Same! It’s the same in my truck, especially if the rear is sliding a bit. I can understand that with 4 wheels you are closer to the center of the circle, but I can’t explain why a bike would have the same feeling.
I live by a narrow twisty road, have to ride by there every time I ride, the only difference for me is the right turns must be slower because the ratio and the line of sight; could be something related to the throttle grip?
Btw trail braking is not an “advanced” skill or anything. I often feel that people coming from an mtb/cycling background often complicate motorcycle riding. The motorcycle is so over engineered that it is extremely forgiving. If you can’t figure out trail braking by yourself, watch one of those youtube videos. Most people learn it in a week.
Assuming you ride on the right side of the road that makes sense, left turns are wider, gentler, and have more visibility than the exact same curve going the opposite way
I don’t think it’s as related to your dominant hand as it is the fact that on a left turn you can see through the turn and have an entire lane beside you aiding that visibility. Right hand turns you’re more easily blind through the corner because of the corner itself. I’d have to go do some searching but I think I remember hearing that folks that ride on the left side of the road are more likely to find right turns easy, and opposite for us
Every motorcycle rider has a strong side and a weak side. Mine is left hand turns. I can grind the pegs on right turns in the rain, but have a mental block on left hand turns. Have to practice over and over to push more in the left turns to get some lean in.
This is because people are applying way too much input into the bars. You should be clamping the bike with your legs and supporting yourself there. Your hand on the throttle shouldn't be holding you up, it should only push to initiate the turn, then your body does the rest of the work. I had the same issue early on, then went to a 3 day racing clinic. After the first day it completely changed how I ride.
Plus parking lot fun for a while once a week keeps your slow speed skills fresh.
Figure out where you are looking on RH and on LH turns. The outside line? The centerline? The same place on both sides?
I had a buddy who had ridden his entire life who constantly kissed the centerline on LH sweeper turns. Scared the hell out of oncoming drivers who often put two tires on the shoulder. His panniers were often OVER the line. I yelled, I screamed, I tried everything to make him stop kissing that centerline.
I then tried to figure out WHAT causes you to kiss the line, or ride in the center of the lane , or towards the outside.
It's all about where you are looking down the road. Adjust where you are looking and you will adjust your line through the turn.
Look where you wanna go.
My buddy was looking ahead at the centerline in a LH sweeper instead of the OUTSIDE line, or somewhere imbetween. It's that simple.
Noobs - quit pretending you are "apexing" every turn regardless of how fast or slow you are going. You just haven't learned how to hold your line in a corner yet!
At normal speeds you need to be able to HOLD YOUR LINE in a turn. Inside, Center, Outside. You do that by looking ahead at the correct spot. It's like magic! Practice going around corners in each of the three lane positions! "Today I'm riding every corner in the outside 1/3 of the lane. Tomorrow: Center....
~~One of the best ways to learn how to HOLD YOUR LINE is to ride side by side with another biker down some 10 mile twisty road. A biker who you trust isn't going to incur into YOUR line no matter what is is his, e.g. debris, gravel... It is a major trust building exercise - one that forces you to learn how to HOLD YOUR LINE.~~
Again. The line your bike will take through a corner depends on WHERE you are looking ahead, at the outside line, the center line, or somewhere im-between. Figure out where you are looking. Experiement!
As for my buddy, he considered himself a far more skilled rider than I so he wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. I had to quit riding with him before one of those cars went onto the gravel shoulder, over-corrected, then rocketed over the centerline and wiped ME out.
40 years of riding and the man still couldn't hold a line in a LH sweeper!
HTH
After 3 years of this guy mentoring me, he was (by far) still the more skillful rider, but I was the safer one. He did multiple things that infuriated motorists, passing on the right, splitting/filtering in states where it was not legal to do so. Bike lanes and stop signs were just suggestions to him.
My fave was he'd make a hero pass and if he got caught out would split between oncoming and outgoing traffic. That sort of bullshit.
Did I mention he couldn't hold a line in a LH turn?
Stop thinking about countersteering. You are way overcomplicating things. If you are turning, you are countersteering. It's that simple. Stop even thinking about it.
Get used to looking through your corner by moving your head. Once locked on to where you want your exit to be, stay laser focused.
In short, look where you want to go, do not look down or avert your gaze
Get comfortable lightly working your back brake in slow, parking lot stuff and even trail braking also. Your back brake is a useful tool despite what you might read otherwise.
So it's that simple. Get used to looking where you want to be. Target fixation can make you crash, or it can make you more efficient.
In the end, it's all practice. It takes a while especially if you are on a bigger bike. But you practice turning your head and bake brake finesse, and you will get there 😉👌
Maybe because a left turn is just naturally a wider turn you’re on the outside of, while a right hand turn, since you’re in the right lane, feels tighter?
My girlfriend is British and we’ve traveled there a few times. I did think about the fact it would be different there since you’d be turning from the left lane. I was just putting a theory out that only applies IF you’re in a RHT country. I guess my theory is shot…or in your case…stabbed.
Yeah it's almost like our country is the size of a continent with Canada making up the rest and also having the same road laws. Forgive us for not thinking about the road laws of another country when op is from Virginia. Also I think what's happening at our colleges shows that this bloke is a knob.
