Cornering situation | GTAMotorcycle.com

Cornering situation

Zoltar

Well-known member
Ok. So I have noticed at times when I take a corner at above moderate speeds when I come into this situation. If the corner suddenly becomes sharper on an unfamiliar road I let off on the throttle and gently apply the rear brake then back on the throttle. I think to my self I shouldn't do that but lean more instead. Am I going too fast or am I doing something right/wrong? I havent taking any on track courses. Thinking about it this summer.Any recommendations positive or negative requested. Thanks Kev
 
Ok. So I have noticed at times when I take a corner at above moderate speeds when I come into this situation. If the corner suddenly becomes sharper on an unfamiliar road I let off on the throttle and gently apply the rear brake then back on the throttle. I think to my self I shouldn't do that but lean more instead. Am I going too fast or am I doing something right/wrong? I havent taking any on track courses. Thinking about it this summer.Any recommendations positive or negative requested. Thanks Kev


Its all in your head.
 
I would not recommend using the rear brake in a turn. Take it easy. Build up confidence. Be smooth. That is all
 
Internet advice :rolleyes:

Whats your suggestion as to why he doesn't feel comfortable in corners? You can go to snake road and look at the guard rail for signs of people who have had thoughts like the op.
 
Ok. So I have noticed at times when I take a corner at above moderate speeds when I come into this situation. If the corner suddenly becomes sharper on an unfamiliar road I let off on the throttle and gently apply the rear brake then back on the throttle. I think to my self I shouldn't do that but lean more instead. Am I going too fast or am I doing something right/wrong? I havent taking any on track courses. Thinking about it this summer.Any recommendations positive or negative requested. Thanks Kev

There is only one part of your question we could possibly properly advise you on. Yes, take a track course or two or three.
The other part of your question is quite literally impossible to advise you on, (although there will be no shortage of misguided, well-intentioned contributors who think they can help you) since there are a pile of parameters we have no idea about. Just a few..your skill, your bike, your tires, the corner in question, your speed, the degree of which the decreasing radius of said corner is, the road surface (a constantly variable condition) etc etc etc etc etc etc etc.

Take a real-life non-internet interpreted track course. Best investment you can make. Till then, ride about 3/10th's on unknown roads instead of riding 5 or 6/10's..
 
Hasn't anyone ever told you that the rear brake is for falling down? There's a reason they make the front brake hand controlled and the rear foot. On a hot sticky day that front tire can take a lot of braking force before it's going to let go, its so easy to lock a rear which is going to end badly for you mid corner.

In general you just need more experience to learn how to not our ride your sight lines, and be more patient with where you get on the throttle in the first place.

That being said a track course and learning how to use your brakes properly could save your life, and is the fastest way to improve your skills. Probably worth the couple hundred bucks. Hell ride down and do the intro to track at cayuga, thats exactly what that evening course is for.
 
I'm no expert just bored... From time to time i've done this when mentally lazy.. Problem is your bike is becoming unstable when you "let off the throttle", all the weight goes to the front. While cornering the rear tire should be taking most of the load. You should roll on the throttle, if you must let off ideally never have more than 50% of the weight on the front during a turn. The contact patch up front is smaller for a reason.

Never 100% close the throttle you want to be at the happy medium called neutral throttle even if you roll off don't go past neutral, neither slowing down nor speeding up when you lean... The rear brake is not bad if you gently apply when in neutral throttle but if your're not it has less weight on it and then you ask it for more thus breaking traction threshold an wham! ...I prefer standing the bike up braking with fronts ( using every inch of road) and leaning harder while re-opening the throttle,,, Every situations different though.
 
Hasn't anyone ever told you that the rear brake is for falling down? There's a reason they make the front brake hand controlled and the rear foot. On a hot sticky day that front tire can take a lot of braking force before it's going to let go, its so easy to lock a rear which is going to end badly for you mid corner.

In general you just need more experience to learn how to not our ride your sight lines, and be more patient with where you get on the throttle in the first place.

That being said a track course and learning how to use your brakes properly could save your life, and is the fastest way to improve your skills. Probably worth the couple hundred bucks. Hell ride down and do the intro to track at cayuga, thats exactly what that evening course is for.

intro to track is useful
for the street? i might look into it.
 
