How To Corner On A Motorcycle

By: Daniel Parrish

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Motorcycling is fun for lots of people, but when you're learning how to corner on a motorcycle things can get a bit tricky. Follow these basic guidelines to help you corner on a motorcycle successfully because cornering on a motorcycle could be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

Have a strong approach. Approach the corner with a good amount of speed. We recommend slowing down to the speed limit, depending on how tight the corner is. Also, don't be nervous. Being nervous can cause you to make mistakes. Mistakes can be dangerous when cornering on a motorcycle.
Judge the conditions. If the conditions aren't great at all, for example, if it's raining or snowing, then consider taking some extra precautions. Consider decreasing your speed a bit and being a little bit more careful in general.
When on the edge of the corner, lean in. Lean over to the side the corner is going or the way you want to turn. Don't turn the front wheel.
Go with the flow. Don't brake while in the middle of cornering. This could cause you to stand up from your lean or it could cause you to slide off the road into traffic. This is definitely not recommended because this will cause accidents.
Give it a little gas. When you're leaning, gravity will pull you down, which in turn will slow down your motorcycle. Give your motorcycle a bit of gas to keep you going at a steady speed. However, don't apply gas so that you'll accelerate. Apply enough gas to maintain a certain speed.
Exit the corner strongly. When you exit the corner, apply the throttle a bit for a strong exit. Lean back over and you're good to go.