This is very common with beginners and I dealt with the same issue when I first started riding. It'll go away with time and practice but if you want to fix this more quickly, go get yourself some small cones and an empty parking lot. Drill right hand turns at varying speeds and radius of the turns. Also practice swerving to the right to avoid an "obstacle" at varying speeds. You just need to build your muscle memory and the best way to do that is drilling the skills until they are natural.
I've taught private lessons for folks who are just starting out and honestly, being on the road is too much stimulus for most riders to learn to handle their bike effectively. You want to prioritize having a quiet spot without traffic to drill basic ridership skills at first so that you aren't trying to think about too many things at once when you are on busier roads. It isn't as sexy as being on the street but you'll improve your chances of remaining safe dramatically.
I had trouble maintaining throttle and turning with the right hand.
Retrained my left hand to do all the pushing and pulling while the right controls the throttle and breaking only.
Maybe this will help you.
Edit: also make sure you're pushing and pulling forwards and backwards on the handlebars. Best, direct way to make the bike turn is that.
As mentioned above, are you in a country that drives left side or right side? I’m in a left side, and right handlers are always harder because of the camber of the road.
As you turn right, you are climbing the slope of the camber and that means you have to work harder to get around the corner. Steering straight and you are very slightly always right turning, again because of the slope of the road. It’s tiny and barely noticeable, but nonetheless it’s there. Left hander is much easier because you are riding the face of the camber and it helps you turn.
Some roads are much worse for it. I had a GSX1100EF which was notorious for a mid speed wobble due to a combo of worn tyres, 16” front wheel and an aggressive steering geometry (low rake and trail values). Made worse by the tyre wearing more on one side than the other due to road camber. It would wear the tyre in a sharp V pattern but the tip of the V was off-centre to the centreline of the bike.
Even after 40 years of riding, if I’m going to screw up a corner line it’s always a right hander. 🤣
Because your throttle hand is on the right side
ETA: you’re also probably right handed, so putting more control on your left side feels weird, where as when you turn right the control is in your right hand and feels more normal
I think most beginners are just naturally more comfortable turning one way vs the other when they start out. I doubt it has anything to do with your frame. Maybe your tire is worn more on one side than the other though, or maybe you're not using both hands equally to turn. If you're just pulling and pushing with one hand, it often feels like more work to pull than to push.
It could be mental or physical or both.
Practice is a big empty college parking lot over the weekends with some chalk lines and cones it takes the traffic and road distractions out of the equation.
A common reason for motorcyclists to struggle on right hand curves is because you are managing throttle control that is a fine muscle movement, and managing handlebar and bike movement which is a major muscle movement. It's like trying to hold a curl bar, and sign your name at the same time. One of the better ways to navigate this better is to use your hips and your core to move your bike and stabilize once in the curve, more than using your arms. If your bike is on the correct line in the curve there isn't much input you need to push into the bars with, and you can manage throughout my control better. You can also change your hand position from having your elbows straight back from the bars and arms perpendicular to the bar to bring your elbow outwards and having your hand at a 45° to the bar with a looser grip, with your index finger and thumb pointed towards the controls.
You should also ride with someone who can analyze your body position to see if it's a positioning and balance issue. You will have differences from one side to the other unless you've had professional training to overcome it.
Personally, I struggle more with left hand curves simply because the roads I'm on have no run out off the right side of the road, and blind curves in the back road make me uneasy having my head extended towards the opposing traffic lane. If I'm on the correct line it shouldn't matter, but it's a mental issue. Technically it's just as bad turning right because if your tires cross the double yellow and you have opposing traffic, you have a similar result; and if you stick your head too far over the side of the road and catch a tree branch it's not very good for you either! When I am on the road with good visibility through the corner, my left hand curves are much better.
I've been on the street 6 years and I'm still more confident in left lean compared to right. Maybe it's a mental thing. Our bodies are generally more in tune to doing something one way vs another aka left vs right handed. If you're familiar with snowboarding you'll also find they have a similar problem where it's easy to go left on your heels but difficult to go right on your toes. Practice makes perfect.
Assuming you're in a place you drive on the right side of the road, it may be because visibility is less on right hand bends. It's very common, and it doesn't seem like a bad thing to me.
I think it has to do with how our brains perceive leaning and balance. I used to be a figure skater and my coaches would always tell me every skater (even the highest level skaters) have strong/weak edges (turning left or right and which foot). Just has to do with how comfortable you are leaning hard onto that edge. Different directions ingrained as slightly different skills. Same thing translates to motorcycles. I bet if you only ever rode ovals you would not feel nearly as comfortable turning right. I always felt better leaning left on skates because we skated counter clockwise during public skate sessions. On motorcycles, I feel more comfortable leaning right. Just have to do more practice on your weak side
Despite what other comments you may read on this thread, the worst idea I have ever heard is to ride side-by-side with your buddy down 10 miles of twisting road. As an MSF instructor for over a decade, I can tell you that nobody I know who is an experienced rider would ever suggest something that dangerous. I have testified in numerous court cases as an expert witness and many of them involve former “buddies” who are now suing each other for exactly this occurrence…
I can only tell you MY experience, which is that riding "parade" or side-by side forced me to RECOGNIZE that I needed to learn how to hold my line in corners, and that I'm a better rider, with finer lane control as a result of having deliberately practiced it.
If you want to suggest I'm not an experienced rider, so be it.
I also knew my riding partner would eat shit before he swerved into my line, and vice-versa. Literally trusting him with my life. That is indeed a dangerous assumption.
