Nervous in corners

Participant

Participant

Participant

Caporegime
Joined
13 May 2003
Posts
34,520
Location
Warwickshire
I keep thinking I'm gonna lowside my bike round bends, I'm completely paranoid about it to the point I'm on edge every time I go round something that is any tighter than a long sweeping bend.

I do not have a powerful bike (125) and I've got almost new Michelin Pilot Street tyres front and back with correct tyre pressure. There's nothing about the way my bike particularly behaves that makes me worry.

Are you ultra careful and cautious especially in this weather, taking each bend like a completely wimp, or am I underestimating the grip my bike has? What are the classic causes of lowside accidents?
 
How long have you been riding the bike? If it hasnt been a long time then I would probably be similar in that I wouldnt want to do certain things in wet conditions.

Don't forget that every surface has a different level of grip and unless you know how the surface is going to react - play it safe.
 
MowyTone said:
How long have you been riding the bike? If it hasnt been a long time then I would probably be similar in that I wouldnt want to do certain things in wet conditions.

Don't forget that every surface has a different level of grip and unless you know how the surface is going to react - play it safe.
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I concur!

Get to know the road and it's surface and you'll get more confident and know it's limits.

To be honest, i've only ever got my knee down on roads a few times, on good surface, usually roundabouts. I'm not one to tip it in far, you can have fun without getting your knee down.

You'll get used to it the more you ride.

Just out of interest, what bike do you have? Being a 125 i assume its got very skinny tyres? This will have a huge affect on how far over you can go.
 
I got my Tiger 800 last Thursday and loads of people slate the OEM tyres as having as much grip as a punished Saudi thief especially in the wet. On my first ride, completely unintentionally, I scraped my right foot on the floor going round a roundabout. In the wet yesterday it felt planted round bends/corners.

It's all about confidence and riding within your ability and to the conditions. Most bikers ability will be less than their bike is capable of and that's a good thing.

You'll get there.
 
When you are nervous you automatically stiffen up, and when you stiffen up it's impossible to ride a bike smoothly so you get more nervous and the cycle continues. So the first thing to do is relax, especially relax your arms, and your grip on the bars (you probably have a death grip at the moment). You should have next to no body weight being supported by your arms, and your elbows should always be bent rather than locked out.

The next thing to do is stop scanning the ground right in front of your bike, I can almost guarantee you are doing this if you are nervous about grip. You need to look much further ahead, and always in the direction you want the bike to go. Pay attention for any hazards but don't get distracted by them or concentrate on them.
 
in this weather where its slippy/wet I take my time when cornering,also lookout for slippy drain covers/road marking paint

if I can see that the road is dry I give it more beans into the corner,you'll also feel it start to slip when your on the limits and you can pull the bike upright
 
wazza300 said:
in this weather where its slippy/wet I take my time when cornering,also lookout for slippy drain covers/road marking paint

if I can see that the road is dry I give it more beans into the corner,you'll also feel it start to slip when your on the limits and you can pull the bike upright
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just dnt bake!
 
I passed my test January this year and have been riding a 600 since, I still get ultra nervous sometimes even on roads I know very well where as other times I'm completely relaxed. I don't know what it is but soon as I feel that doubt I know I'm running wide in my lane through that corner/ roundabout. Once I start to stiffen up I try to relax and look ahead and believe in my bikes ability but by that point correcting can almost be too late. Only way is to shift body into turn, relax but maintain low throttle and ride it round, takes great confidence n proper gives you that sick feeling in your stomach. Also never pull those front brakes, I did that in a corner where I second guessed myself, on anti skid surface as well, I came off at just under 40, bike went into a bush with a wire fence and and I slid down the road. Worst part, I knew the bike had made it I just panicked. Lesson learnt. Of course proper road positioning for a corner, entry speed and gear can take away most of this. And in the wet Michelin pilots I think feel far more planted than in the dry.
 
Rossi~ said:
Being a 125 i assume its got very skinny tyres? This will have a huge affect on how far over you can go.
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Incorrect, the profile of the tyre will determine how far over you can go. 125's don't have wide tyres as they have adequate contact patch for the weight and power already, increasing the size without increasing the mass will spread the load over a larger area, and risk loss of traction in poor conditions.
 
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This is something you really only over come by riding more and getting more of a feel for your bike.

It takes me ages to tune in to a new bike as I dont ride all that often often any more.

I've had my Tiger since the end of June and its only got 400 miles on it now.
 
There's nothing wrong with being cautious in the wet, I ride a vfr800 at the moment which feels planted in most conditions, but I'm always cautious on wet roads. Its often just in your head, but it pays to be cautious, especially at this time of year. There's always a patch of gravel, diesel, wet leaves, road marking etc waiting to catch you out if you're paying attention.

If you're new to the bike it might just be that you're just taking a while to get used to it. But if it doesn't feel right in dry conditions either then you might want to get the bike checked. What the other guys said about riding style is also important, try not to tense up to much, relax and let the bike do the work for you.
 
Best to gradually build up your confidence and trying to ride more relaxed. Perhaps move your weight slightly towards the inside of a corner, but nowhere near any sort of kneedown style! Keeping your vision focused far ahead (as mentioned above) also helps a lot. Basically you tend to go where you look.

Course it never hurts to be cautious but as long as you realise that at the same time you're often not at the limits of the bike's cornering grip.

Don't get caught out thinking you're at the limit of the bike then letting the bike go when a corner or hazard comes up, when you still had grip/lean angle to spare. Course the opposite is thinking you've got loads in reserve when in fact you're on the limit already. This was first thing they went through on an advanced riding course I did many years ago.
 
You will be suprised by how much grip your bike really has, like others have said relax your grip on the bars. It also helps to take the correct line through bends, you want to maximise your vision.

Early on in my riding, one of the best things that improved my riding was a day doing a bikesafe course, it sounds lame, I'm defo not one who loves the police, but you ride with very competent police officers. They will show up most people on their large pan euros, or whatever they are riding these days.

They give you a basic understanding into what they teach on IAM courses etc, its all about road positioning and making you smoother in the bends. Helped me no end.

A good video to watch is "Keith Codes Twist of the Wrist 2".

Very comprehensive video on the handling characteristics of bikes, common problems people have and how to corner more confidently.

If you are a new rider mate its all about confidence at the end of the day which you can only get from putting in the miles.

Cheers
 
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