I've never been to a rider safety course but when I was 11 sitting atop the mighty CB360, my Dad had me place my hands on the grips and push with my thumbs telling me to push right to go right and vice versa. Thats the way I learned to ride and I always tell my passengers to sit up straight and hold on. My 2nd oldest son thought he would do the leaning thing with out my knowledge and about put us in the ditch, that required an attitude adjustment.

 

I bought my FLHX last year after a 20 year down time. I took the MSF course to knock down my insurance cost and it was the best thing I ever did. When I was younger I believe that the countersteer was instinctive. Because we discussed it in class and used it on the course I started doing little "excercises" similar to what others have already described. 2 months after gettingmy StreetGlide I had an entire recap ring fly out from under the car in front of me while in the car pool lane. Countersteer kicked in just like instinct and I missed it. All I can say is I could feel it whoosh past my knee and, if I hadn't practiced countersteer, going down in the middle of heavy traffic just doesn't sound too fun. I'm sold. Also bought the Ride like a Pro video. Good info....

 

I remember when I first "discovered" the phenomenon of countersteering on my Honda 750 a few years ago. I was riding along with one hand on the throttle and found the bike was continually wanting to drift to the center line. I soon realized this was happening because I was pulling the bar back with my right hand without realizing it. Once I figured this out, the light came on and I understood countersteering. I hadn't been on a street bike in nearly 20 years and never took a MSF then orsince.

I wanted to thank everyone for reminding me to practice this on my 07 FLHTC before I need it and it's too late.

 

This has been great, 52 replies and over a 1000 views. I hoped it helped some riders here

 

I did road race schools in Edmonton,Calgary,Gimli,Brainerd
MSF instructor in ND.MN. as well.

 

Sorry guys but I felt a bump was needed on this thread. I had a friend take delivery this weekend of a brand new 07 RKC. He was a dirtbiker for years but neverhad a street bike. He came by the house to show it to me right after leaving the dealerand in the conversation mentioned how he had faded across the line once or twice already and he was very bothered by it. Ihad to explain the the whole countersteering conceptto him and few hours later he called me to tell me he owed me one for explaining this and was totally amazed.

The next day we took the wives for a ride and I watched this guy improve to the point where after just one day of consentrating and practicing it he was a 100% improved rider. He even got confident enough to come up and ride beside me a few times and I was able to tell he was starting to be able to be confident in putting the bike where he wanted and keeping it there. It made me realize that it is not just for curves but also to just put the bike on the road where you want it and to be able to hold any line one light sweeper and bends in the road. Just as you dirve your car and are ever so slightly adjusting the wheel to keep the car where you want it in the lane, the countersteering does the same for the bike. I aslo notice there are very few people that want me to ride beside them, which my preferred method. I think this is one of the reasons.

There is nothing sweeter than getting dialed in with a friend to the point where you ride side by side, change lanes in unisone and are basically on the same page with one another. You truly feel like you are riding with someone and it creates a very neat bonding experience. You don't realize it until you go out with a stranger.

Everyday someone new comes on here to be welcomed and I still feel very strongly about this being part of the welcoming information. All the pipes / seats / ECM mods and so on are not going to improve a new riders ability to survive the street.

I would love to also here from anyone that read this thread and gained knowledge and or improvedthere skill level.

 

Part of our MSF "Riding Test" was to do a hard swerve to swerve around an imaginary "mattress" in the road. Did it around 20mph. You enter the cone area and have to then NOT throttle down and do a Right Swerve to avoid the object and then a quick left swerve to get back into riding position.

Was great to use the little 125s they had for this as it really let you lean the bikes (something I probably wouldn't have voluntarily done on my Ultra) through the swerves. Countersteering is great. Hard press right to shoot-right and then immediately hard-press left to get back left and into position.

Riding into work there are man-hole covers all down the road to our building. Often do counter-steering swerves to practice.

One thing I didn't see much posting about .... if you are wanting to have fun in the twisties and whatnot.... ensure you 'look far enough ahead' and not at the apex of the curve or you will inevidibly hit the apex and risk starting to upright the bike and drive over the center.

Keep an eye ahead to the next curve or the end of the current curve.

 

NEW RIDERS!! This is a very important topic! before having a chance to ride my Road King because of snow! I was reading up on countersteering, (I did take the MScourse last fall) something that I was totally aware of with smaller bikes, but had been awhile riding a big bike, my first ride was all about getting to know the bike, mainly side streets and slow parking lot maneuvers, the windshield was off and it was fun! decided to put the windshield on ( it was a cool day ) and take my first run on the highway, the windshield could not get any worse for height, have to bend down to look through it or sit up to look over it, I also put Wild1 508's handlebars on whichchanges your hand position, more wheelbarrow'ish and I think makes countersteering more sensitive, merging onto the highway from the on ramp I found myself in agroup of transport trucks, needless to say I was looking at all the wrong things and thinking about countersteering, wind was blowing, it was not a relaxing ride!

I have read posts where people have been in fatal crashes picking thier bike up at the dealer and driving it home! lessons learned, be gentle on the grips, relax, practice countersteering, where you're lookin is where you're going to go! take it slow and get to know your new 740 lb toy, I'm trimming my windshield this week!

ride safe!

 

Anyone in oakland county MI who could teach me more about countersteering! We could meet in a school parking lot. I just purchase a used roadking and would like to learn more. Thanks
sunnneman

 

Good post and points, but how many weight their floor boards/pegs going around a corner? I find that when I weight the inside floorboards/peggs, it fine tunes the countersteering.

Just wondering how many of you all do it?

Oh...and an easier definition of countersteering is: Push in the direction you want to go.