Tips for Cornering Your Motorcycle Like a Pro

Motorcycle riding is fun. However, if you aren’t careful or familiar with the best practices for riding a motorcycle, you can injure yourself and put a few ugly dents in your bike, too.

One aspect of motorcycle riding that is exciting but tricky is cornering. That’s why you must know the basics while you’re still learning the nuances. To help you, the experts at Gina’s Motorsports of Monee have created this motorcycle cornering guide. For more tips to safely ride your bike, visit us at our dealership in Monee, Illinois, where we welcome our friends from Chicago and Kankakee County.

Let’s begin by understanding the basics of cornering a motorcycle.

Why Is It Difficult To Corner A Motorcycle?

You won’t always be riding in a straight line as all routes involve turns. Therefore, you must prepare yourself well to take a turn safely and confidently. Sometimes it is the size of the bike that makes it difficult for a rider to take a corner, while other times the rider themselves can cause issues. Another reason you might be having difficulty cornering your bike can be the installation of aftermarket accessories like heavy saddlebags and larger suspension systems. Road conditions can also make cornering difficult.

While leaning at a corner, you can either choose a static angle or a dynamic lean angle. At a static lean angle, your bike will tilt without any part of it touching the road. On the other hand, at a dynamic angle, your bike will begin scraping the road.

1. Adjust Your Speed

Before you take a corner, lower the speed of your bike. You can always get back to your previous speed once you’ve safely made it through.

2. Change Your Riding Position Accordingly

You’ll want to adjust your riding position to push the center of gravity inwards. To do this, consider leaning forward and shifting your body weight to your motorcycle’s front as you’ll go through a corner. Also, you’ll need to move your inside leg up and forward and point your toes downward during this process.

There are two benefits of this adjustment. Firstly, it’ll keep your upper body in line with the bike, allowing you to control the torque. And secondly, it’ll reduce the amount you have to lean, which will boost your endurance.

3. Time The Gear Changes

As you exit the turn, steadily control the throttle and work the clutch. Time this right, and you’ll get power to the ground without sacrificing rear wheel grip.

4. Practice

To corner your motorcycle like a pro, you’ll need to practice the process until you’re confident. It may take some time for you to understand your motorcycle’s turning radius and how you can adjust your approach depending on the situation. So, be patient and keep practicing.

Use an empty parking lot in your vicinity or a low-traffic neighborhood to practice. Start with a lower speed and a less challenging route and increase your speed as you gain confidence. 

We hope these tips help you safely make it through a corner while you’re riding your motorcycle. For more tips or to look at our collection of motorcycles for sale, visit Gina’s Motorsports of Monee. We’re in Monee, IL, where we serve those from Chicago and Kankakee County.