Dude THANK YOU so much, you've literally described what riding's been to me the last couple of months (particularly after a hard crash with a drunk driver). The more I ride, the more I'm freezing on turns, thank you for reminding me I'm not the only one and providing solid advice.
My personal fear is being disabled for the rest of my life, don't know how I could deal with that. I definitely love riding, and so remain ultra ultra careful every single time.
That is not a bad attitude. Also, the more aware of the risks you are, the more you will experience speed as fast even if you don't drive that fast and you will be right in doing so. Hope you understand what I mean. English is not my first language. Be safe my friend.
@@stockmatthew2010 I think there's a happy medium to be struck here... taking some agency in your own situation and not just "letting what will be will be" is really valuable and can help you keep from crashing. But also, we shouldn't let the fear of what may happen if we crash keep us from doing what we love, or diminish our fun while doing it (in this case, riding).
@@stockmatthew2010 I'm one of those people. Combat injured- I ride maxi scooters and I'm trying to adjust to the weight of my new kymco ak 550i on the weight of those injuries
I wish I had watched this years ago. I too was a disciple of proper technique, until one day I was rounding an off camber corner on a tea cozy and was nearly killed. It scared me so bad, I hung up my needles, completely quit knitting, and took up motorcycling instead.
i had a fall on the crash a few weeks/maybe a month ago, at the track, as i slid across the track, i was worried as i watched the bike slid along the track haha
I’m a New 23 year old Mexican rider just purchased a new Harley Davidson 2020 street bob here in California and I always learn so much from watching ur videos and gained more confidence as a solo rider with no mentor to teach me you are the best tanks for making this videos .!
I've been trail braking for three years, after over 40 years of riding. I carve through the twisties on my half ton GL1800 so fast and smoothly that keeps me confident, safe and smiling. Thanks for the great videos that have made me change my ways and become a better rider at 73 than ever.
So Great to hear. I'm planning to return to riding after a 6year hiatus hitting a deer at 100k at 63. My 70 year old gift to myself will be a new motorcyle and trail braking will make it a lot easier. \Thanks for letting me know i'm not too old.
Lovely Video clip! Forgive me for chiming in, I would love your thoughts. Have you researched - Siyndrew Dumbfounded System (do a search on google)? It is an awesome one off guide for getting rid of your fear of driving without the normal expense. Ive heard some unbelievable things about it and my good mate called Gray finally got great success with it.
No, no, Imagine now if you will- a source of information that you pay for, get to hold in your hand, that cannot be revoked electronically. And that you pay even less money in a subscription for.. Books & magazines are the sacred relics of sovereignty now.
I think a lot of psychological problems in riding skills are due to buying expensive bikes ,always scared of dropping them so you only learn the skills that you need on your daily route and stop improving your skills, Think you’ve learnt it all in the first year and ride the same for the next thirty,I have several bends that I ride around frequently and never get right and they always play on my mind ,I’ve only started trailbreaking in the last few weeks and my cornering has improved hugely but you have to be careful ,I’m still very much a learner but I’m feeling the improvements on the bikes handling in the corners. It’s a must learn skill on a motorbike. Ride safe everyone.😀🇬🇧🏍❤️
Pretty much same story here. I've been riding regularly for 20 years, although I first learned about 40 years ago. I have some twisties by me that I run through regularly, a series of 4 consecutive turns that run off camber and on a downhill grade. Just heard about trailbreaking a few weeks ago and have been toying around with it, trying to get the feel. Cornering has improved, but speed through the turns hasn't really. Fact is, I think with the new technique I could enter the turn faster than my guts want to let me LOL. I still have that slow to enter the curve and then throttle out of it in my head. Old dogs and new tricks, man!
Had a mate who lost the front end,hit a wall took his arm and half his chest with it,worst thing was he was still alive for a time,hate going past that corner and still dream about it
Halleluah - this is a pivotal video in my life of riding motorbikes for 40 years. Without any training as a youngster I evolved into trail breaking naturally and always felt safe in corners. I went on an advanced motorcycling course with the Institute of Advanced Motorcycling here in the UK and remember being ridiculed in front of a class of bikers for using this technique. Using the counter-steering and accelerate method I can see some benefits and tried to unlearn what I knew before. Unfortunately I have a LOT of nervousness in corners as a result and feel more out of control. Your video confessional has struck straight to the heart. Thank goodness someone has dared to question the widely held beliefs of dogmatic but powerful motorcycling organisations who persist that there is only one technique to go round a corner. Thanks mate, thanks a lot.
