I've been watching a bunch of video lately on grasping the concept of countersteering and this has to be by far the best video! The camera is actually focused on the handlebars and the use of one hand open palm pushing is as detailed as it can get. I feel much more comfortable with the concept now. Thanks!
Okay..your video has the best demonstration of this..I understand the idea of it, as confusing as it seems, but your demo with one hand is DEFF the best out there to show it in action, alot of other vloggers just talked about countersteering compared to you one handing and showing exactly what goes on, BIG THANKS!
Yes I know what your saying and that's why I did it one handed, I have seen the videos your talking about and if someone says they are pushing with one hand but both hands are on the bars it is hard to believe them so I stuck my neck out and did this video, thanks & appreciated.
would a stationary counter steer allow you to stay upright on a bike without any velocity anywhere? basically steering left but leaning right aye? is that how they do it in downtown lol?
so all counter steering is is leaning for a turn and going along with it and turning left or right I have a bike and I take sharp turns I take a right turn I lean my bike and go along with the turn is that what counter steering is?
No matter how many times I see this demonstrated on youtube it still confuses the hell out of me... Physics I hate you! Great video though! Definitely one of the best demonstration i've seen
Its very very simple physics . What happens when you turn left in a car? It pushes your body to the right. So if you only had 2 tires on a car and turned left the car would flip the the right. So to turn left on a bike you push the left bar away from you and to turn right you push the right side of the bar away from you. So when you are turning left you are actually pointing the wheel slightly to the right. And when you turn right its going to the left slightly. If you watch MotoGP you can actaully see the wheel pointing the wrong way. If you look close. There are many people that dont understand push or counter steering and its really simple. Hope that helps
watching this video from 9 years ago really helped me figure out normal speed steering, i didn't quite understand while taking the permit course doing low speeds
I put in a search for counter steer, 1st hit i got this video, can't believe my luck. excellent instruction and video. I am just a learner with cbt and was very worried about counter steer (had a couple of moments shall we say). you have given me the confidence to go out and practice, I'm now looking forward to my training on the bigger 600cc bike...not dreading it!! just great video many thanks Steve Thom
As a new rider I really appreciate this video. I've seen more than a few videos on counter steering. There is one that has a pointer on the tank to one where somebody defines conter steering as physics and gyroscope and your dumb if you don't get it. After awhile I was more confused than when I started. I think for me you focused on how the hand moves in counter steering with the other hand off the opposing hand grip. This allows one to focus on how the technique looks and see how the motercycle handles. I think the video of of the rider going head on into the truck while trying to get out of the way and your video of the technique should be must see TH-caming for new riders on the topic .
After watching a multitude of similar guides, it takes a country simple explanation and demonstration from a comrade from my motherland for the thing to finally make perfect sense. I raise my vodka glass in salute, Steve and will begin my practical training on my beloved two wheeled devil steed of an FZ1 on the morrow...
I consider this to be a great video for those wanting to learn to ride a motorcycle. Before taking lessons myself, I want to 'get a feel' for the whole riding experience and I have watched a number of videos which try to explain 'counter steering' but after watching them there always remained an element of confusion in my mind as to how it all worked in practice. This video has changed that. I recognise that some riders consider that understanding counter steering is not relevant to normal road use, but as a beginner, I wish to keep my options open. Thanks to this video I now have a much greater understanding of the concept and will be much more confident when I have to do and practice it myself. Many thanks for posting an easy to watch, useful, interesting and informative video.
great video, i watched it and then hopped on my bike (yhea im a beginner so i like to watch these kinds of video's) and realised that you HAVE to counter steer, to steer. i have been doing it, but not realising it ;)
Exactly, most countersteering becomes second nature, with basic balance of riding bikes, though sometimes if you're in a high speed corner and there's a surprise obstacle like an oncoming car half in your lane, some riders can forget and instead slam on the brakes and turn the handlebars in the direction they want to turn, rather than countersteer to increase the sharpness of their turn, they end up going straight when they want to turn.
Thankyou kindly, friend. I've recently come off and took some pain and damage for lack of this knowledge. As a noob, put me off biking, but seeing this has explained really well and simply why. Hence, now keen to get back on, master this and get biking. Superb simple and visual guide.
great demo im going to make my sons watch this im a 58 year old biker riding since i was16 and the boys all have bikes well done great explanation of the way to ride a bike. dont listen to the shitty coments because they dont know what you know and wished they were as smart as you well done mate
I've watched many motorcycle videos that gives different advice and also have hundreds and thousands of views. This video is one of my favorites. Great demonstration and you explained it well. Im surprised it only has 12k views. Thank You! Just subscribed.
Great It should be noted that even though you are in the curve and the wheel has pointed itself into the curve you may still need to turn more or less while in the curve. The same applies, counter-steer at any point of the curve. Hard to see it happening but more pressure vs less pressure is what's happening. Don't be fooled by the way the wheel is pointing. He is counter-steering at all times.
If you plan to start riding i HIGHLY suggest you buy "twist the wrist II" it give a great example of counter steering and also teaches you all aspects of proper riding mechanics. The movie may be better for visual (although the acting is funny) it explains survival reactions that will get you killed in emergency situations and goes all the way up to the techniques the guys in motogp use. you wont be sorry you got it.
Daniel Kane Just don't overthink it. IDK about the others but while I was learning I rode a 350cc bike in a hillside and it had sharp turns.( was the only place around me with low traffic) On the turns I felt like idk how to really explain it but it came naturally , just steer it . If you've ridden a bicycle before ,it's the same . What I said might sound vague but all you have to do is get on the bike and practise clutch control before you go on the road.
