Twist of the Wrist II

Steering

March 13, 2013 By Carol Carpenter

Is the front wheel or back wheel is responsible for steering your motorcycle? Well, they actually both play a role, the front end turns the bike or changes the lean angle, but once the motorcycle is leaned over and stable it is the rear that takes over to maintain that lean angle. Once you are leaned over in a turn, the front end stabilizes the bike, but does not steer it. It still has importance in that it is still carrying 30-40% of the cornering load which accounts for that same percentage of cornering speed. Let’s say you took that 30-40% and added it to the rear, that would account in a full on slide. When you hear guys talk about getting their bike to “bite” they want to get that weight on the front end to load it for the turn. Understanding that the rear of the bike is mainly responsible for stability when the bike is leaned over helps us to make decisions based on that fact. The front end needs enough weight to stabilize itself and allow the rear of the bike to steer it in the direction you have placed it in, assuming you have constant throttle throughout, you will hold that line.

In Chapter 14 of Twist of the Wrist II, there is a question that is asked, “How many times do you steer your bike in any one turn?” *DRUM ROLL*…The answer is: One single steering action per turn. Mid-turn steering corrections occur when you try to correct your mistakes (going into a turn too hot, too wide, unsure where you are, etc.) and are purely a result of rider error. While one steering action is ideal, we tend to panic when we get ourselves into a situation that feels uncomfortable and we compound the problem by say rolling on or off the throttle and adding more lean angle. This causes problems with either loading one end or the other which then affects suspension and traction. This is where maintaining constant throttle is important, rolling on causes more weight to shift to the rear, rolling off causes it to shift to the front, keeping it constant keeps you from disturbing the bike in a turn and avoids that panic to lean more to correct that throttle inconsistency. Less is more in this instance.

There is a purpose and a goal to steering, I think Keith Code says it best, “The purpose of steering is to make direction changes. The goal of steering is to get through the turn accurately, with as little lean angle as possible (for the speed you are traveling).” It is true that there will be more lean the faster you go and this is due to centripetal force pushing you to the outside forcing you to steer at a steeper lean angle to hold that line. However, less lean angle means you have more of a safety margin, more traction and the ability to go faster with spare clearance (no pegs scraping) and it can all be obtained by just flicking the bike quicker into the turn. Learn more about “quick flicking” on Chapter 15 in Twist of the Wrist II.

There is more to cover on steering, but I hope that this intro into it sparks those brains cells into action and you apply some of the principles discussed (keeping it the speed limit of course, it must be said) out there on the road. Tackling some of those twisties with your newfound knowledge and giving you the confidence to overcome those once dreaded curves. Nothing feels better than that sense of accomplishment and the drive that follows to conquer even more. Ride on Vixens!

Counter Steering

February 26, 2013 By Carol Carpenter

We’ve gone over throttle control and how important it is in riding, so now let’s talk about steering. You can tell a lot by watching a rider steer, how experienced and comfortable he/she is. Counter steering is confusing to most people and it is also one of the reasons that they ask you if you have ever ridden a bicycle before in signing up for the MSF BRC (Beginning Rider Course) class. If you have ever ridden a bicycle you know it isn’t like piloting anything else, in order to go right you have to apply some pressure to the handlebars to the left, to go right, same applies to a motorcycle. We tend not to think about it on a bicycle, yet when we climb onto a motorcycle all of a sudden we overthink the concept to death, it is fear that causes us to freeze up. So let’s just break this down, in a 4-wheeled vehicle if you want to turn right you turn that wheel right and if you want to go left, you turn the wheel left. On a two wheeled vehicle, the same does not apply, in order to go right you need to apply pressure on the bars to the left in order to initiate the turn and in order to go left you need to apply pressure on the bars to the right. This was best explained in Keith Code’s book, Twist of the Wrist II, chapter 12 where he explains counter steering as two magic words. Counter: In an opposing manner or direction and Steering: To guide. It means simply to guide in an opposing manner. “You have the bars in your hands and you’re going straight, but you would like the bike to turn, let’s say, to the right. “To guide in an opposing manner,” you then apply some pressure, at the handlebars, to the left. The bike goes right.” The two wheels on a motorcycle produce a gyroscopic effect, as long as you don’t disturb it, it’s completely stable, but when you try to change the direction on a gyroscope it becomes unstable, which is what you do when you steer. To complicate matters, the faster you go, the more difficult it is to turn because of the gyro effect created by the wheels. The center of mass on your bike also determines how quickly and easily it will steer. The closer the front tire is to the center of mass (determined by the forks), the faster you will be able to steer your bike, like a sport bike, it is very agile and flickable. Now let’s look at the cruiser, where the front forks are extended out more and the front tire is further away from the center of mass, it is not designed to turn on a dime. Steering and throttle control can be a trigger for fear, knowing that everything is stable in a straight line, but the minute we need to turn (steer) that will produce an instability (and in our mind, that is bad). The truth is we need that instability, that moment, in which to change the direction of the bike and then regain that stability by applying the gas back on to provide that force to work in our favor again. As I’ve stated before, your bike wants to be stable and will find a way to return to stability unless the rider does something to stop it, it is about too much rider input. Think less is more (relaxed arms and hands) and you and your bike will have a much better understanding and relationship, getting the optimal response from the bike and more enjoyment from the experience.

