Am I cornering badly?
 

Hi all,

I was just wondering something. I recently bought a Honda XR250 (Latin American issue). So far, on both tarmac and gravel, when I corner I tend to feel myself pushing the handle bars down and into the turn, so that the bike leans into the turn but my body pretty much stays upright, then opening the throttle right up. I wonder if this is correct, or should I be leaning with the bike, ie so that if i was taking a right hand curve, my right knee would be much lower to the Tarmac?

Cheers,
Ross

I do the same; push the bike down and stay upright. Did you learn to ride off road? It is a standard technique to keep your centre of gravity perpendicular to the road. Leaning into the bend and knee sliding is for the zoom zombies on tar. Do it on gravel and you and the bike would quickly be sliding down the gravel. Keeping upright is a habit you learn off road and it becomes instinct. OK, you may not corner as fast on tar, but who cares? Opening the throttle just straightens your bike coming out of the corner.

I found this interesting, so I gave it a go on my last ride. It was a revelation! Even though I was on Tarmac, I definitely cornered faster! By keeping my body upright, and leaning the bike, I felt far more stable in the bend. One of the things I felt when I rode the bike for the first time was that I felt I was leaning far more than on my previous hornet - I was sitting far higher on my F800, and this exaggerated the leaning sensation. Sufficed to say the above method will continue! Thanks for the heads up! :D

No worries! And as Kradmelder said, this is a pretty standard method of taking corners in the dirt. The thing I wonder is what happens when you are two up?

Confusion and terror!

Handling
 

Gents these too different techs, i don't do much gravel riding so carnt really comment but have done 100s of laps on the circuit where what you are describing is counter steering, pushing the bars away from the way you wish to turn.
Also the reason you see sport bikes hanging off is to lower the c.o.g and keep the bike as upright as possible to keep a larger contact area on the road.
Also it is important to keep the elbows bent and with your head almost as if you where looking around a door.
If the bike is in the right gear/speed it looks unstable but is the complete opposite.

Google Keith Code, he describes the physics of riding far better than i can

Steve

I was taught about counter steering when I learnt to ride; the above is definitely not that! Both seem to have their place, though.

cornering
 

Watch some speedway racing and this will give you some idea about cornering on shale/gravel-they counter steer, they carne help but not with that big from skinny wheel.
I use to have this conversation with my mate Eric Monahan a top speedway racer in his time when i use to short circuit race, god i feel old

Steve

Exactly the same. Tell your pillon to sit like a sack of potatoes and do nothing. If the pillion is heavier than you it affects handling. So dont get a fat girlfriend!.The worst pillion is another biker. They instinctively want to ride the bike from the pillion seat.

"The worst pillion is another biker. They instinctively want to ride the bike from the pillion seat."

100% right, the first time I took a pillion who was a rider we hit a slow tight corner and promptly tipped straight over!doh