How can you effectively lean your motorcycle during a turn?

Leaning your motorcycle during a turn is crucial for maintaining balance and stability. The effective method involves pushing on the handgrip in the direction of the turn. This action, often referred to as "countersteering," causes the bike to lean into the turn, allowing for a more controlled and smoother cornering experience.

When you push on the handgrip, you shift the bike's weight and encourage it to lean relative to the ground, which helps align the tires with the road surface, maximizing traction. This is especially important at higher speeds where simply leaning your body may not be enough to initiate the lean of the motorcycle itself.

Other choices may seem plausible but do not effectively produce the necessary lean during a turn. For instance, pulling back on the handlebars could cause the motorcycle to resist leaning, making the turn difficult to navigate. Kneeling on one side of the bike does not engage the motorcycle’s design for leaning and could result in loss of control. Shifting body weight to the opposite side can disrupt the balance needed to make a turn efficiently. By understanding and employing the technique of pushing on the handgrip, riders can enhance their cornering skills significantly.