form question (turning left)

[catch2otwo]

i know this will be much easier to diagnose in person but im back at school and non of you are in rochester so here is my question. i feel really comfortable taking right handers. everything feels perfect, i.e head out near the mirror, butt off the seat, real light on the bars, nice countersteer by pushing on the right side of the bars. everything just flows real nice.

Left hand turns however, i just cant seem to gain the same feeling. it feels like when i try to get my body in the position that it needs to be in such as getting my head and shoulders out, butt off the seat, it just feels like i cant move or i tense up. also the biggest thing i noticed is that i cant really push on my left side of the bars. i end up pulling the right side to "conter steer". wut the hell is my problem, its been really frustrating.

[Jaynnus]

The track day you did should have given you plenty of practice going left...

relax, relax, relax....sounds like your thinking about it too much. If you are pulling on the right side, you are not initiating a 'countersteer' at all. Take it slower and progressively work on your body position going left, muscle memory is hard to break. Maybe try some body positioning with the bike on stands to find if you are twisting your hips when you move left.

[catch2otwo]

would twisting the hips be good or bad? i would want my hips facing into the turn right?

[Jaynnus]

Different people have different styles..but think of it this way, if when you move to the left you are puting your left hip forward, you are then twisting your upper body toward the right, and ultimately making the left countersteer more difficult. It 'could' account for why you feel like your pulling with your right hand as your arm/wrist would now be not extended straight.

[Hauptman]

i think everyone has a preference for which turns they like better/feel better in. Personally, I just trust the training i've had and dive in. Try writing with your other hand, it feels wierd but eventually it'll get better.

[OreoGaborio]

If your left turns aren't up to par compared to your rights, don't try to "catch up" all at once, start at the beginning.

Here's a post I made on another forum about how to start experimenting w/ body positioning... it'll obviously be a little basic for you, but working on the fundamentals is always a good thing. I see too many people trying to run before they can walk these days.

Just a friendly reminder... those wishing to start experimenting with body positioning from "scratch" first need to build a solid foundation... and that starts from the waist UP, not the waist down. (with the exception of your toes... get on the balls of your feet! )

Start by relaxing your arms and your grip... you should be able to sit in the riding position with your arms at your SIDES... you should not be relying on your arms to hold up your upper body. This takes a LOT more practice than you think, especially on a bike w/ low hand controls.... This is something just about every rider out there can improve on, even at the racing level.

Second is your eyes and your chin... lead the bike into the turn with your eyes & chin by pointing them THROUGH the direction of turn before you begin to lean the bike.

Third is your shoulders.... Keeping your shoulders relatively square to the bike, lean forward a little and use your inside shoulder the same way you use your chin/eyes.... lead the bike with your inside shoulder and point it through the turn.

Last step before "haning off" is your inside butt cheek.... just weight it a little as you point your eyes, chin and shoulder into the turn. This will keep you from curving your spine and "dipping" your shoulder down instead of pointing it through.


This will get you on your way to hanging off like the pros

[Ken C]

I agree with jane about not thinking too much about it. As long as you know the technique going right, you can eventually apply the same technique going left.

I would like to clarify that pulling on the outside handlebar is still countersteering, but is less efficient and controlled as pushing on the inside handlebar.

One interesting thing: Most people find going left easier than going right. I hear this all the time when teaching MSF classes. If you notice, all MSF exercises start by going left.

[brendanp]

That is weird. I feel great hanging of doing lefts. I feel more awkward on my rights.

[catch2otwo]

man got the the whole TTD crew in here haha. thanks for the tips. i will try to look at my upper body in relation to my hips. i think you may be onto something there jane.

and pete i think im going to start doing some parking lot stuff to get used to this T.

my focus isnt really on speed, i just want this technique down a little bit better. i feel i can go 100000 mph in a right hander but feel like a newby trying to turn left haha.

[RyanNicholson]

I definitely agree that thinking about anything too much and you're no longer being productive. As far as the counter steering and stuff, I know from my experience that when I learned how to initiate a turn with it....then letting the bike and my legs carry through a corner...my riding became much more stable and smooth. Are you maybe relying on the CS to control the bike mid corner? especially if your counter steering a different way going left than you are going right....this could be a reason. Like Ken said, pushing on the inside bar is much more controllable than pulling on the outside one.

[catch2otwo]

ryan, i agree pushing the inside one is much better then the outside. i def feel it being more effective on my rights since i push on the inside. but it seems like i cant push on the inside on my lefts. ill have to do some experimenting when i go riding this weekend. the commute to work doesnt offer up too many good left handers.

[RyanNicholson]

i hear ya....just stay relaxed and loose and you'll figure it out with some practice.


and props for posting something legit haha

[catch2otwo]

i hear ya....just stay relaxed and loose and you'll figure it out with some practice.


and props for posting something legit haha

haha that is what nesr has come to?

[KillBill]

That is weird. I feel great hanging of doing lefts. I feel more awkward on my rights.

+1

I don't know why though.....just need more practice maybe

[RupturedDust]

Quick quiz for the guys who feel more comfortable making rights: are you left-handed? In my experience talking to riders, all of us "lefties" are more comfortable taking rights, because when you hang off, it's your strong leg anchoring you on the bike. The opposite of course is true for righties, hence the general preference for lefts (which of course is similar to the 7:1 righties to lefties ratio...)

[catch2otwo]

im a righty comfy with right turns.

[Nix]

Quick quiz for the guys who feel more comfortable making rights: are you left-handed? In my experience talking to riders, all of us "lefties" are more comfortable taking rights, because when you hang off, it's your strong leg anchoring you on the bike. The opposite of course is true for righties, hence the general preference for lefts (which of course is similar to the 7:1 righties to lefties ratio...)

Well...at least I'm not alone. I know what you're saying - some days I'm like big ben parliament. I do find it disappears after I've been riding a while, all warmed up in the zone...kinda like what Jane said. Once I find my groove, I'm all set.

[catch2otwo]

so some experimenting on my way home last night leads me to believe what jane said was pretty much on the money. when i turn right, my hips seem to automatically turn right with my body, allowing me to get my shoulders and head out off the bike.

but i noticed when i turn left, jane was right in saying my hips were not facing the same way as my shoulders and head. it was almost like i felt like i was going to fall off the bike if i didnt keep my hips facing forward, thus leaving me all crossed up. as soon as i relaxed a little and forced my hips to face left everythign felt a little smoother. i was able to get my shoulders and head to where i kind of wanted them and i was no able to put some pressure on the left side of the bars. still a long way from where i want to be but its a start. thanks for all the info. jane i owe you a beverage now

[OreoGaborio]

Jane's like.... smart... & stuff.

[catch2otwo]

oooo and stuff? i like stuff