It call counter steering. Depending on what bike you are driving it's usually more effective at higher speeds. You will get used to it and will become second nature and won't even think about anymore.

 

Really, the only way you'll gain confidence is by doing it. The concept you describe, counter steer, is the same on all two wheeled vehicles. If you're a cyclist and haven't run into a building, you know how to counter steer, you just haven't had to think about it. The gyroscopic effect that creates counter steer is more evident the faster the bike is moving (because the wheels are turning faster). It's also more noticeable on the motorcycle because the gyroscopes (wheels) are more massive than on your bicycle.

If you want a perfectly safe way to experiment a bit, take the front wheel off your bicycle and hold it by the axel in front you. Have a friend spin the wheel as fast as they can get it going. Now try to push the right side of the axle forward. The wheel will bank to the right. Push the left side of the axel forward. The wheel will bank left. This is what you're doing when you steer your bike at speed. At what speed counter steer begins depends somewhat on the bike, but if you haven't run into anything yet, your hands have already figured it out.

Here's a video that might help.

Good luck, stay safe, enjoy the ride!

 

Really, the only way you'll gain confidence is by doing it. The concept you describe, counter steer, is the same on all two wheeled vehicles. If you're a cyclist and haven't run into a building, you know how to counter steer, you just haven't had to think about it. The gyroscopic effect that creates counter steer is more evident the faster the bike is moving (because the wheels are turning faster). It's also more noticeable on the motorcycle because the gyroscopes (wheels) are more massive than on your bicycle.

If you want a perfectly safe way to experiment a bit, take the front wheel off your bicycle and hold it by the axel in front you. Have a friend spin the wheel as fast as they can get it going. Now try to push the right side of the axle forward. The wheel will bank to the right. Push the left side of the axel forward. The wheel will bank left. This is what you're doing when you steer your bike at speed. At what speed counter steer begins depends somewhat on the bike, but if you haven't run into anything yet, your hands have already figured it out.

Here's a video that might help.

Good luck, stay safe, enjoy the ride!

It's called "gyroscopic procession". Physics dictate that any force applied to the gyroscope in rotation will take effect 90° from the application point. It's more intense on bikes with heavier wheels and tires.
As far as turning confidence, the best advice I ever received was from my Dad who raced AMA flat track #54 until 1971 when I was born. His advice was to try to envision the arc or "line" of your whole turn as soon as possible by ALWAYS LOOKING AHEAD THROUGH THE TURN FAR AS YOU CAN! Where you will be is more important than where you are. And you will instinctively and subconsciously go where your eyes go!
Last week while following a newly HD'd couple down Banner Grade (CA hwy78) in Julian, CA; I watched one rider completely freeze and fail to turn in a switchback because she was looking at the wall of granite she did not want to hit! She hit it, after locking her back tire and laying down a paper plated '22 sportster. She may give up and never ride again because no one ever told her to look down the road and look around the turns ahead! You go where your eyes are looking everytime! Hope this helps you and others as it has kept me alive after riding 20k miles per year in San Diego since 1992!! Let the good times roll.

 

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

As has been mentioned, you already do this instinctively with your cycles. Practice will give your the confidence that you want. Sometime we over analyze too much. Do not try to over think it. When I was learning to walk again I got a great piece of life advice about things we know work already, "Don't think about it just do it.". From there it was all about practice and I walked unaided by crutches or cane on a new prosthetic leg in 3 days. Practice and it will come naturally.

Enjoy and ride safe, welcome to the community.

 

Physics. Any force exerted on a rotating object (your wheels, bicycle or motorcycle) will affect the object/wheel 90 degrees relative to the rotation. Think about it. On a bicycle you have doubtlessly turned just by leaning. Handlebars straight, lean right, bike turns right. Lean left, bike turns left. Force applied to top of wheel (leaning right or left), force acts 90 degrees in the direction of rotation. Bike turns right or left, as if you turned the handlebars. This is where it gets tricky. Push bars in the direction you want to turn, force acts 90 degrees in the direction of rotation. Push bars left, force applied to back of wheel, force ACTS on top of wheel, pushing top of wheel left, just like a lean. Same push bar left, force applied to front of wheel, force acts on bottom of wheel pushing bottom of wheel right.

