View Full Version : Which way do you like to bend?
Paranoid Dave
28-07-2005, 07:30 PM
Do you prefer left hand bends or right hand bends?
i cant remember if this has been done before butwe have a lot of new members to ask anyway.
Nonnie
28-07-2005, 07:32 PM
I'm definitely a leftie kak hander sort of gal.
A Yerbury
28-07-2005, 07:41 PM
I swing both ways although today I am bending towards the left.
Didge
28-07-2005, 07:56 PM
Dave, yes there was something about this a very long time ago if I remember.
I feel more comfortable on left hand bends than right handers.
I don't know why this should be, and speaking to other mates over the years, most people find one or the other preferable rather than feeling equally at ease on right and left handers.
One of those mysteries of life I guess.
Paranoid Dave
28-07-2005, 08:09 PM
I was talking to emily's driver about it earlier and i wondered if it was something to do with the way the throttle twist and it just seems easier going left, if you counter steer then as you lean round the left hander you will twist the throttle open slowly as you do and power out the bend. It dont work going right so feels odd??
Mr Cake
28-07-2005, 08:11 PM
Both ways here.
Dave
Duncan
28-07-2005, 08:41 PM
I feel more comfortable on left hand bends than right handers.
I don't know why this should be, and speaking to other mates over the years, most people find one or the other preferable rather than feeling equally at ease on right and left handers.
One of those mysteries of life I guess.
Or you're wheels out of alignment!!
Which way do you dress matey. Is it any coincidence its the same as your preferred corner?
Left. Definitely a leftie here.
A Yerbury
28-07-2005, 09:25 PM
Right...pretend you are on your bikes now, yes right now as you peer at this through the smoke and whisky fumes....hands forward, now turn left (no banshee..the other way..) note how the right fore-arm is extended and the wrist moves comfortably through 40 degrees a la throttle. Now turn right, your right forearm is now tucked into the elbow's crook and your right wrist will now feel more restricted as the wrist muscles through the xy axis have already contracted leaving less to play with. I am now going to place my head in the oven or throttle myself.
ciao.
Alex.
gary tompkins
28-07-2005, 09:39 PM
More confident on right handers because my left toe/boot decks out earlier on the left and tends to lift my foot off the peg.
A Yerbury
28-07-2005, 09:42 PM
More confident on right handers because my left toe/boot decks out earlier on the left and tends to lift my foot off the peg.
A bit like that time you nearly had a moment?
Alex.
:D (because it's you)
SazzaG
28-07-2005, 09:54 PM
Left. Fell off on a right hander. 'Nuff said.
Bunny
29-07-2005, 02:58 AM
Right...pretend you are on your bikes now, yes right now as you peer at this through the smoke and whisky fumes....hands forward, now turn left (no banshee..the other way..) note how the right fore-arm is extended and the wrist moves comfortably through 40 degrees a la throttle. Now turn right, your right forearm is now tucked into the elbow's crook and your right wrist will now feel more restricted as the wrist muscles through the xy axis have already contracted leaving less to play with. I am now going to place my head in the oven or throttle myself.
ciao.
Alex.
Doesn't happen if you're moving - you lean over, hardly steer at all :D :D
No problem here with any sort of bend - as the footrests will testify.
(do know a bender though - although he prefers "tube fabricator" on his CV :D :D )
paul620sie
29-07-2005, 07:12 AM
Left. I blame dropping the bike more than once practicing the U turn.
paul620sie
29-07-2005, 07:14 AM
Which way do you dress matey. Is it any coincidence its the same as your preferred corner?
Or, for male riders, is it dependant one which one hangs lower?
Gadget
29-07-2005, 07:36 AM
Must be the left as I scrape the exhaust more often on the left. :confused:
May be because I am not crossing traffic on left corners so tend to attack them harder?
But I am willing to experiment. :twisted:
MilesB
29-07-2005, 08:13 AM
I've never really thought about it, but:
As GaryN says, turning left you are less likely to encounter oncoming traffic,
but turning right you get a better view of what is coming.
