By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.
www.BikerLawBlog.com

As a lifelong biker, motorcycle accident attorney, and someone who has ridden just about every type of motorcycle imaginable, I can tell you from experience: trying to lean like you’re on a sportbike while riding a fully loaded cruiser is a one-way ticket to the pavement—or worse.

Whether you’re cruising on a Harley-Davidson Road Glide, an Indian Springfield, or any other heavyweight bagger with engine guards, floorboards, and hard saddlebags, you need to understand one thing: the design and clearance of your bike limit your lean angle—period.

Why Leaning Too Far on a Cruiser is Dangerous

1. Low Ground Clearance

Cruiser motorcycles are not built like sportbikes. Sportbikes have high seats, rear-set pegs, and are purpose-built for high lean angles in tight curves. Cruisers, on the other hand, prioritize comfort and long-distance stability, often at the expense of ground clearance.

When you lean too far:

• Engine guards, floorboards, exhaust pipes, and saddlebags can touch down.

• This contact can unweight your tires and cause the bike to slide.

• If a hard part hits the ground and acts as a pivot, it can lift the rear wheel, leading to a loss of control and a high-side or low-side crash.

2. Imbalanced Weight Distribution

Large cruisers can weigh 800 pounds or more. With saddlebags, gear, and sometimes a passenger, the center of gravity is relatively high and rearward. Trying to execute aggressive lean angles on such a bike shifts that balance in dangerous ways, especially if:

• The road is uneven or has gravel.

• The tires are not properly warmed up.

• You’re entering the turn too fast for the geometry of your motorcycle.

3. Saddlebag Interference

Many riders forget: your bags stick out more than your body. In tight turns, especially downhill or on unfamiliar roads, it’s not uncommon for hard saddlebags to:

• Scrape the pavement.

• Hit curbs or roadside obstacles.

• Catch a lip in the road and wrench the bike off its line.

Real-World Crashes I’ve Seen as an Attorney

In my law practice, I’ve represented many riders who went down trying to corner too hard on heavy cruisers. In most cases:

• They scraped engine guards or pipes mid-turn.

• The rear wheel lifted slightly, broke traction, and the bike slid out from under them.

• Some ended up under their bikes with fractured legs, ankles, or road rash from the slide.

In some tragic cases, the rider was ejected into traffic or a guardrail. All because they tried to take a corner like they were on a Ducati when they were riding a full-dress Harley.

How to Ride a Cruiser Safely Through Turns

Let’s get into the practical advice.

 1. Slow In, Smooth Out

Approach all turns at a speed that’s appropriate for your skill, the bike, and the conditions. Do most of your braking before you enter the turn. A large cruiser is happiest when you:

• Brake in a straight line.

• Roll through the turn with light throttle.

• Look through the turn, not at the pavement.

 2. Use Countersteering, Not Body Lean

You don’t need to hang off the side of your cruiser like you’re Valentino Rossi. Instead, gently countersteer:

• Push on the right handlebar to turn right.

• Push on the left to turn left.

• Let the bike lean under you, while keeping your body relatively upright.

This method keeps your center of gravity balanced and avoids scraping parts.

 3. Know Your Lean Limits

Check your manual or forums for your bike’s maximum lean angle. Most cruisers are limited to 25–32 degrees. That’s far less than a sportbike, which can go over 50 degrees.

Some models have warning tabs on the floorboards that scrape before hard parts touch down. If you hear grinding metal, you’re at the edge of your bike’s safety envelope.

 4. Be Wary of Road Conditions

Painted lines, gravel, tar snakes, and oil patches are particularly dangerous in turns. A heavy cruiser doesn’t recover from a traction loss easily. Take care when turning:

• At night (visibility issues).

• In the rain.

• On unfamiliar or uneven roads.

A Final Word of Advice

Leaning too far in turns on a cruiser with engine guards and saddlebags is not only pointless, it’s dangerous. You’re not going to out-corner a sportbike on a 900-lb touring rig—and you shouldn’t try. These bikes are made for cruising, not carving.

If you ride smart, keep your inputs smooth, and respect the physical limits of your machine, you’ll have a long and enjoyable time on two wheels. But if you push it too far, you could end up hurt, in court, or worse.

Ride safe. Ride smart. And if someone else’s negligence causes your crash, call me—Norman Gregory Fernandez. I’m a biker who knows the law and will fight for your rights.

Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.
California Motorcycle Accident Attorney
www.BikerLawBlog.com
www.thepersonalinjury.com
Call: (800) 816-1529 Ext. 1

The post Why It’s Stupid to Lean Too Far in Turns on Cruiser-Style Motorcycles with Engine Guards and Saddlebags first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

When riding a motorcycle, riding in a turn is an important skill to master. If you have ever had a car accident, you know how frightening it is to hit an object when turning. But if you are on a motorcycle, you will have to learn how to safely ride a motorcycle in turns. This article will cover the proper way to turn safely. Here are some of the basics to help you out:

When you are approaching a corner, try to be aware of what is ahead of you and how to make adjustments. When entering a turn, be sure to keep your head up and look forward. A motorcycle’s geometry will be affected by the angle it is leaning in, so you can make adjustments to stay within the lines. When you are coming out of a turn, use counter-steering to straighten out your bike.