As a female rider, it was SO nice to hear a guy voice the same concerns and fears that I have!!! Thanks for the video, I'm definitely going to watch the instruction vid on trail braking and give it a try
Im strugling with some techniques and sometimes i dont want to ride either exactly the same feeling he had and having my bike is a dream since i was a kid...
Riding with a friend who has ample track time for years now....i watched his brake technique for some time....it seemed so late into corners but quickly realized how this was the key to being fast. Same as any hobby, look to those who are where you want to be.
Wow! I went through this same thing, sort of.... I used to trail brake just because that's the way I rode and didn't know it had a name. Then like you I became an instructor and started the Slow, Look, Roll, Press, just like we teach. I noticed the same as you. My cornering was slower and less controlled! I have now went back to my trail braking and am now getting back into the corners again!
Yea long story short I wrecked due to a deep deep pot hole and a dumb beotch slamming on brakes ... IN A PARKING LOT ... flew over handle bars bike landed on me and slide ... MONEY .. I hate it .. 😢
Pretty interesting video. I feel identified with many things you said. The more experienced I got, the more I got obsessed in being able to ride comfortable, precisely and fast on any technical road I encountered on my trips. All about feeling in control, nailing the corner lines and feeling super satisfied. Its taken me years to gain the confidence to do that. I was never taught by anyone, but I started to naturally improve body position and trail brake with practice. If I ever go into a corner to fast, I can correct it without panicking.
Your trail braking video that I watched a few months back actually saved me going off a corner (with no run off) and down a very steep embankment. I still need more practice with the technique but I’m getting there and it definitely works for me!
While I do endorse learning skilled techniques for optimum riding I'll never understand why anybody wants to ride like they are on the track on unpredictable curves with steep ravines and jagged rocks to plummet down when hitting loose gravel or dodging a oncoming car or animal.
Great video and your honesty and openness just made it more powerful. As a mid-lifer returning to riding after 20 years, I had never heard of trail braking until a few months ago. Always wanting to improve my riding and come home safe, I embraced the technique and I haven't looked back. I have yet to perfect the technique but I am so much more confident, safer and faster in corners. Riding a heavy 2008 CB1300S I can't afford to get a fast corner wrong, but I can now keep up with my mates on much lighter and flickier? bikes. Make sure you watch Canyon Chasers vids on trail braking and then practice practice practice. You won't be disappointed. Thanks again mate, Bloody brilliant channel.
As someone who never comments on videos i really want to comment on this one: Im a Rider from Germany and i had the exact same problem as you had i tried to work on everything but became so stiff right in front of every corner that i couldnt have less fun on a bike... i tried to work on every skill possible and got really good at it but still corner entrys scared me. in the back of my head i allways heard a voice say "do everything perfect now! once you are in a corner you cant break and you are fucked!" one evening i stumbeled across your trailbreaking video and thought i could give it a try... and it safed everything for me and gave me a lot of fun back! i finally felt like i REALLY have the control over the bike just like i wanted to especially on corner entrys... since then i became a lot better with all the other skills i wanted to learn because all the stiffness was gone... i could finally relax again i could finally have some fun again and i finally had the feeling i was totally in control. At this point i just want to leave a huge thank you! you safed the fun of riding for me and just because of that trailbreaking video i keept on driving a bike.
ONElvlToHighFORyOU since I saw that trailbraking video I releasea lot of my potential and my skills for controlling the bike. That means that now I'm a faster safer rider. How I now that? Well, now I can pass some of my buddies with newer and most powerful bikes. I remember some months ago how they simply desappear from my sight. The point is that I told them about the technique and no one listen to me!!! Their problem, not mine.
Thanks for sharing your story. Dave from Canyon Chasers is the very best moto-vlogger. He will save many lives. You may also benefit a lot from Lee Park’s Total Control book. He changed everything for me.
@@brozobmwmex Like he said in the video... It's not about driving fast it's about having control over everything that makes you fast. If you use the brakes poorly you lose one of the keyelements to control your bike
This is 100 percent how I use to feel before. I'm still learning but everyday gets better. Thanks for letting us know and helping us realize everyone will go through this stage. Great channel. Subbed!