MilesB
CK & AK
29-07-2005, 08:26 AM
looks like AK & I are swingers both ways :eek: (if you'll pardon the expression! :eek: :lol: )
C :D
scrumpster
29-07-2005, 08:28 AM
Well after getting on the A3 at Bordon yesterday around a sharp left hander and ending up on the hatchings :o I have to say right, however, after nearly ending up in a hedge doing a right a few weeks ago maybe I should say I like straight on and don't bend at all!! :eek:
steviej
29-07-2005, 08:57 AM
Swing it both ways baby............... :eek:
mark cross
29-07-2005, 09:33 AM
Replying as a newish member.Dont have a preference either way right or left, but prefer left handers when on the back wheel only(on private ground of course) :cool:
Originally Posted by A Yerbury
Right...pretend you are on your bikes now, yes right now as you peer at this through the smoke and whisky fumes....hands forward, now turn left (no banshee..the other way..) note how the right fore-arm is extended and the wrist moves comfortably through 40 degrees a la throttle. Now turn right, your right forearm is now tucked into the elbow's crook and your right wrist will now feel more restricted as the wrist muscles through the xy axis have already contracted leaving less to play with. I am now going to place my head in the oven or throttle myself.
ciao.
Alex.
Doesn't happen if you're moving - you lean over, hardly steer at all :D :D
No problem here with any sort of bend - as the footrests will testify.
(do know a bender though - although he prefers "tube fabricator" on his CV :D :D )
erm... turn the bars right to steer left and left to steer right
The Kevlar Kid
29-07-2005, 11:35 AM
I'm definately a leftie...
I prefer to go left. I think this is psychological- I don't like my head to be towards the traffic (Not that I ever get that far leant over, but my mental image is that I'm this riding goddess, virtually horizontal as I scrape knee, elbow and shoulder on every bend!)
On a related subject, does it make me ever so girly once again (see my thread about dropping the bike) if I admit I still have problems with right hand T junctions?
This newbie prefers going left. Also prefer it when driving in countries with RH-traffic.
The explanation provided by Alex (the anatomic review) sounds credible but as mentioned you seldom steer when moving. I'm wondering if it may depend on if you're right or left handed? Most people seem to prefer left. Are you also right handed as myself and most of the general population?
Phoenix
30-07-2005, 01:56 PM
Right for me - hate lefts :confused:
Right for me - hate lefts :confused:
...just as well, how many anti-clockwise circuits do you know?
Phoenix
30-07-2005, 03:26 PM
...just as well, how many anti-clockwise circuits do you know?
Yeah true - but they keep catching me out with them 'orrible little chicanes :(
Anyway there ain't none of them at Donny :D
I like right handers too. Maybe something to do with my roundabout fetish? ;)
This newbie prefers going left. Also prefer it when driving in countries with RH-traffic.
The explanation provided by Alex (the anatomic review) sounds credible but as mentioned you seldom steer when moving. I'm wondering if it may depend on if you're right or left handed? Most people seem to prefer left. Are you also right handed as myself and most of the general population?
I'll put the mockers on that theory by admitting that I'm one of the corrie-fisted elite!! :cool:
Little Monster
01-08-2005, 08:38 PM
I've always preferred the lefts. spotted it when i learnt and i'm still slightly aware of it now. my instructor at the time and i sussed that it was cos on a right hander, if i overcooked it, i'd get close to gutters and grass verges and hedges etc but even tho if you overcook a left hander, you could hit a lorry there's more of a sense of space to your right. made sense and reckon that's what it is. not thought about it since (although i'm sure alex's excellent physological analysis of the situation is of course correct). for me, i reckon it's all in the mind....
BoozyBOB
02-08-2005, 12:22 AM
i prefer left.. i have had my knee down on a right ...and my elbow..and my shoulder...ooops that was an off... :eek: as my only off's have been on rights.. :confused: .look to the ditch..thats where you go...lefts you tend to look up the road..
steviejam73
05-03-2007, 03:14 PM
Originally Posted by A Yerbury
Right...pretend you are on your bikes now, yes right now as you peer at this through the smoke and whisky fumes....hands forward, now turn left (no banshee..the other way..) note how the right fore-arm is extended and the wrist moves comfortably through 40 degrees a la throttle. Now turn right, your right forearm is now tucked into the elbow's crook and your right wrist will now feel more restricted as the wrist muscles through the xy axis have already contracted leaving less to play with. I am now going to place my head in the oven or throttle myself.
ciao.
Alex.
erm... turn the bars right to steer left and left to steer right
yes... and if ur counter steering when turning left then it is your left arm that extends pushing on the left bar and right arm that comes towards you making all of the above sound incorrect.
