Best way to change your line mid-turn?
 

You have committed to the turn. You're already leaned over and something is going to force you to change your line. Debris, pothole that wasn't there the day before, dumb sorority girl who hasn't mastered the Don't Walk sign yet (happens to me constantly on UPenn campus at a turn signal).

So what's the best way to change your line to avoid the Bow Head who's about to end her college career in the 1st semester of her freshman year? Brake? Throttle? Counter-steer? A combination of them? Street speeds

I guess it all has to do with how much you need to correct and how leaned over you are. I like to use the brakes to tighten my line and the throttle to open it up, but this is during track conditions. On the street I use steering inputs the most.

I seem to throttle down to tighten lines. Backing off the throttle, the bike seems to fall deeper into the turn naturally. And since I'm throttling down, I'm trading speed for traction so I can take a harder lean without exceeding the traction limits.

If I need to widen a turn I tend to use both counter-steering and throttle to change the line. The steering input + throttle up (gently) gets the bike to stand up and widen out the turn. Of course the question is:

What's the proper way? Braking in a lean is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing / haven't practiced it. Handful of front while leaned over will get you a faceful of asphalt when the front slides out. And too much rear brake will kick the rear out of line with the front, leading to a possible high side I think

Give this a read...
Amazon.com: Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track (9781893618077): Nick Ienatsch, Kenny Roberts: Books
It is a great book for riding on the street.

I had to figure this out today the hard way. I was going around a slow sweeping, uphill, right hand turn at 55, (speed limit is 50), and noticed a 1x1 piece of plywood in my line in the turn. I gently applied rear brake and rolled off the throttle some and leaned a little harder. Worked good for me, not sure if it was the right way to handle that. I was just getting into the turn, so I was more on the left side of my lane so I had room to go either way, but my instincts just reacted that way.

Depending on the situation I tend to roll off the throttle and lean more into the corner or brake ever so slightly and stand the bike up and widen my line. There was one day I was coming around an off camber downhill right hander and encountered a mass amount of leaves. My only option was to swing way wide, I ended up about a foot in the other lane but I returned to my lane as soon as possible. Luckily there was no traffic, I was a little shaken up over that. With as far into the corner as I was though and the amount of leaves idk if the bike and I would have made it out unscathed. I could've never corrected my lean angle quick enough to stay in my lane and be ok.

the simple physics of the maneuver are that you have to use a combination of all three to tighten the turn, and both power and counter-steer to widen a turn. in saying that you use braking to tighten, i am including deceleration as a braking force, and not just actual brake application. you have to slow down somewhat, to tighten any turn to any appreciable degree.

from what you are describing, you cant be going faster than 15-20 mph. or youre doing much faster than you suppose to on the intersection anyways. at that speed, you should have enough time to just straighten the bike and stop. i doubt youre dragging knee there.

plus, if you take the blond in front of her or behind her, you dont know what her reaction will be. she might jump right in front of you in panic trying to avoid you.


to explin my chioce, combination--- every turn is different and the reaction to speed up, slow down, take it wide or not., will come at the split second without you knowing it. if you have enogh time to think about the decisions youre going to make, you have enough time to stop.

I feel people don't give this enough thought. That's kinda of why I created the thread. This is from another topic someone else created

26. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would over brake and skid the rear wheel, and under brake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to counter steer and swerve was essentially absent.

Being able to brake effictively is a necessary tool in your toolbox but it cannot be your only one. In the same scenario braking for the blonde gives the VW following you thru the turn time to catch up with you in a bad way. Riders need to think about this. If they don't and the situation comes up where they have to change their line, all they're left with is gueswing and prayer.

thats why i always look in the mirrors every time i slow down even for turns to see if there is cars behind me. i am paranoid about stupids rear ending me.
i let my body react to the moment. i trust my reactions to make the right choices. i know it doesnt make much sense but it helps me make the split second decisions. it never failed me so far. sometimes, like i said, if you dont react and think about it. it might be too late. on the road you have to be decisive or accidents will happen.

at this point, if you dont want to hurt the stupid blond crossing on the red, the reaction would be to slow down and go behind her making the turn tighter. depending how far shes on the crosswalk to hit your horn speed up and make the turn wide.
the last one, my least favorite is to lowside (depending on the situation, might be the only choice)the bike without hurting anybody.

besides the VW should be watching for you anyways.


i dont think there is a right answer to this poll. but thats me.