Riding Tips

[PKrellner]

Got my PCX150 a couple weeks ago and I've got to say it is fun to ride. I have never driven any type of motorcycle or scooter, this is my first. I bought it basically to get around town for small errands and the occasional joy ride. My problem seems to be with cornering. I've gotten used to a long curves after riding a bit but simple right or left 90 degree turns sometimes don't go well. I plan on a taking a motorcycle safety course and hope to improve with that. Any tips?????

[Alibally]

Practice.

[khaosaming]

You should get familiar with the concept of counter steering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

At crawling speeds it is not applicable, though.

[Alibally]

You should get familiar with the concept of counter steering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

At crawling speeds it is not applicable, though.

Or ever unless you want to crash. Normal cornering should really be mastered first.

[khaosaming]

Or ever unless you want to crash. Normal cornering should really be mastered first.

---------------
There's no "normal cornering". That's the way a two-wheeler behaves: counter steering is used at all times (except at crawling speeds). It can be done consciously or spontaniously, but it's there all the way. And yes, it applies to scooters as well. It's better to get to grips with the term, because it could save your life. You don't have to move fast or take risks -- normal highway speeds apply.

You can use counter steering very efficiently to avoid crashing an object, but it can be used peacefully, when no hazard is imminent, to just change lanes in a controlled way or turn a roundabout. I really can't think of a better riding tip than counter steering. Take my word for it.

More on counter steering:
http://www.motorcycletraining.com/team- ... rsteering/

[khaosaming]

For more clarity watch this:


...and read this:
http://www.obairlann.net/reaper/motorcy ... ering.html

Here's a good definiton:
"Countersteering is the act of turning a two-wheeled cycle in one direction by momentarily steering the front wheel in the opposite direction. "

I'm sorry I messed up my post by quoting and now cannot edit my post above anymore.

[Alibally]

Not really for beginners though. They would teach it during licence training otherwise.

[khaosaming]

^
Believe or not, I heard about it the first time when I was preparing for my licence and I've been practicing it ever since. In Finland, counter steering is part of the curriculum for beginners. It really is nothing special. Just explained theoretically what everybody does even when riding a bicycle.

[gn2]

"counter" steering is a nonsense term.
You make the required inputs to make the bike go where you want.
If you are riding properly you don't have to think what way to turn the handlebars, you just decide where you want the bike to go and that's where it will go.

[WhiteNoise]

Oops! You dropped your scoot What are you going to do? Here's one way to "Handle" the situation:

[Urbanian]

Normal cornering should really be mastered first.

Attempting to "learn" counter steering can be enormously counter productive.
Due to a similar conversation on a local forum, a new rider spent weeks trying to learn how counter steer. He was nearly ready to throw in the towel and consider scootering beyond his capacity when he was wisely convinced to skip counter steering, and concentrate on other skills. Soon he was enjoying his scooter again, and was surprised to find counter steering comes naturally when you're not concentrating on it.

[gn2]

Soon he was enjoying his scooter again, and was surprised to find counter steering comes naturally when you're not concentrating on it.

I had been riding for many years and had owned and ridden many bikes (both for pleasure and professionally) before I made the discovery that in a long left hand bend I could maintain the turn by applying pressure to the rear of the left bar.
This discovery made absolutely no difference to how I ride a bike.

[Alibally]

Best thing is to ride the bike and your skills and confidence will grow. Basic control should be mastered first. That's why you do circuits and figure 8s on a CBT before your let loose on the road.

[khaosaming]

I think it's crucial to understand how a two-wheeler turns and how it is steered. Many scooter owners think that knowing this is redundant and only applies to motorcycles that are ridden fast on a track. People advocating this redundancy are really doing scooter riders a deservice here.

You don't turn the handlebar as you would turn a steering wheel in a car. A motorbike (a scooter is a motorbike) is steered by making it lean. This can be achieved by driver shifting his bodily mass to another side or more easily by counter steering. Counter steering is the best and most controlled way to steer a two-wheeler. It's as easy as riding a bicycle. The main advantage of consciously and knowingly applying this technique is that it becomes a second nature and you can avoid what they call a "shoulder lock" (panicking). The single most common reason for a motorcycle accident or death is panicking in a curve, turning the handlebar in the direction of the curve and subsequently shooting off the road.

If you want to go to the right, slightly push the right end of the handlebar. This only applies when you are above a certain speed, say 30 k/h. If you are stationary, like in traffic lights, you off course should not apply this technique.

When making turns or avoiding potholes or objects it also helps if you look farther from the front wheel in the direction where you are going. Getting fixed vision on an object tends to make you aim at that object and hit it.

[khaosaming]

I'm out of edits again, sorry about that. Off course I meant to say: "People advocating this redundancy are really doing scooter riders a disservice here.

Just bear with me a second and I promise I will never bring this thing up again. I didn't know it was controversial. In Finland, as I said, it's a recognized part of motorcycle learning even for beginners. I found a good site about counter steering.

It's here:
Steering, and the Great Counter-Steering Debate

Well, it turns out that the whole theory of what it takes us to turn on two wheels can get very complicated.
Fortunately, you really don’t have to know much of it. Just some very simple theory will help to get to grips with the subject.

First, let me get this out of the way: Counter-steering is not a myth. If you’re turning at anything over, say, 10 MPH, you already are counter-steering whether you know it or not.

This then begs the question: “Well, if I’m doing it anyway, do I really need to pay any attention to the subject?”
My answer would be: “Yes, some”.

[Alibally]

I'm certainly not dismissing its validity as it obviously works, but for a complete novice the learning curve is steep enough without adding advanced riding techniques. You have to walk before you can run. Keeping yourself safe on the road and getting used to the bike I feel are more important .

[gn2]

I think it's crucial to understand how a two-wheeler turns

Is it fuck.
Billions of people all over the world can ride perfectly well without having the first clue about it.

[gn2]

The single most common reason for a motorcycle accident or death is panicking in a curve, turning the handlebar in the direction of the curve and subsequently shooting off the road.

Source?

[khaosaming]

Source?

--------------
You could try googling.

But I'm not really into this conversation anymore nor am I trying to convince anybody. My views and opinions are mine. If somebody finds them useful at times, I'll be glad.

[gn2]

You could try googling.

No need, I know your claim is BS