1. Over the years, there has been much ado about the importance of countersteering. Simply put, countersteering-or turning a bike's handlebar in the opposite direction of your desired turn-is the best way to control your motorcycle. Those riders who doubt the importance of countersteering owe it to themselves and their loved ones to sign up for an MSF Basic RiderCourse or Experienced RiderCourse as soon as possible (800/446-9227; www.mic.org or www.msf-usa.org). Still, a small but vocal group of seasoned riders insist that-in the efforts to impress upon novice riders the importance of countersteering-an effective, advanced method of turning a motorcycle has been neglected. Body steering utilizes a rider's feet and legs to augment handlebar input for quick, controlled turns.
2. Before experimenting with body steering, a rider needs to be proficient at countersteering. Also, bad habits-such as riding with locked elbows or improper body positioning (see RSS, June '00)-can dull or even negate the effects of body steering. Begin by riding a section of road that you are familiar with at a moderate pace. With the balls of your feet, evenly place weight on the bike's pegs. Focus on your riding position, making sure to support your torso with your stomach muscles while keeping your elbows bent and your arms relaxed. Next, choose a corner to try this body steering technique. At the turn-in point, countersteer while pressing down on the inside peg and pulling your outside knee in and down toward the inside of the turn. Try varying the force of the foot/knee input while body steering into a variety of corners to learn the proper combination of countersteering and body steering.
3. Although body steering is more effective at initiating a turn in some types of corners than in others, the technique is particularly well suited for midcorner line corrections or bending your bike into a decreasing radius turn as shown above. By using the lower extremities instead of your arms to alter your bike's line while leaned over, your hands are free to modulate the throttle. Also, by using your legs to steer the bike, your arms stay relaxed allowing the bars to move as your bike tracks over pavement irregularities. Some riders report that they not only press toward the inside of a turn with their outside knee, but also, while keeping their toes on the peg, hook their outside heel against the frame or bodywork to assist in pulling their bikes into a turn.
4. Body steering isn't just useful for turning a bike into a corner. This technique can be reversed by applying weight on the outside peg to widen the line midcorner. At the exit of a turn, body steering can help stand a bike up when used in conjunction with countersteering, putting the meat of the tire to the ground, while your hands are busy rolling on the throttle or shifting. Riders who want to study this riding technique in more detail should attend Jason Pridmore's Star School (805/658-6333; www.starmotorcycle.com) to explore the limits of body steering in a controlled environment. When used properly, body steering and countersteering will help you turn your bike smoothly and quickly in a variety of cornering situations.
This article was originally published in the August 2000 issue of Sport Rider.
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