Top 5 Motorcycle MYTHS…BUSTED!!

Riding a motorcycle can have a pretty serious learning curve if you’ve never tried it before. Because of this, there are a lot of myths floating around the internet about motorcycle riding that can seem outright silly to someone who has been riding for a while. Today, we’re going over five of the top myths I see the most and busting them so you can have a better understanding of motorcycle riding. This video might be geared toward beginner riders, but who knows what you might take from it?

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00:00 Introduction
01:26 Myth #1: Countersteering
06:10 Myth #2: Front Brake Is Dangerous
09:02 Myth #3: Leaning Into Turns Is Dangerous
11:33 Myth #4: Get A Bike You Will "Grow Into"
15:14 Myth #5: Engine Braking Is Bad
18:10 Outro Crew

[Lochlann]

I think a lot of new or potential riders drastically overthink countersteering and stress themselves out. If you've ridden a bicycle, you already likely do it subconsciously. On a motorcycle, you'll never even realize that you're doing it.

[Whisksu]

Thank you for expressing the low CC starter bikes!
As a new rider myself. I started out UNDER 300. I've learned SOO many lessons almost the hard way while keeping two wheels up, and I credit it to starting on a much more forgiving, low CC bike. 5k Miles later, I still enjoy riding it. Speed isn't everything. If I would have started out on a 600cc. 90% chance I would have dropped or crashed already. You learn much on lower CCs!
Im so glad I listened to the REALLY experienced riders who already learned their lessons, and not the ones who told me to start out on a 600cc.

[bbt]

Counter steering works even at low speed (yes even below 10mph). As long as you're moving you have to counter steer, it's just reallyyy hard to notice when moving slow

[TacticalHamsterDance]

As other commenters said, countersteering works in any speed. What you can use in low speed, is leaning using your weight - the bike has a few mechanisms to counteract this that work the better the higher the speed is, so eventually the weight needed will get so big it's not practical. But you can countersteer instead - even at low speeds.

The second thing is, countersteering's only purpose is to lean your bike. And lean's primary purpose is to keep its balance, now that both centrifugal and gravitational forces apply, the sum still needs to point from the center of gravity to the contact patch. After you achieve desired lean, however, you need to point your wheel into the turn (or rather, bike will do it for you if you let it). The shape of the tire decreases the need but still, if you don't lean that much and need to do a turn with small radius (i.e. you ride slowly), your wheel will need to point into the turn after you reach the desired lean.

As for the powerful bikes, I agree but with one exception: Even the bikes that are commonly considered weak and good beginner bikes, like 500-600 just around the maximum for A2, are in fact very powerful, much more powerful than common cars and one needs "to grow into them". There may be an advantage with advanced ABS and TC systems. However, power is not the only consideration - big bikes are on average bigger physically too, and if you're tall, you may struggle on small ones. On the other hand, a physically smaller bike is also easier to handle and there is less "falls from the side stand".

Overall, I would recommend starting on a bike as physically small as you still find comfortable and as weak as you still find strong enough - although the latter, IMO, is not as important on road. Maybe there's more new riders crashing on liter bikes than on 125s, but it's the ones more risk averse that take a weak bike, and they will ride more carefully - because even on a 125 you can come into a turn too hot and panic. Still, those bikes are more forgiving and will allow you to learn in a more fun way instead of constantly thinking "I must not make a mistake". Eventually, you will get not making mistakes into your subconscious and then it's time to think if you really want to get something bigger - often, the answer will be no.

[Nina-cdeh]

To add to the "leaning in corners part": leaning is also how motorcycles actually turn. The tires have that shape for a reason, and it's what makes the bike take a turn when the steering is straightened after leaning. Try rolling a cup or any conical object on a flat surface to get the gist. The radius on the outside is smaller than the middle of the tire, so the middle always wants to carve a longer path than the outside. It's also why the RPMs become slightly higher as the angle increases, since it takes more wheel turns to travel the same distance

[Ryan-mvwi]

Bonus fact even at low speed, you counter steer a little, so before a left turn, you will turn the bars a little right to make the bike lean before steering to the left it's hard to notice on video but of you can physically turn the bars to the right u will struggle alot to turn left

[TheKingsapostle]

Myth 4: I'm one of those guys. Riding bikes is super easy. Everyone makes it seem so much harder than it actually is.

I wish I just bought a bigger bike to start out with. I 100% support starting on any bike you want. Has nothing to do with ego and everything to do with money.

