I'm a short timer in the saddle but you got me thinking about the process.

I get through tight, low speed turns by getting the butt out of the saddle and to the outside of the bike/turn. The weight of the bike is pulling toward the center, and sitting regularly in the seat pushes all your weight toward center too, making you want to drop your inside foot.

Just before you start the turn and have slowed to just above a walk, move a cheek to the outside of the seat and sit up straight, crank your head all the way over your shoulder in the direction you want to head, crank the bars around smooth and let it go. As you come around to the direction you'd like to go, it is easier to get your bars straightened out because you can pull the bike toward you with your weight on the outside peg and extra leverage on the outside grip.

As the bike straightens out (direction and back to vertical) you get your butt back in center, keep your eyes up to where you're going and you're right back in the saddle, twist and go.

I can do a full lock left turn in the open parking lot after a few tries, and in public I go through each step mentally BEFORE I start, but I don't go looking for opportunities to try too often.

I can't get the hang of the really tight right turns. I think turning left I'm getting on the throttle a tiny bit as I get the bike upright, while going hard right I'm concentrating on NOT twisting the throttle open while the bike is cranked into the turn.


Set the gearshift for the high gear of your soul...