Counter Steering

[Spider]

and did you know...

that counter steering is the reason why children fall off bicycles after the training wheels come off?

training wheels teach them to throw the bike into a lean which then causes a counter steer.

so the first thing they do is try and pull the bar left and lean left....and the bike wants to go to the right!

it's a beautiful thing the counter steer, you start with an action that causes a reaction that sends you into the corner!

[Shortie]

Though I have yet to practice/experience counter steering on a moto, the whole idea absolutely mystified me until one day I tried it on my mountain bike. The bike responded so quickly that I almost ate shit on the first input. It sure doesn't take much to get the motion going.

[spinned]

Knowing how to countersteer can save your ass.

If you are ever one to push your riding capability and find your self too fast into a corner.  Your choices are to be stiff and throw your weight into the turn likely high-siding or going into on-coming traffic; hit the back brake which will right the bike (oooh not good); or you can countersteer... push on the inside (turn-side) grip and the bike will lean and tighten up the turn allowing you to push the travel wear of your tire out to the edge of your chicken strips.  Knowing how to countersteer is a technique that advanced riders use to have more options to their turn angles.  It is one thing to understand that you have countersteered.  It is another to practice it as a riding technique that you can rely on.

Chicken Strips:
Look at your back tire and measure the distance between the outside groove on your tire and the wear mark (the chicken strip).  Most riders have a chicken strip that is 1/2 inch wide or wider.  This is the additional lean angle that the bike is capable of using to leaning into the turn (under appropriate conditions).

[DoubleEagle]

After I read about counter steering in Keith Code's book " A twist of the wrist " I couldn't believe how easy and positive the small amout of push on the inside corner handlebar grip made cornering at speeds I was very uneasy with before I started using counter steering. It was so easy it was almost like magic. It made my S4Rs feel like it was on rails. There are other people that say you should push the outside grip but I haven't tried that yet.

[spinned]

There are other people that say you should push the outside grip but I haven't tried that yet.

well... I think you would "pull" the outside grip

[♣ McKraut ♣]

this vid is also useful...

[Xiphias]

This is shorter clip than the one I've seen but it gives you an idea what inputs are needed to get the bike to turn.

[OwnyTony]

I dont understand.  Counter steering is just about the only way i turn.  I guess i learned it in the MFS and it just stuck.  The only time i turn the bike as if twisting the handlebars like a steering wheel or how you would steer on a jet ski is when im going really slow.  I find that trying to turn like how you would on a jet ski at higher speeds just makes you counter steer.  What the mystery for me is why so many people think that counter steering is a mystery to them. 

Im no cornering demon; just a noob with 3 years of riding so far but counter steering is just so natural.  I dont recommend counter steering on a jet ski.  I dont think it works.   I practice counter steering by doing slaloms on the road with imaginary pylons.  Its fun when your in traffic but the flow is still 40+ mph. 

[Slide Panda]

I recall them talking about it in my MSF session, but at the time I really didn't 'get it'.  With my size and the lack of size and speed of the msf bikes, a bit of body English got me through well enough.  I was counter steering (looking back) as a result of my change in body position, but it wasn't a conscious action that it is now.

It was while I was still doing my 'get to know you' rides on my 620 and reading 'Proficient Motorcycling' that it clicked for me.  I understood exactly what they meant and how the action/concept could be applied.  Of course, I'm no pro so I'm still working at all the aspects of being a good rider - but understanding counter steering can improve you control of the bike a lot in just a small amount of time. 

There have been a couple occasions where my line is too wide, and not good where I've though/said to myself 'More Push!'  and added some more push to the inside bar to lean the bike more and fix up that line.