 

Good thread, really like the replies. Nothing to add, just get out there and practice.

 

Also, Not too be a smart *ss,Just Remember-TURNING A BIKE IS NOT ONLY WHICH WAY YOUR PUSHING THE BARS-It's Also get used to Leaning your body into turns/@Different speeds. Which I'm Sure you know Also applies to road Bikes........

 

I look at it this way
Lean steering is used for long lazy curves and low speed turns
Counter steering can usually be done one the bike reaches 25MPH some can do it sooner but 25 is pretty consistent on all bikes i have ridden.
Counter steering is used in sharper curves at higher speeds or when traveling in traffic to change lanes quickly.
The crux of counter steering is that you need to shift your body position on the bike to be more stable through the turn or quick lane change. You are counter weighting the bike instead on leaning with it and this may be why you don't feel as stable doing it.
To practice and get a better feel for it find a long straight stretch of road and practice pushing the bars the opposite of the direction you want to go and doing S sweeps in your lane while shifting your weight to counter balance. then begin using it while driving in traffic. It will become second nature and may save your life when some cager locks up his breaks or pulls out in front of you since it allows your to change direction or lane very quickly

 

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

Just a follow up, first thank you for putting this out. I have ridden for a lot of years now and, as several have said, many actions including counter steering are second nature. I have a good bit of twisty in the first part of my ride leaving the house and at the end going home. So, I paid closer attention as I rode home yesterday and out this morning. I have 6 turns in about 1/4 of a mile to get on the highway for my commute. I run in second gear through it all, between 10 and 25 MPH. I find that I use counter steer and some lean to zip through it all. Just nature and a fun start to the day.

Ride safe and enjoy.

 

Thank you all for your insights and knowledge. It really means a lot to me. I wish the safety instructors had more wisdom to explain your way.

I'll keep practicing and increasing my limits.

 

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

Not much to add to all the good advice. I will say that when I first started to ride a cruiser, the first thing I noticed was that they “like” to stay upright. They are long, low, and heavy. I had to get used to pushing even the 900 harder over than what I was accustomed to. On your bike, it is so flickable that you’re doing it subconsciously. I hesitate to advise that you push it over harder because I don’t want you to get carried away. But essentially that’s what you’re going to need to ease into. When you want to turn left; push with your left hand and let your body counter just slightly leaned to the right while the bike leans left under you. Your left shoulder will drop and your right shoulder will rise. You’ll know when you pushed too hard when the floor board scrapes a little and you get that 2 second heart attack. Realize that could happen someday and don’t over react by pulling the bike back up really hard in your turn or you will high side it. That nasty physics thing again.

 

This was a perfect explanation. Thank you.

 

PS. I think it confuses new riders when safety instructors say “steer in the opposite direction” it’s not wrong of course, but could be worded differently. Think about it this way instead. Push right, go right. Push left, go left. Sure when you push on the left it’s like your steering right….but it’s easier to wrap your head around that when you push on the left it’s like your pushing the left aide of the bike down which of
course we know that bike is going where it’s leaning. The rest is easy because most people will subconsciously lean their body in the opposite direction

 

Kind of a pressure more than a push in my opinion.

 

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

Your pushing into the lean and the lean does the
turning. Slow turns it doesn't apply

 

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

Like others have said, counter steering is correct. What they have not said is why. Sometimes knowing why will help you do something that seems counter intuitive.
To ride any MC or bicycle, the contact patchs of the tires must be directly under the center of gravity. If it is not, you will tend to fall. To turn left you will want to move the contact patch to the right (turn bars right) so that the bike center of gravity moves to the left , where it 'falls' left for a bit and consequently turns left. Once in a stable left turn, the center of gravity is still directly above the contact patches because of centripetal force.
If you want to go straight again, you must get the contact to the left of the center of gravity. So turn bars left. Tho the bike now appears to stand back up vertically, it is actually 'falling' against its center of gravity.
This is tru at all speeds, tho clearly obvious at faster speeds. A great visualization of this is a kid riding a bicycle for the first time. See how wobbily they are? They are constantly trying to keep the contact patches under their center of gravity. They don't know what they are doing, we tell them it is balance, but balance is properly maintaining center of gravity over contact patch.
There are other factors involved. If you lay a cone on its side and roll it, it goes around in a circle. When viewed from the back or front, a bike or MC tire is round, this is actually a varying angel cone. So just leaning a tire causes it to turn. This contributes to stability in a turn, but counter steering must still be done to initiate changes of direction.