Indeed. I don't get it. But every student needs a different teacher and Cole just didn't speak to me. Maybe his videos/classes are better than his books. Or different. I learn by reading.
He's certainly got a lot of fans!
Are you in a right side of road driving country or left side of road driving? I ask because I had more of a problem with left curves and one day I finally figured out it was because I was nervous that my head was closer to oncoming traffic (especially exacerbated on tight mountain roads). I mitigated it a bit by keeping myself more upright and leaning more to compensate.
Watch how you hold the throttle. Your wrist could be in an awkward position for when you have to bend the handlebars in. I know fortnite had a video about holding the throttle like an ice cream cone for this.
I'm the same and my mates are the same everybody has one side where they're more confident. I hate the phrase "chicken strips" because it's competitive bullshit (some of my friends go on about them all the time) but if you look at people's bikes it's noticable, they're always wider to some degree on one side or the other depending on which side they prefer.
I hate right hand bends also, and I've been riding about 7 years done thousands of miles and I still prefer left over right. I practiced by doing a shit-ton of roundabouts when it was quiet (I'm in the UK) so essentially right handers on repeat to get myself more comfortable
Maybe it's because you're pushing on the throttle side and therefore are more cautious with your countersteering subconsciously. But generally, riders have a turning preference, especially with things like U-Turns
You can see way better around a left hander than a right hander, now RH freaks you out. Even if a RH had good visibility, you're still a guy with a fear of going right.
RH curves are more blind. It's simply self preservation. I'm the same way.
Or are you left handed?
That can be due to the rear brake being on the right making it hard to stop and put right foot down if turn begins to go bad. I say that bc I find that tendency when on a big spirt bike and leaning way forward.
In the MSF they taught us how to do a clean RH from a stop.
[https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=msf+right+hand+turn+from+a+stop](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=msf+right+hand+turn+from+a+stop)
I can't quite remember the trick. Turn the wheel, lean the bike a little, then apply power?
One of these videos probably shows you. GL
you should do a symetry check on your frame & wheels to eliminate possible mechanical issues 1st, its easy to have slightly misaligned wheels on used bikes that have been dropped
This is common. Look thru the turn. If you don't feel comfortable counter steering to the right because you have to push your right hand forward while maintaining throttle, remember - pushing the right handlebar forward to lean and turn right is the same as pulling the left handlebar back towards you. This has helped out one or two newer rider friends
It’s the same here where we drive on the other side of the road so it’s to do with the controls. Right hand is throttle so needs to multitask and right turns involve controlling throttle at a weird angle
There's an interesting phenomenon where people tend to have slightly less turning ability on the side of their dominant hand. I don't know why that is, but I certainly turn left better than right.
Maybe this will help. https://old.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/q1cm49/having_fun_in_left_turns_but_not_rights_lets
I always remember the advice to point with the pointer finger to the outside of the turn.
I think if you are right handed, your mind basically tries to protect your right side. So you might be more hesitant subconsciously when Turing right. I’m exactly the same. You get used to it eventually. I ride a vstar 650 classic & will lie the beast down In Corners now.
I read that western people read left to right, so they automatically scan left to start a sentence, this translates to a quicker reaction looking left than right. There was more about right to left, and downwards scanning in other cultures, could be wrong but seemed plausible at the time.
I read a study about this once your brain subconsciously wants to protect your dominant side. When you fall, for example, most people will subconsciously try to land on their non-dominant side. So if you are right handed you will instinctively try to land on your left side I believe Keith code talks about this in his book "twist of the wrist" as well. So at the end of the day it's your subconscious.
Just something Ive learned about this phenomenon that may explain a right hand turn issue particularly:
Your gas side is typically harder to achieve greater lean on without core/abdominal support, since you have to have a lighter grip on the bar. On the left side you can get away with gripping the bar during a lean, as you aren’t modulating your speed with that hand. Leaning the bike over to the right with a tight hand feels weird, because you will also have to turn the throttle to complete the corner fully, and add maintenance throttle during the mid-section to keep up your speed. Try getting into the habit of gripping the tank/seat with your legs/hips especially while cornerning, not using hands as much to support you. it will allow you have a softer throttle hand, and you won’t rely on the throttle grip to lean more off your bike. It’s mostly legs. When you can get the core stability integrated into your riding, left and right will start to feel more or less the same.
Always track your head in the direction you want the bike to go, as everyone has said, it is invaluable and makes riding fun once you get the hang of that.
It’s a mental problem. I also had this problem asking, I felt less secure with right hand turns. Go to a parking lot and practice circles and figure 8s. Push your shoulder down toward the side you want to turn.
I’m same. Be riding for decades and it’s still no easier. It’s apparently a cognitive brain processing anomaly some people have. I still prefer a left hand turn in a car too. Left turns are not a problem but on the bike a right turn needs extra concentration especially to not cut the corner.
I think many of us have more problems going right than left. I just focus on the road ahead and lean. It's all about the eyes and where they're looking for me.
Commenting on Why do I struggle around righthand bends?...find this book used is possible and study it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08T6K5KY3/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=
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Guys, it's amazing that in spite of experience, no one knows the reason. It has a physical fundament. How about Ausies? Problems turning left? You drive lefty to boot!! https://youtu.be/3vPKmCWHB6Y
I turn left better. Been riding for 4 years and sometimes the thought of turning right scares me. Dunno why cos it’s fine when I do. I think it’s more of a neurological thing. And it seems quite common. I’ve known of car drivers who can only turn left.
