How to Corner on Your Motorcycle

Whether you’re new to riding or a seasoned biker, your motorcycle is a fun and fast way to travel — and that’s why you love it! But to keep enjoying it, you’ll need to know how to corner properly. That lesson can be the difference between a tight, smooth turn and losing your bike entirely.

We here at Riverside County Indian Motorcycle® want you to get the most out of your motorcycle. We’ve put together some tips on how to corner in the safest and most efficient way possible. If you’d like to learn more, you’re looking for a bike to try these out on, or your bike just needs a tune-up, stop by our dealership in Corona, CA.

Counter-Steering

One of the most effective and safe tips for cornering on your motorcycle is also one of the most counterintuitive. Normally, you’d turn the wheel to face the direction you want to go. Turning left? Turn your handlebars so your front wheel is pointing to the left. Counter-steering, however, turns that on its head. 

Essentially, just before you go into the turn itself, you turn your wheel slightly in what might feel like the wrong direction. For example, if you’re turning left, you start your turn by steering just a bit to the right before proceeding like you normally would. Counter-steering forces the bike to lean early, allowing you to turn faster and more precisely. We recommend you learn more about this technique before attempting it, just to make sure you do it safely.

Handling The Corner

Whether you steer or counter-steer, it’s important to decide on your entry line before ever entering a corner. If there are any obstacles in the way, like brake bumps, you’ll want to choose a wider angle.

Most of the time, you’ll probably stay seated while cornering. That’s absolutely fine and will work most times, but there are standing positions for cornering that might improve your turns once you’re comfortable enough to try them.

As you’re approaching the corner, make sure you lower your speed slightly and enter a slight standing position. As you begin the turn itself, lean forward slightly to transfer your body weight to the front of the motorcycle, helping the directional wheel retain traction.

While you lean into the turn, it can help to raise your inside leg (for example, your left leg during left turns, right leg during right turns) up and forward with your toes pointed downwards. This will shift the combined center of gravity for you and your bike inwards, lessening the amount of lean necessary while keeping your upper body in line with the bike to control torque.

We hope we’ve helped you corner a bit faster and safer! If you want more riding tips or want to see our selection of motorcycles on sale, stop by Riverside County Indian Motorcycle® in Corona, CA. We welcome all our patrons visiting us from Temecula and Huntington Beach.