Counter steering happens every time whether u try to do it or not. When you lean left all of ur weight goes on the left bar and same for right turns. When counter steering on purpose u push with left arm to turn left and push with right arm to turn right. personally i don't do it because it ****s with ur head at first, i cant see me deliberately steering right to lean left, but a little test is fiddle with ur handle bars when moving along at say 20mph to make the bike sway/wobble and pay attention to the way u turn/lean it definitely works!
Its the same when balancing a stick or broom on ur hand, if u move ur hand to the right the stick will lean left (when u point ur wheel right by counter steering u lean left also)
Hope this rammble is useful.
squiffything
05-03-2007, 03:57 PM
cripes Steviejam have you been working on that for some time? the last post on this thread was back in 2005!!
right-handers for me unless i'm in the car in which case the back wheels do tend to spin out more on the lefties ahhh the mid engine rear wheel drive set up :)
mrtony
05-03-2007, 04:07 PM
[QUOTE=squiffything;195569]cripes Steviejam have you been working on that for some time? the last post on this thread was back in 2005!!
But steviejam only joined a month ago,how could he reply before? :confused: :chuckle:
I was going to add to an old thread,I'm glad I didn't now,because I know you would mock me!:worried:
mrtony,cleverer than a stupid thing..
steviejam73
05-03-2007, 04:07 PM
haha, no was first time i read the thread, dont ask me what i was looking for when i found it n i thought id post lol
sadbiker
05-03-2007, 04:18 PM
Used to like right handers but both my offs last year were right handers.
At the moment I prefer combined left hand and right hand bends (other wise known as straight.....)
But hopefully a trip through the alps this year will sort that out.
steviejam73
05-03-2007, 04:23 PM
lol alps ehh, ur gonna need a spare set of knee sliders with u :spin:
sadbiker
05-03-2007, 04:56 PM
Some might say a spare bike........
jerry
05-03-2007, 11:52 PM
I've always preferred the lefts. spotted it when i learnt and i'm still slightly aware of it now. my instructor at the time and i sussed that it was cos on a right hander, if i overcooked it, i'd get close to gutters and grass verges and hedges etc but even tho if you overcook a left hander, you could hit a lorry there's more of a sense of space to your right. made sense and reckon that's what it is. not thought about it since (although i'm sure alex's excellent physological analysis of the situation is of course correct). for me, i reckon it's all in the mind....
I have to agree with little monster on this , i have been riding 34 years and have always noticed this , i also think that road surface camber is an issue ,turning left usually has the camber in our favour and turning right it is usually against us.
banditloon
06-03-2007, 12:06 PM
Just checked my Sidi boots and the left one gets more faffed up on the road than the right one!! :D
Humbucker
06-03-2007, 07:31 PM
Definately prefer lefts as do my Jap owner mates, however two of them prefer rights who by coincidence are both left handed / left footed. This might have something do with it, or i may be talking complete Bolo
nambduke
07-03-2007, 11:43 AM
I have to agree with little monster on this , i have been riding 34 years and have always noticed this , i also think that road surface camber is an issue ,turning left usually has the camber in our favour and turning right it is usually against us.
Spot on with the camber thing......but the down side is, the majority of fatalities are from overcooking it on left handers and hitting the oncoming traffic! Maybe in the overcooking and drifting to the right is compounded by the opposite camber which could drag you over??
Careful everyone.......
Regards,
Mark Nambduke
Left when riding in the UK. Right when riding abroad on the other side. I had three theories; 1. I broke my left leg some years ago and don't like to get it too close to the edge and roadside furniture, 2. i'm wary of not making the bend - if i balls it up on the right hander i'm going straight on and into that roadside furniture, 3. the majority of women i have spoken with on this topic have difficulties with right handers including right hand junctions (something to do with the differing sides of the brain between men and women i believe).
gremlin
10-03-2007, 03:10 PM
Lefts, I'm drawn to the hedge on rights! I know I'm not supposed to look at the edge but I can't help it. Don't know about being left or right handed, cos I use both fairly equally. Could be the female thing though.
lcjohnny
10-03-2007, 10:45 PM
If the camber is not sever or on a narrow road I prefer rights because the visibility is better. SO I can wind it on harder!!
Though from my mechanicking time I know that if the wheel is aligned to the left that makes left-handers feel better and right handers worse. and if the wheel is aligned to the right the opposite!!
:spin:
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