Some time after I returned to biking, I read about counter-steering. It took me some time to get my head around it, prove to myself that it works and then deliberately use it, rather than subconsciously doing it, to better control my cornering. So I deliberately counter-steer now when bend swinging. I follow bike racing, and have seen many lowside offs blamed, by the commentators, on the rider trailbraking into the corner. I also know that I am uncomfortable braking into a corner - I just can't get the bike to turn if I'm braking (that could just be a head thing, I admit). So I'm very aware of getting my speed right, and braking done, before I attempt to turn in. But, I've come across YouTube videos and online articles advocating trailbraking as a good/recommended way of controlling speed into a bend. That is, being on the front brake as you tip into a bend, and gradually easing off the brake before you start to accelerate out. I am really not convinced, and won't be in a hurry to introduce it to my riding technique. Does anyone here deliberately trailbrake while riding on the roads?
If I’m carrying a little too much speed into a corner I’ll just give the rear brake a tickle, it does work.
The system seems to rely on you knowing the exact speed for the corner ,which makes it a knife edge judgment for max speed only fit for the track. If your leaving no room for error, as a choice, in your cornering, can I ask, "Did you sleep with Rossi's wife, and hes behind you?"
I never hit the front brake as it unsettles too much on corners although......... On my bmw with telelever I can front brake and it doesn’t even ripple!
Using the rear brake when going into a corner helps stabilise the bike The front is less likely to dive down as the rear is already pulled down a bit keeping the geometry balanced Just a little bit of rear brake benefits the stability.
Its funny you should post this, i was watching trail braking vids on youtube this morning. Much like everyone else I customarily cover the rear brake into corners and if it tightens i stick on a bit more rear. I went for a twenty minute ride out this evening and tried it a bit. TBF i think a fair bit more practice is required to give a decent judgement. As a plus point I was riding the Sprint which for various reasons i have hardly ridden and the cornering is completely different to the ST3, i didnt have any "squeaky bum" moments. Then again i was cornering pretty slow.
Thanks for the replies. I agree re a touch of rear to scrub a bit of speed if necessary. AndyC1 - I'm impressed. I'm not sure I could bring myself to try it. I suppose going into a corner with brake already applied is very different from applying brake once in the corner. But there is a strong sense of the bike wanting to go straight on if I approach a bend with brake on. Like I said, that is probably all in the mind.
Rear brake on the America, worked great, just tight'd it nicely. Front brake on the Tuono. As @andyc1 says, relaesing the brake as your tipping in, and then fuly off as you roll in the power. Never been that keen on coasting round bends, prefer to be driven. Been doing it in the car, learning how to left foot brake, really works in 'pulling' the motor around the bend. Not all the time, just when I'm cracking on a bit. Takes some practice to get used to doing it, find keeping my heel up off the carpet helps not standing too hard on the anchors (foot trained to put full pressure on the clutch for the last 30+ years).
When leaning into a corner, you do need to increase throttle (slightly) to maintain a constant speed, this is due to the rolling circumference is less when leaned over, the wheel rotation speed increases, thus the engine needs to increase in revs If you don't, you are effectively inadvertently engine braking while leaned over causing the front to dive
I've been using rear brake into corners for about a year now and find it makes the bike more stable, this was after doing a bike safe course and they suggested it after I told them I was getting squeaky bum alot! After watching the below video and various others I now use a front brake to trail into the bend...I'm no riding god..just addicted to bikes!
Yes...I have done this for years. It takes a light touch. The rear will help scrub off a little speed if you are coming in a little hot. A light squeeze of the front before the apex can help shift the bikes weight more to the front wheel if you fear the front end is a bit light, but it takes a fine touch on a bike you are really familiar with. ...J.D.
When I first started riding in the 80s (...crap I'm old!) I remember being taught to always brake in a straight line, always travel through a bend on power, front brake will make the bike try to "stand up" in a bend whereas the rear brake will lean the bike in more, and if you have to brake in a bend then easy does it.
Took years to learn to do this and as I say, it takes a light touch. So satisfying when you get it right though. I don't ride enough anymore to keep my skills at that level.
Hi while reading this I thought about when I’m on my America with regard to going around tight bends or little islands. I don’t know if it’s me or the type of bike but I find it does not like that type of bend and struggles to get round, Anyone else found this ?
Your taking so much stuff you have to tie some to the top of your Trailer. It might be easier to invite the Festival to yours.
Daniel: I know what you mean. I have an America in my stable. Not the bike I chose when I want to do some knee dragging. I find my Legend TT the most fun for this kind of thing. ...J.D.
Trailbraking,,,,,quite often. Sometimes just cover the brake whether it’s needed or not. I think that some riders get into problems whilst cornering is because they’re in to high a gear.
I am still trying to perfect this on the race track, squeeze the lever initially to get the front tyre to compress and increase the contact patch then pull to scrub the speed off rapidly, all while shoving the inside handlebar to force the bike down into the corner, then slowly release the brake whilst getting back on the gas. It is not an easy thing to do, crashed at Snetterton when I got it wrong and locked the front. Not sure how much I would do this on the road, there normally I revert to what I learned from my instructor many years ago, he said if you need to scrub speed late on approach or in a corner "applying the rear brake, the bike may ask you to get off, applying the front the bike will tell you to get off!" Now things have moved on since then, tyre technology, ABS brakes and better suspension all help not upset the bike when you make a bollox of it, so you can trail brake if you need to, but takes practice!
