Trail braking

[Kata]

I've seen a few YouTube vids about trail braking into corners.

I think this means not getting off the brakes before entering a bend with the main benefits of:

Already being on the brakes if you need to stop (tyre already loaded, fingers on the lever, so ready to brake immediately)

Bike more likely to want to corner as weight on the front tyre.

It's alien to me. Always understood that you brake before the corner and then constant load on engine until ap X then give it some. I think it was Eddie Lawson saying hed never had the front tyre slip when accelerating.

Also when I came off due to slimy road conditions a few years back part of the contributory factors (apart from being on a gsxr) was I had touched the front brake at the start of the dodgey road area.

Anyone seen this as well? Does moto so this? Got any thoughts?

Utube canyon chasers and motojitsu

[billinom8s]

ion track i'll still be braking lightly into sharp corners but i think that's more poor riding more than anything else. On the road i don't brake in corners unless it's a panic, the surface is far too unpredictable.

[MellowYellow]

Also (very slightly) shortens the wheel-base making for a sharper turn-in.

I can only see the benefit at the very limit. Sliding the rear around and allowing the bike to stand up and accelerate earlier.

Even that doesn't work on farm krapp.

[Jug]

I often use the rear brake as I enter a corner as on some bikes it seems to settle them in better, my Vstrom use to benefit from this, especially when 2up.

I think trail braking on the road is more about just being smooth, blending the braking and turning into the corner rather than having two distinct zones. This I think is safer on the road as often you can't anticipate what's coming so you can't be sure you've done just enough braking before turning using the other method.

I actually don't like turning in without some braking as I like the front to be slightly loaded (when pressing on so to speak).

[ptolemyx]

As above except the rear brake thing. I generally am beginning to gently let the front brakes off as I turn in often easing to just a tiny bit of pressure on the lever up to the apex then gently roll the throttle on through the exit - brakes smoothly off, throttle smoothly on...….

But then what do I know; I'm a crap rider, not a track god

[Jug]

This is a good vid on braking I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14vS6hnfgrs

[Kata]

Thanks all. I guess this means changing brake pads/disks a bit more often too. I just got into the habit of not wanting to use brakes at in the corner

Have used rear brake to steady bike in corners but stopped doing that a while back too.

Will try leaving brake very slightly on till apex. ISH...

[ptolemyx]

It's not about braking heavier, if anything you'll be braking less hard and perhaps for longer if you start braking when you would without trail braking. Advantage of slight pressure on the front brake is when a bend tightens or you have to change your line you're more likely to just modify the braking just enough and less likely to suddenly grab the brake and unsettle the bike - we know what often happens then....

Or ride very slowly

[layne]

Have trail braked for years (road as well as track).

It's about weight transfer, contact patch, fork compression, reducing trail. It does require good feel and throttle control as you come off the brakes and taking over with the throttle. You don’t want any slack in your throttle cable.

You also need to have your body weight on the inside of the bike. If you go dead sailor (bolt upright), you’ll struggle to initiate the turn – using countersteer.

Almost forgotten about the rear brake. Only used it when sat waiting at traffic lights (or when on the grass/gravel trap!). Last time I did use it in anger was at Silverstone in torrential rain. Helped squat the bike.

What hasn’t been mentioned is engine braking. So, although I may be using and dragging the front brake the back is dragged down by changing down and keeping the revs up (stops the back lifting). You can control the amount by slipping the clutch to control resistance (a form of traction control - don't just bang it down) and therefore weight transfer from front to rear suspension. You are balancing the bike whilst controlling/looking for grip.

Worked fine at 160 in the wet at Thruxton curling into the chicane, all on the front brake.

[layne]

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[menzies3032]

Got to stay that I started trail braking by accident as found myself approaching a corner too quickly and needed to hang onto the brake whilst starting to tip in. However remembering the golden rule of keep the bike stable I remembered that everything from that point had to be done slowly and calmly.

From a percent perspective once I start to tip in you have to be on less then 50% brakes else your going to loose the front and then progressively release the brakes and then balance the bike by picking up the throttle so the bike remains stable. Just don’t do anything jerky just keep it all smooth.

[Chris88]

Nice topic. Especially for a new rider like me...
What I do its before the corner if I see I'm going too fast I apply a bit of both brakes and on the corner I don't brake...