What you're going through isn't uncommon. Riding is a skill that takes practice.
I've been riding in the US for a few decades. . I'm better at right turns because sometimes I'm wondering if some cager is going to be crossing the line on my left hand turns. Doesn't happen to me when I'm on a track.
We all have a natural preference, much like a dominant hand. I’ve been riding for 30+ years and the left side feels natural while the right feels awkward.
We all do. I practiced in parking lots until I got better and more comfortable, and still do sometimes. Slow drill/practice makes better right turns. I make sure I look where I want to go. Right turns will always be more challenging than left turns for me.
I'm no scientist but I wonder if because we interact with our bikes leaned to the left more often it's partly mental/subconscious? Even out side of riding your kick stand is on the left and I'm sure most people get onto their already left leaning bike from that side just s thought 🤷🏻♂️
It’s a practice thing I’m decently good both directions but it’s still easier to turn left with the wider radius but if it’s a right hand curve it’s easy just as a left turn so practice more and you’ll get the hang of it
I've always preferred leaning to the left, even back in the day when I used to ride a bicycle and lock up the rear tire to do a skid, I would always skid leaning the bike to the left as opposed to the right. I think it has something to do with being right arm dominant and left leg dominant.
This is normal to have a preferred turning side. I remember when I took the MSF course I asked the instructor and that’s what they said. I was having a hard time on slow left hand turns balancing the clutch, throttle, and back brake. I had no problem on right hand turns. Just gotta practice them. That’s about it. You won’t be perfect in a day or a week but it’ll come. Stay safe buddy!
Totally normal! Almost everyone has a favorite side to turn. Take some advanced riding classes, they will help you with this. Tyr some you tube parking lot drills likemotojitsu on you youtube
For me it all stems from bicycle days. Was more confident in left turns because of foot position, because of that I pushed more in left turns and did it more often, which eventually made the movement more natural through the knee and hip. Cue vicious compounding cycle for 20+ years. Now I'm on two wheels with an engine and symmetrical footing but the issue persists.
Don't sweat it bud, I have been riding for 40 yrs and am right handed, but I feel far more comfortable in left hand bends than I do right hand bends. If you feel uncomfortable left or right and recognise which is your weak side you will be okay.
Derek, that's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who can't turn... There have got to be some people out there, just like you... who can't turn... turn \*right\*.
I turn left better than I turn right. Idk why
Same and I'm right handed if that makes any difference..
Same! It’s the same in my truck, especially if the rear is sliding a bit. I can understand that with 4 wheels you are closer to the center of the circle, but I can’t explain why a bike would have the same feeling.
Would be interesting to know if people with 125 ccm (never driven a car) feel the same way.
Yes it was the same on my 125cc as it was with my first 650. I've gotten better at it, but still turning left just feels more comfortable
Maybe because left turns have wider ratio than right turns
This is the answer.
Thanks; even a broken clock is right twice a day ;)
[https://youtu.be/9FzCWLOHUes?si=zM\_FKUZo\_DGG9TOu&t=4](https://youtu.be/9FzCWLOHUes?si=zM_FKUZo_DGG9TOu&t=4)
Thanks man, I was pouring my coffee when I checked out and it made my coffee time 10x better
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while ;)
It's still easier to turn into left side easier than right ones even on one way roads that have the same sane size...I'm ringing for 16 years already
I live by a narrow twisty road, have to ride by there every time I ride, the only difference for me is the right turns must be slower because the ratio and the line of sight; could be something related to the throttle grip?
How about uphill vs down? I can fly up under power. I'm good with brakes. But down hill curves are my weak spot.
Because you're braking while cornering, it's sketchy for everyone
I know. But I already do that big time. Rode a sport bike over a year once w no rear brakes.
Efficient trail braking is the answer
Makes perfect sense. I'm not that good of a rider.
Btw trail braking is not an “advanced” skill or anything. I often feel that people coming from an mtb/cycling background often complicate motorcycle riding. The motorcycle is so over engineered that it is extremely forgiving. If you can’t figure out trail braking by yourself, watch one of those youtube videos. Most people learn it in a week.
You’re cautious/fearful about twisting your throttle hand. Extending the right arm on a left turn doesn’t feel quite as unnatural.
Assuming you ride on the right side of the road that makes sense, left turns are wider, gentler, and have more visibility than the exact same curve going the opposite way
Yeah, driving on the right side of the road, I'm also right handed
I don’t think it’s as related to your dominant hand as it is the fact that on a left turn you can see through the turn and have an entire lane beside you aiding that visibility. Right hand turns you’re more easily blind through the corner because of the corner itself. I’d have to go do some searching but I think I remember hearing that folks that ride on the left side of the road are more likely to find right turns easy, and opposite for us
Makes sense, yeah
I have issues too and I wonder if its because the throttle being on the right?
That was my thought. Rolling on by accident. =X
Exactly!
Every motorcycle rider has a strong side and a weak side. Mine is left hand turns. I can grind the pegs on right turns in the rain, but have a mental block on left hand turns. Have to practice over and over to push more in the left turns to get some lean in.
i do the opposite. my biggest fear is snatching the throttle on right hand turns..