Playing slalom with imaginary cones is a good way to experiment just like tony says.  Find a quiet, straight road get the bike up to 35 or so, and sit bolt upright on the central axis of the bike - no leaning.  Then simply push gradually, but firmly on one side of the bar.  You'll quickly find the bike headed that way.  Push on the other side and back you go. That's counter steering.
Add some body english and you can swoop the bike back and fourth at that speed in a pretty dramatic fashion and still have good control

[mangeldbug]

Unless you are doing very slow speed maneuvers, you are countersteering.  Right after I started riding a motorcycle and not really "getting" the concept of countersteering, I was surprised to learn I had been doing it for years on my bicycle.     Who knew! 

I goof around with countersteering on my boring commute to work sometimes - doing weaves in my lane.
When I am actually riding "the pace" on the street or when racing, I find myself pulling on the opposite bar MUCH more than pushing

[Slide Panda]

When I am actually riding "the pace" on the street or when racing, I find myself pulling on the opposite bar MUCH more than pushing

IMO, you should work on pushing the inside bar more.  Pulling the outside bar forces your body into a position that counter to what you want.  Pulling means your shortening that arm moving your weight closer to the outside.  More of your weight on the outside means a greater lean angle/less traction for any given situation - and a greater potential of scraping hard parts. 

By pushing you will naturally move your body towards what you're pushing on.  In this case the inside bar, so more of you body weight will be on the inside of the turn resulting in less lean and more traction. 

Besides all that crap - pushing just feels more natural to me.

[Statler]

Good example of countersteering that you can truly feel....high speed empty highway lane change.

The higher the speed the more force it takes at the bars.   One to initiate and then an opposite to get the bike back upright in the new lane.

You will be amazed at how quickly a bike going rather fast can change lanes, but it takes two very clear, solid, and seperate inputs at the bars before you are going straight ahead in the new lane.


a lot of people countersteer in the twisties and say they can't feel themselves do it or aren't aware of it.   This "drill" makes it crystal clear.   A stable bike at speed takes quite an effort to change direction.

[OwnyTony]

Good example of countersteering that you can truly feel....high speed empty highway lane change.

The higher the speed the more force it takes at the bars.   One to initiate and then an opposite to get the bike back upright in the new lane.

You will be amazed at how quickly a bike going rather fast can change lanes, but it takes two very clear, solid, and seperate inputs at the bars before you are going straight ahead in the new lane.


a lot of people countersteer in the twisties and say they can't feel themselves do it or aren't aware of it.   This "drill" makes it crystal clear.   A stable bike at speed takes quite an effort to change direction.

I must say that doing this is pretty fun.  Its two pushes side to side that has such a nice rhythm to it that really lets you feel your self counter steer. 

[johnster]

A stable bike at speed takes quite an effort to change direction.

Wayne Rainey once said he bent....yes, make the beast with two backsing BENT, a handlebar while trying to angrily countersteer his MotoGP bike into a corner after entering way too hot....  But guess what... he made it through the turn!!

Most bikes (Monsters included obviously) will gladly lean + turn at waaaay higher speeds than you think (or your confidence allows you to), if NO input is applied to the outer bar, and a firm + authoritative countersteer push is initiated on the inside bar....Point is, when you tense up on the bars because you feel like you entered the turn too hot, it's just making the problem worse.... A firm countersteer input w/the inside hand will usually bring you around, as opposed to the death grip, in which case you're steering with the outer hand as well without even noticing it, thus causing you to run wide.... 

[MotoPsycho]

I'd learned what countersteer was a long time ago, but never appreciated it until my first trackday a month ago.

There was this left hand sweeper that was whipping my ass, I couldn't nail it and apex it right. The control rider for our group and a friend of mine watched me one lap and suggested I use more countersteer - and it worked ! Once I had that part figured out I started pushing a little harder (not figuatively) and by the end of the say I was scraping footpegs.

At my 2nd trackday a couple of days ago I countersteered more and pushed the front end harder than I ever had before and I could keep up with gixxer 600's and a lady on a R1 until we got to the straight where they would leave me only to catch up by turn 5 or 6 (10 turn track).

And this was the result of learning to countersteer.