It looks like he's pulling the handle bars but actually what he did, was pressing them down towards the direction he intended to go until the bike leaned for that direction and then he pushed the handle bar gently, feeling the curve as to say, to move it back to the straight position. It is something that has to do with the point fo the weight and something very simillar to that is the driving of a truck. Trucks are big and that means they have a high weight point and every time you take a curve with high speeds the whole wight of the truck tends to go towards the center of that curve and in order to keep it on the road you have to steer the wheel in the opposite direction. For instance if you approach a curve with a 80km/h speed on the right, the whole truck will toss itself into that curve and to keep it on the road you have to gently turn the steering wheel on the left as much as it is needed for the truck to stay on the road. The same is with the bikes.
They push forward the bike then leans in that direction causing the handle to dip making it look down, this is a bad example look left push left go left
Hi, I'm new to riding (and therefore easily confused :) and I'd like to make a distinction between applying pressure to a bar and holding the bar at a certain angle (in which case bike would lean indefinitely > falling). The bike is trying to travel in a straight line & straighten itself so the more you lean it the more forcefully the bar is gonna turn into a bend to straighten up the bike. So cornering is basically opposing the bike's tendency to straighten itself. Counter straightening :)
Thank you kindly for making this video, I just upgraded to a bigger, faster bike and I think I needed a more academic understanding of what's going on. Cheers for the demo!
Great demo! Re remembering to lean with the bike: It's easier to do if you also pull with the opposite hand and keeping that arm extended. You will naturally lean with the bike as your upper body maintains roughly the same distance with the opposite-to-turn handlebar grip.
What he is explaining is correct from what I am aware of. The reason it is called counter steering is because if you are trying to turn right and push on the right handle bar, the front wheel turns slightly left for a split second then turns right. Vice versa for the left. HENCE IT IS CALLED COUNTER STEERING WOOHOOO!!
NOOBRIDERR Pushing/pulling handle bars can be confusing terms. There is a difference between steer torque (push or pull done by rider, applying of the force to the handle bars), steer angle (difference in angle where wheel is pointing and where the leaned bike is going while in turn) and vector where front wheel is pointing looking from the the longitudinal axis of the bike (wheel pointing left or righ). Look on wikipedia articles: "Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics" and "Countersteering" or Look on youtube: "The Physics of Countersteering" by CambridgeScienceCtr or "Slow-speed countersteering" by Dangerpants Studios, they explain it much better than this video in which many physics terms and actions are confused or mixmatched, especially steer push and steer angle.
Push forward or like push down so the weight goes to the left (if you were to want to turn left) ? I really wanna learn all this stuff cause I really want to get a motorcycle one day
If you can, go to a motorcycle dealership, grip the bars, relax in your arms, and try different angles from different angles. Push very gently. You'll feel the bike tip to the left alternatively right and the wheel turn to the right alternatively left. It's hard to explain, but once you're on the bike and you play around it'll come easily.
x2e...love to see you do that in car! You've got it the wrong way round. All the counter steer does is initiate the turn. The faster you go the harder it is because the front wheel or gyroscope is spinning much faster and is more resistant to a change of direction. Racers will have their forearms parallel with the road and have to push on the bar firmly to enter high speed curves. It works without any thought and the weight of the bike is immaterial...you do it on a push bike too!
Great video, I will give it a go and see what happens. As riders we are probably doing it naturally without knowing it. Nicely explained without being to complicated.
this is the best video on counter steering i have seen yet. brand new to riding (like not actually driven one yet new) taking my MSF class next week. glad to know i already know this skill from the last 29 years of riding a bicycle. the way everyone describes this, they make it sound complicated as shit. this isn't complicated at all. im sure its quite different on a motorcycle than from a bicycle, but the concept is the same and its one i know well. thanks for making this clear to me. who knows, the clarity of this video may save my life in the future. thanks!
Great demo!! I've watched tons of videos from USA etc and this is the best. Trust a northern lad to cut through the nonsense and show it like it is! Take a bow Steve!!
Forgot where I saw or heard it from but, the best analogy about steering a motorcycle is this... Imagine you are Superman, flying thru the air.. Both arms out in front of you. Whichever arm + hand is in the lead (out further), is the direction you will go..
You know there's a lot of comments explaining this in complicated, and simple ways. And it's all very confusing. The concept really is straight-forward. You're steering the front wheel. And that's all. Nothing more. If you turn the front wheel to the left, the rest of the bike would have to 'catch up' in terms of physics. But since it's all moving in a straight line already, what it does is starts to lean over - because the part closest to the road follows the front wheel more closely. The part up top - furthest from the point of contact with the road - lags behind. So by pushing the right bar, you steer the front wheel to the left. The wheel at th efront begins moving left, and the rest of the mass is lagging behind - thus the lean. And thusly, the turn.