The first time I ever rode a touring bike, I was so nervous because everyone talked about how I "had no experience so it's too dangerous".

But when I got on it, I was shocked to find that IT RIDES LIKE EVERY OTHER BIKE, BUT EASIER!

I've ridden all kinds of different bikes and they're all easy to ride. Just use your brain. Just don't be scared of the bike! Fear causes you to make dumb mistakes.

[The_Patriarchy_]

I find that those who talk down about smaller sized bikes are typically those with the least skill.
If you aren't fast on a 250, it's not a bike problem, it's a you problem.

[Grizzman]

Don’t overthink it. Hop on and go ride. Stay aware of what’s happening around you and enjoy the ride.

[BestWelderBoi]

That counter steering thing absolutely blew my mind!! I had no clue that was a thing. Thank you Chase for sharing your years of riding experience with the world.

[DerekFrampton]

I'll take a slower bike that's fun to ride, gets me on two wheels, and keeps me alive.This is/was a GREAT video! I feel it's great for new AND experienced riders OC

[Frank_Torre]

OC: I'm with Chase on that 4th myth. Sends my blood pressure through the roof hearing a new rider say "I'll just get a litre bike and grow into it". While I was a technician I saw tons of new riders make that mistake and get a bike too fast for them and regret it almost instantly. In a few cases that noob barely making it outta the dealership parking lot and doing something dumb and ending up in an accident with not even 5 mins of seat time on their new bike. Made even worse is that more than a few times I saw a new rider drop 15k to 20k on a bike and only get a cheap helmet as the only piece of gear.

[thecapnpoopy]

on sport bikes the braking is 90/10. also found out recently why it's so important to keep the pivot pin of your levers lubricated. if they dry up, you're not going to be able to smoothly and progressively pull your levers. instead of going 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7% etc you're going to go 1, 2, 15, 30% etc.

[moyeet]

what an awesome video! been riding for over a year now but still found this video super enjoyable and I know future riders will be thankful they watched this!

[cavedog]

It's not gyroscopic effect, otherwise trikes would function the same way (they do not). It is because the tire is not flat on the bottom. Consider rolling a red solo cup on its side, it will not go straight because it is a cone. Motorcycle tires function like a cone as the bike leans - the middle of the tire is the larger end of the "cup" and so the bike tries to go away from it. The gyroscopic effect you are talking about only tries to keep the bike upright. Below your speed threshold, it is much easier to lean the bike with your body. Even at 5 mph or less, if you turn the handlebars to the left (without leaning your body at ALL) you will fall over to the right.

[gingernaut]

Started 3 years ago on a yamaha bolt, as a300 lb strongman competitor I heard steady "that bikes to small for you!" "You'll outgrow it in a week!" "Anything less than 1800cc is pointless!"
Still have that bike. Still love it. I see guys on groms and tell me this, have you ever seen a dude on a grom not having a blast? Lol
I'm upgrading next season, but still want to keep the bolt to mod out as a bobber. I want something bigger for trips with the wife, and an adv bike.
Good video, cheers.
Maybe a couple myths for future videos. Not all bikers are hooligans, and not all bikers are aggressive dickheads

[WIDeerHunter]

Just got my first street bike 2 weeks ago, thankfully Wisconsin has had some extra heat days due the southern hurricane and I’ve been able to put on 200 miles and ride 3 times a week and both weekend days, absolutely in love. I’m on an MT-07, which I think is just the right amount of bike for me, I have previous experience with power and respecting a vehicles ability versus my own.

[robertjenkins]

I agree with everything you said, most of these myths are ridiculous. However, I only 75% agree with the picking a bike. I think it largely depends on who and when you are looking at getting a bike. I didn't start riding until I was 40 years old, so maturity and being able to control yourself plays a large roll. Also, being older means you probably have a little bit more disposable income, so you are able to select a bike that has power modes, TC, ABS, etc. I went from a Grom to a '23 MT-09 SP. The power modes and nannies helped me not die 😆

[TGunner]

Everyone said I’d kill myself on my first bike (gxsr 750). Respect the machine and have good clutch/throttle control and just don’t be stupid or over confident

[drazensmarkovic]

I get you, it's not easy to explain. But... counterstearing is for leaning the bike, and not for cornering per se - you lean with countersteering, and then the handlebar returns to neutral position for the rest of the turn. Besides, counterstearing is result of the forks trail, and not gyro efect of the wheel. And countersteering is also used on bicycles, so a lot of people use it, perhaps not completely conscious. However, nice video. 👍