I started riding almost a year ago and have been by the book (to what my beginning course teacher said) since I got my license and I almost have left riding motorcycles coming to a couple close calls. I wasn't riding aggressive or fast for my experience. I took it slow until I felt confident riding on the highway. Took almost 10 months before I started taking my bike to work (27 miles from home) up until recently when I stumbled on your channel figuring out why my throttle hand hurts so much half way through my commute. Everything that you have said in this video as well as other videos you have, have changed my riding. I don't have people around me what ride to help me with this but because of your videos I'm much more confident. Thanks
There is a difference between "accelerating into a corner" and trail braking + maintenance throttle which I know from our discussion under another video you're not a fan of. You absolutely need maintenance throttle if the corner you're taking is long and/or uphill. With trail braking and engine braking, you would lose way too much speed by the time you're ready to accelerate again according to your technique, not to mention a lot of bikes, mine included, are pretty choppy on the throttle at lower speeds/rpm and upsetting your suspension mid corner is not something you wanna do.
Your video convinced me to give trail braking a try right before a 3-day moto trip. Wow, what a difference! Had a blast in the twisties, looking forward to improving my technique. Thanks!
Amazing the skill level that fear can extract from a person! Fear of getting fired in this case! I habitually was running late and got to where I could get from home and 2 miles to work ....my garage to parking lot ...through a man trap through security entrance and to a badge swipe in time clock in less than 5 minutes ....Looking back it seems like it should have been utterly impossible but I did so many times it is not funny ....I mean yes I was very occasionally late but never so many times there was any discipline etc ...my brain just knew the absolute limit what I could get away with and took advantage of it over and over and over....lol ....was not the best way to treat my vehicles! From Stone cold to high RPM right away! ....the incredible thing? Never even got a speeding citation! ( on the way to work that is ....got plenty of tickets otherwise lol)
Thank You for your videos about Trail Braking and Perfect Cornering Posture . It literally changed my life. Ive been riding motorcycles over a 30 years and all Ive been doing on the road or on a racetrack was the way of tries and errors. But when I tried these techniques it changed a lot. Now everything is working together! By braking further into the corner gives me better chance to get my body far from the bike and lean angle of the bike is not so big, so I can much more push on the throttle and with the technique of switching the hand on the throttle at the late apex I can accelerate harder. Its like a holy grale of motoridding. It gives perfect sense when you connect all atributes of this techniques together. Anyway, there are still (blind) corner in the real word so you have to sometimes slow your riding speed in matter of predict danger on the road. Thank you again. Fan from Czech Republic.
Great video. As someone that is always trying to get faster and safer, your content is great stuff. We all have that friend that effortlessly leaves us in the dust. They say things like “it’s all about vision” or “you gotta trail brake bro” but very few actually know how to articulate it properly. Your explanations are making better riders for sure.
The police in the uk never trail break , we are never taught to trail break , trail breaking works on the track (clean track) but the public roads are not a clean race track , you trail break and if there is grit or leaves. But you see our police teach to look ahead and break before the corner , looking ahead you can see where the corner goes with signs , a vehicle ahead , road markings etc. if you try and go too fast then your breaking the speed limit? Public roads are not a race track , I watch many young riders in America going way too fast and trail break like they are on a race track you do that in uk and you’ll loose your license. If you look at Japanese police they break before the corner then look where they want the bike to go .
Tried trail breaking a few years back and scared the hell out of me(novice at the time) doing it again thanks to your videos I'm enjoying and feeling safer. Thanks bud.
I attended the Yamaha Champions Riding School in Utah and it was a confidence-inspiring experience. I was relatively new to motorcycling and had never ridden on a track. Being newly introduced to trail braking I was told by my "experienced" riding partners that trail braking is too advanced and only for the track. Interestingly enough, they were the ones crashing and running off the road, not me. Though I have done a few track days, the YCRS experience has helped me most in my day-to-day street riding enjoyment and safety on not only my sportbike, but also my vintage motorcycles.
I never took a riding course, and have never heard of accelerating at the start of the corner... in a car you brake the first half of the turn and accelerate out of the second half - that's what I've always done on a bike, and it's worked great
Yes beginning training (MSF in the US) taught you to slow, look, press to lean, and then roll on the throttle. If you had to brake in the corner we were taught to stand the bike up straight and brake to a stop. Definitely some gaps in that training. But I get why they do it... new riders don't often have that brake control to be smooth yet.
Ive never been on a motorcycle, but this was a very interesting and informative video. Just wanted you to know that a non-rider enjoyed your well done video.
