Page 164 - A Life - my Live - my path

Harley-Davidson trips

After that, I rode in all weathers: very hot, very cold, in the
rain, in high winds, in a sandstorm in Arizona. So I was no
longer a jerk!
Basic rules: manage your speed and above all keep your
distance. When in doubt, ride at your own pace, not the one
imposed on you.

17.3 You drive a car, you ride a motorcycle.
Here are a few safety basics to get you started. On a
motorcycle, in a long bend, you always look towards the exit
of the bend. Don't look ahead, look away. Don't look at the
obstacle, look at the avoidance zone.
What's a little confusing at first is the counter-steering
phenomenon. In a car, to turn left, you turn the steering

wheel to the left. On a motorcycle, it's the other way round.
Be careful: if, as a general rule, you move the whole of the
motorcycle-pilot centre of gravity by leaning to the left and
downwards, you're going to go to the left. The more you lean,
the tighter the turn. On the other hand, to avoid an
unforeseen obstacle, to have the necessary responsiveness,
you push lightly on the handle in the opposite direction to
the one you want to take. If you want to move to the right,
just push lightly on the left handle. This takes full advantage
of the gyroscopic effect. In practice, if you push slightly to
the left on the left-hand grip, the gyroscopic reaction will tilt
the front wheel in the opposite direction, i.e. to the right. As
a result, the motorcycle will steer to the right.

152