[Guest]

On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise?

In your experience, on trackdays or racing, which do you prefer? Or is it all the same to you?

I like counterclockwise better (going left), but I have not freaking clue why. Maybe it's a righthanded nature of people?! But I do love right hairpins. Could it come from street riding, because one can see going through a left turn better? There must be some logic to this.


Modified by 996miami at 9:50 AM 8/12/2005

 

[Guest]

I have always perfered to go left also but i don't know why. (also right handed) Most of the tracks i ride go right so i have gotten better going right but still prefer left handers.

 

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Re: One the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (996miami)

You guy's are closet NASCAR fans.

 

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Re: One the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (Latebraker)

Im Right handed and always do better with CW courses. Spent many years training at BIR

 

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Re: One the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (Ducman851)

I'm right handed but turn better to the right. I can see the difference on my front tire.

 

[Guest]

R or L, doesnt make a dif to me on the racetrack. Lean it till she is skating.
On the street, I prefer R's on roads I do not know....cause there is another lane there (hopefully w/out an oncoming car) if you bonk and wind up going slightly wide. L's to me mean a slight error will wind you up in the ditch.
IMHO
Also, at the apex in a L, your upper body is hanging into oncoming. On R's, it is hanging over the grass. More room to work w/ on R's.

 

[Guest]

Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (996miami)

The only track I ran that was CW or CCW approved was Talladega. I was a little quicker in the CCW direction. Being right handed and preferring right hand turns I am not sure why I was quicker in the opposite direction, lap timer told the truth.

 

[Guest]

Re: (CCS-Expert347)

My background of racing dirt track has given me a halfassed confidence problem with asphalt. I can "feel" what the tires are doing at the slip/grip moment on lefts but can't quite get a handle on it in the rights. I have always been able to do great "hacks" on left handers with little drama. I use the clutch and body position to rotate the bike on entries and in certain corners (turn 2 Laguna) I can transfer from a slide entry to a power-slide exit almost seamlessly. On right handers I can get some rotation on entry but I tip toe up on the "push" of the front tire as It just feels wooden.

I rode Barber this year and found the massive width of the track and the predominantly right handedness of it a fantastic teaching aid to get some of this skill deficit corrected. In 2 days of hard work I was much more comfortable yet still am a bit apprehensive to really throw it in hard on a right hand turn.

I believe that most riders will have strengths going one way or the other with a majority being better at exposing their weaker side. If you are right handed you will probably just feel better going left out of instinct to protect the valuable side of your body.

One technique that I have been working on is a lateral transfer when I transition on the bike. I have a bad habit of wrapping around the fuel tank and rotating my pelvis when I transfer. I have been working on keeping my hips and shoulders squarer to the bike and moving left and right in a 90 degree angle to allow less fatigue and less chassis inputs. It is a hard thing to do but it is starting to pay off as I am feeling more confident going right and my body position is closer to being identical both ways.

 

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Re: (sp2pilot)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sp2pilot »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I believe that most riders will have strengths going one way or the other....</TD></TR></TABLE>

With few exceptions perhaps, I'd definitely agree that most riders are better turning either left or right, whether they realize it or not. Having said that, has anyone else here noticed that they do certain things better when turning left and other things better when turning right? In my case, the type of turn (together with how aggressively I am riding) is also a determining factor whether or not the differences present themselves.

 

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Re: (sp2pilot)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sp2pilot »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> and my body position is closer to being identical both ways. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I too am not identical both ways and the area on my sliders and how they are worn says so too.

 

[Guest]

I prefer LHers.........I have trouble counter steering to the right with the throttle in a neutral position.

 

[Guest]

Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (996miami)

I'm right handed , but when it comes to riding i'm a lefty lover. I don'y know why that is, but I feel more at ease in left handers and I find my self able to ride more purposeful. I was beginning to really start working on my rights at the track, but as of now haven't been on one (track) for almost year now

 

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Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (Highsider)

The most important thing is to be going the same direction as the other bikes.

 

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Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (roadkill)

I've only gone both ways once, but I needed the money..........what!?!?!?

Definitely prefer left-handers overall, but dig tight, slow right-handers. I like the fast right-handers as well, but those are my least "favorite" if you will.

It depends on the track. We ride two tracks both directions... The Motorsport Ranch and Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. I don't like Motorsport Ranch CW, although that direction has more of the tight/slow right-handers I mentioned... so it's a give and take. I just don't like Hallett... period.

Layout is great... surface SUCKS.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by roadkill »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The most important thing is to be going the same direction as the other bikes.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Especially if you're on AZ's Yamaha R7... which I've been meaning to borrow.

 

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Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (BALLS)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BALLS »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only track I ran that was CW or CCW approved was Talladega. I was a little quicker in the CCW direction. Being right handed and preferring right hand turns I am not sure why I was quicker in the opposite direction, lap timer told the truth.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Same here. I think I was always a little faster CCW around Tally.

 

[Guest]

Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (TLSer)

For a HUGE majority left hand turns are easier then the right. I'll give the reason why in a second. Nascar goes left, trackrunners run to the left, baseball runners run to the left, air trafic pattern above airports goes to the left same with animail racing also. except horse racing in england? they go to the right.(british are backwards anyways) An animals brain is basicly the same as ours, you will see what I am saying in a second. Pretty much every sport that involves a circle is to the left. People that get lost in the woods end up going to the left also.

Here is the reason why lefts are easier than right. The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and the left side of the brain controls the right. In the right side of the brain is where visulazation is based. That is why it is visually easier to go to the left then the right for MOST people.

So there you go. It really has nothing to do with being right handed or left handed. The physics behind doing a left turn to a right are the same but to our physical body it is different. For MOST people.

 

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Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (rc-rick)

I thought for motorcycling, since the throttle is on the right, it makes modulating throttle at high speeds easier with the left arm tucked, and right hand more extended. Using your right hand in a tighter right hand turn requires more work. I dunno, it's probably more to do with neurological funtions as rc-rick mentioned.

 

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Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (996miami)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 996miami »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I thought for motorcycling, since the throttle is on the right, it makes modulating throttle at high speeds easier with the left arm tucked, and right hand more extended. Using your right hand in a tighter right hand turn requires more work. I dunno, it's probably more to do with neurological funtions as rc-rick mentioned.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Bingo. I feel this has more to do with it than anything else (unless you grew up dirt-tracking

)

In left-hand turns, your throttle hand is perpendicular to the bar, with your wrist in a natural grasping position. In right-handers, your wrist is turned to the outside, with your forearm closer to being parallel with the throttle tube. I think this affects your feel and control of the throttle. This will be especially apparent if you're a "kiss the mirror" type rider.

As for myself, I really can't say that I prefer one over the other. To me, it's the same either way...

 

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Re: On the Track: clockwise vs. counterclockwise? (AZ Scott)

Left handed here. Prefer right handers. Downhill lefts bug me. I'd prolly be interested in dirt track but they run the wrong way.

 

[Guest]

Haven't tried CCW on the track, but I definitely prefer right handers on the street due to the road camber.