Counter-steering the M50

[Cruise2Live]

In the MSF course, the one thing I seemed to suck at was the counter-steering exercise. For us, the exercise was this:

1) Enter at the right side of the narrow end of a 20' x 40' rectangle. 2) Before you reach the other end turn the handlebars all the way to the left and do a U-turn. 3) After you complete the turn, cross over to the right side again and this time do another U-turn to the right (i.e., complete a figure-eight). You will end up on the left side of the rectangle traveling in the same direction you were going when you entered. 4) Exit the rectangle by continuing straight. The catch is, you can't put your foot down or cross any edge line with any part of your bike.

Although I was the only person in the class with virtually no prior riding experience, I did real well on just about every other manuever. I passed the course (and qualified for the Colorado motorcycle endorsement) easily. BUT I STUNK UP THE COUNTER-STEERING EXERCISE EVERY TIME! I could not keep the bike inside the lines, and when I got close to doing that I put my foot down. Everyone else in the class was able to do this almost perfectly.

What the heck was I doing wrong? I know you can't see me do it, so I guess what I need to know is what is the right way to do this? I know we are supposed to scootch our butt to the outside of the bike in a sort-of anti-lean and turn the handlebars until they can't turn any more, but I can't get the hang of it. I'm just nervous I'm going to put the bike down.

Plus, all the time you are doing this you have to be gently feathering the clutch through the friction zone to give yourself just enough speed. I know that starting speed was part of my problem. The teacher was always yelling at me to either speed up or slow down before I started my first turn.

Can anybody tell me how to do this right? I just won't feel like a decent rider until I learn how.

Thanks in advance!

C2L

[trini0]

First of all, practise. I need to practise this myself.
But, read what I said here
http://www.suzuki-bikes.com/forum/sh...61&postcount=4
This is basically how I was taught to do slow turns, aka counter balance,
not counter steering as your subject is suggesting.
If you have your MSF workbook, turn to page 21, and read the last paragraph,
and look at the illustration on "Counterweighting Posture".
When I last practised it on the C50, I didn't need to feather the clutch, as first
gear momentum, was enough for me to get through the turn.
Im not expert. I need to practise. Last week, I was making a U-turn,
and put my foot down, and rolled over the grassy sidewalk.
So practise as much as you can. You'll get it..

[golftee]

best advice besides practice....turn your head...and keep turning it...the bike will follow...

[JRW_Assassin]

also - try tucking your elbows in close to your body, and trail your foot on the rear brake.

[Trapper]

Squeeze the tank with your knees.

[Hank_M50]

I don't know if will help but I had the same problem at first. I would look at the ground to see if I was in the lines. It was hard at first but keep your head up and look through the turn the bike stays up and no need to put your foot down. Good luck and kept on practicing

[Pinhy]

though i am NO EXPERT on this subject (in fact i am in same oat with you, this was the one exercise i got points deducted on in MSF class)...i do know that if you look down at the lines/road, that is where you will go...down (foot down).

i could always do the first Uturn fine, but then didnt get it around and across fast enough to do the 2nd one inside the lines.

the key is FEATHER THE CLUTCH. though this is totally opposite normal thinking (or my thinking at least) when you feel like you need to put your foot down, engage more clutch which gives you a little more speed and tries to straighten you up and makes you kinda accelerate through the uturn faster and tighter it seems

i need to ge tout and practice this again...i did it a lot after the class and getting my new bike, but havent since.

the really goo dthing though is: you hardly EVER have to make a figure 8 in a tight area like that on the roads...uturns give you much mor eroom than that 99% of the time.

.

[dertiedawg]

Cruise2live,
There are several things you need to do to achieve this flawlessly. You need to look where you want to go, stay off the clutch and give just a little throttle while holding the rear brake lightly (this will stabilize the drive train and the bike -- this is the key to extremely slow riding --). Practice this and let me know how it works for you.

Dertiedawg

[Fishpart]

Our MSF in PA they provide the bikes I had a dual sport, using second gear while doing this excercise helps out greatly and the head turn is extreme but needed.

[Cruise2Live]

Originally Posted by dertiedawg

Cruise2live,
There are several things you need to do to achieve this flawlessly. You need to look where you want to go, stay off the clutch and give just a little throttle while holding the rear brake lightly (this will stabilize the drive train and the bike -- this is the key to extremely slow riding --). Practice this and let me know how it works for you.

Dertiedawg

Thanks, Dertie & All.

I think you have something here, Dert. I seem to have better luck giving more throttle, rather than slowing way down. Haven't tried with the rear brake piece, though. I will give this a go the next time I practice, which will be this week sometime.

Thanks again!

C2L

[aguyintx66]

At the MSF course I did this one the best and the thing you have to remember and that helped me the most. Is to look where you want to go. You have to turn all the way around and look at the other end of the box and keep your head up. You will go where you are looking. I hope this helps a little.

[tlwisner]

The Figure-8 in the box excercise has nothing to do with counter-steering, two entirely different concepts.

If you would like to improve your slow speed skills, check out Jerry Paladino's training video "Ride Like A Pro 3" and you will discover how to do tight, full lock turns at very low speed while maintaining your stability. It's not really difficult, but it's not intuitive either. The MSF: BRC course does a lousy job of teaching low speed proficiency (sorry, it's true...), so many people think that the figure-8 excercise is difficult or impossible when it is actually pretty darn simple with proper use of the throttle, clutch and rear brake.

http://www.ridelikeapro.com/