Bar pressure to initiate turn in

[jimmeigs]

I've been thinking a lot about my track riding this winter, looking for ways to improve and keep thinking about how much bar pressure other riders use to start or maintain their turn in and lean angle. I tend to use very little actual bar pressure, depending instead upon body steer and peg pressure to make the bike turn in.

So what is your technique? I'm wanting to experiment with more bar pressure this season to get the bike over and turned in quicker and want to hear some opinions.

 

[steph1000]

jimmeigs;40879 wrote: I've been thinking a lot about my track riding this winter, looking for ways to improve and keep thinking about how much bar pressure other riders use to start or maintain their turn in and lean angle. I tend to use very little actual bar pressure, depending instead upon body steer and peg pressure to make the bike turn in.

So what is your technique? I'm wanting to experiment with more bar pressure this season to get the bike over and turned in quicker and want to hear some opinions.

when i get to my turning point ,i flick the bike hard and as quick as i can,maintain steady throttle and add more from mid corner on....talking about a steady radius turn as you might have to go easy on the throttle on a decreasing radius turn.......i am far from being a racer but im canadian and we are usually not shy with the wrist..

 

[steph1000]

sorry missread the question..hehehehe..bar pressure for me is quick and i also like you use my body position while in the turn...i dont use pressure after the initial flick to get the bike over....

 

[Steve]

It depends on the turn and if it's a turn I want to use a quick turn in. Like if it's a high speed set of esses like on VIR Full course it takes a bit of work to get the bike to change directions quickly enough. Most turns I like to turn it in quickly. Its the slower turns I don't feel the need, mostly. And yes like Steph1000 said, it *should* be one input on the bars (per apex where applicable)

 

[JRA]

You are using a lot more bar pressure than you think. Try taking your hands off of the bars and then try to make the bike turn at speed. It's impossible. The inertia of the wheels will keep the bike going straight. You can use your body positioning, peg weighting, and throttle to help you steer once you are turned in, but you can only initiate your turn with counter steering.

The way you turn and the quickness with which you do it is really dependent on the turn itself.

 

[gkotlin]

I don't use nearly enough bar pressure. You can push as hard as you need to get the bike turned. I've been told that many a great fast rider back in the day had bent a few handle bars getting those big old bikes turned. I find that it's hard to push on the bars when I'm to far off the bike. I think this year I'm going to work on body position more. Increase my body position off the bike as I progress through the turn so I can have more leverage on the bars at turn in.

 

[crewnutz]

without pushing on the bars you cant turn your bike......simple as that

body position really doesnt play as big a factor into riding as many make themselves think IMHO.........plenty of fast riders with what appears to be bad body position, when its not bad position, its just different.........with that said there is such thing as BAD body position but i think some people concentrate on hanging off their bike way too much, sometimes more so than actually riding..........its more about being smooth and consistent with whatever body position you prefer

 

[Dave561]

Plus to add to the above comments. Often while leaning off the bike you pull the bar with your outside arm without realizing it as well as pushing the bar to initiate the turn. The more you ride you get a feel for how much and how fast. Think of it the next time your in a car, do you actually consider how much you turn the wheel or make a lot of midcorner corrections? You don't because you've been doing it for a while. The same will eventually come to you on the bike. You'll just know and without realizing it you are pushing on the bars.

 

[Mike Moore]

:agree: You have to push the bar (or pull the opposite bar) to get the bike turned. Its your job as rider to determine how much to push, just as its your job to determine how much throttle to apply. Some things I'm constantly working on: (1) one turn action from the same spot lap after lap after lap, if you have to make a mid corner correction (assuming no external variable came into play) then you made a mistake. (2) Look into the turn before you turn. Get some information on the turn prior to starting the turn. and (3) When the speed picks up don't start cheating and turning early, It will make the turn tighter which will require more lean angle and won't let you get on the gas!

 

[Demps]

crewnutz;40916 wrote: without pushing on the bars you cant turn your bike......simple as that

body position really doesnt play as big a factor into riding as many make themselves think IMHO.........plenty of fast riders with what appears to be bad body position, when its not bad position, its just different.........with that said there is such thing as BAD body position but i think some people concentrate on hanging off their bike way too much, sometimes more so than actually riding..........its more about being smooth and consistent with whatever body position you prefer

+1

Hanging off the bike far to pose for the camera does nothing. Smooth & consistent = fast and ultimately more fun.....Period.

Great discussion.