help with throttle input through turns

went for a ride today and noticed that i was letting off of the throttle mid turn to correct my line a little. but with that comes the characteristics of the motorcycle which makes it want to stand up a little. should i trail brake more to scrub off a little speed and keep my throttle input steady? open for suggestion.

Josh

I'm still a newbie, but I tend to roll off the throttle slightly rather than braking, before the corner, then accelerate hard through it.

I don't hit the rear brake before a corner, and seldom need to touch the front brake.

Might not be right, but it's what I do.

when entering a turn i usually down shift and use rear brake (to me it helps keep the bike more staple when entering the turn) but on a couple of 25 mph turns i was running around 60 in third gear holding a steady speed and eased up on the throttle to get a little wider, i was just wondering if i should trail brake in that situation since the bike stands up a little when i let off the throttle

Kazza said:

I'm still a newbie, but I tend to roll off the throttle slightly rather than braking, before the corner, then accelerate hard through it.

I don't hit the rear brake before a corner, and seldom need to touch the front brake.

Might not be right, but it's what I do.

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Thats what they teach in school and has never failed me, even in the "HS!! I'm not going to make this turn" moments. For keeping your bike upright you can't beat the laws of Physics. The additional centrifugal force that comes with acceleration pushes the rubber to the road.

I do downshift prior to the turn sometimes, just try to avoid 1st as 2nd is more forgiving in throttle control around the turns.

Highly recommend the California superbike school. I have been riding 50 years and attending the school in 2006 transformed my cornering. Best money I ever spent. Misti on this forum was one of their instructors when I took the class, so you might want to read her posts and maybe pm her.

after talking to a couple ppl on another forum i think my problem is picking the apex too early in the turn and then have to change my line

One thing is for sure: one turn, one line.

I like to go in a little slower than I really could (keeping required skills in the 75% range for safety). All of my braking and downshifting is done by the time it gets time to flick the bike over. I then setup for the turn (and I position for a butt cheek off the seat), flick the bike quickly and then get on the throttle (evenly) until the end of the turn and then I can accelerate hard (if I want and if it looks safe).

I'm just recently really understanding that applying that throttle in the turn isn't just about me having fun -- it really gets the suspension/tires "hooked into a rail" and stabilizes the bike. At this point the bike just feels well planted. I've learned to ignore the speedo because it looks fast but if I let go of the throttle, that upsets the bike and destabilizes it. If I'm going too fast in the end, I'll slow down then (while I'm straight up).

I'm just really repeating most of the Keith Code stuff (mixed in with my novice experience). And all of the above (including speed) is tempered as I look to see what's coming down the road before committing to having fun in a turn .

Dennis

joshfz6.2008 said:

after talking to a couple ppl on another forum i think my problem is picking the apex too early in the turn and then have to change my line

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That's what I was going to say...you're probably turning in too early. Looking farther ahead and being smooth with your eyes will give you a better sense of HOW MUCH room you actually have which will reduce the urge to turn-in. Don't stress about your line...just let it flow. :thumbup:

mabberley said:

Highly recommend the California superbike school. I have been riding 50 years and attending the school in 2006 transformed my cornering. Best money I ever spent. Misti on this forum was one of their instructors when I took the class, so you might want to read her posts and maybe pm her.

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Well that could get pricey but I'm sure that school will make you take a turn like a Pro.

But if you are more budget minded, have you taken or considered taking the MSF Course. Basic or Experienced course, a lot of emphasis on cornering which should help your technique.

joshfz6.2008 said:

after talking to a couple ppl on another forum i think my problem is picking the apex too early in the turn and then have to change my line

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This is probably true. Turning in too early will cause you to early apex and then run wide mid turn so that you have to correct your line. However there is probably a REASON why you are turning the bike too early and it links into what you mentioned in your first post about scrubbing off speed before the corner.

The number one reason why people turn the bike too early is because they feel like they are going in TOO FAST. So, you could tell yourself over and over and over again to turn the bike later and apex later but if you are entering at a speed that your brain perceives as being too fast you will continue to turn too early.

There can be more to it than just this of course, but try this for a start. Slow your entry speed down by braking and downshifting before the turn and approach at a pace that is VERY comfortable for you. Pick a turn in point that is later (and usually further to the outside) than you normally take and see if that helps correct your line. Once you turn the bike get on the gas and roll it on evenly and smoothly throughout the remainder of the turn.

Once you feel like you have your turn in point and your throttle control sorted you can begin working on increasing your entry speed. If you start noticing that you are turning too early or your TC is suffering, check your entry speed again. By using the slow in fast out method you will have a higher corner speed overall and a safer ride than if you try to go in fast and end up coming out slow...

Misti