So, you have heard of counter steering, and want to know more - well counter steering, simply put is the act, of pushing the handlebars away from you, (if you are going left, you push the bar right, and visa-versa) to help speed up the leaning over angle.

There are lots of rather uninteresting physics involved in this, which you may have read about, - gyroscopic stuff, I could spend about 25 paragraphs explaining it, but there's not much point, all you need to know is - it works!

My suggestion is to try it in a straight line first of all, find a quiet, wide road, and push the bars away from you gently, (So with your left hand, you would push the bar away, and the bike will turn left, - this is why it is called counter steering, as you are steering right, but the bike is turning left.

A lot of bike racers use this to make turning into a corner faster, on the road, it can be used to get out of trouble, (a hazzard or object appears in front of you, - you can use counter steering to avoid it faster).

Naturally, you counter steer anyway, making slight adjustments to maintain balance, you wont actually realise you are doing this, - just as you don't notice the effort and adjustments needed to retain your balance when walking, but naturally you do it very slightly anyway.

Once you have noticed the effect in a straight line, you will no doubt, want to try this in a corner, - no RESIST the temptation to shove the bar away from you, the first time you do it, or you may end up on your ear, - start out with small, easy movements, and feel the effect, and build it up from there.

You will soon, gradually start to use the technique in general riding.

James

NUKB admin