Do you Push or Pull thru turns?

[HankD]

I have put about 9K miles on my 2017 RTS. Today I was riding solo on a deserted twisty road today and decided to experiment a little.

In the past I noticed that I would "Pull" thru turns....pull harder on the left side handlebar and slightly push on the right side handlebar for a left twisty, opposite for a right turn. Just for fun, I decided to concentrate on doing the opposite and "Pushing" thru the turns....pushing harder on the right handlebar and pulling slightly on the left for a left twisty, opposite for a right turn. As always, I pushed off on the floorboard opposite of the turn and leaned into the turn for balance and stability.

The results were pretty dramatic for me...much cleaner turns and felt a lot more stable...especially on those dreaded long sweeping left turns when you feel you might lose it if you don't slow down. I'm going to try to clear my muscle memory and concentrate on "Push" turning in the future.

What do y'all do?

Hank.

[JayBros]

Do both, particularly in twisties.

[SCWSpyder]

I have discovered the dynamics are opposite of the single-track motorcycle; where you use a “push right to go right” on the motorcycle (aka countersteer) is replaced with “push right to go left.” Further to my delight, I use my “inside” leg (ie if going in right turn brace with right thigh) to support my body (and push with left/pull with right) and it removed the soreness I kept getting in the back of my neck the day following when I was hot ridding in the twisties. Weirdly, I naturally push with left for right turns but do more pulling for left turns.

[ARtraveler]

push/pull is my style also. Light touch...pretend there are eggs between your hands and the grips. Don't break them.

[CopperSpyder]

I lead with a pull and follow with a very all so light Push to neutral follow through. Works for me with better control.

[Gwolf]

Don't really know what I do. I been riding trikes for about 35 years. Whatever it is, I do it automatically without thinking about it. I think it is a combination of both pushing and pulling. The Spyder does not take much pressure. Just a light pressure and keep it even. No jerking or over correcting. Smooth is good.

[2dogs]

After years of chasing/herding cows on a quad I had no problems pointing my spyder where I wanted it to go. Push pull and lean. Push steady on the outside grip and make minor adjustments on the inside grip and lean into the turn but keep your head up straight. Like ARtraveler said, don't use a heavy grip on your handle bars. Push down with the outside foot an push in with the opposite knee.

[Cruzr Joe]

Mostly just push.

Cruzr Joe

[Ex-Rocket]

Combination of push & pull especially in the twisties

[Little Blue]

Well, for me and my Spyder, I do the push into the turns. So Left hand push and turn (steer) to the right. Then Right hand push and turn (steer) to the left.
This has been my favorite way for turning (steering).
That's my Spyder Tip.
Enjoy your Ryde time and always Ryde Safe. ....

[RICZ]

As a fairly new rider with just 1K miles, I appreciate these comments. I will try the different techniques to see which one gives me the best cornering control. I find that I pull on the inside grip to help draw my torso into the curve. Another method might work better.
Again, thanks.

[ARtraveler]

As a fairly new rider with just 1K miles, I appreciate these comments. I will try the different techniques to see which one gives me the best cornering control. I find that I pull on the inside grip to help draw my torso into the curve. Another method might work better.
Again, thanks.

Try some of the suggestions and see what works the best for YOU. The 's are a lot of fun in the twisties. Just don't overdrive your abilities and you will have a great time. We did 120 miles of assorted twisties yesterday.

[CentralCoastCA]

Push/pull works. In twisties I push down on the opposite peg/floorboard of the turn. Helps keep front end planted.

[JeffandLori]

I find pushing works for me. It keeps my center of gravity more centered on the bike and when the suspension compresses and you get opposite lean I am less likely to feel I am steering when I'm not, just leaning over.

[RICZ]

Push/pull works. In twisties I push down on the opposite peg/floorboard of the turn. Helps keep front end planted.

Where in Santa Barbara county do you live? I'm familiar with that area. Love to dine at the Hitching Post in Buellton Best steaks ever and I have been around much of the country, especially the left coast.

[glennm]

push/pull is my style also. Light touch...pretend there are eggs between your hands and the grips. Don't break them.