Throttle Control

February 4, 2013 By Carol Carpenter

A lot can be said about throttle control and how crucial it is in riding and cornering. As riders we have the ability to make it easier, harder, smoother or scarier based on how we control our throttle. I learned from an instructor in an MSF class that you should treat your throttle like “Barry White” (SMOOTH) and you won’t be surprised by a choppy and unpredictable ride. This also rolls into rider input, the fact that if we do not relax our hands and arms, it can lead to disastrous results. Today’s machines are so perfectly balanced that if you let go and just rode, the bike would right itself, we are the cause that things go wrong when we ride. Try it and see, don’t death grip your bike, gently roll on and off (the bike immediately responds), push on the bars (gently) and see how easily it turns? You have so much more control and it required way less effort. The trick is being confident in your abilities and to relax, but to relax we need to have confidence in our abilities, yeah it is always a catch 22 isn’t it?

When coming off a stop I personally like to be in that friction zone, that place where you can pull in the clutch a bit to roll back and if you twist on a bit of throttle you will roll forward, either way it keeps you from stalling your engine. This is so important when you are stopped on an incline, so mastering that technique is important. Then there is the turning the key hand position so as not to fatigue your hand. If you hold your hand as if you are turning a key in a door your hand doesn’t get tired and cause you to reposition it often and have an unpredictable position on your control that requires adjusting often. Your hands should have a firm, but gentle grip on the throttle (relaxed) and it should be easy to engage and release the throttle with little to no effort. This will allow you to ride for lengthy periods of time without your hands going numb or tired, it is all about a light touch.

Cornering is where throttle control can cause you to either panic and have that “Oh Shit” moment or that feeling of absolute exhilaration as you hit that throttle and nail that corner. Cornering is something we all want to be confident in and be able to take confidently at speed, but many of us can be intimidated by it. Just seeing that turn up ahead can cause us to tense up and then give the bike way too much input. Just relax and loosen your grip on the bike and know that you can do this, practice, practice, practice. Taking a class with a racetrack school where everyone is learning how to corner and corner well is a safe place to learn how to corner precisely and gain that confidence you will need for the street.

I distinctly remember an “aha” moment at a school I was attending where the individual who was reviewing my video of my laps asked why I wasn’t cracking on my throttle earlier? I remember thinking, “I don’t know, I think I may run wide?” He was quick to say that I would run wide only if I didn’t crack my throttle on early enough. He made it very basic for me, he said upon entering a turn you brake, that breaking creates instability for your bike which you need to get it into position to turn. Once you have gotten into the lean position (which should have started before you entered the turn) and are in the trajectory you intend to go, you hit the throttle to stabilize your bike to complete that turn. In every corner crack on the throttle as soon as possible (not too early though as it will cause you to run wide) and keep a light acceleration through the middle of the turn with the most aggressive turn on at the end to exit. It was at that moment, I realized that my own fear was keeping me from initiating and completing that turn smoothly and precisely. It was all about throttle control, when and where to apply it and how much. Once you get throttle control mastered or at least partially mastered, you can ride knowing that you have the skills necessary to take on any situation and that is powerful.

Throttle control is the key to enjoying your ride, so master it and you will find out how much more enjoyable your riding experience will be. For some reading during the off season, try Twist of the Wrist and Twist of the Wrist II from Keith Code or get the DVD’s and brush up on your techniques before the season starts again. Please check out the forums under riding techniques where I will be posting some subjects to discuss.