. its July 1st. Canada's birthday that is

[sleeplessinhfx]

and did you know at about 300km gyroscopic presession reverses again so to go left you turn left. Some guy trying to break the land speed record found this out the hard way.

[davewasthere]

I don't believe this. :-)

There is no sound-barrier or other physical environment factor that changes at 300km.

Do you have a link or anything about this to back up the claim? (Not that many of us will ever experience 300kmh on a bike, but it'd be interesting to find out more)

[pandem1c]

Your video is good for those who've never taken a MSF course... you're showing them something. But you just push left to go left or right to go right to initiate 'lean'. Also you should mention that while swerving, your body stays independent of the bike.

[pandem1c]

Calling it "counter-steering" is not needed. All you do is push the left grip to go left and push the right grip to go right. It's how you turn all motorcycles. The tighter the turn, the more you press and distrubute body weight. Telling newbies to pull the right grip to go left is a wrong thing to say because it is too confusing for them... and you do not want to do that while riding.

[davewasthere]

If it lets someone understand intellectually, what they have been doing intuitively, then calling it "counter-steering" is pretty valuable in my book.

Everyone who rides a motorbike counter-steers, but if you are aware of it on something other than an instinctive level you can be a much better rider.

Also, if you ever do any off-road stuff (like riding trail-bikes in sand) then this knowledge is essential!

[ASAFffff]

If a person runnig at 20 kph can he counter steer? LOL

[NarlyZX12]

NOTE: Laying down is not nessary. I do see people not useing it. Get moving at a normal speed you feel comfortable that your not worried about balancing the bike. Now apply VERY LIGHT pressure to the left or right bar in a forward motion(push towards front of bike). Don't move the bar! Just apply a light pressure untill the bike starts to turn. Let up and the bike should right it's self(or push opposite side gently and quickly for an attitude correction).

[danrusen]

Dude, I actually try this today on my bicycle and the first time I gave a little tug to the left I almost went flying to my right. It's funny how you can't know something like that. Anyway, it's really a better way of taking a curve even on a bicycle cause it makes you lean more naturally and you can also take a sharper turn. Neat stuff, and I never knew about it till I saw the vid.

[AmsterSTAN]

oh, the spam message about makin money disappeared. Good.

[AmsterSTAN]

how about we don't.

[nhhandyman]

At the course I took, they went into details about why this happens, mentioning the shape of the tires on bikes vs cars (rounded) so when you are riding somewhere besides the center of the tire (which is what happens when you turn the wheel at higher speeds) you get pulled in (the gyroscopic effect metioned by rogerdodgeraviation).

drive safe everyone!

[d3viIman]

Im bout to go ride my motorcycle and im going to try this shit i hope i dont kill myself because if i remmember this correctly when i turn the handlebars left i usually go left.

[kaveac]

you clearly don't ride a motorcycle...

[KidxVicious]

I don't know how you can ride a motorcycle without counter-steering. You can see in the video, when mordeth turns the bars left, the bike goes right. He's not doing any magic trick or anything...

[ApriliaDreams]

(ICEBOBOMAN) Why was it shit!? Mordeth13 rules :D

[craptech]

It's too dangerous to riding & filming, especially in Nan-tou.Too many crazy trunk drivers, you know.

Are the guy who falled off the bridge and got reported on TV news is one of your motor friend?

I remember he is also Canadian.

Anyway, keep safe and have fun in TAIWAN. ^^b

[Iceboboman]

that was shit.

[John5323]

It would help to show that a tire with a U shape will turn in any direction that it is leaning. Like a rolling hula-hoop will turn in a circle as it slows down and starts falling over. This is the same situation that allows counter-steering (causing the bike to fall over by turning the other direction) to steer the bike.

[John5323]

Anyone wanting to be on a motorcycle should take a local motorcycle training class. Especially if they have any confusion about counter steering. Even if you don't plan on riding, you will become a much safer driver because you will be more aware of motorcycles.

[blackhawk1960]

Thanks for your reply I went back and watched your previous video on this subject and now I feel Like a fool I get what you are talking about now your right it is the only way to turn fast

[latenight2006]

P.S. Canada Day is July the 1st.  :D

[latenight2006]

"not a good place to be doing this" --heh heh. Hmm, I didn't know about counter-steering. Well, not conciously anyways. When I'd ride a bike, I'd just get on and go. I'll have to test that the next time I ride.