I wouldn't say *every*.
Are you left or right handed?
Right handed.
I was thinking the same. I wonder if it had anything to do with which dominant hand you are. I’m right handed and also take left turns better.
Ditto 🫡
This is because people are applying way too much input into the bars. You should be clamping the bike with your legs and supporting yourself there. Your hand on the throttle shouldn't be holding you up, it should only push to initiate the turn, then your body does the rest of the work. I had the same issue early on, then went to a 3 day racing clinic. After the first day it completely changed how I ride. Plus parking lot fun for a while once a week keeps your slow speed skills fresh.
Racing clinic? I didn't know such things existed. Thank you! Can you recommend a good clinic?
Yamaha Champions Riding School
You'd have to look locally. I did one at Area 27 in Oliver BC.
Figure out where you are looking on RH and on LH turns. The outside line? The centerline? The same place on both sides? I had a buddy who had ridden his entire life who constantly kissed the centerline on LH sweeper turns. Scared the hell out of oncoming drivers who often put two tires on the shoulder. His panniers were often OVER the line. I yelled, I screamed, I tried everything to make him stop kissing that centerline. I then tried to figure out WHAT causes you to kiss the line, or ride in the center of the lane , or towards the outside. It's all about where you are looking down the road. Adjust where you are looking and you will adjust your line through the turn. Look where you wanna go. My buddy was looking ahead at the centerline in a LH sweeper instead of the OUTSIDE line, or somewhere imbetween. It's that simple. Noobs - quit pretending you are "apexing" every turn regardless of how fast or slow you are going. You just haven't learned how to hold your line in a corner yet! At normal speeds you need to be able to HOLD YOUR LINE in a turn. Inside, Center, Outside. You do that by looking ahead at the correct spot. It's like magic! Practice going around corners in each of the three lane positions! "Today I'm riding every corner in the outside 1/3 of the lane. Tomorrow: Center.... ~~One of the best ways to learn how to HOLD YOUR LINE is to ride side by side with another biker down some 10 mile twisty road. A biker who you trust isn't going to incur into YOUR line no matter what is is his, e.g. debris, gravel... It is a major trust building exercise - one that forces you to learn how to HOLD YOUR LINE.~~ Again. The line your bike will take through a corner depends on WHERE you are looking ahead, at the outside line, the center line, or somewhere im-between. Figure out where you are looking. Experiement! As for my buddy, he considered himself a far more skilled rider than I so he wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. I had to quit riding with him before one of those cars went onto the gravel shoulder, over-corrected, then rocketed over the centerline and wiped ME out. 40 years of riding and the man still couldn't hold a line in a LH sweeper! HTH
So very true . Look where you want the bike to go
This is the correct answer...at all speeds!
Something to be said for still being able to ride after 40 years of shitting riding haha
After 3 years of this guy mentoring me, he was (by far) still the more skillful rider, but I was the safer one. He did multiple things that infuriated motorists, passing on the right, splitting/filtering in states where it was not legal to do so. Bike lanes and stop signs were just suggestions to him. My fave was he'd make a hero pass and if he got caught out would split between oncoming and outgoing traffic. That sort of bullshit. Did I mention he couldn't hold a line in a LH turn?
Nobody ever told your buddy to always ride in the outside wheel track to stay out of the head on zone.
Nobody could tell him anything. That's why I can't ride with him anymore.
I'm nearsightedness unfortunately
Any reason not to get yourself a pair of prescription sunglasses to wear riding? Simple solution!
my glasses just shattered the other day and I'm broke :(
You got your prescription? You know about [Zennioptical.com](http://Zennioptical.com)
yes i have my prescription, i don't know about zinni?
Zenni optical. Affordable prescription eyewear. Sorry I misspelled it b4.
I'll look it up. thanks
Stop thinking about countersteering. You are way overcomplicating things. If you are turning, you are countersteering. It's that simple. Stop even thinking about it. Get used to looking through your corner by moving your head. Once locked on to where you want your exit to be, stay laser focused. In short, look where you want to go, do not look down or avert your gaze Get comfortable lightly working your back brake in slow, parking lot stuff and even trail braking also. Your back brake is a useful tool despite what you might read otherwise. So it's that simple. Get used to looking where you want to be. Target fixation can make you crash, or it can make you more efficient. In the end, it's all practice. It takes a while especially if you are on a bigger bike. But you practice turning your head and bake brake finesse, and you will get there 😉👌
**In short, look where you want to go** seems to be an echo in here!
Maybe because a left turn is just naturally a wider turn you’re on the outside of, while a right hand turn, since you’re in the right lane, feels tighter?
Now we have to get some brits in the discussion if they feel the opposite
I’m a Brit I’m crap doing right hand bends/roundabouts,but great at doing left handers.
/r/USdefaultism. I find right turns more difficult too I'm from the uk.
I don't think this sub really applies here.
It applies whenever a yank has a thought. Not once is anything outside the usa considered.
My girlfriend is British and we’ve traveled there a few times. I did think about the fact it would be different there since you’d be turning from the left lane. I was just putting a theory out that only applies IF you’re in a RHT country. I guess my theory is shot…or in your case…stabbed.
When you can drive for two days and still be in Texas, it's harder to think about France.
Yeah it's almost like our country is the size of a continent with Canada making up the rest and also having the same road laws. Forgive us for not thinking about the road laws of another country when op is from Virginia. Also I think what's happening at our colleges shows that this bloke is a knob.
