Counter Steering Explained | Riding Tips #9

[@bigfin1967]

I passed my test just over a week ago, I swatched your videos and was good hearing a fellow Scot and seeing roads I knew, enjoying my ER6F

[@ShaunUnderwoodx]

congrats mate

[@rabrojonel]

This is the best and most intuitive explanation of counter steering I've seen so far. It really isn't as complicated as many would lead you to believe. Thanks!

[@axleg3737]

yes from me too, thanks

[@daveparf]

Thank you! This video has made a world of difference to my riding this morning 👏🏻

[@ShaunUnderwoodx]

your channel is the best on KZbin, Hope we see you back here in the future matey

[@stevethebikinggrandad]

I didn't even realise counter-steering was such a big/contentious thing until I started learning for my tests earlier in the year and started watching youtube videos to help me through my tests. It's just something you do naturally anyway. Pretty much everyone knows how to ride a bicycle, and if you can ride a bicycle, you're already able to counter-steer. You've explained it really well in your video. But I do think that if you over-think counter steering too much it can cause problems - best thing is to be aware that it's probably happening naturally, do as you say in your video and try and consciously counter steer around a few bends that you already know, and then ride them again without thinking about it too much and you'll realise that you're just doing it anyway without thinking about it.

[@bigglyguy8429]

This vid drones on far too long. Can explain the whole thing in 1 minute. The critical thing is people don't KNOW to counter-steer; they just do it - until an emergency, then they panic and try to turn the bars to steer, which doesn't work. If you know about it, then you can force it even when scared. It saved my life once; came round a sharp bend too fast, big truck coming and found myself wobbling upright instead of turning harder. Told myself to countersteer and consciously pushed hard on the left bar - turned and avoided that truck, back into my own lane. I'm trying to explain it to a friend but won't send this vid, as it's far, far too long

[@BL00DYM1SHA]

That's me. Overheard I'd need to counter steer on the 30mph restricted scooter, out here wondering if it's magically different than riding the since stolen eBike 30mph. Just overthinking as usual.

[@ollylloyd6280]

I just found you video as i've got my CBT in just over a month. Turned 40 recently and finally looking to get that licence and this video was brilliant at explaining counter steering.

[@michellemackie5433]

Thank you for your videos, they helped my pass both Mod 1 and 2 earlier this year. Keep it up!! Love from Aberdeenshire!!!

[@MotoEcosse]

Cheers, Michelle. Glad to hear you found the video useful. Always makes my day. Congrats on both passes as well. 🤜🤛

[@bploan8464]

Yes thank you very much, the whole reason of WHY we counter steer has bothered me so much but you're explanation of the car having 4 wheels and the bike has two... thank you... I'm just about to get my first bike and only discovered the idea of counter steering last week and my brain has been broken😂 watched lots of videos but yours is the one that explains it so I know why we do it

[@blackdotkiller1]

I said to them moto ecosse said i had to practise my counter steering, but the judg said slaloming in and out of peoples front gardens is not practising your counter steering in fact the boys in blue said you were just drunk as a skunk sir 🤣👍 great vid mate

[@MotoEcosse]

😂😂😂 Brilliant.

[@motorcycleman6898]

Thanks for another great video. Didn’t know about counter steering coming out of a bend. That nugget is appreciated. (Every day is a school day)

[@MotoEcosse]

Yeah it's another example of doing counter steering without realising it. Knowing that you're doing it in and out definitely helps you have more control of the bike overall. 🤜🤛

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Been fiding for 40 years. I didn't know i was counter steering until i took a refresher course.

[@AM-cz4fd]

Back at it again with the great videos! Practising counter steering on my 125 was one of the best things I ever did and made me a better rider. I now have a 500 and I'm having to learn counter steering all over again due to the weight and speed difference, but slowly getting better. Every experienced rider is inexperienced on a new bike!

[@MrMesospheric]

Amen to that!

[@thedubwhisperer2157]

Cornering physics. Do we all counter steer intuitively (just a just bit) without realising, or do the physics of two-wheeled vehicle dynamics permit cornering with zero countersteer, ie. by weight transfer? I would suggest that counter steer is not a prerequisite because it is possible to steer a bike hands-off by weight transfer. I accept that it works - this is purely the physics of cornering.

[@mrgundog_07]

Great explanation. Thank you.

[@dengue509]

Almost in November not the best for bike riding ........ /cry i take my cbt on the 9th of November lol Loved this video as always great work and keep it up

[@MotoEcosse]

😂Ah you'll be fine. Just remember to wrap up warm. ❄️😰

[@chrisdavies8066]

I’ve got my cbt sat this as helped me a lot cheers mate 😉

[@MotoEcosse]

No worries, Chris. Have fun on your CBT mate. 🤜🤛

[@davestatham8668]

Another great video 👍how would counter steering be on a 125cc? Would you be more careful due to the bike being lighter?