You have described exactly what I do wrong. I've been riding for 35 years but only recently taken to trackdays which have shown me the braking to set your speed before the corner method really does slow you down and then in frustration of been overtaken winding on the throttle makes me run wide and makes the next corner more difficult. I have always considered myself as a quick and safe rider but these trackdays have knocked my confidence. It's time for this old dog to learn new tricks. Thanks very much for your excellent informative video.👍
Your video in trail breaking changed my life. Forever a noob I am still trying to learn and master it, but I am much safer in the canyons now. Thank you :)
I nearly sold both my bikes and threw out my gear after getting slower and more terrified over time, rather than progressing. I'm so grateful for this video and this channel! Looking forward to trying these techniques and smiling on a bike again!
I love this. Modern tire compounds and modern suspension are so much better than they were 15 years ago but a lot of the riding technique instruction never adapted to take it into account. Learning new techniques is so much fun because it allows me to ride the bike the way it "wants" to be ridden. Meshing with the machine and working like one is my goal, so thank you for all of the great videos helping me down this path!
Absolutely. In the old days if you slowly rolled on the throttle you could slide out the rear and stay pointed in the right direction. Now if you roll on the throttle, all it does is stand you up and make you go straight.
Daniel Demers The wife comes way down my list, my son the dog the cat ,my motorbike ,a ribeye steak with pesto pasta ,a kebab ,a pint of Old Rosie Cider,then maybe the wife , lol .😀🇬🇧🏍 ride safe my Brother.
Thank God I watched your video and practiced trail braking before my first track day. It really helped me especially when I passed other riders and had to go into the corner with higher speed than normal.
I've watched a few vids about trail breaking and I've yet to hear anyone mention one little detail. When you break in the corner, or just before entering the corner...do you roll-off throttle, or do you maintain a steady throttle at your entrance speed while lightly breaking? I know maintaining throttle while breaking is having two opposing forces working against each other, but I was thinking that that might be the technique used because loading the front end shortens the wheel-base, which would allow for a tighter turn and maintaining throttle keeps you from losing speed. Obviously I don't fully understand the concept. Would really appreciate some clarification from a knowledgeable fellow rider. Thanks...be safe!
Really appreciate the reply. No throttle in the turn, just lite touch on front break. Got it, thanks. Now for some lower speed practice to get the timing and muscle memory dialed in and then....hello twisties!
I remember graduating from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Rider Course (BRC) with the slow, look, press and roll mantra firmly in my psyche. As a brand new rider, this worked well, but as my riding skills developed, I soon questioned how this was supposed to work on blind mountain turns that I soon found myself seeking out. Some good riding friends introduced me to trail braking and my riding world opened up. While not for a new rider, but after your experience develops, good trail braking gives a level of control that has to be experienced to be believed.
I was trail braking before I knew what it was called. I was used to braking into corners while leaning in the dirt. When you ride dirt bikes you develop ABS in your first two fingers and for me it was a natural transition to the road. I know some people think that dirt riders don't use the front brake much, well good luck stopping without it.
I am a relatively new rider (first bike in 2013)... I think one of the bigger problems with the fallacies associated with trail braking starts at basic rider courses and their insistence on NOT braking in a turn... Last year I went to a Yamaha Champion Riders Course and I took 2 things away, 1) always cover the front brake on the street 2) trail braking is an absolute necessity!!! This should be covered at a basic course, start learning it out of the gate and profit early on!!!
steady cruising disagree bud... I put knowing how to trail brake as a necessary tool to know how to do, in the event you need it (as in the story told in the video) right up there with seat belts, car insurance, health insurance and a concealed carry permit... Better to have it and not need it than, need it and not have it...
As a "returning rider" with some fifteen odd years off the saddle. When I got my new to me Ultra, I began watching motorcycle safety videos on RUclips. This whole "Slow, Look, Lean and Roll" concept was completely alien to me. I had taken a week long motorcycle safety course, way back in 1980, That was provided by the California Highway Patrol. That was truly an amazing class! I must say, the skills and strategy learned in that course, saved my bacon many times over! I had ridden continually from 1974 through 2000 or so. However skills not practiced are soon lost! So these days, trying to figure out this cornering strategy taught today, quite honestly has me confused. I had never-ever, run wide on a curve until, attempting this slow look lean and roll technique. That idea of fading across the double yellow with little control is truly an hair raising experience. IMO that technique should NOT be a beginners guide. Back in the day "IT" wasn't called "trail braking" either! More simply: Proper cornering... Granted back then we didn't have anti skid nor ingratiated, or linked brakes either... Thank you technology! Great video! Thank you for taking the time and effort in posting it!
