Hi all - this is my first post (hooray!). 
I’m quite new to biking so can someone please explain to me what causes bikes to drift out wide when going round bends? I’ve gone round a couple of bends recently, at very reasonable speeds (i.e. lowish) and found myself drifting out wide and crapping my load! How do I correct this? What’s the best technique? If it’s of any use I ride a Gixxer750.
Cheers
What gear are you in? Keep the gears pulling, better being in a low gear and having the bike pulling under your control than being in too higher gear and letting it wander.
This is such a common trait with new riders, you need to get the miles under your belt… the more you get the better things will fall into place.
Now some will beg to differ on this but when I go wide just a slight drag on the REAR brake, keep the throttle where it is, will pull the bike back in, slightly drop the shoulder that’s on the inside of the turn…(so if its a left bend it’ll be the left shoulder)…This saves the sudden panic, brake, gear change all on the bend which can cause more trouble.
I know what I mean it’s just hard trying to explain here in words and I’m not a qualified instructor.
Becareful what info you do take in from here cos it could cause you more harm than good 
+1
Definatly get your corner speed and gear right first before trying anything! Then it simply remains in your confidence in your own abilities and the knoledge of how your own bike will react under the situation.
Sounds like nothing that a few miles and a bit of time wont fix 
Turning in to early will also cause this, meaning the bend keeps going but you start approaching uncomfortable lean angles. Turn a bit later with a good shove of counter steer and you should be fine - as everyone says above, it will soon be second nature.
its usually the tires aint it? 
If you’re looking to the outside of the bend rather than looking where you are wanting to go then this will cause you to run wide.
If you look to where you want the bike to be then the bike will usually head in that general direction
on a more serious note -
http://www.sportrider.com/ride/146_0612_controlling_panic/index.html
most of the articles in the Ride section of that website are worth a read
http://www.sportrider.com/ride
its just confidence in the bike and your abilities really
Thanks to everyone for their comments so far - sounds like some more miles are required…can’t wait!!!
agree - read as much as possible and a days training? For me the most important factor (apart from being in the right gear at the right speed!) is to look, sometimes even over-exaggerate the head movement, of where your aiming for i.e. the vanishing point of the corner and avoid target fixation - the tree on the opposite side of the road - otherwise that’s where you’ll end up - Ouch!
Lawro
do you counter steer?
I was lucky in that i was taught it in my lessons but alot of people arent and they struggle by leaning into a corner rather than using the correct techniques.
Counter steering is somewhat natural but if you are struggling to get around a corner and as you say you are doing a decent speed then you can force some extra counter steer and look to where you want the bike to go.
You tube counter steering…there are a few vids on there about it.
make sure the engine is reving somewhere in the middle of its range, and…
lean for all you’re worth!
good luck mate, i remember myself doing the same, nearly shat myself when going straight onto a 17 tonne lorry.
If you roll off the throttle mid corner, that will run you a bit wide, then if you focus on the outside lane, you will run wider. Constant to more gas is where the throttle should be around the corner from the apex onwards, sounds counterintuative, but more gas will get you round the corner in most circumstances.
But yeah try more training, a track day, or just a nice set of quiet local bends that you can ‘circuit-ise’
We all counter-steer - it’s impossible to corner a bike at more than about 20mph without it - but being conscious that you’re doing it is the key to learning to do it a bit more if you need to get out of trouble.
Also, as others have said, make sure you’re in the appropriate gear so that you’re on a positive throttle through the corner and look where you want to go, cos you go where you look!
Advanced training? See my sig!
I used to do the same, in my case I was holding the bars too tightly and not leaning enough, keep loose on the bars, grip the tank with your knees, counter steer (push the inside bar forward) and keep the gas on gently. Sometimes it helps to push down on the inside peg too, but I think all this is doing is counter steering without you realising it.
Try a Ride in control day at a track, RiDE magazine run them I think in conjunction with the CSS. I did one at Snetterton, mix of classroom instruction and track time. Or a novice track day, gives you loads of space to practice all these things without traffic coming towards you, curbs, lamp posts etc Once you get onto a big curve on track you can really play about (within reason) and see what effect different things have on the bike and the corner. It’s also great fun 
Thanks Peeps - it makes a huge difference to be able to get so much advice from so many people I don’t even know yet (thanks to LB.com).
I’m definitely going to get some further training and practise, practise, practise.
Thanks for the stuff about counter-steering…I was never taught that when learning to ride. Having said that, I was never taught how to filter either!!! Scary!!!:w00t:
countersteer + bikesafe
For a newbie, this is the best advice on this thread so far.
Also, stay off the brakes when you are cornering - braking while cornering will make the bike want to sit up and go straight.
yea dont snatch the front brake ever mid corner or you will be getting up close n personall with mr tarmac :Whistling:
Great thread
I’d go riding with someone (look up mentoring on here) and get advice from someone whom has experience and you think rides well
Everyone has a different view on what gear, which brake and when to do it all. Must be hard to make the right choice for you :blink:
Try what one person says and see how it works for you 
Miles are the one thing you can’t do too much of
which brake
[quote]
Are you seriously suggesting there is more than one brake Mr Busa ?
