Pivot Steering?

[dimitris]

First of all, please excuse my bad english! I' m a new rember and a new rider too. I own a FZ6 since January 2004. I want to improve my driving so i bought and read Keith's TOTW I and II. My mistake was that i didn't understoond and didn't try to understand what i was reading and why it has to be done the way the book describes. About two months ago i had a crash and the main reason was SR: in an unexpected situation i stood frozen and ... voila (1550 euro cost)! That made me think that i'm doing something wrong and went back to Keith's books. This time I'm trying to understand and perform the material, sometimes i do and sometimes i don't (SR are pretty hard to overtake sometimes!) but i feel more confident than ever and surely i have to thank Keith and his books for that. Anyway, i'd use some help over the "pivot steering". If i understand right, it just means put the weight on the outside peg while in a corner, or it means something different and more than that?

Sorry for the huge post!

[stuman]

It's not really about putting weight on the outside peg. It's more about pushing off the outside peg to get better leverage to steer.

 

Two examples...

 

1) If you were running and wanted to turn sharply to the right you would push off with your left foot or "cut" off your left foot.

 

2) Stand facing a wall with your feet about shoulder with apart and your hands against the wall in front of you. Try pushing against the wall with your right hand while standing on your right foot only. Now try the same thing while standing on your left foot. See how you have better leverage when you push off your left foot?

 

Same thing while on the bike. When you want to turn right you push off your left foot to get better leverage.

 

Hope this helps.

[JeF4y]

If you've ever been to a gym and used a "Mountain Climber" type machine, this is the exact same concept on the bike.

[dimitris]

Ok guys, your examples were very helpful. Till now i used just to put weight on the outside peg and only after i've already made the steering action. First time i tried to push the outside peg the same time i made the steering action i was surprised! The bike seemed to turn more quickly, in a way i never expected it to do! Suppose it helps with what Keith calls "flicker" and "leaner". However there is a new problem: with "pivot steering" many times i catch myself holding on too tight to the bars and i can't figure out why it happens. Hope that with some practice it'll be gone

[superdave88]

A relaxed grip and loose body allowes me to flow faster through the turns.

[JeF4y]

you're holding onto the bars too tight out of one of the following:

 

1. Fear of front end wobble. (holding too tight will induce wobble)

2. Lack of leg strength. (you're pulling yourself onto the bike vice pushing up with your legs)

 

You'll find yourself faster and more relaxed, not as energy whooped when you loosen your grip.

[Deep]

you're holding onto the bars too tight out of one of the following:

 

1. Fear of front end wobble. (holding too tight will induce wobble)

2. Lack of leg strength. (you're pulling yourself onto the bike vice pushing up with your legs)

 

You'll find yourself faster and more relaxed, not as energy whooped when you loosen your grip.

 

can anyone explain the bold part?

[Kevin Kane]

you're holding onto the bars too tight out of one of the following:

 

1. Fear of front end wobble. (holding too tight will induce wobble)

2. Lack of leg strength. (you're pulling yourself onto the bike vice pushing up with your legs)

 

You'll find yourself faster and more relaxed, not as energy whooped when you loosen your grip.

 

can anyone explain the bold part?

 

JeF4y hasn't been up here for a long time so I don't expect he's going to respond. As for his conclusions; I dunno...

 

Maybe you could frame your question directly and see if there is an answer for you from this august body of Forum regulars.

 

Rainman

[mugget]

Hey Deep,

 

I think what JeF4y means is that if you're 'pulling' yourself onto the bike you will have a tighter grip on the 'bars because you will actually be trying to pull yourself closer to them to hold yourself on the bike (as if you're trying to do a 'pull up' with the handlebars). But if you are pushing up with your legs that will keep you positioned on the bike, which means you can relax your grip on the 'bars yet still be stable on the bike (that will be more as if you were doing 'squats', to put it in exercise/weightlifting terms).

 

Proper body position helps alot with that, and if you're using proper BP it will actually be much much less tiring. One racer has been quoted as saying that you should grip the 'bars as if you're holding a little bird. You don't want it to get away, but you don't want to hold so tight that you hurt the little fella. However I don't use much strength from my legs either, my body position allows me to keep my entire body relatively relaxed most of the time.