2wheelsteve is the expert and explains and demonstrates it all perfectly. I add the following which is just my experience of making deliberate countersteering instinctive and overcome initial problems. * To my mind : "Countersteer" is "active steering", whereas "shifting weight and position to turning side" is "passive steering". The many comments about steering around objects - this is about only deliberate countersteering puts you in active control, able to adjust cornering radius ("tightness") at will. It is demonstrated that fundamentally countersteering must be happening when you weight-transfer; however without isolating this reality and deliberately using it, you do not obtain the ability to change cornering radius at will - or stay on your chosen cornering radius despite changing camber with melted-and-subsided road-surfaces, etc. * "Turning side knee against tank" : this is about overcoming "wobbly" imprecise steering. Newtons Law of equal-and-opposite reaction mean that to assertively accurately input to the handlebars with the arms / hands, the rider has to pass that on to the motorcycle at some other stationary point. That is usually knee to tank (?). The torque (twist) you put to the handlebars would twist your body around on the seat, but for holding your knee against the tank and passing that torque to the motorcycle. If you look at for example "Extreme Cornering TIPS - Getting Your Knee Down!", you see the alternative view of hanging your knee out on the turning-to side. The view I am putting is that you have to unlearn this behaviour and press the turning-side knee against the tank. In fact, if you want to turn right so press your right knee against the tank, Newtons Laws will mean you must twist the handlebars to the left so the bike turns right(! - yes, that's correct). I knew of countersteer before, but making it very deliberate for all turns, I realised I had to overcome the previous automatic response to hang out the knew on the "turn-to" side which you get from the climb * "What is the point of countersteering and when would you use it?". If you learn to deliberately countersteer, you can exercise it by manouvring around access-covers in the road, etc. Even if they are in the middle of a corner. You simply play with the ability. Another thing you can do is to steer far over to the right on left-hand turns, and vice-versa, looking out for oncoming traffic. No oncoming traffic - stay on that line for a smooth larger-radius and you can open up the throttle for a rising-speed turn. Oncoming traffic coming - countersteer assertively well into "your" side of the road and take the corner on the tighter radius on throttle giving constant speed. In both cases you have benefited from "sighting" the corner much better / deeper into / beyond the corner, getting a much further ahead view for hazards than if you passively steer. So if you learn deliberate countersteer you use it a lot and it becomes instinctive and what you do in an emergency / pressing situation
+Richard Smith - the one about "far out to" for road position when entering a corner - the turn to the side on which the traffic drives is the bigger challenge to which this applies. Therefore; if you drive on the right (USA/North America, etc), a right-hand turn would restrict your sighting into the turn, so you would position yourself on entry to the left / near the centre. Likewise, if you drive on the left-hand-side (UK, etc) a left-hand turn would tend to restrict "sighting" into the corner - so you position to the right / around the centre-line. In these cases - right-hand turn when driving on the right-hand-side, left-hand turn when driving on the left-hand-side, the position which gives you the longest view might reveal there is oncoming traffic - which necessitates moving to the middle of "your" side lane - for safety-margin, to assure oncoming traffic you know what you are doing, etc, etc. Both the initial positioning to "sight" the corner and the repositioning to the middle of "your" side of the road if there is oncoming traffic require that assertive rapid steering which only deliberate countersteering can give.
tremendous effort in explaining the fundamentals of motorcycle steering works. however to total beginner it might sound a tad confusing. twist 2 probably a better starting point.
Great video the advice of looking where you want the bike to go is so true took me sometime to learn to look through a curve and not ahead of it. Counter steering came to me early it felt right to counter a turn to keep balance. Slow down going into a turn accelerate coming out trust your tires if they're worthy of trust ride to your ability and enjoy
I'm a born again biker and was passed my test about 25 years ago, so when I came back into biking I was wondering how everyone seems to ride so smoothly round tight bends, where as I'm slowing right up and still drifting wide or wider than I should. My point is this video, after watching lots of other videos about riding/counter steering, is best example of how it works and now I want to get out and try it and who knows I may actually be able to keep up with the group.
Darren going wide is something you really don't want to be doing, push that bar, don't sit upright keeping your body tilted with the bike and look into the bend and you will be good, problem comes when the rider lacks confidence in making the turn so brakes and stands the bike up, as long as you keep pushing not fearing being very tilted you will have cracked it, I hope I have been of help, good luck and ride safe
You are not alone. I have questioned a lot of riders. About a third of them actually know how to steer. Another third claim they just lean. Leaning actually forces steering the right way due to your extended arm on the outside of the turn and or your compressed arm on the inside. The other third of riders will tell you the opposite direction of proper steering. I think this group just instinctually do it but have not thought about it. The problem is on some curves where the road is flat or in an emergency they may be likely run off the road or into the other lane. I have seen a couple of bikes steer off of the road. And also some that just could not make a tight turn.
Great vid, Steve, even though you were driving on the wrong side of the road! ;) Seriously, this was a great demonstration. I am the proud owner of a new (to me) cruiser, and I almost wrecked because my "natural" instinct was wrong. Thanks!
You are were actually steering in the parking lot, slow speed turning is steering the bike. When you were on the road at a higher speeds you were countersteering. People get caught up with pressing forward or down, when all they need to know is just press on the bar to where they want to go and it's that simple.
Marc You can but it won't really get the bike to turn. 😁 You NEED to get the front wheel to turn and that means pressing forward. Note that pressing "down" at an angle will apply both forward and downward pressure to the bars. The forward component will cause the bike to lean (that is CS) while the downward component is pretty much 100% wasted effort.
This is not counter-steering. Countersteering consists of a small push of the handlebars to the opposite direction to the one you wish to turn into, moments before actually beginning the turn. This will lean the motorcycle on the side of the turn deeper than simply turning the handlebars that way.
***** Well, quite honestly, barring your initial explanation, which is quite correct, I am struggling to see any point in the video where you actually perform countersteering. Would you be able to point me to a minute:second where this can be witnessed?
Look again. Steering a bike at speed is always countersteering. Even if you don't want it to be. When he pushes on the right side of the bars the bike goes right. That is countersteering. It's nice to see someone explain it. I have been riding for years and I find that most people riding don't actually know how to steer. Just ask them and you'll see.
Sanctimon 3:25 and 4:42 he pushes the left bar and it turns left. He keeps "pushing" the left bar forward through the turn but by then the wheel had turned back left and righted itself, which indeed is not counter steering. But for the initializing of those turns, that is counter steering. Other videos show this better
Never, under any circumstances, should you slow in the middle of a turn, or brake in the middle of a turn, unless there's some emergency. Even then, it's safer to evade than to attempt to stop. If you absolutely must stop then level your handlebars out before you start to break. Square your handlebars and then apply progressive pressure to both breaks at the same time. 70 % of your stopping power comes from your front brake, but don’t grab it - especially in a turn. Apply progressive pressure.
Now that I think about this, hard, and have been struggling with it for a while now after seeing all these counter steering videos.. I think this is something that we riders (or I as a rider) take for granted and don't need to think about coz it happens by itself. Like, when I'm pushing the Harley iron 883, it's a slightly heavier bike for me so I'm using my butt to steer, and I never ever think of turning the handlebar to steer into a turn, I usually end up slowing down first if I see the handlebar is needed. When I'm leaning into a bend my hands on the handlebar r loose!! I think each bike we ride, we Know when it's too fast on a bend after spending some time getting acquainted with her first. Or she'll just throw u off her like she did my cousin last week (honest n sad but true!).
