Originally Posted by
john m flores
In motorcycle class, you are taught that if you want to turn right, you push the right handlebar forward. That's counter steering, which precipitates a shift of the tire's contact patch from the centerline of the tire towards the edge and the familiar lean. In a way, it's kind of a controlled fall to the right counteracted by the forward momentum of the motorcycle. That's precession.
One thing I've learned from reading Bike Forums threads over the years - every bicycle rider who has taken motorcycle classes believes fervently that bicycles cannot be ridden without counter-steering, whereas most bicycle riders who haven't taken motorcycle classes find that hard to believe.
The simple fact that a bicycle can be steered easily from the saddle while riding no hands, both in a straight line and around corners, would seem to obviate the assertion that bikes can't be steered without counter-steering as described in the quote above, and yet . . .
Yes, bicycles
can be counter-steered, but doing so is not essential.