Counter Steering Explained: The Skill That Saves Lives | Scooter Basics #7 [Second Edition]

To turn right on a scooter, you have to push the right handlebar forward (i.e. bump the steering to the left). I know that sounds like a recipe for a crash, but it’s actually the only way to steer a motorcycle at speed. Most riders do this instinctively, but almost nobody can explain why it works... and not understanding it is why so many riders 'target fixate' and run wide in corners. In this video, I’m stripping away the mystery and giving you the physics, the practice, and the life-saving reality of Counter-Steering. I know that sounds wrong. It's not. And once you understand WHY, you'll never ride the same way again.This is counter-steering. It's the most important skill in motorcycle riding. In this video you'll learn: ✅ Why your instincts are working against you above 25 km/h ✅ The physics of how your scooter ACTUALLY turns at speed ✅ 4 car park drills to feel it consciously for the first time ✅ The one technique that saves you when you're running wide ✅ The mistakes that stop countersteering from working ⚠️ THE STAT THAT MATTERS: Roughly 25% of all motorcycle accidents are simply riders running wide in corners. This video is the fix. 🎓 THIS IS VIDEO 7 OF 7 — SCOOTER BASICS COMPLETE COURSE You've made it. This is the final fundamental. 📋 COMPLETE BEGINNER COURSE — watch in order: #1 — Posture:    • How to Sit on a Scooter Correctly: The Ful...   #2 — Getting On & Starting:    • How to Mount, Start & Set Up Your Scooter ...   #3 — Throttle Control:    • Throttle Control for Scooters: Smooth Acce...   #4 — Braking:    • How to Brake | Front Brake, Rear Brake & W...   #5 — Slow Speed Balance:    • Slow Speed Balance: No More Wobbles | Scoo...   #6 — U-Turns & Figure 8s:    • U-Turns & Figure 8s: Precision Turning | S...   #7 — Counter Steering ← YOU ARE HERE ⏱️ CHAPTERS: 0:00 — Introduction 0:30 — Why This Changes Everything 1:00 — The Problem: Running Wide 2:30 — The Physics Explained 7:00 — Car Park Drills 10:00 — Common Mistakes 11:00 — You've Done It. What's Next 👋 ABOUT LUKE WATSON: I'm a professional motorcycle instructor. I've taught thousands of students in Australia and across Asia. My philosophy: understand WHY, not just what to do. Physics is the same in Bangkok, Brisbane, and Berlin. 🎥 ABOUT THE [Second Edition Series] A few years ago, my wife helped me film my first series on her phone. It was the start of a journey that has now reached 30,000+ subscribers. This [Second Edition] is a solo project... written, filmed, and edited by me to reflect everything I’ve learned as an instructor and a rider since then. ⚠️ SAFETY NOTE: Always practise in a safe, empty space before applying new skills in traffic. Wear full protective gear. Consider a formal riding course in your country. REFERENCES & FURTHER READING Fajans, J. (2000). Steering in bicycles and motorcycles. American Journal of Physics, 68(7), 654–659. University of California, Berkeley. https://physics.berkeley.edu/sites/de... Hurt, H.H., Ouellet, J.V., & Thom, D.R. (1981). Motorcycle accident cause factors and identification of countermeasures, Vol. 1: Technical Report. USDOT-NHTSA, Washington D.C. Motorcycle Safety Foundation. (2023). Do I brake or do I swerve — motorcyclist crash avoidance maneuvering. https://msf-usa.org/wp-content/upload... Motorcycle Safety Foundation. (2025). Basic RiderCourse curriculum. https://msf-usa.org/start-your-ride/b... Nugent, M., Sherwood, S., & Crundall, D. (2019). Evaluating rider steering responses to an unexpected collision hazard using a motorcycle riding simulator. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 66, 107–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2019.08... Queensland Government — Department of Transport and Main Roads. (2025). Q-Ride and Q-SAFE courses. https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/lice... Wikipedia contributors. (2025). Countersteering. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter... ~ ~ ~ If you found this video helpful, you can gift LUKE WATSON with a donation or buy him a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lukewatson https://donate.stripe.com/dR6dSx1Hj40... ~ ~ ~ © 2026 Luke Watson's Motorcycle & Truck School Instagram: @lukeswatsonschool