Help with Cornering

  • Thread starter Thread starter Willow
  • Start date Start date
Sounds like you've already made the first major step i.e. realising you need further training. Local IAM group should definately give you more confidence.

Going round the set of bends faster and faster will probably just lead to you introducing yourself with a hedge at some time, so go for the training :thumb2
 
Willow, Perfect Control is owned by a mate of mine called Paul Collins. He is a very good instructor that I have worked with and ridden with over the past 8 years. He helped to set up the Essex RoSPA Group.
I'd recommend a day with him, or for a cheaper option join RoSPA or IAM.

If you want to I'll meet up with you for a couple of social rides. I'm a DSA qualified CBT and Direct Access instructor, RoSPA Gold and I've previously been taught as an approved IAM Observer; and I'm also a Police advanced driver.
Not interested in any money or anything, just be happy to help you enjoy your bike more and make you safer.

Uka
 
Contact your local Advanced Riders group first of all, they will take you out on observed rides and give you loads of help and advice. I also suggest that you invest in Motorcycle Roadcraft which is the police riders handbook and is considered the bible with regard to advanced riding techniques.

The key to cornering is getting your observation, position, gear and speed correct and staying smooth. Get this right and the speed around the corners will increase sub-consciously. Remember - Slow In Fast Out.

Stick at it and try not to be intimidated by following cars - you can always wave them past at an appropriate moment to get them off your tail. :thumb

Best of luck:clap
Good book my wife Karen is reading this now after passing her test cornering is also her confidence sapper and theres no short fix.
Just advice as above and patience to slowly build up speed it so much easier when your 16 in the 70s and falling off is an every day occurance because your young and full of bravado.
take it easy and relax,I found roundabouts early in the morning helped especially ones linked to flyovers with left/right long curved slip roads.:thumb
 
Willow, Perfect Control is owned by a mate of mine called Paul Collins. He is a very good instructor that I have worked with and ridden with over the past 8 years. He helped to set up the Essex RoSPA Group.
I'd recommend a day with him, or for a cheaper option join RoSPA or IAM.

If you want to I'll meet up with you for a couple of social rides. I'm a DSA qualified CBT and Direct Access instructor, RoSPA Gold and I've previously been taught as an approved IAM Observer; and I'm also a Police advanced driver.
Not interested in any money or anything, just be happy to help you enjoy your bike more and make you safer.

Uka

Can I come along as well please?
 
Willow,

You could do a lot worse than spending a wee while reading through our very own "Micky's" extremely useful and common sense approach to the dark art of two wheels....

His qualifications/experience take some beating.....Ex Police Instructor etc etc...

Enjoy all 5 parts...:thumb
 
If you plan to spend the money for tuition then go with www.mikewaite.co.uk

I tried Rapid training as well and they are good (when compare to a IAM observer) but no where near as good as Mike's associates.

The difference is this. With IAM and Rapid. They watch you and tell you about the ride AFTERWARDS in a cafe. With Mike's method, he is teaching you whilst you are riding. He uses a quality walkie talkie thing.

The price for rapid training is actually higher but if you goto Mike you need to budget for a night's B&B.

Maybe the difference is that Mike was an instructor in the police rather than just a highly skilled rider :nenau

If you don't have the budget then local IAM groups are good option or local police bike safe programme.
 
For my 2p worth - take what ever advice and guidance you can from those pro's who are offering :thumb2

Always, Always, Always look to where you want to end up and you will - look at the bush/kerb/tree/fence/ditch/wall etc (delete as appropriate) and you will almost certainly meet it. It's target fixation and it's lethal. My neighbour died as a result so learn the lesson now!!!!

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Remember the bike is better than you, me, and 90% of most riders. In a Bike mag test, they tested the lean angle of a number of bikes with their rider, and then handed the bike over to a pro who then cornered it at much greater angle on standard tyres than the owner.

So if you get to a corner a little out of your comfort zone, go for it! The chances are the bike will get you round!
 
Hi Willow. You're caution regarding corners is perfectly understandable - I too am overly cautious when cornering, I had a bad crash in my car a couple of years ago and it was going round a corner it happened and I don't think that's helped my confidence. However, like yourself I'm pretty new to biking and I think through time and practice, you will feel more confident.
Can I just add, that the Bikesafe course is beneficial, however it's no quick fix, it's simply telling you what you probably already know.

Best of luck with it all.:thumb
 
Hi all
Just a quick thanks for all your help and wisdom, I really do appreciate it, especially the offer of a weekend ride to help me. I've driven the same road today and have focused on those bends and you know what, if I look at the joining spot, it gets longer until I can see my way out. So it's a phycological barrier I think. I'm 50 and only got on a motorcycle for the first time last August. If I was 25 I don't think cornering would present a problem!! However, being a wise old woman, I see more now than 25 years ago and what I see represents my bum on the tarmac!! The more riding I do, the more confident I should become. I am going to ride that road this weekend until my bum aches, back and forth, hopefully getting more of a feel for it each time. Practise makes perfect !!
 
Hi Willow, I am a new rider too and am experiencing the same thing, I'm doing some advanced training with a friend in Norfolk who is an IAM and Rospa instructor its really helping, so alll the advice you have had is the way to go.
I can also highly reccommmend Hopp Rider Training they advanced road training track days at Cadwell park and Advanced machine skills days and are not overly expenisve, they also do bikesafe events for Lincs/humberside police.
 
Hi all
However, being a wise old woman, I see more now than 25 years ago and what I see represents my bum on the tarmac!! I am going to ride that road this weekend until my bum aches, back and forth, hopefully getting more of a feel for it each time. Practise makes perfect !!

Knowing what a gorgeous "bum" you have, I need to see more !!;)
 
I'd really like to do some more training or rides with more experienced riders.

I'm kinda new to the London area and always never seem to have enough time to get out on the bike. I think if I was out on it a couple of times a week then I'd benefit.

good thread

G
 
Willow - did you take up the offer from Ukaloon? I've been out with him and his Dad - Top Blokes and you learn a lot to. :thumb2
Cheers Don.

I'm riding from Police Training College, Springfield to Timbers Restaurant, Blake House Craft Centre, Blake End Nr Braintree CM776SH tomorrow. I'll be setting off about 6pm, going up the A414 to Four Wantz, through to Leaden Roding, on to Dunmow and through to Timbers. Should arrive about 6.45ish.
If anyone wants to come along for the ride feel free to turn up. Alternatively meet at Timbers, have a bit to eat and we'll have a ride after.

If you need any directions call me on 07976462256. I'm in meetings during the day, but if you leave a message I'll ring you back.

Chris
 
.. I don't think I am aggressive(I mean making enough progress) out of the bend and it's something I am going to work on this week. .... had only just passed my test was on my lovely new shiney Beamer and a sports car overtook me off a roundabout with about 2 inches to spare !!
"Work on it this week" ?? Don't pressure yourself by expecting too much too soon. Build up your confidence sloooowly over the next few months, and as your confidence grows make a big attempt to watch that you don't get over-confident, which is even more dangerous. Trust me, I've been down that road and got the T-shirt and broken mudguard to prove it. :o
 
RULE 1 - Always be able to stop in the distance that you can see. You never know what is just around that corner although its probably a scared looking rider of one of those R1 thingys trying to get his knee down in the middle of the road.

RULE 2 - REMEMBER - The GS (all of them!) will go down (and come back up again!) alot further than most of us have the guts for. The bike WILL always get around the corner. Just look through the corner, keep leaning and hang on!!

RULE 3 - Let out a big YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAA! as you accelerate out of the bend. Lovely!
 


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