Great video Sir. Thank you for this demonstration. I'm gonna keep this mind for sure. But it looks scary to practice it. Gotta figure out some way to do it though.
This is the umpteenth video about counter steering I have watched. Now I really (I really do mean really!) wish to know why everyone thinks they need to do a video on something that comes naturally. I asked all the students in one class last year if their instructor ever mentioned the concept to any of them. The answer was No. And yet all 16 of them somehow made it through 13 hours of training on the road and they all passed the final exam, none of which would have been possible without the use of counter steering.
I've been thinking the same thing for a very long time. why people discuss counter steering so much is beyond me. it's not necessary to comprehend or even be consciously aware of to ride a motorcycle... yet in pretty much every single video I've ever seen featuring riders riding there's a lot of talk about it. I think the fascination with it comes entirely from people who've never ridden on 2 wheels. since they're talking about it, people who do ride decide to explain/demonstrate it not really realizing that the people they're talking too don't even ride. because if they did ride they wouldn't be talking it at all.
Because when your riding normally and you are not aware of the why it is actually steering you need an emergency steer your stuck, if you know how to you can do it much quicker, also when you understand it you can use it to better and quicker effect!
***** yeah sorry but people who ride don't suddenly forget how to turn. You don't need to comprehend countersteering to train yourself to not panic while avoiding things.
Yes the more you need to turn the more pressure is applied to the bar, it is confusing as it appears opposite to what you would do, the bike at speed always want to be upright and the rider has to force the bike to lean into a turn ( don't sit up counter balancing the bike as you reduce its turning circle )and counter steering is how its done, the heavier the bike the more need to counter steer so yes your correct saying "opposing the bikes tendency to straighten itself" ride safe
Well, I watched it again and he gets the same result that I get on my Harley. If I push down on the right bar it leans right and left bar it leans left. So I guess we are getting the same result and calling it two different things. The term counter steering I understand to mean if I push down on my right bar it will go left and if I push down on my left bar it will go right. Just looked it up and ... " to initiate a turn toward a given direction by momentarily steering counter to the desired direction ("steer left to turn right"). I don't see or since myself doing that and I've been driving these mountains... who knew!!
34 seconds in and I totally understood the concept. Perfectly explained.
I agree. He did a great job
I've been watching a bunch of video lately on grasping the concept of countersteering and this has to be by far the best video! The camera is actually focused on the handlebars and the use of one hand open palm pushing is as detailed as it can get. I feel much more comfortable with the concept now. Thanks!
My pleasure, it was the only way to demonstrate it properly, thanks
Agree
Okay..your video has the best demonstration of this..I understand the idea of it, as confusing as it seems, but your demo with one hand is DEFF the best out there to show it in action, alot of other vloggers just talked about countersteering compared to you one handing and showing exactly what goes on, BIG THANKS!
Yes I know what your saying and that's why I did it one handed, I have seen the videos your talking about and if someone says they are pushing with one hand but both hands are on the bars it is hard to believe them so I stuck my neck out and did this video, thanks & appreciated.
You did a great job at this demonstration! One hand off the bar to actually show the counter-steer was what was needed to be shown.
Great demonstration. People who have ridden pedal bikes have counter steered before, they just don't realize it. That's how natural it is.
+RyMann88 You don't need to countersteer if you just lean first. With bicycles at least, I've never ridden a motorcycle
would a stationary counter steer allow you to stay upright on a bike without any velocity anywhere? basically steering left but leaning right aye? is that how they do it in downtown lol?
so all counter steering is is leaning for a turn and going along with it and turning left or right I have a bike and I take sharp turns I take a right turn I lean my bike and go along with the turn is that what counter steering is?
No matter how many times I see this demonstrated on youtube it still confuses the hell out of me... Physics I hate you!
Great video though! Definitely one of the best demonstration i've seen
I know what your saying, best thing is to just accept it :), thanks for the compliment.
Its very very simple physics . What happens when you turn left in a car? It pushes your body to the right. So if you only had 2 tires on a car and turned left the car would flip the the right. So to turn left on a bike you push the left bar away from you and to turn right you push the right side of the bar away from you. So when you are turning left you are actually pointing the wheel slightly to the right. And when you turn right its going to the left slightly. If you watch MotoGP you can actaully see the wheel pointing the wrong way. If you look close. There are many people that dont understand push or counter steering and its really simple. Hope that helps
***** Yea that example with the car and your body turning the opposite way actually helped a lot thanks man!
101Unit101 No problem. I do what i can lol
***** WOW that makes so much sense!! lmao so much clearer now haha
After spending countless hours trying to understand what counter steering is, this video finally taught me! Thank you good sir!
I'm just starting to recognise and try this technique. This video is a brilliant demonstration by a confident practitioner. Big thanks!
This is the best countersteering video I have seen. I can actually see what you are doing, and the effect it has on the bike. Thank you.
My pleasure, thanks
Thirty seconds into this, and I could see that you know what you are talking about. Great explanation, and demonstration.
watching this video from 9 years ago really helped me figure out normal speed steering, i didn't quite understand while taking the permit course doing low speeds
I put in a search for counter steer, 1st hit i got this video, can't believe my luck. excellent instruction and video. I am just a learner with cbt and was very worried about counter steer (had a couple of moments shall we say). you have given me the confidence to go out and practice, I'm now looking forward to my training on the bigger 600cc bike...not dreading it!! just great video many thanks Steve Thom
As a new rider I really appreciate this video. I've seen more than a few videos on counter steering. There is one that has a pointer on the tank to one where somebody defines conter steering as physics and gyroscope and your dumb if you don't get it. After awhile I was more confused than when I started. I think for me you focused on how the hand moves in counter steering with the other hand off the opposing hand grip. This allows one to focus on how the technique looks and see how the motercycle handles. I think the video of of the rider going head on into the truck while trying to get out of the way and your video of the technique should be must see TH-caming for new riders on the topic .