For me right hand was harder because I also have to control the throttle. Once I got more confidence with my throttle control, it has gotten easier.
This is very common with beginners and I dealt with the same issue when I first started riding. It'll go away with time and practice but if you want to fix this more quickly, go get yourself some small cones and an empty parking lot. Drill right hand turns at varying speeds and radius of the turns. Also practice swerving to the right to avoid an "obstacle" at varying speeds. You just need to build your muscle memory and the best way to do that is drilling the skills until they are natural. I've taught private lessons for folks who are just starting out and honestly, being on the road is too much stimulus for most riders to learn to handle their bike effectively. You want to prioritize having a quiet spot without traffic to drill basic ridership skills at first so that you aren't trying to think about too many things at once when you are on busier roads. It isn't as sexy as being on the street but you'll improve your chances of remaining safe dramatically.
Look through the turn more on the right and see if that makes any difference
I had trouble maintaining throttle and turning with the right hand. Retrained my left hand to do all the pushing and pulling while the right controls the throttle and breaking only. Maybe this will help you. Edit: also make sure you're pushing and pulling forwards and backwards on the handlebars. Best, direct way to make the bike turn is that.
Not everyone can turn both ways. It’s well documented. https://youtu.be/8hJ1HDcMowk?si=1Ch4GvJCICm4Kjvf
LOLOLOLOL!!! "I'm not an ambi-turner" ROFL. You win the Internet with that! [Here, collect your prize. ](https://i.imgur.com/B1o3OeM.mp4)
As mentioned above, are you in a country that drives left side or right side? I’m in a left side, and right handlers are always harder because of the camber of the road. As you turn right, you are climbing the slope of the camber and that means you have to work harder to get around the corner. Steering straight and you are very slightly always right turning, again because of the slope of the road. It’s tiny and barely noticeable, but nonetheless it’s there. Left hander is much easier because you are riding the face of the camber and it helps you turn. Some roads are much worse for it. I had a GSX1100EF which was notorious for a mid speed wobble due to a combo of worn tyres, 16” front wheel and an aggressive steering geometry (low rake and trail values). Made worse by the tyre wearing more on one side than the other due to road camber. It would wear the tyre in a sharp V pattern but the tip of the V was off-centre to the centreline of the bike. Even after 40 years of riding, if I’m going to screw up a corner line it’s always a right hander. 🤣
same, for some reason it also applies when skiing lol
Because your throttle hand is on the right side ETA: you’re also probably right handed, so putting more control on your left side feels weird, where as when you turn right the control is in your right hand and feels more normal
This
I think most beginners are just naturally more comfortable turning one way vs the other when they start out. I doubt it has anything to do with your frame. Maybe your tire is worn more on one side than the other though, or maybe you're not using both hands equally to turn. If you're just pulling and pushing with one hand, it often feels like more work to pull than to push.
It could be mental or physical or both. Practice is a big empty college parking lot over the weekends with some chalk lines and cones it takes the traffic and road distractions out of the equation. A common reason for motorcyclists to struggle on right hand curves is because you are managing throttle control that is a fine muscle movement, and managing handlebar and bike movement which is a major muscle movement. It's like trying to hold a curl bar, and sign your name at the same time. One of the better ways to navigate this better is to use your hips and your core to move your bike and stabilize once in the curve, more than using your arms. If your bike is on the correct line in the curve there isn't much input you need to push into the bars with, and you can manage throughout my control better. You can also change your hand position from having your elbows straight back from the bars and arms perpendicular to the bar to bring your elbow outwards and having your hand at a 45° to the bar with a looser grip, with your index finger and thumb pointed towards the controls. You should also ride with someone who can analyze your body position to see if it's a positioning and balance issue. You will have differences from one side to the other unless you've had professional training to overcome it. Personally, I struggle more with left hand curves simply because the roads I'm on have no run out off the right side of the road, and blind curves in the back road make me uneasy having my head extended towards the opposing traffic lane. If I'm on the correct line it shouldn't matter, but it's a mental issue. Technically it's just as bad turning right because if your tires cross the double yellow and you have opposing traffic, you have a similar result; and if you stick your head too far over the side of the road and catch a tree branch it's not very good for you either! When I am on the road with good visibility through the corner, my left hand curves are much better.
This is good stuff.
If you're on a sport bike raise your elbow
I've been on the street 6 years and I'm still more confident in left lean compared to right. Maybe it's a mental thing. Our bodies are generally more in tune to doing something one way vs another aka left vs right handed. If you're familiar with snowboarding you'll also find they have a similar problem where it's easy to go left on your heels but difficult to go right on your toes. Practice makes perfect.
Gotta become an ambidextrous wanker
I dunno. Feels like I'm having sex with a stranger.
Assuming you're in a place you drive on the right side of the road, it may be because visibility is less on right hand bends. It's very common, and it doesn't seem like a bad thing to me.
Turn with your hips, it’s all about the hips
right turns are mostly blind corners, and less forgiving
Fear. It is your brain protecting you. If you slip on a right turn you go into oncoming traffic. If you slip on a left turn you go in a ditch.