[@MotoEcosse]

Cheers, Dave. You definitely don't have to be as aggressive on a 125 compared to a big heavy bike. Starting off slow to build up your confidence and you'll quickly learn how light they are and how easy they are counter steer. You definitely would need to be more careful at first, but you'll soon learn how much pressure is needed to get it leaned over a bit. Once you get used to how light they are, they're very similar to bigger bikes. The biggest thing you'll find is they'll lean over a lot faster due to their weight. Makes them great fun to ride. 🤜🤛

[@gordonjohnston3845]

Another great informative vid mate. Always learn something from you. Keep them coming. Cheers

[@MotoEcosse]

Cheers, Gordon. 🤜🤛

[@ZippyMedia]

Stirling

[@preeminent7854]

Are you pushing towards the mirror or pushing towards the floor

[@softailfun]

Forward.

[@countryjoe3551]

Push the left grip forward to go left, push the right grip forward to go right.

[@jaygee-bj1dk]

@@countryjoe3551that makes no sense,I feel like I’ll wreck if I do that

[@HELENYHONORATO-xq5kb]

Countersteering in a cmv

[@knickerbockers2010]

since I started to watch videos about it I got confused. I now have 50.000 kilometers behind me and I did it right just without knowing how. sometimes its better not to analyze all the details if things are right anyway.

[@antoniopafundi3455]

Do you know any big parking lot to practice near London? xD

[@MotoEcosse]

😂 unfortunately not 🤣

[@berger15]

I used to love cycling when I was younger, and I never thought about counter-steering. Now I'm a fat, middle-aged bloke waiting for to complete his CBT (2 weeks to go...) and then get his A-licence - and I see counter-steering is a big thing. But I cannot think why. It seems like it's the natural reaction to the bike leaning. It certainly was when I cycled - you leant the bike and tried to keep the wheels straight to prevent the front wheel from either turning in sharply and flicking the bike (done that as a kid), or from washing out and sliding leading to a crash (I think "low-siding" is the term motorcyclists use). The difference seems to be you actively use the counter steer to initiate the lean, since a motorcycle is considerably heavier than a mountain bike or racer. Or have I got this totally wrong?

[@MotoEcosse]

Yep, it's one of those things that you'll do the most of while riding but pretty much never really need to think to much about it. You start the lean with counter steering then adjust if needed with more or less counter steering. Bikes are heavy. Even light 125s are still 100kg plus, so body movement alone isn't enough to lean it over. It is a simple technique to learn and you'll pick it up almost instantly when you're out on your CBT. CBT course is a blast man. Have fun on the day. 🤜🤛

[@XtreeM_FaiL]

You say that CS starts working at 15mph. So why it isn't working at 14,999...999mph?

[@MotoEcosse]

No idea 🤷. Physics I suppose.

[@scrumpymanjack]

Great content. Devouring it all. Thanks. I was confused about coutersteering but, having watched this video, I think it's what I did for years on a racing bike (bicycle) around town ie. you lean into the bends and corners keeping your front wheel more or less in line with the frame and the back wheel as opposed to turning the front wheel out of that line. Is that it? If so, yes, it's second nature - just what naturally happens once you're going over a certain speed. But why call it "countersteeing"? That's a super misleading name. It's more like leaning into the bends.

[@MotoEcosse]

Well the countersteering phrase really comes from the fact, you're actually pushing the opposite handle bar. Rather than turn the handle bars right to go right, which you do with slow maneuvers, you're actually pushing the right grip, forward and down to go right which initiates the lean. The more pressure you apply the further the bike will lean. If you look at Moto GP riders etc, you'll notice when they lean over going round a corner, the front wheel isn't actually turning towards the corner. It'll either be pretty straight or if they're in the process of leaning over, you can actually see the front wheel pointing in the opposite direction. Just ever so slightly. This of course is the rider pushing the handler in the opposite direction, so they're countersteering. I'm honestly not a huge fan of the phrase, I prefer to call it push steering. Pushing the grip/handlebar in the opposite direction. You are correct though, you would of been doing it for years without realising it, but even just having a basic understanding of it really helps, so next time you countersteer, whether that's on a bicycle or motorbike, you'll look at it completely different. For me, learning a bit more about countersteering completely changed riding for me, in a good way of course. It made tackling corners easier and also makes it easier to put the bike exactly where you want it to go, because countersteering works for leaning the bike over, and to straighten back up, you're doing the exact same thing, only on the opposite bar. So for example, going round a right hand bend, you would push to the right countersteering into the corner, applying power and as you exit and push on the left grip at the same time helps straighten the bike back up. Once you've practiced it a few times it'll become second nature. 🤜🤛

[@scrumpymanjack]

@@MotoEcosse very detailed reply. Thank you, thank you. Above and beyond. Great channel. Will recommend to friends!

[@MotoEcosse]

@@scrumpymanjack Appreciate that. 🤜🤛

[@danieloconnor6594]

Maths and physics to ride a motorbike? Gonnae nae dae that.

[@sniperwiper09]

me as an egineering student: what do you mean confusing ?

[@softailfun]

?

[@bigjim383]

I have been riding for years thru the rockies etc, and have tried the counter steering but truthfully I don't see the upside. I lean slightly in the direction I want to go and amazingly that is the way I go, Explain the advantage of counter steering.