Newbie here, push pull too but haven't sorted the relaxed grip yet. Definitely have broken quite a few eggs!

[CentralCoastCA]

Where in Santa Barbara county do you live? I'm familiar with that area. Love to dine at the Hitching Post in Buellton Best steaks ever and I have been around much of the country, especially the left coast.

Hitching Post is the best restaurant, although we go to the original Casmalia store instead of Buellton. We rode quite a bit to Eugene when our son was in college - some of the most beautiful country in Oregon!

[WDAVEY]

Also fairly new to Spyders, only have 3,000 miles on my 2019 RTL. Just got the laser alignment which helped a lot with the twitchy feeling. I'm not sure if I've settled on a when to push vs. when to pull method yet. I try my best to relax my grip on the handlebars BUT sweet - jingling - jeepers the throttle spring is so strong it seems to fight me all the way. Any helpful hints other than using cruise control in curves?

[RICZ]

Put a wrist rest on your throttle. It'll unwind your fingers from the grip. I can't ride without one. Most MC stores carry them. There are a few different styles. You will thank me.
https://www.amazon.com/Crampbuster-C.../dp/B001L9KI56

[BajaRon]

Both...

[Raprider]

Also fairly new to Spyders, only have 3,000 miles on my 2019 RTL. Just got the laser alignment which helped a lot with the twitchy feeling. I'm not sure if I've settled on a when to push vs. when to pull method yet. I try my best to relax my grip on the handlebars BUT sweet - jingling - jeepers the throttle spring is so strong it seems to fight me all the way. Any helpful hints other than using cruise control in curves?

Welcome to the Spyder party!
Have you taken the 3-wheel course? If not, it will help you tremendously, especially in learning the balance between push and pull in curves and turns.

I use a combination of push-pull, coupled with pressing on the opposing floorboard as the sharpness of any particular turn increases.

I would avoid relying on cruise control in the curves...easiest way to find yourself going too fast when the turn sharpens beyond your cruising speed or something in your path requires quick adjustments...and get a better handle on using the throttle.

Some folks, myself included, will suggest using a sort of 'open palm' or 'loose fingers' type of grip to help relax your hands, and I personally find that the Crampbuster that RICZ links to is a huge help in this area.

Good luck in finding what works!

[VitoNam]

Rufus Thomas was teaching us the "Push and Pull" back in 60's. HA!

[RICZ]

+1 on not using the cruise control in curves. CC is only for straighter highway schlogs. Never use it in traffic either.

[Lew L]

Both-----
Along with shifting weight off the seat and lowering the center of gravity ( when hot footing it through the twistys) Extra pressure on the outside foot too.

[Peter Aawen]

+1 on not using the cruise control in curves. CC is only for straighter highway schlogs. Never use it in traffic either.

Why not use Cruise control thru curves?? Yeah, you can probably corner faster & do your braking, late apex-ing, and all that other stuff if you're controlling everything, but if you're just tooling along on cruise & a corner comes up that looks like you won't really need to do any of that, why not carry on & let it?

It's not a biggie really, if you touch the brake to slow for the curve, you've killed cruise anyway; but if you don't touch the brake & simply carry on, you'll be able to concentrate on proper positioning & steering your ryde safely thru the curve without worrying about all that other stuff - you could even do it all with your foot poised over the brake if you feel the need; but either way, the Nanny is there to step in PDQ if you're going too fast for the corner or miscue the steering input you dial in &/or you touch the brake!

Cruise control is a very useful and vastly under-uitilised tool that might even help improve your ryding skills (in some areas ) if you'd only let it do its thing, secure in the knowledge that the Nanny won't really let you do anything that would upset the Spyder responding appropriately to the control inputs that you still hafta dial in. Even in traffic, if it's all moving along steadily enough to set a speed, using cruise control can be helpful - after all, if you can concentrate on steering & braking without worrying about speed control, you are probably exposing yourself to LESS risk than if you add another area of control & concentration to your work load - and besides, cruise is disabled immediately if you hit the brakes & the Nanny will also kick in to intervene & turn it off if you make a sudden hard steering input. She's good that way! She can't fix stupid tho, so don't try steering into the oncoming traffic, even if you aren't on cruise!!