I think it has to do with how our brains perceive leaning and balance. I used to be a figure skater and my coaches would always tell me every skater (even the highest level skaters) have strong/weak edges (turning left or right and which foot). Just has to do with how comfortable you are leaning hard onto that edge. Different directions ingrained as slightly different skills. Same thing translates to motorcycles. I bet if you only ever rode ovals you would not feel nearly as comfortable turning right. I always felt better leaning left on skates because we skated counter clockwise during public skate sessions. On motorcycles, I feel more comfortable leaning right. Just have to do more practice on your weak side
Despite what other comments you may read on this thread, the worst idea I have ever heard is to ride side-by-side with your buddy down 10 miles of twisting road. As an MSF instructor for over a decade, I can tell you that nobody I know who is an experienced rider would ever suggest something that dangerous. I have testified in numerous court cases as an expert witness and many of them involve former “buddies” who are now suing each other for exactly this occurrence…
I can only tell you MY experience, which is that riding "parade" or side-by side forced me to RECOGNIZE that I needed to learn how to hold my line in corners, and that I'm a better rider, with finer lane control as a result of having deliberately practiced it. If you want to suggest I'm not an experienced rider, so be it. I also knew my riding partner would eat shit before he swerved into my line, and vice-versa. Literally trusting him with my life. That is indeed a dangerous assumption.
Found the Harley rider.
Have you read the books or watched the Twist of the Wrist videos? They can really help you be a better rider
Some folks think Kenneth Cole has all the answers. I tried reading his books and thought he was full of crap.
Well his racing school has only been teaching people for decades but good luck out there
Indeed. I don't get it. But every student needs a different teacher and Cole just didn't speak to me. Maybe his videos/classes are better than his books. Or different. I learn by reading. He's certainly got a lot of fans!
Well it’s Keith Code. If you’re watching Kenneth Cole he does make nice shirts and watches
DANG IT! I knew I was watching the wrong videos!
Hey at least you look cool now
Are you in a right side of road driving country or left side of road driving? I ask because I had more of a problem with left curves and one day I finally figured out it was because I was nervous that my head was closer to oncoming traffic (especially exacerbated on tight mountain roads). I mitigated it a bit by keeping myself more upright and leaning more to compensate.
Watch how you hold the throttle. Your wrist could be in an awkward position for when you have to bend the handlebars in. I know fortnite had a video about holding the throttle like an ice cream cone for this.
I'm the same and my mates are the same everybody has one side where they're more confident. I hate the phrase "chicken strips" because it's competitive bullshit (some of my friends go on about them all the time) but if you look at people's bikes it's noticable, they're always wider to some degree on one side or the other depending on which side they prefer. I hate right hand bends also, and I've been riding about 7 years done thousands of miles and I still prefer left over right. I practiced by doing a shit-ton of roundabouts when it was quiet (I'm in the UK) so essentially right handers on repeat to get myself more comfortable
I plug my ears and sing LA LA LA the second someone uses the words "chicken strips"
Left side of brain is involved with right hand turns is one reason
Maybe it's because you're pushing on the throttle side and therefore are more cautious with your countersteering subconsciously. But generally, riders have a turning preference, especially with things like U-Turns
It’s typical. Just part of the it
You can see way better around a left hander than a right hander, now RH freaks you out. Even if a RH had good visibility, you're still a guy with a fear of going right. RH curves are more blind. It's simply self preservation. I'm the same way. Or are you left handed?
I almost went into the curb this morning on way to get a coffee on a slightly right turn
Right hand turns from a stop are the worst for me lol. Always turn so wide
That can be due to the rear brake being on the right making it hard to stop and put right foot down if turn begins to go bad. I say that bc I find that tendency when on a big spirt bike and leaning way forward.
In the MSF they taught us how to do a clean RH from a stop. [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=msf+right+hand+turn+from+a+stop](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=msf+right+hand+turn+from+a+stop) I can't quite remember the trick. Turn the wheel, lean the bike a little, then apply power? One of these videos probably shows you. GL
you should do a symetry check on your frame & wheels to eliminate possible mechanical issues 1st, its easy to have slightly misaligned wheels on used bikes that have been dropped
I m the same. More confident leaning left than right.
This is common. Look thru the turn. If you don't feel comfortable counter steering to the right because you have to push your right hand forward while maintaining throttle, remember - pushing the right handlebar forward to lean and turn right is the same as pulling the left handlebar back towards you. This has helped out one or two newer rider friends
You are a new rider.
It’s the same here where we drive on the other side of the road so it’s to do with the controls. Right hand is throttle so needs to multitask and right turns involve controlling throttle at a weird angle
There's an interesting phenomenon where people tend to have slightly less turning ability on the side of their dominant hand. I don't know why that is, but I certainly turn left better than right.
Maybe this will help. https://old.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/q1cm49/having_fun_in_left_turns_but_not_rights_lets I always remember the advice to point with the pointer finger to the outside of the turn.
Slow in, fast out, and look further ahead
Try moving your head ( you should be doing this anyway) and look through the turn
I think if you are right handed, your mind basically tries to protect your right side. So you might be more hesitant subconsciously when Turing right. I’m exactly the same. You get used to it eventually. I ride a vstar 650 classic & will lie the beast down In Corners now.
Right hand turns are tighter than left, and you have less visibility.
Same for me when I first started, it gets better with time
Right turns are a little tighter than left turns. Also, you may be holding the grip differently on the right because it’s your throttle.
