Cornering With Confidence

Recently I have been cornering better - but not with confidence. I have never ridden a motorcycle much - but a MC seems to have a big advantage over a scooter - which is the tank (or mass) between your legs that you can hold onto a bit and do things that I am guessing are not possible on a scooter. I am not trying to emulate a MC - but would like to feel better when I am going around a corner. As I corner (RIGHT) and look through my windshield it seems as if I have three choices:1) lean to left so midpoint of windshield is to my right; 2) keep it centered; or, 3) lean to right so center of windshield is to my left.

So, what should I do? What do you do? Why?

I recently read that leaning to the left (RIGHT TURN) helps stand the SWing up more and is the way to go. When I try this it feels OK but the SWing seem more sensitive to changes in weight balance in the turn. When I lean to my right I feel as if I am dropping too far down and am going to have trouble getting up and ready for the next (usually left) turn?

Not sure if the SWing is subject to different corning dynamics than with a MC?

Don't look through your windshield.Look were you intend to go. keep your eyes well ahead and read the road, let the bike flow with you. Wherever you point it will go. 

Old Limey wrote:

Don't look through your windshield.Look were you intend to go. keep your eyes well ahead and read the road, let the bike flow with you. Wherever you point it will go. 

You are correct Old Limey - thanks for pointing this out. My OP was unclear. When cornering RIGHT do you hang your body to the RIGHT (spine on RIGHT of centerline of bike), to the LEFT, or keep it in the middle. How and where we position our body is under our control - but not sure which is the best, why, and when?

All i can say, after all these years, it just feels natural. if your cornering right get well over to the left before entering the bend and let the bike drift to the centre line as you staighten out the bend. Same for the left corners well over to the right and let the bike drift to the centre as you straighten up and accelerate. Just like riding a horse the bike feels part of you. 

Old Limey wrote:

All i can say, after all these years, it just feels natural. if your cornering right get well over to the left before entering the bend and let the bike drift to the centre line as you staighten out the bend. Same for the left corners well over to the right and let the bike drift to the centre as you straighten up and accelerate. Just like riding a horse the bike feels part of you. 

You are correct again Old Limey about picking your line as you enter the corner. However, as you push the envelope on cornering the position of your body on the SWing becomes more important. At the speed limit (in California) it typically does not matter where your body is positioned - but as you increase your speed around the corner it does matter - and what feels natural may not be the best approach. When I find myself going a bit hot in the corner I am not sure how to best adjust my body on the SWing.

First...and not being nasty....if you are looking thru windshield we are probably going to read about you getting killed---LOOK OVER in the direction you intend to go..

Second control of a MC with foot pegs you can stand on or rise on. tank to grip wit knees----is a plus----SilverWing is scooter, putt-putt BUT feet and legs very important to control and being in charge of directional changes---SilverWing, my feet go forward, I push them in the wells---ex.push right, go right, etc. Sad but feet forward position gives your spine a work out in the bumps. You sit right on scooter you have control, just plop on seat, it is like a toilet seat.

After 60 years of this and over 1.5 million miles.....I am no cornering whiz....taken the course to keep the thing upright, watching entrance speed.......and that is why I am still alive!

Top Boxes of any big size do nothing for cornering feel/control.

Car tire rear, not good idea. Of the 10 maxi scooters I have purchased new---TMAX best handling, SilverWing second,,,Burgman 400 loaded up for touring worst and tire sensitive. Be Careful.

Unless you're competing in MotoGP, I would suggest there is little need to be anywhere other than in line with the bike. When leaning into a bend, just turn your head to face where you intend to go and lean with the bike. Keep the power on just enough to maintain speed, then wind on more as you straighten up. If you are going into a corner 'too hot' I suggest you cool it a little, until you are more confident. Remember - they say slow in - fast out.
The only way to get the hang of bend work would be to take some advanced rider tuition, then you will get shown the best method in real time.
Slow speed corners are a whole different ball game.
Just my opinion.

I find it amusing a bunch of 60 year old blokes are going on about cornering, you're all still here so you must all be doing it right.

Found my first patch of diesel at 16. Never looked back since.

No one sugested the art of counter steering on this post,I have been using that method for many years now and thourouly enjoy the twisties,everyone should try the technique it wil make all the diference in your cornering,and you will find that having nothing between your legs like an engine on a motorcycle makes absolutely no difference.
It's easy,just gently push the handelbar to the left when initiateing a right turn and gently push the the handlebar to the right when initiating a left turn,this technique also works well when avoiding road hazzards,the response of the bike is much faster and very positive. the optimun word here is gentle.

Shouldn't your comment be: "push right, go right, or push left, go left"? Generally, pushing on the right handlebar would cause the bike to lean right and hence go right, and same for the left. This is why it is called "countersteering".

Sorry Meldrew, i thought i was helping. How goes it in York? I seem to have got in the habit of going to Southport on Wednesdays, maybe because it's only an hour away, get there about 2pm have an hour and home again On my ride out there today it was a bit windy 50mph i think with a few showers thrown in, a great ride, but Autumn is definately here.  

john grinsel wrote:

.... feet and legs very important to control and being in charge of directional changes---SilverWing, my feet go forward, I push them in the wells---ex.push right, go right, etc.

Thanks John for this tip - can't wait to try it!

Old Limey wrote:

Sorry Meldrew, i thought i was helping. How goes it in York? I seem to have got in the habit of going to Southport on Wednesdays, maybe because it's only an hour away, get there about 2pm have an hour and home again On my ride out there today it was a bit windy 50mph i think with a few showers thrown in, a great ride, but Autumn is definately here.  

Hello mate, Life in York is fine and I'm looking forward to the annual York Food and Drink Festival starting in a couple of days. With a bit of luck the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse will be there and I'll buy some of their kippers.

I zipped the linings back into my Rev'It two piece today, most of my bike stuff has been in storage since I moved to York so I've been a bit limited for gear choice this year. My Silver Wing needs servicing too and I'll try and get that done before we move into our new house next month. At the moment we've slowly packing up the contents of our house for the move, and with getting married and all the other stuff going on generally, I haven't done as much riding this year as I normally would have. I usually go to Hull to get the ferry, this year I was there helping out at a Methodist Church Synod.