This is the best video I've seen that clearly explains and demonstrates counter steering!!! Thank you very much for making this video!
My pleasure, thanks :)
After watching a multitude of similar guides, it takes a country simple explanation and demonstration from a comrade from my motherland for the thing to finally make perfect sense. I raise my vodka glass in salute, Steve and will begin my practical training on my beloved two wheeled devil steed of an FZ1 on the morrow...
Nicely done. With experience, people will find that they start to do this instinctively :)
oh wow 7 years ago
and 2 likes
I consider this to be a great video for those wanting to learn to ride a motorcycle. Before taking lessons myself, I want to 'get a feel' for the whole riding experience and I have watched a number of videos which try to explain 'counter steering' but after watching them there always remained an element of confusion in my mind as to how it all worked in practice. This video has changed that.
I recognise that some riders consider that understanding counter steering is not relevant to normal road use, but as a beginner, I wish to keep my options open. Thanks to this video I now have a much greater understanding of the concept and will be much more confident when I have to do and practice it myself.
Many thanks for posting an easy to watch, useful, interesting and informative video.
great video, i watched it and then hopped on my bike (yhea im a beginner so i like to watch these kinds of video's) and realised that you HAVE to counter steer, to steer. i have been doing it, but not realising it ;)
Exactly, most countersteering becomes second nature, with basic balance of riding bikes, though sometimes if you're in a high speed corner and there's a surprise obstacle like an oncoming car half in your lane, some riders can forget and instead slam on the brakes and turn the handlebars in the direction they want to turn, rather than countersteer to increase the sharpness of their turn, they end up going straight when they want to turn.
yhea it's really awesome for avoidong things. Already saved my ass from a car not yielding.
Thankyou kindly, friend. I've recently come off and took some pain and damage for lack of this knowledge. As a noob, put me off biking, but seeing this has explained really well and simply why. Hence, now keen to get back on, master this and get biking. Superb simple and visual guide.
Very good demo. Being able to show that your only pushing the bar without holding on to it with the other hand really worked well. Ride safe!
Easily the best example of counter steering I've found on TH-cam. It all makes sense to me now! Thanks bud!
this is the best counter steering demonstration video I have seen yet! thanks for making it!
great video, the best demonstration I've seen so far..
Thanks :)
great demo im going to make my sons watch this im a 58 year old biker riding since i was16 and the boys all have bikes well done great explanation of the way to ride a bike.
dont listen to the shitty coments because they dont know what you know and wished they were as smart as you
well done mate
You have explained it really well! The amount of counter steering rubbish that's on the internet is just unreal. Thanks!
Best advice I have seen on this type of steering, simplistic and we explained. Cheers mate.
I've watched many motorcycle videos that gives different advice and also have hundreds and thousands of views. This video is one of my favorites. Great demonstration and you explained it well. Im surprised it only has 12k views. Thank You! Just subscribed.
I'm new to riding and found this video very helpful. Thanks very much Steve.
My pleasure, thanks
yusufluis Are you still alive
This is like the 8th video I've watched on the subject, but this is the first one I actually understood.
Great
It should be noted that even though you are in the curve and the wheel has pointed itself into the curve you may still need to turn more or less while in the curve. The same applies, counter-steer at any point of the curve. Hard to see it happening but more pressure vs less pressure is what's happening. Don't be fooled by the way the wheel is pointing. He is counter-steering at all times.
I don't understand it, Everyone says to push the bars forward, but when they demo it it looks like the bars are being pushed down
thanks, now i finally understand that it only refers to initiating the turn! That makes much more sense
If you plan to start riding i HIGHLY suggest you buy "twist the wrist II" it give a great example of counter steering and also teaches you all aspects of proper riding mechanics. The movie may be better for visual (although the acting is funny) it explains survival reactions that will get you killed in emergency situations and goes all the way up to the techniques the guys in motogp use. you wont be sorry you got it.
Daniel Kane Just don't overthink it. IDK about the others but while I was learning I rode a 350cc bike in a hillside and it had sharp turns.( was the only place around me with low traffic) On the turns I felt like idk how to really explain it but it came naturally , just steer it . If you've ridden a bicycle before ,it's the same . What I said might sound vague but all you have to do is get on the bike and practise clutch control before you go on the road.
It looks like he's pulling the handle bars but actually what he did, was pressing them down towards the direction he intended to go until the bike leaned for that direction and then he pushed the handle bar gently, feeling the curve as to say, to move it back to the straight position. It is something that has to do with the point fo the weight and something very simillar to that is the driving of a truck. Trucks are big and that means they have a high weight point and every time you take a curve with high speeds the whole wight of the truck tends to go towards the center of that curve and in order to keep it on the road you have to steer the wheel in the opposite direction. For instance if you approach a curve with a 80km/h speed on the right, the whole truck will toss itself into that curve and to keep it on the road you have to gently turn the steering wheel on the left as much as it is needed for the truck to stay on the road. The same is with the bikes.
They push forward the bike then leans in that direction causing the handle to dip making it look down, this is a bad example look left push left go left
mother of God. he actually said it right. most vids either get it wrong or only tell half of what countersteering really is.
Hi, I'm new to riding (and therefore easily confused :) and I'd like to make a distinction between applying pressure to a bar and holding the bar at a certain angle (in which case bike would lean indefinitely > falling). The bike is trying to travel in a straight line & straighten itself so the more you lean it the more forcefully the bar is gonna turn into a bend to straighten up the bike. So cornering is basically opposing the bike's tendency to straighten itself. Counter straightening :)
Thank you kindly for making this video, I just upgraded to a bigger, faster bike and I think I needed a more academic understanding of what's going on. Cheers for the demo!