[canttuchdis]

yup.. teaching people how to ride a motorcycle through a video is a great idea.

[SLIDEBABYSLIDE]

is that A EX650? sounds nice. well in the states it's an ex650

[srkasm]

Actually, anything that leans to turn will use counter steering, Even if it had 4 wheels.

[justaordinaryguy]

Nice video. It's amazing how many riders do not even realize that above that pedestrian speed, countersteer is the ONLY way to a bike a turned. Everyone is doing it, just that some (most?) are unaware. Gota keep working on the skills, guys.

[BlindSowrd]

this really helps clear some things out. Thanks mordeth.

[mrman3232]

July first dude

[madcampus]

why wasn't leaning mentioned in your video on counter steering?

[paroxysm419]

the first thing you learn when learning to ride a bicycle is countersteering. if you start falling to the right, turn the wheel right and it pops you back up. if turning the wheel right made the bike turn right, it would slam you to the ground if you tried this.

[blackhawk1960]

Sorry for the double post it hasen't bin working right for me. By the way Canada's birthday is July 1st

[blackhawk1960]

When would you use this counter steering. I think it could be a bit dangerous because it is backward.

[blackhawk1960]

When would you ever use that counter steering. To me I think it would be dangerous unless you are really use to it bacause it is backwards. And I think it would be a little unstable if you pushed to hard on the steering.

[nikanj]

Push scooters don't counter steer until VERY high speeds because the wheels are so small that the gyroscopic force is minimal.

[goldnight]

pay closer attention. actually, i swear i have done this on my bike. (cycle)

[fade2blackleet]

another awesome vid.

[Zanzo7]

i tryed counter steering on my bycicle and it worked is was just going enugh to be stable

[TrebroN]

i still dont get it, i got over 10 km on my bike and dont counter steer, if you lean right you turn left? someone PM me witht he scintific explanation, sounds interesting.

[amurphy245]

qtf i dont understand that,are you saying in order to turn a right corner i turn the handlebars left?? that makes no sense yoru defying grafity n shit

[ackack1222]

Defying gravity? haha take a physics class before you use big words you obviously don't know

[amurphy245]

ROFL WHAT A NOOB GTFO

[kypdurron5]

Thanks for your tips. I've wanted to get/learn how to ride a motorcycle for some time now. Trouble is, every time I get close I hear more stories about this guy who lost a leg, and that guy who ended up paralyzed, etc. Could you please talk sometime about the risks of riding, and how to minimize them? Thanks.

[Sokanx]

I'm confused, do you pull up, or do you pull toward yourself?

[etc314]

just push, push right to goright, left to go left, push the handlebar away from you. Practice in a large emty lot. If you ride you automaticlly do this but knowing what you are doing cansave your life in a PINCH.

[Ratbat69]

Great vid mordeth, it's allways hard to explain it to peaople, as it sounds crazy to say turn right to go left, but showing them makes it so clear!!

it's all scientific mumbo jumbo, all i know is it makes your bike turn faster :)

[jonnnyb]

awesome explaination. I liked how you also talked about how the counter-steering effect is gone at low speeds. I think that's an mportant note you added.

And Canada Day is July 1st i think

[SeiShoonZung]

I know ive said this before but I really do like the quality of your new camera, I have a digimax too but mines not as good of quality as yours, most videos ive recorded in low graphics settings but mine still comes out good in 640 and 24 fps.

[rogerdodgeraviation]

A challenging subject: counter-steering due to gyroscopic precession of the front wheel. It's hard to explain, but easy to demonstrate. Your helmet-cam communicates it well. Nice job.

[Sokanx]

I was wondering do you pull straight up or more towards yourself? I can't tell that well from the video, it looks like you're pull straight up and barley turning the front wheel.

[Krazybonez911]

very nice, i was wondering at what speeds it starts to work

[MrMax89]

The first time I heard about countersteering was in a magazine, and they talked about tracking, where the tires were on the motorcycle in relation the the center of gravity. When you steer to the right, the tires track to the right, causing the center of gravity to shift to the left, viola, you go left. kind of like pulling the bottom of the bike to the right, you go left.

[taiwanbab]

Canada Day (formally Dominion Day) is on July 1st. I like your videos. I like seeing Taiwanese street scenes

[mysterio2099]

Awesome instructional video man. I know how you talked about it in other vids but actually showing people how it's done is great. I also liked how you did it one handed.. very nice ;)

[StrykEagle]

Great tips on riding... Wait maybe first comment!