Braking in corners

[Guest]

Until I learnt the hard way that the backend does not appriciate it.

[Bill_on_a_bike]

I try to set my speed gear before i go in to the corner, but if i get it wrong i'll adjust only using the rear brake and never hard.

If you're reading this thinking, but why not the front, then you've never tried!

[Stu]

i close the throttle i have a twin

seriously

if i have to use brake its the back and thats it

[Hoody]

Four elements of cornering

Position - make sure it is appropriate and safe

Speed - Bring it down to the correct speed to maintain grip and not induce under/over steer

Gear - select the appropriate gear for the road speed, which will create mechanical drip through the tyre

Acceleration - Apply the correct amount to drive through the corner maintaining stability and flexibility

No mention of braking!

If you can brake in a corner then you can still steer.

If you have gone too far than braking will cause skidding.

It's the law.

The Law of physics!

[SuperMe79]

What limits my speed going round corners is fear! This sets my cornering speed far lower than the bike is capable of so I've not had to do any breaking so far. In fact I don't even seem to lean it that much. I think I'll go to the California Superbike School next year and see if they can turn me into a knee down nutta!

[Foz]

This is how good my CBT was - I never knew until this thread that it made a difference if you brake on a corner or not...

 

come to think of it i wasnt told about it either! but i knew about it all already lol

[Voodoo]

I always brake, right upto the apex of the corner with the brake being released all the way until I hit the apex. The reason I do this is so the suspension is compressed and if I need to brake more, then it doesn't unsettle the bike. I alway use both brakes too.

[Guest nigelf]

some interesting responses thanks people.

Hoody i was with you untill it was explained and shown why and how to do it.

As Voodo says its all about setting up the suspension so that if you have to brake or accelerate you dont loose grip by upsetting the ballance of the suspension.

also as Rennie says ... this is not for the learner.

One thing i didnt get an answer on was what if the person behind you is not the type of rider that will brake in a corner... what will he do if hes too close and sees your brake lights come on!!?

Oh and this should make the ladies happy the instructor was a woman and boy can she ride.

Elf

[nigelwood1]

Quite often I brake all the way to the apex....

It steepens the steering angle due to the forks being compressed and makes the bike turn in faster...

As long as you are smooth it works fine...

And never just let go of the lever... Need to be a gradual release...

I use the rear through faster sweeping bends for stability and it is possible to tighten your line with a bit of back brake sometimes....

If you do brake into bends you do need to do a bit of counter steering otherwise it will stand the bike up....

I like to carry corner speed and some of the guy's I ride with aren't so keen to push it so have had bikes coming back towards me, rapidly, mid corner a few times so have had to use the brakes mid corner.....

By the way I need a new front tyre....

[Voodoo]

some interesting responses thanks people.

Hoody i was with you untill it was explained and shown why and how to do it.

As Voodo says its all about setting up the suspension so that if you have to brake or accelerate you dont loose grip by upsetting the ballance of the suspension.

also as Rennie says ... this is not for the learner.

One thing i didnt get an answer on was what if the person behind you is not the type of rider that will brake in a corner... what will he do if hes too close and sees your brake lights come on!!?

Oh and this should make the ladies happy the instructor was a woman and boy can she ride.

Elf

 

Then they were going too fast anyway probably

[Hoody]

Great techniques for track where the tarmac is smooth, but compressing the suspension (I understand the physics) means there is no or little compression left to soak up undulations which in turn means the finite amount of tyre grip left is lost and that is when traction is lost.

I really don't see any point in using 'race techniques' on public highways.

If it goes pete tong then you are straight into court as it isn't a standard of riding that would be rcognised as carefeul and competent.

Being trained and learning a technique is good, can be useful under certain circumstances, but the problem with publishing things is people read think they know then come a cropper.

One of the reasons I don't put advanced stuff on here is because it needs one to one explanation and demonstrating.

Soz for being a bit serious!

[Fozzie]

I'm bad in that I will apply heavy front brake in a corner sometimes. I learnt from my first bike how to stop it from turning into a worrying situation. The bike goes bolt upright as a first response usually. I dont let it and I make sure I'm not counter steering because then you'll go down very quickly...

[nigelwood1]

Used to have a 250 trail bike back in the 80's and I used to get hold of soft Trials tyres for it...

I used to ride it like a supermoto, sliding into corners (front and back) and drifting the back coming out of corners...

Tyres lasted about a month for a rear and 2 months for a front but at £3 for a front and £5 for a back it was worth it....

Around that time we were all a bit nutty....

I was 18 and not a full deck of cards...

[rennie]

I absolutely agree with hoody, that's why i put the 5 year thing

braking in corners is silly!, don't do it!

and if you do and fall off it ain't anybody's fault but your own

classic inexperience example:

think you're going too fast into a corner, not going to make it, panic!, both brakes hard on and you either drop it or bike stands up and you go straight on into field, wall whatever.

probably 95% of the time you could have got around anyway just by leaning a bit more.

[Grumpy Old Git]

Brake before.

Set speed / gear selected

Nicely into corner...

Spot oil slick!

Pray!

But never touch the brakes - certain result (but not the one you wish for).

Seriously folks - We all know how to do it but, occaisionally we all will get it wrong, then it's a case of use the brakes carefully, understanding what the effect is likely to be and try and judge that fine line between safely reducing speed without inducing spill.

Take care.

GOG

[Stu]

One thing i didnt get an answer on was what if the person behind you is not the type of rider that will brake in a corner... what will he do if hes too close and sees your brake lights come on!!?

 

 

tough titty

they should be riding there own ride not yours

worry about your own riding not others thats what i say

[rollazuki]

All this stuff about safety is all well and good, but front braking mid bend(not talking about race speed on the limits here) is entirely possible, and no more dangerous than has already been mentioned by someone, 'just lean over a bit more and get round'

If you have capacity to corner harder, then your tyres have capacity to brake, simple as that.

Also, what do you do if you are midway thru a corner and a hazzard presents itself, slow moving vehicle, pedestrian, horse etc.

If you have never experienced braking mid corner what do you do?

It is within the realms of possibility, Id say go out and gently try it, I dunno, do some kinda advanced riding course that covers it.

Ive had to stand her up mid bend in a panic brake situation before, not to mention ease off a little speed mid corner, and not thru bad riding, cos things happen beyond all our controls that cause us to alter and adjust our courses.

Learn to ride smoothly, you will begin to ride safer and quicker.

[Guest]

When I have had to apply a little brake in mid corner it has always been back and very carefully. On my CBT I grabbed a moderate handful of front after I thought I went into a bend a bit hot... I got away with it, but only just (well, that was my perception, the instructor hadn't noticed me crap myself!)

Rolling off the throttle has also been used a bit, tried pulling the clutch in on my first ride after passing the test quite a lot - but the lack of control made me bin that "technique" by the second outing! Rolling off the throttle works reasonably well too (another twin) but I am trying not to do that mid corner

I have had the back end go a little sideways on a couple of occasions - only a slight shimmy really, but it is enough to remind you not to do anything too rash!

[Guest]

I do break in corners BUT not to slow me down i think its a confidence thing even if my foot is only slightly touching the leaver i feel a dam sight better for it need to relax more i think.

But be aware of the person behind you went for a bike ride with the newcastle lot the other week and it must have been a nightmare for poor j4ff as when i hit a bend all he saw was my break light comming on sorry mate.