Was head up a road yesterday and as I was coming through a nice curve at 45 I see something headed for me at eye level from my left travel in the same general direction as me. As it got closer it was a very large hawk about to cross in front of me level with my head. Not wanting to grab brakes as doing so would have invloved straightening the bike and heading into the opposite lane which was occupied by oncoming traffic, and sure as hell was not wanting to hit with my head (I also ruled out punching it as another poster had done some time back with rather "crappy" results). What I did was leaned way to the right while letting the bike get a little more upright figuring the worst would be I might just get it with the windshield or best plan not at all. I cant tell you how close this things was from my head as we crossed paths I think I might have been able to count his wing and tail feathers had I not been pre-occupied with keeping me and the bike shiney.

Add that to the list of things not covered in MSF training!

 

no.

Counter steering is turning left to lean right. If you are negotiating a curve at any speed above walking, you are counter steering.

Try this. When in a large area (parking lot) run the bike up to about 20 MPH. let go of the left bar and push gently on the right bar. Pushing on the right bar will turn the front wheel to the left, but will cause the bike to lean to the right, resulting in a right turn.

What you did was to shift the center of gravity of the bike/rider package farther outboard, that would tighten your line, so to maintain your line, you had to straighten the bike up a bit to bring the CG back.

Tim

 

The counter-streeing part was a joke................................maybe I should have put encounter steering!!!

 

Did the same thing but in my truck, big bird headed for my windshield, I leaned right, didnt help he still hit the windshield, but it didnt crack! So maybe it helped. (true story)

 

Never ever swirve to miss an animal. Dead animals don't bother me at all. Running off the road or into a car does.

 

shoulda punched him []

 

Guy on HD in Oklahoma was killed the other day when he did not swerve to miss a dog. Hit him, down he went. Dead at the scene.

[IMG]local://upfiles/1638/EE838B4AB98D4C04AA1126D4458F5E8A.jpg[/IMG]

 

Hey Smith, I say Good Job! Any encounter that you walk away from is a good one. Any that you can drive away from is Great! The fact that you saw the danger before hand and kept a cool head so that you could bring it home in one piece deserves a pat on the back.

Semper Fi!

 

You should'a stuck him, right in the beak, he'd thought twice before doing it to an HD rider again.

 

According to my MSF Basic Rider manual, the glossary states the following.
"Countersteer- a momentary steering deflection away from the intended direction of travel caused by pressing on the handgrip in the direction of the turn;
used to produce a lean in the desired direction; press right, lean right, go right; press left, lean left, go left."

This counter steering technique is also taught in the Ride Like A Pro classes.

Nellybelle