Originally Posted by
Trakhak
The OP says "I have read that this [i.e., counter-steering] is in fact essential to making the turn."
If counter-steering were essential to turning a bike, it wouldn't be so easy to steer a bike solely by leaning in the direction in which you mean to turn, i.e., without touching the handlebars.
This is partially true. The physics is a little more complicated than you can easily perceive while riding though.
When you are riding hands free, your ability to initiate a turn is pretty limited. But if you could put a high speed camera on the bike that was focused on the handlebars, you would see them countersteer naturally, prior to the turn.
On a motorcycle, it's much more noticeable because of both the higher speeds and the increased weight. As a matter of fact, the ability to steer a motorcycle by shifting your weight alone is almost negligible, and you more or less just keep going in a straight line.
Lots of good videos about this from a top motorcycle safety/riding school.
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...ountersteering