I know it sounds like a strange question, but I've been on a few different motorcycles lately and I have found that some bike like to be leaned over and man handled, some like counter steering, some like both. How do you straighten out the curves?
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How do you turn your concours?
- Thread starter nomoreusmc6802
- Start date
Have you taken a MC safety rider course?
Yes, and have 30 years and 3 downs. I'm asking what the chassis likes in stock form. I'm getting ready for my tires to get in and then a 2 hour ride home through the Twisties, my first time on the bike over 20 mph. Tires I bought the bike on are shredded
Agreed.
I think I don't know exactly what you mean by leaned over and man handled....so I'll just go with counter steering. (C14)
Now when I first saw the title of the thread and hadn't read your post, the response in my head was instantly "I turn mine around with a Park-n-move."
Good luck with your new to you bike.
Counter steering is counter intuitive. As kids did we counter steer bicycles too? Properly applied counter steering can make the heaviest most unwieldy motorcycle sing in turns... With proper ground clearance. Leaning doesn't do much... I've tried steering the C-10 by using my body weight; it didn't do much.
No doubt, but some bikes feel "numb" from just bar inputs, but my GSX-Rs just needed a small push and it dove into the corner.
Which is kinda why I asked, I really didn't know if it would make much of a difference. Just excited to ride it. Miss being on a sport bike
Just wondering. I didn't learn what I was doing until I took a course. I knew something weird was going on with counter steering and all. Counter steering is what brings my bike up and to make that emergency swerve that has saved my gonads over the years. The only wrestling I do is ground handling my C14 around in the garage.
I was a us marine and had to take the course every time I switched bases. Until I had a cert at every base. Then I took one at the track at hallet, OK and I wanted to be there instead of it just being a requirement, and that's when I really got it. Helps I had grown up quite a bit too. Getting shot can do that to a guy.
Thank you for your service. I was in the Navy. Riding a motorcycle on any base can be hell.
One thing that can make counter steering feel difficult is worn stem bearings . My first street bike ( Honda 550 four) had a notch almost dead center in the worn stem bearing . I was real young and rather than fix it I just learned to ride with it 
. Screaming through Ortega Highway every weekend . Once I finnaly got it fixed I had to basically relearn the bike .
. Screaming through Ortega Highway every weekend . Once I finnaly got it fixed I had to basically relearn the bike .It wouldn't be so hard if the rules made sense! I wasn't a safe rider until in my late 20s. Didn't become a good rider until my 30s. Now staring 50 in the eyes and being on a Harley for the past 6-7 years I am sure I will squid a little bit but I am old enough now to know when and where to do it and how not to kill myself, plus I wear much better gear now.
I think we all commit these "moto-sins" when we are younger. Part of how we learn. You just have to remember that stupid hurtsOne thing that can make counter steering feel difficult is worn stem bearings . My first street bike ( Honda 550 four) had a notch almost dead center in the worn stem bearing . I was real young and rather than fix it I just learned to ride with it
and the pavement hurts more. Lol!Yeah that's true for sure. I'm kinda worried about my rear. I ended up with a misch road 5 up front and a commander 2 in the back. Only 16 inch rear I didn't have to wait 60 plus days for....
He's riding a C10 btw.
OK, now I understand the strange sounding question....nothing wrong with riding a Harley if that's what you want to do...but whenever I encounter a bunch of them deep in the twisties clogging the roadway..they always seem to be fighting the bike to get it to turn...aka "leaned over and man handled"...I've never ridden a Harley (or any cruiser for that matter) but I'm sure the front end geometry (rake and trail etc.)* has a lot to do with it....I've never ridden a C10 either but I've followed some going faster than I could through the twisties (my skills were the limiting factor not my C14's ability) so I think you'll find (especially with new tires) that counter steering will serve you well....but be careful anyway.
*I'm not saying that counter steering isn't how a cruiser turns, I'm saying if you are constantly fighting (trying to turn) with a bike that wants to go upright and straight, that mentally speaking "leaned over and manhandling" is what is going to be the overall feeling, even if you are actually counter steering.
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I can tell you an 09 super glide HAS to be countersteered and manhandled! I have forward controls which makes it worse. It's just the wrong body posture for sport riding. Even after doubling the stock HP, legend suspension, commander 3s, dyno tune, brake upgrades, it just doesn't feel right to me. And I have so much money into it, I'll never get it out. This is me and her on 129 (the dragon)OK, now I understand the strange sounding question....nothing wrong with riding a Harley if that's what you want to do...but whenever I encounter a bunch of them deep in the twisties clogging the roadway..they always seem to be fighting the bike to get it to turn...aka "leaned over and man handled"...I've never ridden a Harley (or any cruiser for that matter) but I'm sure the front end geometry (rake and trail etc.)* has a lot to do with it....I've never ridden a C10 either but I've followed some going faster than I could through the twisties (my skills were the limiting factor not my C14's ability) so I think you'll find (especially with new tires) that counter steering will serve you well....but be careful anyway.
*I'm not saying that counter steering isn't how a cruiser turns, I'm saying if you are constantly fighting (trying to turn) with a bike that wants to go upright and straight, that mentally speaking "leaned over and manhandling" is what is going to be the overall feeling, even if you are actually counter steering.
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But I was building custom Harley-Davidsons for a living and building custom parts for them so it didn't quite feel right riding a Suzuki into the shop everyday! I gave it a shot. Just not my flavor but now I'm stuck with a Harley with 20g in it that I can only sell for 7-8k
Having proper posture helps alot. End of last season I removed the risers and put on about a 1000 miles. I focused and getting my chin over the mirror in the corners. I felt like I was riding better.
C10 has plenty of mobility, above 15 mph or so you’ll apply a little counter steer and off you’ll go into the direction of the hand you pushed the bar forward with.
Now mind you the C10 & C14 are not light weights and you shouldn’t expect sport bike flickable feel but they will turn in surprisingly fast, especially on nice rubber.
After you get accustomed to the fall-in rate if you want some more flick try pulling the handlebar toward you of the opposite hand that you initiated the push (counter steer). Try this on an open roadway and with great care then machine WILL surprise you. For visual: if you are going right you push forward with your right hand and pull back with your left, again gentle…
Have fun - sorry you got so deep $ into the HD. All motorcycles you can spend some big coin on, thankfully our machines don’t NEED a lot to perform A LOT!
Wayne, Carol & Blue
I've been thinking about it,
I'm going to be scrubbing off the new tires so the first 20 or so miles. I'm going to be taking the backroad which is a beautiful example of backroad Ozarks, not a straight road in sight and the hills abound. I just don't know how long my willpower is going to last. I'm trying to get a tactical assessment of my machine and my current riding skill set. So I can set reasonable limits but still get a real assessment of the chassis and suspension setup. I'm new to the air suspension setup and my long time in another frame style...
I'm going to be scrubbing off the new tires so the first 20 or so miles. I'm going to be taking the backroad which is a beautiful example of backroad Ozarks, not a straight road in sight and the hills abound. I just don't know how long my willpower is going to last. I'm trying to get a tactical assessment of my machine and my current riding skill set. So I can set reasonable limits but still get a real assessment of the chassis and suspension setup. I'm new to the air suspension setup and my long time in another frame style...