Saw this posted on another site, Good videos on how to counter steer plus lots of other good "training videos"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX3PMckEX-0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX3PMckEX-0)

For those of you who are new to riding, countersteering is one of the main focuses of the class. Very important technique.

Hell yeah. Countersteering saved my life, literally, on more than one occassion and I've only been on two wheels since April. Plus, countersteering makes the twisties soooooo much fun!!!

I must be missing something. I took the MSF basic course. I've read about countersteering in books and articles, and I can't figure out why you have to learn it. It's the only way to steer smoothly above a crawl. So far as I can tell, anybody who's ever ridden a bicycle already knows how to do it, except it's easier on a motorcycle. Maybe if you've only driven four-wheeled vehicles or ridden horses it would be a brand new skill. But it sure seems intuitive to me. Or maybe I'm just exceptionally gifted. :D

I think the big difference re: countersteering is between doing it instinctively and purposely. If you're doing it purposely, you can push it and have a better idea of your limits. That's what I found... Ya dig?

When you know you are doing it, and pushing yourself to do it more, you find you can make tigher turns easier, etc. And it helps you go where you need to go should you find yourself in an emergency swerve situation. You'd be surprsied how many people have ridden for years and don't beleive that countersteering is indeed what they are doing to turn their bikes.

Yeah, I get the instinct vs. purpose thing. And I certainly agree you can practice to make the technique more refined. I was out on a favorite farm road today (no poop, thankfully) and really worked on my form through the twists. It was great fun getting my lines tighter and getting around faster. Man, I love this bike! :ride

so i was training at very low speeds doing serpentines around cones...

i find that at these speeds, even if u countersteer, u still have to consciously steer in the direction u want to go immediately after countersteering, and then counterbalancing.

is there a way to countersteer and have that turn your bike quick enough that u don't have to consciously push in the direction you want to go, or is it not possible at such low speeds?

At low speeds, you need to actually turn the bars in the direction you want to go. I love slow speed maneuvering- its an art that not many practice. Try doing circles in a wide parking spot (like a designated handicapped access spot) without going outside the lines. You'll end up hanging off the bike, keeping it up, while its leaned way over :D Its fun! Someday, I want to try some trials riding. Those guys have some serious skills! :shock:

maybe i just ought to get an ipod for riding, but the following thought has occurred to me:

when you're going slow, you turn the bars to the left to go left.

when you're going at normal speeds, you turn the bars left to go right.

therefore, it ought to be possible to start out slowly with the bars turned slightly to the left (therefore slightly curving left), then accelerate and end up going slightly to the right.

i've tried this a few of times and can't for the life of me get myself to just 'turn the bars a bit' rather than 'do what you need to do to go there'.

anyone ever try to do this? anyone ever manage to do it? maybe i'm easily amused, but it seems like it'd be pretty cool.

cheers.
.cyb
________
Lovely Wendie99 (http://www.lovelywendie99.com/)

If one thinks of counter steering as “turning the bars” I think it will lead to confusion. I found it much easier to think of counter steering as leaning on the bar in the direction I wanted to go, pushing the bike down into the turn. Even doing a turn from a stand still you’ll transition seamlessly from pointing the front to leaning on the bar…with out even trying. It is one of them things that if you think too much about it, you’ll get all screwed up.

To really experience the effect, drive thru some moderate turns (at a moderate, safe speed) with only one hand on the bar…

Speaking of on hand on the bars... I took note of my countersteering today while riding. Not that I havent noticed it before...but...I was riding around and have developed a really bad habit of riding with one hand..Even at moderate speeds through fairly tight corners, Stupid I know... But after reading this thread, I started playing with it..And I have never noticed how pronounced countersteering is... Very.. Especially at lower speeds.. Very Interesting...I dont know if it has something to do with the 599 or not.. But I've never noticed it being so obvious before either...

To really experience the effect, drive thru some moderate turns (at a moderate, safe speed) with only one hand on the bar…
+1
Doing this will get you stop thinking about it and just experience the joy that is countersteering. After that, the only thing left to do is go hit the twisties with your new found skillz.

And just to be clear to them that is reading this going "I need to learn this counter steer skill"... It isn't some new technique or skill you need to acquire. If you ride, you do it. It is literally the only way possible to turn the bike at speed. But it is better to understand the why and how...

Sorry Rnd, I have to Disagree.. Not everyone "Always" Countersteer's...Have you not seeon the Video's on youtube of the guys laying in the bushes or wrapped around a tree? hmm j/k BTW :D

I stand corrected! :lol:

Best explanation of the dynamics I've seen (for those of us who aren't physicists) is Lee Parks' in his book Total Control. I also like his stuff about how to place your weight relative to the centerline of the bike and relaxing the outside arm, both while turning. Even just doing those things to a small degree lately has really helped me to maintain a better line and speed through corners. Anyway, it's the only published discussion that hasn't struck me as rather garbled, and is actually helpful.

Did you all know that Mordeth13 is back on youtube? They lifted the ban. I had no idea. Anyway, here's his version of countersteering. The first one he did was better than this one actually. Oh well...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8IdTq3_3WI&mode=related&search= (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8IdTq3_3WI&mode=related&search=)