How to turn right on a motorcycle: 8 steps

Turning in traffic and maintaining balance is essential for basic motorcycle safety. You can learn to properly make a right turn by being aware of your surroundings, braking and changing gears correctly, and leaning around the curve.

If you are curious to know more about how to correct the steering on a motorcycle, read this article.

Steps

Step 1. Examine the turn

As you approach the turn, make sure there are no traffic signals, speed bumps, pedestrians, parked cars, or other obstacles that may prevent you from turning correctly and safely. Read on to learn everything you will need to know to make a turn.

Consider the turning radius to get an idea of how much you will need to slow down and what gear you will need to engage in.
Carefully examine the quality and texture of the road. It's wet? Are there any gravel or other conditions that could lead to a skid?

Step 2. Start signaling the turn

About 30.48 meters (100 feet) before your turn, signal the right turn to alert other drivers of your intention to turn. If you don't have functional turn signals, signal with your hand.

In the United States and most European countries, cyclists signal a right turn by pointing to the right with their right hand.
In vehicles, however, it is common to signal a right turn by raising the left arm at a right angle. Both are accepted signals to turn right.

Step 3. Check your position

First, check your rear view mirrors to see the traffic behind you. Next, look over your right shoulder to recheck your blind spots, and if safe, get as close to the center of the lane as possible to make the turn more efficient. Watch carefully for traffic behind you and the traffic in the adjacent lane and get into position to make the turn.

The smoother the turn, the higher the speed at which you can turn.

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The sharper the turn, the more you need to slow down.

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Step 4. Check for oncoming traffic and if necessary yield

Be sure to look to the left for traffic coming through the intersection and ahead for traffic turning left.

In the United States, when turning right on a motorcycle, you will need to look at drivers turning left in front of you, pedestrians who may be crossing the street you want to turn to, and possible bicycle traffic on your way. right.
In the UK and the rest of the world, when turning right on a motorcycle you will have to yield to oncoming traffic and wait for a gap or for the correct turn signal to open before you can turn. Sometimes you will have to come to a complete stop at the turning line.

Step 5. Slow down and downshift

Press the clutch and brake if necessary to slow the motorcycle to the proper speed to make the turn. Shift into a lower gear before turning to keep the motorcycle at a constant speed. Gently release or "stroke" the clutch as you gradually increase acceleration. This will ensure that you do not transmit too much power to the tires and avoid causing them to skid.

Generally, for city driving conditions, second or third gears are appropriate for turning at a moderate speed, although some V-twin motorcycles, such as Harley-Davidson motorcycles, turn more comfortably in first gear.. The high low-end torque of these engines makes the rear wheel more likely to skid.

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All speed and braking adjustments should be made before the turn and not during the turn. Each turn requires a different degree of speed to do it safely, so most of them will have to be done with your judgment and feeling of the motorcycle and the curve.

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Step 6. Gently change direction to turn.

Start the turn by slightly loosening the tension on the left handlebar grip and pressing on the right side of the handlebar, swinging slightly to the left and leaning towards the direction of the turn.

Turning is more or less leaning gently, not like turning the handlebar. You also don't need to lean or turn a lot to corner properly.

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Make sure that if you are carrying a passenger, they know how to lean towards the direction of the turn and not the other way or out of it.

Step 7. Keep your head up

It is very important to look up in the direction you want the motorcycle to go, not down to the front wheel, or directly in front of you. If you look directly at the object you want to avoid, you will probably hit it.

Never lower your leg to help you turn. It is very easy to lose control of the motorcycle and injure yourself if you do.

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