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  #1  
Old 30 Oct 2008
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counter steering
Quote:
teering a motorcycle at low speeds is a straightforward process. The rider simply turns the handlebar in the direction he wishes to go. This only works at speeds below five miles an hour. If a motorcycle is traveling any faster, the rider must use a different kind of steering, known as counter-steering. This type of steering may seem counterintuitive. That's because motorcycle riders must push the handlebars to the left to make the vehicle turn right and vice versa.
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Quote:
Countersteering is indispensable for bike steering. Most people are not consciously aware that they employ countersteering when riding their bike any more than they are aware of the physics of walking. Their bodies have learned to include the well timed countersteering jolt.
As is well-known in bicycle racing, the countersteering phenomenon becomes evident when there is an obstacle preventing the wheel from countersteering (e.g., when closely overlapping wheels or riding very close to a curb). In these situations, the only way to initiate a turn away from the obstacle is to come into contact with it, that is, turn towards the wheel or curb in order to avoid crashing into it.[3] Lack of understanding of this principle leads to accidents in novice bicycle races.
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I never got taught this in my CBT! I almost refused to believe it but under closer inspection it appears to be true. Amazing if you ask me, question being is if you travel at great speeds does this come more into effect?
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Old 30 Oct 2008
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It works at any speed over walking pace like the article says.
Get on your bike get up to about 30mph and personally I like to push the bar the way I want to turn.So just gently to to get the feel of it push your lefthand and you,ll feel the turning,then try it on the other side.Once you get used to the effect gently use going into a turn and the bike will drop in nicely.Myself I tend to do all the countersteering with my lefthand,pushing to go left,pulling to go right!
You,ll just have to try it out and see what works best for you.
Al theturtleshead
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Old 30 Oct 2008
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You unknowingly learnt to do it as a child riding your bicycle and have been doing it ever since !
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Old 30 Oct 2008
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The bit about bicycle races is rather specific IMHO. It assumes the wheel/tyre won't grip or ride over the obstacle. In a motorcycle sense, imagine a kerb or berm touching the rims/sidewalls. Turn the bars and the leverage brings you off the wall and into open space where you can counter steer. If our big, knobblie tyres smash through, ride up or ride over you just keep steering normally for the speed you are at. Racing pushbike bike tyres have a lot of gyroscopic effect, but not much grip or weight, so won't always react the same way in that specific circumstance. Mostly they work exactly the same way of course.

Andy
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Old 30 Oct 2008
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well just had a go, and it worked. i guess it has been locked up there in my sub conscious for years but applying it even more lines the corners up nicely like al said.
cheers guys/gals
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Old 30 Oct 2008
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Well, that's you in trouble if you ever get a sidecar

Andy
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Old 30 Oct 2008
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It's funny isn't it, I don't think we realise we're doing it, I certainly didn't and so like Tommy I went out and did it deliberately, and aside from the obvious "OH MY GOD, I'M GOING TO CRASH INTO THAT CAR" feeling it's true, we do do it.

As for the bicycle thing, that's a nightmare in a close peloton, your wheels are all overlapping, so you can't ride up over them, one wrong move and you're all down - just watch the Tour de France.
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Old 31 Oct 2008
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There are a couple other ways to affect a bike's turning or stability.
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Old 31 Oct 2008
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In the first instance counter steering is the first thing to happen, this is turning the bike after that everything else is cornering. If you ride with no hands on the bars and turn the bike by moving you weight towards the inside of the turn you will see the bars counter steer all by themselves
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