Motorcycle cornering
Improve your motorcycle cornering skills with expert tips on speed, positioning, and hazard awareness for safer, smoother rides.
How to handle a corner
The most important factors for any rider when cornering are:
- entering at the correct speed, and
- position to give you the time and room to react to potential hazards.
When cornering, observe all road speed and advisory speed signs – they are there to assist you in making decisions as you approach them. You need to share the road with other users, particularly on-coming traffic.
On tight corners, do not cut over double lines as there is sure to be someone coming from the opposite direction. Take a wide line, and don't fully commit until you can see through the corner.
Sight distance is the key to safe cornering. Adjust your speed accordingly, and allow for other vehicles of all types who may go wide or cut corners.
Remember, you can't see around corners.
Early braking, good gear changing and the correct road position will allow you to:
- lean the bike
- negotiate the bend smoothly until the exit can be visualised
- and then accelerate through to the exit point.
There is no room for error; if you accelerate or brake late into a corner, it could have serious consequences for you.
What to remember when cornering
- Slow down on approach to corners.
- Start wide to improve your visibility – you cannot see around corners.
- Finish tight – but don't commit until you can see through the corner.
- Stay away from the head on zone.
