Kris01 wrote on 02/01/16 at 17:38:48:I saw a video on YouTube about whether or not leaning is required to turn a bike. I think the video established that leaning helps you to turn but isn't necessary. Don't quote me on that.
(If this leaning/steering discussion gets too involved - I will split it out of this "oil" thread).
Wow.....this topic has at times turned very ugly, especially once someone uses the term "counter steer". The truth is, that there are inputs you place on the handlebars that control the direction of the bike, and it is what makes it possible for a 130 pound rider to control a 700 pound motorcycle through the twisties. That tiny rider could never do it by just leaning.....however leaning does work on a bicycle, or on your motorcycle when you take your hands off the bars and try to stay in your lane by shifting your body weight.
Knowing what actually happens when you enter and leave a turn will make you a better rider. Currently you most likely do it by instinct - but once you know the mechanics of what happens....you can willingly use it to help you avoid that possum, deer or SUV.
It is unfortunate that this discussion has come up in February when a lot of folks won't be able to experiment with this - but here is what you should do. Next time you are riding and out on a straight section of highway........move over to the right side of your lane, take your left hand off the handlebar, and using your index finger.....gently apply some pressure the left grip with that finger. The will resist the movement (effects of spinning wheels and fork geometry), but the bike will lean ever so slight to the left and the bike will begin to move left. Although you are applying pressure that would make you believe you are steering right....the bike will go left. In order to make the bike straighten out and stand upright.....you need to apply pressure to the right handlebar. (Where this gets controversial is when folks say to steer left to go right or countersteer....you are not really steering the opposite way - but you are applying pressure the opposite way.
When you enter a left corner - you first apply forward pressure to the left side of the handlebar and the bike leans over.......once the bike is leaning and turning at the arc you want....you release the pressure and maintain the handlebars in that position......and once you reach the end of the turn you apply forward pressure to the right handlebar, and the bike stands upright and goes in a straight line.
This is not something that you are going to believe until you actually have tried it. When I was riding a trials motorcycle it took a bit of learning - as all the really slow speed stuff was leaning and balance, and shifting your weight on the footpegs and the position of the handlebars all had to be used to stay upright when you were crawling along......then somewhere just a bit beyond a fast walking speed the wheels were actually turning fast enough that it started to ride like a real motorcycle....and you had to apply pressure to the handlebars in the direction opposite of the way you wanted to turn.
So.....what does this knowledge do for you? As you become aware of what make the bike steer and lean....you can become a better rider and get better control of your bike. When you come around a corner and see a pothole.....you can instantly change direction by applying some pressure on the handlebars and avoid the pothole (without trying to lean the bike around the hole).
A few years ago when this discussion came up, one fellow posted: " I tried to countersteer once, and I almost crashed!" You are not supposed to jerk or forcefully turn the handlebars the opposite direction you want to go.....you just apply a bit of pressure, and the bike will comply and move - start out with a very mild pressure and you will be surprised....as you already are doing this without even thinking about it - you learned it when you got your first bicycle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteeringhttp://www.cycleworld.com/2013/10/25/know-how-to-countersteer-correctly/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgUOOwnZcDUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C848R9xWrjc
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