My pleasure, ride safe
Great demo! Re remembering to lean with the bike: It's easier to do if you also pull with the opposite hand and keeping that arm extended. You will naturally lean with the bike as your upper body maintains roughly the same distance with the opposite-to-turn handlebar grip.
this is the best video ive seen on countersteering. thanks for your explanation
Nice demo mate. An old mate told me to look to where you want to go and just push towards it with that hand. Superman does it when he takes off :-)
Nice video on counter steering, it made much more sense than many I've seen!
Wonderful demonstration mate all the way from Texas.... I have yet to see one so well explained and executed. Ride safe and cheers 🍻
What he is explaining is correct from what I am aware of.
The reason it is called counter steering is because if you are trying to turn right and push on the right handle bar, the front wheel turns slightly left for a split second then turns right.
Vice versa for the left. HENCE IT IS CALLED COUNTER STEERING WOOHOOO!!
NOOBRIDERR no, you make quick turn left and not the wheel itself as you said, which leans the bike to the right due to centrifugal force
Str1000ac you mean when turning right and you push on the right handle bar the bike automatically leans left than eventually right?
NOOBRIDERR Pushing/pulling handle bars can be confusing terms.
There is a difference between steer torque (push or pull done by rider, applying of the force to the handle bars), steer angle (difference in angle where wheel is pointing and where the leaned bike is going while in turn) and vector where front wheel is pointing looking from the the longitudinal axis of the bike (wheel pointing left or righ).
Look on wikipedia articles: "Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics" and "Countersteering"
or Look on youtube: "The Physics of Countersteering" by CambridgeScienceCtr or "Slow-speed countersteering" by Dangerpants Studios, they explain it much better than this video in which many physics terms and actions are confused or mixmatched, especially steer push and steer angle.
G day mate, i have been back riding 10 years this time, and only just heard of this method, well explained, thanku
My pleasure :)
Thank you so much for making this clear, concise and also entertaining video.
speedway was on tv when i was waching this ,thay are the best to wach to see how it's done
keep up the good work budy
take care ride safe
Push left, go left. Push right, go right.
Push forward or like push down so the weight goes to the left (if you were to want to turn left) ? I really wanna learn all this stuff cause I really want to get a motorcycle one day
If you can, go to a motorcycle dealership, grip the bars, relax in your arms, and try different angles from different angles. Push very gently. You'll feel the bike tip to the left alternatively right and the wheel turn to the right alternatively left.
It's hard to explain, but once you're on the bike and you play around it'll come easily.
Adrian Garcia
Push forward. You HAVE to get the front wheel to turn.
Pushing down does not accomplish much of anything and does not constitute CS.
x2e...love to see you do that in car! You've got it the wrong way round. All the counter steer does is initiate the turn. The faster you go the harder it is because the front wheel or gyroscope is spinning much faster and is more resistant to a change of direction. Racers will have their forearms parallel with the road and have to push on the bar firmly to enter high speed curves. It works without any thought and the weight of the bike is immaterial...you do it on a push bike too!
Great video, I will give it a go and see what happens. As riders we are probably doing it naturally without knowing it. Nicely explained without being to complicated.
this is the best video on counter steering i have seen yet. brand new to riding (like not actually driven one yet new) taking my MSF class next week. glad to know i already know this skill from the last 29 years of riding a bicycle. the way everyone describes this, they make it sound complicated as shit. this isn't complicated at all. im sure its quite different on a motorcycle than from a bicycle, but the concept is the same and its one i know well. thanks for making this clear to me. who knows, the clarity of this video may save my life in the future. thanks!
Thank you for clearly showing how this is done , I'm a new rider and will practice this a lot. Thanks
I'm glad i saw your video,a lot of video is confusing,my friend your the only one i clearly understand thank you
Thanks for this, it was truly useful while I've been doing my DAS over he past couple of weeks. Mod 2 pass today too!
one of the best demonstration i've seen. Thank you.
Great demo!! I've watched tons of videos from USA etc and this is the best. Trust a northern lad to cut through the nonsense and show it like it is! Take a bow Steve!!
Forgot where I saw or heard it from but, the best analogy about steering a motorcycle is this... Imagine you are Superman, flying thru the air.. Both arms out in front of you. Whichever arm + hand is in the lead (out further), is the direction you will go..
after watching 10 or more vids on countersteering, this one i finally understood! thanks!
You know there's a lot of comments explaining this in complicated, and simple ways. And it's all very confusing.
The concept really is straight-forward.
You're steering the front wheel. And that's all. Nothing more.
If you turn the front wheel to the left, the rest of the bike would have to 'catch up' in terms of physics. But since it's all moving in a straight line already, what it does is starts to lean over - because the part closest to the road follows the front wheel more closely. The part up top - furthest from the point of contact with the road - lags behind.
So by pushing the right bar, you steer the front wheel to the left. The wheel at th efront begins moving left, and the rest of the mass is lagging behind - thus the lean. And thusly, the turn.
2wheelsteve is the expert and explains and demonstrates it all perfectly.
I add the following which is just my experience of making deliberate countersteering instinctive and overcome initial problems.
* To my mind : "Countersteer" is "active steering", whereas "shifting weight and position to turning side" is "passive steering". The many comments about steering around objects - this is about only deliberate countersteering puts you in active control, able to adjust cornering radius ("tightness") at will. It is demonstrated that fundamentally countersteering must be happening when you weight-transfer; however without isolating this reality and deliberately using it, you do not obtain the ability to change cornering radius at will - or stay on your chosen cornering radius despite changing camber with melted-and-subsided road-surfaces, etc.
