Uncomfortable with right-hand cornering...Common issue?

[jb2112]

I started riding motorbikes last July. Lately I have been analyzing my abilities and this one was an issue that stood out:
I am a lot more comfortable in left-hand corners than right-hand corners. Do other riders have this issue?

Here are some thoughts as to why I have this problem in and approaching corners:

1) Rotating grip (throttle) on the right side as opposed to fixed grip on the left (clutch). I am a little more tentative using counter-steering techniques on right-side grip as opposed to left, i.e. I grip the throttle a little more than I would the clutch-side grip.
2) History from riding bicycles. Yeah, bicycles! As a kid I remember practicing braking/skids when I had one of those coaster-type brake bikes where you pedal backwards and I can say I nearly always used the right pedal to slide out to the left, almost never to the right. Just thinking about the action of using the left pedal and skidding to the right makes me uneasy.
3) History from driving cars. Yeah, cars! I would guess learning to drive in the States, i.e. driver on the left side of car, would give the driver a certain ease looking left and, over time, a slight unease for things right-hand sided as compared to the left? I would love to know how lifetime right-side drivers (UK, Thailand, etc) feel about cornering.
4) Lack of proper training or practice.

I think I could have summarized all that in one word:

HELP!

 

[2wheels]

Good point JB; one that I share with you (and I wonder how many others do).

I thought I'd feel different about it in Laos, where (usually) people ride/drive on the right hand side of the road.
But no, I still felt much more comfortable on the lefties.

Many years ago I had a serious football injury in my right leg and I had been thinking that the 'right hand turning' issue was a 'psychosomatic' hang over from the pain of the injury.

Will be interesting to read what others write about it.

 

[KTMphil]

I think a lot has to do with that barrier is there, subconsciously you know you can't go wide or you'll have problems.

 

[2wheels]

Maybe Phil, but that theory would not apply in RHS places such as Laos, USA etc.

 

[Pounce]

I think everybody sucks more at turning right than they do at turning left.

I have no idea why but one theory of mine (someone with a better understanding of physics may shed some light on it) is that with two spinning discs - your wheels acting like a gyroscope - will naturally want to stay upright & by doing this will pull to the left, thus making right hand turns harder. It's probably bollocks too.

If you look at Moto X track design, you'll also see that in the vast majority of tracks, the first turn is always to the left, so there must be a reason behind this that someone has worked out.

All I know is I turn left a shit load better than I turn right, whether it be on a road bike or a dirt bike.

 

[Loop]

I must admit i`ve not noticed any difference personally!

 

[Tom]

I've been riding bikes for many years, but if I'm taking an unknown turn at speed, I prefer it to be a left-hander. I read a few years back that most right-handed people (including me) will feel more comfortable turning left, and lefties feel more comfortable turning right. It's actually used by some police-forces to make a guess at which way someone will try to escape from, say, a bank-robbery, as it doesn't apply only to bikes.

 

[jb2112]

Tom, that's great. I was wondering if it was a "dominant side" or right-brain vs left-brain thing. hmmm...

 

[LivinLOS]

Don't think I had noticed a corner bias.. But I find hard riding downhill so much harder than uphill..

Uphill there's easier stronger braking.. The lower inertia etc.. Plus the weight shift to the rear as you apply power.. I have tried to analyze it with logic but how ever much I over think it, downhill greasy cornering is always nervous for me..

 

[2wheels]

It may also be a 'dominant eye' thing.
Some interesting responses to the same question on this site of 2007,

http://www.triumphrat.net/twins-technic ... -turn.html

 

[Hassman]

I suck at both left and right hand turns... no but seriously; I am left handed and I would say that I am faster in right handers than left hand corners.. maybe the fact that as the "main" hand is closer to the body one feels that one has more control that way??

 

[alexuk]

Maybe to do with the back brake on RHS

 

[Fishenough]

Agree with the idea of right brain/ left brain ideas, if we are right handed in a certain sport and switch to left handed it changes your ability. Why would the effect that of changing clubs, or batting position for example, not have a similar affect to riding? Then it's just a matter to train yourself to be more ambidextrous with regards to motorcycling. This is a good question for the pro riders.

I'm cross dominance, or mixed handedness, always having batted left handed, snowboarded goofy footed, chosen lefty hockey sticks and golf clubs; yet throw and write with my right hand. I rarely catch myself with a bad line in a right corner, but it does happen on left corners, even catching myself in the pouring rain on a right hand switch back on the slippery 1192 this last Friday. Thought originally years ago it was over confidence in left hand corners on the dirt, but most of my power sliding fails happened turning that way; yet like others mention most of my friends and I could brake skid/slid more confidently pointing into a left corner. :?

If it's not right or left hand dominance, maybe it's the Coriolis effect. Which is likely the reason all Nascar turns left, only.

 

[KTMphil]

They should build a NASCAR track on the equator with turns both ways

If it's not right or left hand dominance, maybe it's the Coriolis effect. Which is likely the reason all Nascar turns left, only.

 

[Ally]

Fascinating responses here & elsewhere about this subject matter, it is certainly worth a debate.

In a past life, I went through advanced driver training and have to this day used the road craft the instructors installed in my driving behaviour & I now find it very useful for riding.

Personally I don't have a right or left issue, as I am using as much of the road as I need to ensure I can read the corner and to give me maximum kerb sight (near for right & far for left) at all times.

My difficulty is with taking corners at speed full stop! With surface conditions on roads we travel here being so unpredictable, my faultering starts on the first slip or twitch I sense and stays with me for the day. Some might say I am a slow rider compared to many but thats besides the discussion point, what we are talking about here is confidence in a corner.

Ally