 

Understanding the forces and reactions related to countersteer can certainly help develop better high speed turning and control, but I believe all this 'over-thinking' of the process does nothing but confuse most new riders. How many of you taught your 5 yr old about countersteer when you put them on their first bike? I've been riding bicycles since 1960 and riding motorcycles since 1981. I never even heard the term 'countersteer' until 2007 on a ride with a friend who wanted to impress me with his MC knowledge. Telling someone that they have to use countersteer to ride their motorcycle is like telling a pigeon he has to use aerodynamics to fly. That's why when people ask about it, I usually start of by telling them that if they've ridden 100 feet without running into anything, they already know how to countersteer.

 

Not always true but understand your position SteveJB
I have seen many riders that are just starting out and have ridden for a couple of months as well as a few riders that have actually been riding for a long time that have trouble in turns because they have no idea how to counter steer and actually don't ever counter steer or if they do its to such a small amount that they have no idea.
Counter steering comes naturally for some but not for all. I just finished watching a break down of an accident where the rider clearly didn't know how to counter steer got into trouble in a corner and tried to turn the front wheel harder into the turn.
Of course the bike stood up straight and ran him head on into what he was trying to avoid.
Practicing counter steering and gradually increasing your lean angle and speed through turns is a good way to develop the muscle memory or subconscious counter steering a lot of us that have ridden for a long time already do with out thinking about it.
The more you practice the more likely you will use it when it matters and not panic and try to steer the bike resulting in it going the opposite direction you wanted it to go at a critical time.
And of course ALWAYS look where you want to go not at what you want to avoid. Target fixation is very real and the reason why i have to stay clear of female joggers in yoga pants.
Cant afford another ticket LOL

 

If you want some great instructional videos this guy is the best.

 

I've taken his course through one of his many instructors that he has across the U.S. Well worth the money I put out for it.

 

Awesome cornering discussion!

I would like to add a couple really important things to the discussion...

As you build confidence, remember to keep your cornering in control. Don't push it past 80%. You want that 20% reserved, in case there is a surprise in your line. That could be debris in the road, something suddenly obstructing your line, a tighter corner than you expected, et cetera.

Don't chop your throttle, brake, or shift in corners. Doing so will affect your suspension, which will affect your center of gravity. That can cause either a low side or high side crash. Positive throttle is necessary to maintain your line, along with your countersteer and lean.

 

Positive throttle is necessary to maintain your line, along with your countersteer and lean.

Which is why we downshift before cornering even if we don't need engine braking.

 

I'm relatively new to riding. I've been a road cyclist for much of my life, and although the balance is similar, turning is not. In my safety course, the instructor kept talking about pushing in the opposite direction of a turn. This completely boggled my brain and I just couldn't get my head around the concept...especially at lower speeds. Now that I'm riding daily, despite the cold, I'm sort of understanding the concept. It seems with an ever-so-slight push in the opposite direction, my turns are getting sharper and I'm able to throttle into it a bit better. Still having trouble understanding the full concept/physics of the method.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice to boost my confidence when I'm going into turns. Let's just say, I plan my routes in my head currently, to avoid sharp turns, both with/without speed.

Yeah, the old countersteering problem. While you are not actually turning the bar to the opposite direction, you push just a tad on the bars the direction you are turning. In a left curve put pressure on the left side of bar and the bike will start to lean in that direction. Same thing I. A right curve, put pressure on the right bar and the bike will start to lean that way. Now this doesn’t work for really slow turns or turning from a stop that will still require turning of the bar.

 

. Also there are some really good vids on countersteering on Youtube, and MC Ryder has really helped out my son a lot.