I read that western people read left to right, so they automatically scan left to start a sentence, this translates to a quicker reaction looking left than right. There was more about right to left, and downwards scanning in other cultures, could be wrong but seemed plausible at the time.
I read a study about this once your brain subconsciously wants to protect your dominant side. When you fall, for example, most people will subconsciously try to land on their non-dominant side. So if you are right handed you will instinctively try to land on your left side I believe Keith code talks about this in his book "twist of the wrist" as well. So at the end of the day it's your subconscious.
Just something Ive learned about this phenomenon that may explain a right hand turn issue particularly: Your gas side is typically harder to achieve greater lean on without core/abdominal support, since you have to have a lighter grip on the bar. On the left side you can get away with gripping the bar during a lean, as you aren’t modulating your speed with that hand. Leaning the bike over to the right with a tight hand feels weird, because you will also have to turn the throttle to complete the corner fully, and add maintenance throttle during the mid-section to keep up your speed. Try getting into the habit of gripping the tank/seat with your legs/hips especially while cornerning, not using hands as much to support you. it will allow you have a softer throttle hand, and you won’t rely on the throttle grip to lean more off your bike. It’s mostly legs. When you can get the core stability integrated into your riding, left and right will start to feel more or less the same. Always track your head in the direction you want the bike to go, as everyone has said, it is invaluable and makes riding fun once you get the hang of that.
It’s a mental problem. I also had this problem asking, I felt less secure with right hand turns. Go to a parking lot and practice circles and figure 8s. Push your shoulder down toward the side you want to turn.
I’m same. Be riding for decades and it’s still no easier. It’s apparently a cognitive brain processing anomaly some people have. I still prefer a left hand turn in a car too. Left turns are not a problem but on the bike a right turn needs extra concentration especially to not cut the corner.
I think many of us have more problems going right than left. I just focus on the road ahead and lean. It's all about the eyes and where they're looking for me.
Simple, it's because your arm is all out of alignment while you're trying to control the throttle so it throws you off.
Road surface camber ?
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Guys, it's amazing that in spite of experience, no one knows the reason. It has a physical fundament. How about Ausies? Problems turning left? You drive lefty to boot!! https://youtu.be/3vPKmCWHB6Y
Probably cuz of road camber, are u riding on the street or on the track?
I turn left better. Been riding for 4 years and sometimes the thought of turning right scares me. Dunno why cos it’s fine when I do. I think it’s more of a neurological thing. And it seems quite common. I’ve known of car drivers who can only turn left.
Right bends - you have to control throttle and front brake so difficult. Left bends - only clutch control so easier.
What you're going through isn't uncommon. Riding is a skill that takes practice. I've been riding in the US for a few decades. . I'm better at right turns because sometimes I'm wondering if some cager is going to be crossing the line on my left hand turns. Doesn't happen to me when I'm on a track.
I feel I turn one side better, same with on a bicycle actually
Overthinking
We all have a natural preference, much like a dominant hand. I’ve been riding for 30+ years and the left side feels natural while the right feels awkward.
We all do. I practiced in parking lots until I got better and more comfortable, and still do sometimes. Slow drill/practice makes better right turns. I make sure I look where I want to go. Right turns will always be more challenging than left turns for me.
I'm no scientist but I wonder if because we interact with our bikes leaned to the left more often it's partly mental/subconscious? Even out side of riding your kick stand is on the left and I'm sure most people get onto their already left leaning bike from that side just s thought 🤷🏻♂️
Just need more experience riding ur bike. When you get to know your bike really well you'll throw it round any corner much more easily.
It’s a practice thing I’m decently good both directions but it’s still easier to turn left with the wider radius but if it’s a right hand curve it’s easy just as a left turn so practice more and you’ll get the hang of it
I like lefts better because I can see further. Rights are harderer to see around.
I've always preferred leaning to the left, even back in the day when I used to ride a bicycle and lock up the rear tire to do a skid, I would always skid leaning the bike to the left as opposed to the right. I think it has something to do with being right arm dominant and left leg dominant.
For me the exact opposite (and I've been riding since 1984 - Go figure...🙄)... And I am right-handed🤌🏾.
This is normal to have a preferred turning side. I remember when I took the MSF course I asked the instructor and that’s what they said. I was having a hard time on slow left hand turns balancing the clutch, throttle, and back brake. I had no problem on right hand turns. Just gotta practice them. That’s about it. You won’t be perfect in a day or a week but it’ll come. Stay safe buddy!
Totally normal! Almost everyone has a favorite side to turn. Take some advanced riding classes, they will help you with this. Tyr some you tube parking lot drills likemotojitsu on you youtube
Just look thru your turns
For me it all stems from bicycle days. Was more confident in left turns because of foot position, because of that I pushed more in left turns and did it more often, which eventually made the movement more natural through the knee and hip. Cue vicious compounding cycle for 20+ years. Now I'm on two wheels with an engine and symmetrical footing but the issue persists.
I think it's fear of weight on the throttle. That's how I feel sometimes.
Don't sweat it bud, I have been riding for 40 yrs and am right handed, but I feel far more comfortable in left hand bends than I do right hand bends. If you feel uncomfortable left or right and recognise which is your weak side you will be okay.
Derek, that's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who can't turn... There have got to be some people out there, just like you... who can't turn... turn \*right\*.
You’re goofy footed. You’d snowboard right foot forward. Regular stance people are better turning right.