* "Turning side knee against tank" : this is about overcoming "wobbly" imprecise steering. Newtons Law of equal-and-opposite reaction mean that to assertively accurately input to the handlebars with the arms / hands, the rider has to pass that on to the motorcycle at some other stationary point. That is usually knee to tank (?). The torque (twist) you put to the handlebars would twist your body around on the seat, but for holding your knee against the tank and passing that torque to the motorcycle. If you look at for example "Extreme Cornering TIPS - Getting Your Knee Down!", you see the alternative view of hanging your knee out on the turning-to side. The view I am putting is that you have to unlearn this behaviour and press the turning-side knee against the tank. In fact, if you want to turn right so press your right knee against the tank, Newtons Laws will mean you must twist the handlebars to the left so the bike turns right(! - yes, that's correct). I knew of countersteer before, but making it very deliberate for all turns, I realised I had to overcome the previous automatic response to hang out the knew on the "turn-to" side which you get from the climb
* "What is the point of countersteering and when would you use it?". If you learn to deliberately countersteer, you can exercise it by manouvring around access-covers in the road, etc. Even if they are in the middle of a corner. You simply play with the ability. Another thing you can do is to steer far over to the right on left-hand turns, and vice-versa, looking out for oncoming traffic. No oncoming traffic - stay on that line for a smooth larger-radius and you can open up the throttle for a rising-speed turn. Oncoming traffic coming - countersteer assertively well into "your" side of the road and take the corner on the tighter radius on throttle giving constant speed. In both cases you have benefited from "sighting" the corner much better / deeper into / beyond the corner, getting a much further ahead view for hazards than if you passively steer. So if you learn deliberate countersteer you use it a lot and it becomes instinctive and what you do in an emergency / pressing situation
+Richard Smith - the one about "far out to" for road position when entering a corner - the turn to the side on which the traffic drives is the bigger challenge to which this applies. Therefore; if you drive on the right (USA/North America, etc), a right-hand turn would restrict your sighting into the turn, so you would position yourself on entry to the left / near the centre. Likewise, if you drive on the left-hand-side (UK, etc) a left-hand turn would tend to restrict "sighting" into the corner - so you position to the right / around the centre-line.
In these cases - right-hand turn when driving on the right-hand-side, left-hand turn when driving on the left-hand-side, the position which gives you the longest view might reveal there is oncoming traffic - which necessitates moving to the middle of "your" side lane - for safety-margin, to assure oncoming traffic you know what you are doing, etc, etc. Both the initial positioning to "sight" the corner and the repositioning to the middle of "your" side of the road if there is oncoming traffic require that assertive rapid steering which only deliberate countersteering can give.
+Richard Smith oh fucking stop would you
this is the best video to understand countersteering,thank you very much!!
tremendous effort in explaining the fundamentals of motorcycle steering works. however to total beginner it might sound a tad confusing. twist 2 probably a better starting point.
You're skilled bro! I feel like i lean more than countersteer but I can see the difference in control of the bike I'm deff gonna focus on it more now.
Great demo and advice. Thank you.
Joe Brown My pleasure :)
Fantastic video about countersteering a bike very informative. Cheers mate
Great video the advice of looking where you want the bike to go is so true took me sometime to learn to look through a curve and not ahead of it. Counter steering came to me early it felt right to counter a turn to keep balance. Slow down going into a turn accelerate coming out trust your tires if they're worthy of trust ride to your ability and enjoy
I feel like this is gonna seriously save my jiblets one day, thank you so much man.
I'm a born again biker and was passed my test about 25 years ago, so when I came back into biking I was wondering how everyone seems to ride so smoothly round tight bends, where as I'm slowing right up and still drifting wide or wider than I should. My point is this video, after watching lots of other videos about riding/counter steering, is best example of how it works and now I want to get out and try it and who knows I may actually be able to keep up with the group.
Darren going wide is something you really don't want to be doing, push that bar, don't sit upright keeping your body tilted with the bike and look into the bend and you will be good, problem comes when the rider lacks confidence in making the turn so brakes and stands the bike up, as long as you keep pushing not fearing being very tilted you will have cracked it, I hope I have been of help, good luck and ride safe
You are not alone. I have questioned a lot of riders. About a third of them actually know how to steer. Another third claim they just lean. Leaning actually forces steering the right way due to your extended arm on the outside of the turn and or your compressed arm on the inside. The other third of riders will tell you the opposite direction of proper steering. I think this group just instinctually do it but have not thought about it.
The problem is on some curves where the road is flat or in an emergency they may be likely run off the road or into the other lane. I have seen a couple of bikes steer off of the road. And also some that just could not make a tight turn.
Great vid, Steve, even though you were driving on the wrong side of the road! ;) Seriously, this was a great demonstration. I am the proud owner of a new (to me) cruiser, and I almost wrecked because my "natural" instinct was wrong. Thanks!
Wow, great video. Thank you for explaining counter steering.
You are were actually steering in the parking lot, slow speed turning is steering the bike. When you were on the road at a higher speeds you were countersteering. People get caught up with pressing forward or down, when all they need to know is just press on the bar to where they want to go and it's that simple.
CycleCruza ALL IN ONE MOTORCYCLE CHANNEL, SUBSCRIBE TUH-DAAY!
CycleCruza Didnt know you could push down on the bars.
+Marc u cant... its a misconception... like he just said
Marc
You can but it won't really get the bike to turn. 😁
You NEED to get the front wheel to turn and that means pressing forward. Note that pressing "down" at an angle will apply both forward and downward pressure to the bars. The forward component will cause the bike to lean (that is CS) while the downward component is pretty much 100% wasted effort.
this has done the trick for me after 2 previous videos, good stuff
I have talked with many riders that were not aware of countersteering, they simply felt that they were steering their bikes by leaning them.
Good demo Steve,and on heavier like mine I find I have to push and then pull on the opposing side to keep it tight in the bends.
If you are pulling on the opposing side that's the same as pushing on the side that you want to turn towards. The same!
You did a very good job explaining this. Thank u I now understand and I watch many other videos that did not help lol thank u for your time.
The best helpful video I've found. Thanks so much!
