Question for you, Misti, in regards to braking for corners...

[Go_Green]

Okay, so other than hairpins,which we've discussed previously, I have a question about one's approach to regular corners on the highway, you know the ones- nice twisty riding that involves corners more interesting than sweepers, yet not as tight as hairpins.
It has so far been my practice to not always be on the brakes, I gear down before the corner to the appropriate speed so that I can slowly and smoothly apply throttle throughout the corner. So if you were to follow me, you would rarely see the brake lights.( with the exception for the times I have cars behind me, then I tap them so they know I'm slowing a bit)
I have been reading a different book in which the author is of the opinion that you should always use some brake before each corner. Really? I prefer using my engine to brake, thought that it makes the ride smoother. I'm the same with downhill sections, use the gears. Yes, I am blipping the throttle for a smooth transition from one gear to the other, so it's not like my bike is screaming in protest when I do this.

Have I got it wrong?

What about the rest of you guys-on the brakes or engine braking, what do you do?

[Black Lightning]

I like to gear down for the first corner to get the bike higher on the cam. That gives you more throttle control through the corner. Of course, if you are too high on the cam then you run out of revs and have to shift up. As to breaking, If you don't know the road and can't see around the corner it's best to also scrub off a little speed until you can see far enough into the corner. It's kind of an experience thing.

I mentioned the first corner for a reason. You have to be careful if you are in a series of corners because you can get going too fast half way through by accelerating through each corner. Rather it is better to just be under power so the back wheel is driving. One of my favourite roads in southern BC is #8 between Spence's Bridge and Merritt. The road follows the Nickola River and if there are any straight stretches they aren't very long ones. I have started a series of corners on that road and ended up overcooking the last ones because I was having far too much fun.

If you have to use your brakes in a corner be very careful. Just tap them to scrub off a little speed. Don't, whatever you do stop either wheel. Also, just to see how it feels, try coasting through one corner and then powering through the next one. You will feel a lot more in control when you are under power than you will when coasting.

As to the gentleman that says you should brake before each corner, I think what he means is to get all your braking done before you enter the corner. That way you are applying power whilst moving through the corner. Not necessarily accelerating, just be under power. Motorcycles depend on the gyroscopic effect of the wheels to maintain stability. The effect is stronger if the wheels are under power.

The other thing is to look where you want to go. Don't worry about where you are, it's too late for that. Keep looking ahead.

Hope that helps.

[Black Lightning]

As a kind of adjunct to the previous post;

When you are in a corner, try changing your line through the corner using the throttle. If you haven't done this before pick an easy corner to try it out on. That is why I like to be up on the cam a little. You want to be able to back off or turn the throttle on and if you are too low or too high on the cam this isn't as effective as you might like. When you do this be smooth. You should be smooth anyway but especially in corners.

Also, in addition to having all your braking done before you enter the corner you should be in the gear you want when you get there too. On a wet road if there is a little sand or gravel on the road you can stop the back wheel by shifting down and if you are banked over in a corner this can have a bad result. I am not trying to scare you here, smoothness will hide a multitude of sins.

[Go_Green]

I like to gear down for the first corner to get the bike higher on the cam. That gives you more throttle control through the corner. Of course, if you are too high on the cam then you run out of revs and have to shift up. As to breaking, If you don't know the road and can't see around the corner it's best to also scrub off a little speed until you can see far enough into the corner. It's kind of an experience thing.

I mentioned the first corner for a reason. You have to be careful if you are in a series of corners because you can get going too fast half way through by accelerating through each corner. Rather it is better to just be under power so the back wheel is driving. One of my favourite roads in southern BC is #8 between Spence's Bridge and Merritt. The road follows the Nickola River and if there are any straight stretches they aren't very long ones. I have started a series of corners on that road and ended up overcooking the last ones because I was having far too much fun.

If you have to use your brakes in a corner be very careful. Just tap them to scrub off a little speed. Don't, whatever you do stop either wheel. Also, just to see how it feels, try coasting through one corner and then powering through the next one. You will feel a lot more in control when you are under power than you will when coasting.

