Cornering

[Lurch]

A lot of riders seem to not know what it is, how to use it, or that it works. I’ve always found it to be the best part of riding.
You can control a 400 lb and higher bike with a push of the wrist.

- Wuf

It's the ONLY part to riding, unless it's a long long long long straight road!

It's UNDERSTANDING what it is that can actively help you in certain situations.

 

[Sportster]

I have been getting into the habit of slowing down with only the back brake. Had my tire lock on me last week. USE BOTH BRAKES!

 

[scooterwuf]

Good point. Some circumstances warrant using one brake or the other, but it’s best when both are applied in a controlled manner. Plus, 70% of stopping power is in the front brake.

- Wuf

 

[lupin]

About the only time I use my back brake is when I'm at a stand still at the lights.

 

[DLSGAP]

Want to get good at cornering? Track days on a small bike will make you fast...

Track days in the rain on a liter bike with no traction control will make you smooth

 

[Matt Leech]

My first track day is approaching so I've been watching videos about body position while cornering; I never realised just how poor my own technique is.

As for braking, the two tips of slowing down before the bend and using both front (70%) AND rear (30%) brakes, well they were drilled into me when I was training for my full bike licence. It's ok to use only your rear brake during low-speed manoeuvres, but I can't think of a time when it is correct to use only the front brake. Anybody?

I watch other riders closely when I'm out on the road (on bike or in car) for any good/bad habits they have, and I use that to make a conscious effort to improve my own riding. Am I stating the obvious, does everybody else already do this too?

 

[Lurch]

You can learn a lot about what not to do from others certainly. Just because something looks like it's being executed well, doesn't mean it's being done properly.

If you want to sharpen up your road riding, look at doing an advanced course. it build on planning and taking a bend properly more than it tackles taking them at speed, but with planning and execution improved upon, the speed will come with it.

 

[Matt Leech]

...look at doing an advanced course.

Ah yes, I've been reading about gov.uk's Enhanced Rider Scheme, and have details of a local instructor ready for a call.

What do other members think of this scheme? Are there other schemes that are considered more beneficial?

I'm a new rider (it's only two years since I mounted a motorcycle for the very first time) so I'm still eager and willing to learn

 

[Lurch]

Ah, screw ERS, you'll be paying lots. Not that there's anything wrong with that as you can ask for the focus to be on something specific, and they might do extra-curricular, but RoSPA and IAM will cost less than a day with an ERS guy, but you'll have plenty of sessions.

PM me if you want specifics.

 

[HippoDrone]

Regarding braking, use the correct combo for the situation you are in, I have a V-twin which has bags of engine braking so I often use just the front, especially on track. With 2 years in the saddle and wanting to play on track I'd suggest the CSS as a decent option, they will help you with your body positioning and lines in a safe environment to ride fast. Best thing is to try not to overthink things, you'll not be relaxed and will tense up which will remove bike control from you. Just chill with it and flow

 

[scooterwuf]

Lately my focus has been on throttle finesse, where I'm less dependent on my brakes as I focus to gauge my speed by rolling on or off the throttle, especially when taking turns. That doesn't mean I don't cover my brake controls, but braking isn't always necessary to bleed off speed when in a controlled situation, and creates a smoother ride without breaks in momentum. Panic stops, and road hazards are always a possibility, and something to be vigilant about.

Scooter dynamics are different as both brake controls are on the handle bars, so the muscle memory is different. Still, the laws of physics apply to 600 + pounds of mass (rider and bike - mostly bike) when on the road. By habit I still apply both brakes together, but it may be because of how a scooter is designed to operate.

- Wuf

 

[Raoul Duke]

On the braking side of things, I never use the front brake in the corners only the rear! However some of these new bikes r1, zx10r, gs1200 ect have cornering abs which stops you locking the wheel and apparently doesn't make you sit up in the corner. some of the test I've seen have seen people grab a handfull of front brake in the corner and be fine, no way would I have the balls how to do that though

Only front brake into a corner is trailing into the corner. Never really mid-corner. rear brakes do a great job when titrated right in corners.

My biggest advice is to set up your lean angle BEFORE entering the corner (usually while braking or setting up entry point), THEN rolling on the throttle ("evenly, smoothly, and consistently throughout the remainder of the turn," yada yada yada)

 

[Matt Leech]

Track day over, what a buzz!

The cornering tips picked up here, on youtube, and from the instructors during the day, all helped a lot, so thank you to everybody.

By far the most effective tip for fast cornering was 'hanging off'. It took a couple of sessions for me to build confidence to really go for it, but once I realised how well hot tyres stick to the tarmac, it's just down to how much bottle I could muster.

Already looking for my next track day

 

[Lurch]

Knee down?

 

[Matt Leech]

Afraid not, but peg took a scrape and that was scary enough!



Instructor said that I wasn't sticking out my knee far enough

At the start of the day my tyres looked like new!

 

[HippoDrone]

awesome, they are very addictive!

 

[Superballs]

I'd love to take a track day, but don't want to put that much stress on my daily commuter.

If I can get me another 5th gen, with lower mileage, might make and keep it track ready.

 

[HippoDrone]

I'd love to take a track day, but don't want to put that much stress on my daily commuter.

If I can get me another 5th gen, with lower mileage, might make and keep it track ready.

My first trackday I thought the same, so I hired a bike.... was a good plan coz I high-sided on the last lap of the last session, had I been on a road bike it may have written it off, as it was it cost me another £250 excess and my bike was still all lovely in my garage.... (I was a "little-bit" broken but all ended up fine and no one died!)

 

[Matt Leech]

don't want to put that much stress on my daily commuter

I know what you mean and this was on my mind during the day during hard acceleration/braking, and countless times hitting the rev limiter.

However, aren't our bikes made to cope with this kind of thing from somebody like me who is never going to push the bike to the same levels that a professional would?

What do you think? Will five, twenty-minute sessions, one per hour, really be that bad for my machine?

 

[Lurch]

I think that us as "typical" riders, whatever that may be, couldn't truly push a bike to its limits anyway, not even on track. Odd bounce off the rev limiter and a 20 minute quick ride isn't really going to tax the bike. Might take its toll on the tyres and brakes, but they're consumable items designed to wear out anyway.