I see so much bad advice here on Rear brakes.

Where do u guys get that from?
 
The rear brake is just about exactly the tool you need in a decreasing radius turn which you've entered too hot. The problem is that most people are a) afraid of their rear brake and b) never use it and thus don't have the sensitive touch required for such a purpose.

Applying the rear brake will tighten the turning radius of the bike (works the same for cars). It's a damn useful skill to possess. Even more useful, however, is knowing not to ride beyond your line of sight, and leaving yourself a healthy reserve of tire should you need to lean more for whatever reason.
 
I would suggest avoiding riding above moderate speeds on unfamiliar roads.
A surprise decreasing radius turn at speed could definitely be a buzz killer.

I would also strongly recommend taking a track course. I've taken FAST and highly recommend them. I have heard that the other popular courses are very good as well.

FWIW, if in a similar situation, I would be reluctant to use the rear brake. Instead, I'd maintain throttle and try to lean the bike harder and hang off the bike more, being sure to force your eyes to look where you want to go.

Also watch Keith Code's "Twist of the Wrist 2"
 
The rear brake is just about exactly the tool you need in a decreasing radius turn which you've entered too hot. The problem is that most people are a) afraid of their rear brake and b) never use it and thus don't have the sensitive touch required for such a purpose.

ive never understood the logic of how youd use the rear with your knee on the ground going around a right hand corner. I know some top level racers use a lever on the left bar for the rear brake, but beyond that you're talking some serious multitasking.

I have however seen quite a few inexperienced riders toss their bike coming into a corner thinking it's fun to use the rear.

It's great when the OP already knows the answer to his question. Yes, yes you should. Body positioning and lean angle before trying to play with your rear brake mid corner.

I think to my self I shouldn't do that but lean more instead. Am I going too fast or am I doing something right/wrong?
 
Look up mickey mouse crash on youtube.

There is one specific corner on those videos that everyone crashes on and it's exactly what you described (you think it's an exit, instead it just gets stupid sharp).

I'm honestly not pushing my current bike much and won't be upgrading until I get some track lessons. I'd rather take pay ppl and take their advice (hopefully, right advice) than learn through a really bad mistake =(

But congrats for having balls!
 
油井緋色;1826694 said:
Look up mickey mouse crash on youtube.

There is one specific corner on those videos that everyone crashes on and it's exactly what you described (you think it's an exit, instead it just gets stupid sharp).

I'm honestly not pushing my current bike much and won't be upgrading until I get some track lessons. I'd rather take pay ppl and take their advice (hopefully, right advice) than learn through a really bad mistake =(

But congrats for having balls!
It's RNickymouse not Mickymouse. but yes, it's a part of the snake on mulholland highway in california. It's a common corner that many people crash on.
http://www.youtube.com/user/rnickeymouse?feature=results_main

ONE VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT: never go fast on unfamiliar roads. Learn the road, and gradually go faster and faster. If you try and keep up with someone who knows the road/has been on it numerous times, you're gonna have a bad time (like going a little wide into an oncomming police cruiser's lane)

which leads me to another point: don't try and keep up with someone better than you. Sure your ego might get hurt a little, but it's better than you and your bike.
 
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ive never understood the logic of how youd use the rear with your knee on the ground going around a right hand corner. I know some top level racers use a lever on the left bar for the rear brake, but beyond that you're talking some serious multitasking.
.

Who says your knee has to be on the ground?

You can't brake and turn at the same time because its "serious multitasking"? lol

Bottom line is that the technique exists and it works to tighten up the turning radius.
 
My best advice... don't take riding advice from strangers on the internet... Except for this post and the one about the rear brake being a fall down switch. That post was spot on. /sarcasm
 
learn to trail brake.

I'd use my front brake before I use my rear while in a lean/turning. Just remember that it's the first part of braking with the front that's really sensitive - once the weight transfers over, you have a lot more braking to play with before it'll give out on you.

If you can learn to hang off properly, I used to be ready to hang off in case I misjudged a turn or some gravel happened to be there.

But either way, you shouldn't be speeding through roads you don't know. Even for twisties that I'm familiar with, I do one slow run through to check for deteriorating road, any oil/sand/gravel, etc.
 

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