Cornering Requires Technique

By Steve Smith

The inspiration for this column came when I observed a student rider in a CONREP class make an error during a cornering exercise that caused a close encounter of the asphalt kind. The student was wearing protective gear and was fine. After righting the motorcycle, coaching was provided, and he was on the way again toward successfully completing the course – this time a bit wiser about use of proper cornering techniques.

Unfortunately, this is not isolated case. There are many experienced riders who have succumbed to a similar fate. Crash studies show that a significant percentage of motorcycle crashes – approximately 37% – happen in turns. A majority of these involve a single vehicle – the motorcycle. I suspect one possible cause of these crashes is failure to properly negotiate a turn.

This video demonstrates how a crash occurs due to over-braking in a turn. The action happens in turn 10, around 1:20 into the video.

 

Both the famous 1981 Hurt Report and the 2001 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatal Single Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes report mention that a significant number of the single vehicle involved motorcycle crashes were due to improper cornering. News reports often simply state that the “rider lost control.” In many of these cases the crashes might have been prevented if the rider used proper cornering techniques.

Rider education courses provide instruction on cornering process, which can be broken down into four simple steps: Slow, Look, Press, Roll.  Let’s take a look at what is involved at each step to properly negotiate a turn…

SLOW

Set entry speed for the turn. One of the major contributors of improper cornering is going into a corner too fast for ability of the rider or motorcycle. This is the step I want to emphasize because traction is shared between turning and braking forces, and it is very easy to exceed available traction if 1) a rider goes into a turn too hot or 2) the brakes are used too aggressively when in a turn. Slowing to a proper entry speed before a turn is a prudent method to avoid a loss of traction due to excessive speed or braking while in a turn. A good entry speed is one that allows for constant speed or slight acceleration all the way through the turn. The simplest method is to brake before the turn, but there are other methods.

Use an outside-inside-outside path of travel through the turn. Set up your entry to the outside of the turn, come to the inside near the apex, and exit the turn to the outside. This method will provide the best line of sight through the turn and lessen the turn radius.

LOOK

Looking where you want to go is paramount because where you look is where you go. Look as far into the turn as possible – all the way to the exit if possible – and keep looking toward the exit until the turn is complete. This is called visual directional control and it comes into play in a big way when riding motorcycles, but it is comes into play all the time.

Consider this scenario: You are driving along in the car and see a pothole. You stare at the pot hole and think “don’t hit the pothole.”What happens? You hit the pothole, right? That is because you were looking at it and naturally steered for it.

PRESS

Applying pressure on the handgrip in the direction of the turn will initiate lean and turning. Body position should be leaning with the motorcycle and there is no need to throw body weight to one side or the other or “hang off.”

ROLL

Maintain a steady speed or a slight increase of speed throughout a turn. As one of my fellow instructors says, this is the part that will give you the giggle. Do not coast, decelerate, or brake in turns. Remember, you set proper entry speed before the turn to allow a constant speed or acceleration through the turn. The acceleration will stabilize the suspension and give you a big grin at the end of the turn. Speed can continue to be increased when the exit of the turn is in view. As we saw in the video using the brakes or decelerating in a turn can lead to a crash due to exceeding available traction because traction is shared between cornering and braking while in a turn.

Using a good cornering technique is not only fun, but can save your life. Learning proper cornering technique is not difficult. There are many great books on the market. Riding a motorcycle is a physical sport and book learning will only get you so far. Taking a rider education course can be an excellent way to learn turning technique as you will be able to put it into practice and be coached by professional trainers.