I used to have a hard time with curves and everybody kept saying you need to counter steer more. This is when I used to ride sportbikes. I never really trusted the idea of counter-steering until I felt the full effects of it. The way I found out was I found a two-lane rode with no one on it and while going straight I pushed on the handle bars. While going straight you can really feel how physics effects your steering. Press first on the right and you will feel your bike lean to the right and go right. Next use a left press and you will feel your bike lean left turn left. Once you get used to this on a straight road you will be able to do it it turns. Your bike will be swerving right and left going down the straight rode. The only problem I have with counter-steering now is that I'm on a bagger I have a tendancy to drag my floor boards on turns. Goog luck and take a class.

 

[QUOTE=BadBobOk;5274668]Watch these Goldwing riders. These guys can ride.

A few can but ? I've had more bad experiences around them than cagers.

 

Sounds like you need a hands on lesson in counter-steering. Once you have that down, you'll have alot more fun and ride safe through turns.

 

All good advise. Countersteering in the curves is very important - you don't mention if you do this but if not try it. And definitely keep your eyes focused at the far exit of the curve (with an occasional glance to the roadway surface ahead for potholes, dead rabbits, gravel patches, debris, etc). Not only do I focus my eyes at the exit of the curve but I find it helps to literally point my nose/chin at the exit of the curve also and this takes you right through the curve with no effort whatsoever - it's like the bike just goes there on it's own.

 

Pick up Dave Hough's book Proficient Motorcycling and read it cover to cover. He discusses all of your issues and more, in great depth. I never would have believed that I could have learned so much about riding from a book.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering

 

You have received lots of good advice here and my personal opinion is the advice you have received on countersteering is pricless. Countersteering is much easier if you make sure you are relaxed and not squeezing the grips.

After a 20 year layoff I got back into riding (at age 49) and rode right at 130,000 miles in 5 1/2 years. During that time I took a 3 day Keith Code Super Bike Racing School and it was the most fun I ever had (at least with my clothes on). The knowledge and experience I obtained was unbelievable and he is a BIG believer in countersteering.

If you will practice, relax and just feel the bike and road your riding enjoyment will increase 100 fold on the twisties. Work at releasing the fear of the bike falling over and remember that the right amount of speed will not allow the bike to fall over (assuming no sand and gravel and you can inspect the road for those problem coming into the curves).

Did you ever see a motorcycle rider at a county or state fair where he was in a cylinder and gradually built up speed until he was riding totally perpendicular to the cylinder wall? Had he shut down the throttle the motorcycle would have crashed to the bottom and he would have busted his butt. However, maintaining that constant speed keep the bike from falling.

Good luck on your progression and keep us informed on how it turns out.

hondo

 

Navigate curves by pushing and pulling on the bars. Pretty simple. Try using your right hand on the throttle only. You don't need your left hand to do this. Push forward on the bar and the bike will turn right. Pull back on the bar and the bike will go left. It's just that simple! Practice that just changing lanes and you'll be amazed at how easy it is ride and navigate curves. You only steer a bike at low speeds, ie parking lots, intersections etc. In order to navigate at speed you must countersteer... Steering in curve will get you killed.

 

This is by far some of the best advice I have read on this forum.

 

I don't quite understand how you can be lugging the engine in a curve - you should be in a low gear at higher rpms in the curve and by just decelerating and accelerating controlling the bike. You should definitely take the MSF advanced rider course and buy the "Ride Like a Pro" dvd. Both will greatly improve your riding skills. And these are Harleys. They really don't go that fast through curves. Certainly not like a sport bike. Through an 180 degree curve, you will be going slower than most cars. Once your're out of the apex, hit the throttle and accelerate out of the curve. When I had my Sportster I used to love to hit turns and curves as fast as I could. My current bikes are slugs through the same curves - the floor boards limiting the lean.