To start, try to maintain a constant stream of gas as you approach the turn. This will help you avoid any unexpected obstacles that might be in the way. You will also want to be aware of any blind spots that you might have, so that you can avoid them. In addition, it is best to take note of any reckless drivers or unsafe driving and leave some cushion between you and the driver. When riding on unfamiliar roads, do not rely solely on side view mirrors because they may be partially obstructed by elbows and sounders.

When riding a motorcycle, you will need to know when to slow down and lean into the turn. When you are entering a corner, it is essential to stay alert to oncoming traffic. It is also wise to stay aware of what is on the other side of the road. Remember to watch the horizon for any obstacles and adjust your speed accordingly. Whenever you enter a turn, it is important to maintain your balance, as this will help you steer in a safer manner.

Before entering a corner, consider the angle and distance to the right. It is not always easy to see when riding a motorcycle. As a result, you should always keep your head up and look out. A good way to do this is to check the space around you. You will notice any blind spots and take note of the drivers who are driving dangerously. You will need to leave enough cushion distance between you and these vehicles.

The first tip in riding a motorcycle is to always look at the road. You need to be aware of what is in front of you. In a turn, you will need to be looking out the road and keep your eyes on your passengers. You will need to keep your head high and look out for objects in your peripheral vision. As you approach the turn, you should make adjustments to the speed of your bike.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident anywhere in California, Call the real motorcycle accident lawyers who ride The Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez at 800-816-1529

The post How to safely ride a motorcycle in turns, by California Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

California Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez riding around a curve on Mulholland Highway

Many motorcycle riders are seriously injured and die each year when they fail to negotiate turns or curves, and either end of in the opposing lane of traffic, or they lose control and crash.

It is unbelievable to me just how many experienced riders sometimes fail to properly negotiate turns or curves on the road, especially when riding canyon roads, or twisties.

What is the main reason for motorcycle riders failing to negotiate curves or turns? Excessive speed is the main reason.

If you ride too fast through a curve or turn, chances are you are going to either end up in the opposing lane, or you are going to crash.

What is the main way to avoid crashing on a curve or turn? Slow the hell down!

Many motorcycle safety courses teach that you should slow down before you enter a turn or curve, and never to brake or downshift while in a curve or turn. I say bullshit.

Look I have been legally riding motorcycles on the road for 32 years, since the age of 16. In my own personal experience, sometimes it is hard to judge if you are entering a curve or turn too fast.

If you have entered into a turn or curve too fast on your motorcycle, you need to do anything you can not to panic, not to cross over the yellow line into opposing traffic, and not to crash.

My rule is that if you are in a curve or turn too fast, do what you have to do to safely get through the turn or curve. If that means hitting the brake, do it. If that means downshifting, do it.

I have ridden with guys who absolutely refuse do brake or downshift in a turn or curve. I have also seen these guys both in front of me, and in my rear view mirror cross the yellow line into oncoming traffic. Thank goodness none of them have ever crossed the yellow line when a car was right there or they would have been a windshield bug splat.

They teach you in motorcycle safety courses that before you enter a curve you should direct your motorcycle to the farthest part of the lane away from the turn so that you can theoretically see around the turn more.

For instance if you are going into a left curve they say you should direct your motorcade more to the right so that you can see around the left curve, and if you are going into a right curve you should direct your motorcycle more to the left so you can see around the right curve.

They teach that you should not look at the road, but that you should look around the curve to where you are going and that your motorcycle will tend to go where you are looking.

Some say that you should put your knees close into the tank to help you get around the curve, and some say that you should concentrate on counter-steering to properly get around a curve.

I say they are all right to a certain extent.

However, when you are actually riding your motorcycle, you will find that you will at times have to look at the road and not just where you want to go when going around a curve, you will find that sometimes it is not safe to go to the farthest part of the lane away from a curve because of oncoming cars or debris on the shoulder, and you will find that concentrating just on counter-steering is sometime dangerous.

In the end the safest thing to remember when going around curves is to keep a safe speed period.

The one thing that will make you panic or feel uncomfortable more than anything when going around a curve whether it be on a mountain pass or on a highway curve is excessive speed.

If you first let off of the throttle, you motorcycle will naturally start to slow down because of the action of friction and the engine.

If you are still going to fast don’t be afraid to apply a little front brake, but not too much because you may lose control. I like to apply both front and rear brakes.

If the turn is wet applying too much rear brake may make you slide out.

If you are still going too fast, downshift into a lower gear if you can safely.

If there are cars or other motorcycles behind me, and I am downshifting into a lower gear to slow down, I also try to tap my brake a bit just so the persons behind me can see my break light so they don’t rear end me.

Even with plenty of practice and riding experience, riding through turns and curves requires current practice and experience.

The worst riders are sometimes the people with the most experience because they think they are the great riders so they sometimes do not exercise the caution that they should.

Riding a motorcycle is not like riding a bike. Each time you are out, you need to exercise caution and ride at a safe speed.

Keep both wheels on the road.

By California Motorcycle Accident Attorney, and Biker Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © October 19, 2011

The post Riding your Motorcycle around Curves and Turns without Killing Yourself first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.