Coming in too soon! Another common fault, coming in too soon! We position for view, we position for safety, right! View is safety, right! We can work better with what we can see than what we can’t see, right! Well why then do people come in too soon on entering a bend. Right hand bend, we’re positioned to the nearside, we can see further than if we are up near the white line, and before the view opens up, before we can see where the road is going, they leave the nearside, losing their view, and are up to the white line before the corner opens up! If anything comes into view towards them, or the bend tightens up, they aren’t going be at home for supper that evening! There are no ‘apexes’ on corners, on the road, that we can’t see round! A left hand bend, we’re up near the white line looking round it. Come in too soon and now we’re in against the hedge, still going round a lefthander, no view, lost it. Anything parked, pedestrians, we’re going to hit them. AND we’ll run wide on the exit... back towards any oncoming vehicles AND if the corner tightens up we’ll just quite simply not make it. If we have to come to the nearside while going round a left hander in this position, we’re already leaning to the left, a gentle push on the left handlebar, counter-steer sorts it easily! Ditto for the right handers!
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No mention of speed yet eh! It's not about speed, it's about smoothness. But often corner speed is not maintained, negotiating corners on a closed or trailing throttle, when we could in fact be on gentle acceleration, chasing the arrow head, limit point, vanishing point, whatever they'll call it next month! A person who is smooth, who reads the road, has forward observations, has anticipation, and plans, will get there quicker than the point and squirt merchant, and with far less wear and tear to the tyres, suspension, brakes, and central nervous system! Deep joy too to the pillion.
