Pull right to go left?

Bugman said:

I've always wondered this about bikes, I just never remembered to ask. Why is is that if you want to move the bike left, like when changing lanes, you pull back on the right grip? It doesn't make any sense to me. Can someone explain why this hapens? Thanks.

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Above 12-15 MPH, .....gyroscopic precession, where the input to the wheel (forks, handlebars) produces a reaction 90 degrees later.

Has something to do with that when you pull the bars the bike will tend to lean instead of turning the tire 'cause the tire is rolling and wants to keep going straight. It's some kind of gyroscope effect or something. That's why you lean to turn at speed. I stopped trying to figure that one out a long time ago. It just does is good enough for me anymore. I know, I know. I suck and was absolutley no help. You can punch me in the face when you find me. MIKE.

I type slow. but I was kind of right. no punches.

Bugman said:

I've always wondered this about bikes, I just never remembered to ask. Why is is that if you want to move the bike left, like when changing lanes, you pull back on the right grip? It doesn't make any sense to me. Can someone explain why this hapens? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Lengthy discussion here:

http://www.msgroup.org/TIP048.html

hhhmm, counter stearing, I find the less I think about it, the better I do it

Take a bicycle wheel and hold onto the axle. Have a buddy spin the wheel and then try to tilt it over. You'll find that it turns itself even though you're just titling it. Gyroscopic effect. Same reason you won't fall over as long as you're moving at a reasonable speed (and you aren't a dumbass).

It would be easier to remember to push against the left grip to turn left and "vice-versa". Basically applying forward pressure on the left grip, (or pulling on the right), forces the bike to lean to the left and thus turning left.

It's becoming clear to me now...

Don't only rely on pulling, put your body on the inside of the turn. Course some of you nuts on low bikes would probably shave the wallet off your ass if you did that.

If you "push" gently while riding slowly the bike goes the opposite way. Its freaky, but then we all know how to ride, right? TK.

How about under shifting (going down two or three gears when you should only go down one) to put the wheel into a torque lock then promptly hammering the gas to induce a controlled slide around a corner, ala Supermotard. I can do it on dirt but guys who do that stuff on asphalt blow my mind.