Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Slow right turns

I thought it was just me, but I was reading on another forum about people having more difficulty making slow right turns as opposed to left turns. I still get nervous when making right turns into a parking lot.
How many people here feel this way also?
Why would making a right turn be any different then a left turn?
I'm right handed by the way.

Hmmm, actually to me, left turns feel way more awkward. Right turns just feel way more natural, like I don't have to do anything, it just happens. Slow lefties though and it feels like I'm working to make it happen. Maybe it's like the dominant eye thingie....lol

Steve

Probably because 95% of your driving is done in a car and left turns feel more natrual. I get nervous any time I turn into a parking lot. Left, right or strait on!

Erwin

If you are makiing a slow left turn you can control the turn speed using the rear brake and still have a foot to put down if you need to. Doesn't work so well turning right.

I think it's just a matter of how often you do it. U-turns are the most common slow turns, and those are always left turns.
I wonder if those folks who drive on the wrong side of the road notice slow right turns being easier?
Find an empty parking lot and practice figure 8s, you'll get used to it.

Right or left, it doesn't seem to affect me. Mind you, I ride 100% of the time (no car) and I don't use my rear brake to stabilise me on slow turns. Instead I use first gear and a combination of throttle and clutch.

I too had a right side issue. Not that you asked, but this course on DVD is very good for low speed work, and tight turns
Ride Like A Pro IV



Don't let the 'wa-hoo!' web site content fool you - this is a very useful course. To put my ego aside and admit the truth - I was primarily self taught for many years, and never really learned these low speed techniques like the motorcycle police use. After reviewing the material, I can now make full lock turns at 5 MPH. It was only a matter of knowing the few simple techniques they use then a few hours of practice. I'm not suggesting I can now ride like a 20 year veteran police motorman, but the course did improve the quality of my low speed work tremendously.

Interesting post - I noticed the same thing and I'm over this side of the pond. I used to ski and I found skiing turns to the left far easier than I did to the right, and I now find the same thing on a bike, left turn radius is close to lock, right turn radius is all over the place, sometimes quite respectable, othertimes down-right, foot-pedalling embarrassing. I was beginning to wonder whether I might be a bit deaf in one ear or something, since I know that balance is so connected with the ears... but the Mrs tells me I'm deaf in both ears, so I guess that's not the answer...

Left turns are harder for me.
Sometimes I look like a moron when turning left. It's like I forget how to ride. Most slow-speed maneuvers are hard. One of these days I really need to practice the slow-speed stuff.

Yesterday, watched a competition between local police departments where each team rider was timed thru cone weaves, very tight circles and figure 8's, etc. It was just amazing to watch these guys scraping floorboards as they flipped their bikes left and right going through the course.
If you've ever watched the "Ride Like A Pro" videos of Jerry the Motorman, this was very similar except there were about 30-40 of these guys every bit as good.
Only saw one officer drop his bike, but he was practicing...just got up, put his butt against seat and pushed it right back up, got back on and started scraping parts again!
If you ever get a chance to watch these competitions, don't miss it!

I had the same problem with right turns for a while. But think about this, which side of a motorcycle is the exhaust usually on? Baring it being a bagger etc where they are on both sides. And some sport bikes that have both. Most bikes have the exhaust on the right and a lot of people are afraid to drop them on the right cuz of the expensive exhaust replacement.
Mark

Strange, slow speed stuff doesn't bother me at all. Where I get nervous is blasting through the twisties. There is a certian fear of the bike slipping out from under me. As time goes on, I am getting over that notion bit by bit and riding a little bit more agressively in the twisties as my confidence and skills improve.

Soren

I have to agree on the low speed manuvering being easier... the rider coarse i took focused almost exclusively on these skills... now heavy duty cornering, you hit a little sand and feel that a$$ end slip a little, not for the weak of heart, I think about it a little every corner i dive into. But, i find that the more you do it, the better you get and more calm you become with any little problem you might encounter.

Left turn, right turn. There are both the same in terms of technique. The difference is a mental thing. The only thing that is going to help you fix it is practice.

The MSF Safty course has a good exercise for this. The figure 8 in a tight box. On the small bikes it is a walk in the park, but i find it is quite a challenge on the TBA. The key is to get your butt of the seat (get all your weight on the outside side of the bike) and turn your head as far as you can turn it. AND, stay off the brakes. Use your throttle and clutch to control speed.

Easy Peasy.

Why not just put your feet down and duck walk if it's THAT slow?

IMO, the only place for super slow speed manuevers is in the MSF course.

I'm wondering if perchance this may have something to do with the fact that since 1974(at least in the U.S....by gov't fiat) the rear brake pedal has been on the right, as compared to previous years back when it was on the left.

I can't say that I feel much of a difference in the "confidence factor" when it comes to making either directional changes while riding either my old 1970 Triumph or the newer '02 BA, but I think we all have a "dominate leg"(maybe depending on whether you happen to be left or right handed), and so this is why I bring up this possible factor.

Cheers,
Dwight
(...or maybe I'm just...ahem...."ambi-footerous")

right left makes no difference to me, I suck at both, call me Mr. Duckfoot. I took a rider safty course several years ago. On the little tiny bikes that you dont own it was easy.
If you drop it "who cares". But on a full size bike that i paid for.....well I just waddle.

Unfortunately I think it is because of the forward foot controls. I don't think there is a difference between left or right but there is definately a difference between the forward controls and the standard footpeg locations. There is definitely a difference between my TBA and my 69 Triumph 650. I have always ridden bikes with the standard location of foot controls and there is definitely a difference but with a little experience you will become more comfortable with time, like someone else had mentioned get out there in a parking lot or something and practice. If you don't feel comfortable with it do whatever it takes until you get where you want to be with the comfort factor. Keep it safe!

I had a Bonnie loaner for a day while my Speedy got its 500 mile service, and noticed a big difference in the ability to turn.. feet below you, and your head is positioned almost over the forks.. probably just psychological, but felt much easier to turn.

With the forward controls and legs stretched almost straight to reach them I was completely unable to bear weight on the pegs, only way to raise my butt off the seat was to pull on the handlebasrs, The footplates have made life much more comfortable and I can put some weight thru them.... for those turns.
Warren

Right turn seems harder is very common... I go on a few different forums, and literally have talked to thousnands of peeps..
Two things ...new riders, especially women, tend to look down a bit too much.. makes any turn harder...
but the main thing to me is that the throttle is on the right side...
Your trying to push right and control the throttle sped at the same time... a lot of folks overthink what they're doing..
since I taught myself to ride way too ma y years ago, I still have to practice the MSF stuff...

1. LOOK UP
2. Look where you WANT to go
3. Go!

I found the less I think about the turns, the easier they are to do. I just try to focus on where I'm going and what's up ahead...

I still suck at twisties tho... learned in the flatlands, did most of my riding the past 5 years in Hawaii... not too many twisties there... more like a NASCAR track..round and round and round!
Riding in northern Cali last year, even tho I was with a group of very good riders, I kept thinking there might be a bus or a carload of tourists around every bend! Oh well..<BG>
Mary