Best explanation and demo. Thank you
Great video it made it very easy for me to understand this technique.👍
Best explanation ever. Same method as riding a bicycle.
Ayo Wright Thank you
+Ayo Wright I've never done this on a bycicle?
Truly
Best video demo and explanation. You have earned a new subscriber. Keep it up!
This is not counter-steering.
Countersteering consists of a small push of the handlebars to the opposite direction to the one you wish to turn into, moments before actually beginning the turn. This will lean the motorcycle on the side of the turn deeper than simply turning the handlebars that way.
Do you mean what I was doing is not counter steering? are you serious!
*****
Well, quite honestly, barring your initial explanation, which is quite correct, I am struggling to see any point in the video where you actually perform countersteering. Would you be able to point me to a minute:second where this can be witnessed?
Look again. Steering a bike at speed is always countersteering. Even if you don't want it to be. When he pushes on the right side of the bars the bike goes right. That is countersteering. It's nice to see someone explain it. I have been riding for years and I find that most people riding don't actually know how to steer. Just ask them and you'll see.
Sanctimon 3:25 and 4:42 he pushes the left bar and it turns left. He keeps "pushing" the left bar forward through the turn but by then the wheel had turned back left and righted itself, which indeed is not counter steering. But for the initializing of those turns, that is counter steering. Other videos show this better
Sanctimon Thank you!
Thanks a lot this will help me for when I get a bike in a few years.
man you've some nice riding skills...glad that you made this video...definitely helped me thanks man!
Great Video... Most safety courses try to teach the technical instead of showing this exact technique!
Thanks
when I ride at high speed and there's a truck coming towards me, normally I angle my whole body for a quick turn. like in motogp. is it right?
counter steering as you do, if I bend the handle bar too much while riding at high speed I think my bike probably crashes.
Never, under any circumstances, should you slow in the middle of a turn, or brake in the middle of a turn, unless there's some emergency. Even then, it's safer to evade than to attempt to stop. If you absolutely must stop then level your handlebars out before you start to break. Square your handlebars and then apply progressive pressure to both breaks at the same time. 70 % of your stopping power comes from your front brake, but don’t grab it - especially in a turn. Apply progressive pressure.
This is the best demonstration of counter steering that I have found. Really not sure why it has a 10% dislike ratio O.o
Great demonstration mate 👍🏼
Very good video and preparation for my RE's, thanks!
Very helpful! keep the educational vids coming please.
Now that I think about this, hard, and have been struggling with it for a while now after seeing all these counter steering videos.. I think this is something that we riders (or I as a rider) take for granted and don't need to think about coz it happens by itself. Like, when I'm pushing the Harley iron 883, it's a slightly heavier bike for me so I'm using my butt to steer, and I never ever think of turning the handlebar to steer into a turn, I usually end up slowing down first if I see the handlebar is needed. When I'm leaning into a bend my hands on the handlebar r loose!! I think each bike we ride, we Know when it's too fast on a bend after spending some time getting acquainted with her first. Or she'll just throw u off her like she did my cousin last week (honest n sad but true!).
Thank you for the awesome video!
finally a good counter steering video, thank you
Great video Sir. Thank you for this demonstration. I'm gonna keep this mind for sure. But it looks scary to practice it. Gotta figure out some way to do it though.
Thanks for this... Really needed. Fantastic demo!
This is the umpteenth video about counter steering I have watched. Now I really (I really do mean really!) wish to know why everyone thinks they need to do a video on something that comes naturally.
I asked all the students in one class last year if their instructor ever mentioned the concept to any of them. The answer was No. And yet all 16 of them somehow made it through 13 hours of training on the road and they all passed the final exam, none of which would have been possible without the use of counter steering.
I've been thinking the same thing for a very long time. why people discuss counter steering so much is beyond me. it's not necessary to comprehend or even be consciously aware of to ride a motorcycle... yet in pretty much every single video I've ever seen featuring riders riding there's a lot of talk about it. I think the fascination with it comes entirely from people who've never ridden on 2 wheels. since they're talking about it, people who do ride decide to explain/demonstrate it not really realizing that the people they're talking too don't even ride. because if they did ride they wouldn't be talking it at all.
Because when your riding normally and you are not aware of the why it is actually steering you need an emergency steer your stuck, if you know how to you can do it much quicker, also when you understand it you can use it to better and quicker effect!
***** yeah sorry but people who ride don't suddenly forget how to turn. You don't need to comprehend countersteering to train yourself to not panic while avoiding things.
i really like the feeling of counter steering :D
from my experience after u push the hand you can pull it to stabilize it quickly
That video demonstrates it perfectly. Thank you!
Great video, the best i have seen on youtube.
Thanks, bit dangerous but the only way to show how it really works;)
Yes the more you need to turn the more pressure is applied to the bar, it is confusing as it appears opposite to what you would do, the bike at speed always want to be upright and the rider has to force the bike to lean into a turn ( don't sit up counter balancing the bike as you reduce its turning circle )and counter steering is how its done, the heavier the bike the more need to counter steer so yes your correct saying "opposing the bikes tendency to straighten itself" ride safe
very clear explanations and great visuals. thank you....
What Joe Brown said, really great demo!
Well, I watched it again and he gets the same result that I get on my Harley. If I push down on the right bar it leans right and left bar it leans left. So I guess we are getting the same result and calling it two different things. The term counter steering I understand to mean if I push down on my right bar it will go left and if I push down on my left bar it will go right.
Just looked it up and ... " to initiate a turn toward a given direction by momentarily steering counter to the desired direction ("steer left to turn right"). I don't see or since myself doing that and I've been driving these mountains... who knew!!
Well broken down steps, Great vid!
Thank you, much appreciated
Great video, so even at slow speed, pushing in the direction you want go, it works..
No you have to be going maybe 15mph at least but yes push the side you want to steer into, ride safe
***** Thanks..
This was a very good demo. thanks.