As to the gentleman that says you should brake before each corner, I think what he means is to get all your braking done before you enter the corner. That way you are applying power whilst moving through the corner. Not necessarily accelerating, just be under power. Motorcycles depend on the gyroscopic effect of the wheels to maintain stability. The effect is stronger if the wheels are under power.

The other thing is to look where you want to go. Don't worry about where you are, it's too late for that. Keep looking ahead.

Hope that helps.

Check, to all you have mentioned here, through a series of corners I am definitely in a gear that will give me power. It was the mention of braking a bit before each corner as a habit, that had me wondering. I have ridden behind others who do this also. Just doesn't seem necessary to me if you are being smooth and using your gears correctly. I was wondering if there is a 'best' way to approach riding in twisties. The book seriously suggested braking a bit before each one.

[Go_Green]

As a kind of adjunct to the previous post;

When you are in a corner, try changing your line through the corner using the throttle. If you haven't done this before pick an easy corner to try it out on. That is why I like to be up on the cam a little. You want to be able to back off or turn the throttle on and if you are too low or too high on the cam this isn't as effective as you might like. When you do this be smooth. You should be smooth anyway but especially in corners.

Also, in addition to having all your braking done before you enter the corner you should be in the gear you want when you get there too. On a wet road if there is a little sand or gravel on the road you can stop the back wheel by shifting down and if you are banked over in a corner this can have a bad result. I am not trying to scare you here, smoothness will hide a multitude of sins.
Thanks for the reminder, I absolutely agree. Leaned over in a corner is not a good place to shift, I try to avoid that. Sand and gravel in a corner is nasty, found a number of corners like that last summer between Lilloet and Pemberton. Beautiful area, though.

[Black Lightning]

Thanks for the reminder, I absolutely agree. Leaned over in a corner is not a good place to shift, I try to avoid that. Sand and gravel in a corner is nasty, found a number of corners like that last summer between Lilloet and Pemberton. Beautiful area, though.

I am glad they are finally fixing up that part of the road now. Just so they don't take too many of the corners out of it. I live in the Cariboo and travel to Vancouver Island a fair amount and that is my preferred route. It is 47 km shorter than the Fraser Canyon and you don't have to go through Vancouver.

Next time you go out to the coast try dropping down from Kamloops to Merrit, then take #8 over to Spences Bridge. You then have a choice of going back up Highway 1 to Hat Creek and taking #99 to Horseshoe Bay or dropping down to Lytton and taking #12 up to Lillooet. Great roads. Lots of twisties.

[Go_Green]

Thanks for the info, I'm sure I'll be back out to the coast some day. I even enjoyed the stretch down from Whistler to Horseshoe bay, even though it's a bit busy. Will have to check out the routes you mentioned.

[slomoshun]

What about the rest of you guys-on the brakes or engine braking, what do you do?

Unless you are having way too much than you should be having on a public highway then you shouldn`t need your brakes that much. For the most part just decelerating on the approach to the corner followed by a down shift is all you need. A good cornering technique will have you through the corner and wondering to yourself why am I going so slow.
The rules change of course if you are blitzing the back roads but even then you would have to be up to stunt driving speed before serious braking would be needed. In that case braking is done at the same time as the down shift, just prior to entry.
One more point that I would like to make is that you can safely brake way into the corner. I do it all the time. Let`s face it, if you have enough finesse to accelerate out of corner without the rear breaking out then you should be able to brake into a turn without tucking the front.
slo.

[Black Lightning]

That is really the point. It kind of depends on how much fun you are having. There are reasons for braking in a corner of course. The cager in front of you just panicked and stood on his brakes for instance. Or the moose you couldn't see because of the shape of the corner just decided he liked the other side of the road better than the one he was on.

You can brake at any point in a corner but you need to develop a light touch. It also depends on the road surface, tires, suspension, how many hours you have in that day, .... If you are just out for a ride then it is more relaxing to have all the braking and down-shifting etc. done before you enter the corner. If you are really scratching then you need to do what is required by whatever situation you have put yourself in. In the end experience will tell you what you can get away with. You just need to figure out how much you want to pay for the experience.

[slomoshun]

One more point that I would like to make is that you can safely brake way into the corner.

....and if you don`t believe me check out LIFE IN THE FAST LANE in the June MMM.
slo.