I've been riding for 21 years and I just wish I knew then what I know now - a significant part of which has come from these vids. Long, unknown and especially downhill corners were a thing of dread for me for sooo long. That's just wrong and I feel robbed that nobody talked about corners like this 21 years ago... or any time in between. Since watching a few of your videos I've been out on a few rides (we're only talking about a few weeks since I first saw them) I feel so much more safe, fast and comfortable on the road. Confident, but not cocky. It's a new experience and I thank you for it.
Couldn't agree more: its all about the brakes. Every rider should see this and watch your trail braking video. Its funny people think braking their bike in a corner is a bad thing when they do it all the time in a car. And they brake in the corner in their car for a reason: to adjust their speed for the turn! Things that should be obvious aren't until someone explains it to you and you practice it
I specifically learned this on a 90 degree right-hand corner near my house which I took sometimes 4 or 6 times a day. It had massive chunks of paint in really awkward positions, and was often wet. I tried the formulaic approach, but whenever I cracked the throttle I was afraid of slipping. I figured out that maintaining and trailing off the breaks made the bike feel more stable and allowed me time to adjust the line to hit the apex while avoiding the paint and also set up my gas and clutch to come out of the corner exactly where and how fast I wanted. 👍👍
Interesting indeed as I think we are many riders to have had this epiphany about trail braking. To me it took to sign up for a tutored track week-end were they taught us the drill. One important thing to mention that they rarely teach you when you learn is that it is perfectly ok to be on the front brake in a corner, as long as you entered it that way and maintain it or release it gently. Any sudden changes in the bike dynamic while leaning will indeed probably have a dramatic turnout... I guess as it is a rather subtle technique, it is easier to say to new riders that corner = no front brake but it not accurate and teach it from the beginbing might actually prevent some crashes. Nice vid ;-)
I have been riding for close to a year and I think it is time to learn this technique. I have often used a smidge of front or rear brake recently to scrub some speed in turns but it's time to really work to put this to use. I have often felt maintaining neutral or increasing throttle through a corner was very questionable at times... I completely understand why the video creator feels that it would sap some of the fun of riding. I get why they don't teach this to beginning riders however. They probably don't have the fine braking control to do this successfully along with everything else they have to worry about.
@@justinsmith1001 you are right, there is a lot to think about when you learn to ride and this technique is rather subtle. However, I'm convinced it would be good to at least introduce it early so the riders can then pratice it and improve on their own. Abrubtly releasing the front break near a corner will do more harm than good. I agree with you though in that sense that it should not be taught in riding schools as it is supposed to be a technique you use when riding fast and you should not ride fast when learning nor in the early stages of you motorcycle life, but we know that between what should be and what actually happens, there is a difference and in my opinion being aware of this technique can make some situations less dangerous
I learned this early on my 2014 GoldWing! Without it there were times I drifted to the left on a right hand turn! More lean...didn't work on negative camber roads!
He's definitely speaking truth about trail braking. I watched the other video 2 weeks ago and have been employing it on my daily commute to work which has several big corners both up hill and down. It has improved my riding and confidence in corners immeasurably. I'm a true believer! 'Nuff said! 😉
for casual riding, I think it also helps to have a motorcycle that has a decent amount of engine break. That way, you slow down while taking a turn without touching the breaks.
Downhill off camber is the most dangerous corner. Add gravel, oil or black ice and you can have a former motorcyclist. I live to ride a sport bike and have 47 years of xperience. All street no track. Broke the right knee at 16. Bikes have fallen down on me often but never when moving and especially never at speed. Pain really sucks. Love this video. Thanks so much for the humorous information! BTW never crashing is mostly luck . I am not bragging and am certainly no Valentino Rossi or Kenny Roberts. Please ride safe and always PAY ATTENTION.
Yep, dumped my bike on a freshly asphalt paved downhill, off camber right-hand dog leg. My own fault, mind was elsewhere and realized I was traveling too fast for road condition when I hit the turn. Just touched the rear break and lost traction(stupid move). Low-sided and slid across the lane, wheels first into guardrail (50' drop-off on other side of guard rail, that thing and God saved my bacon) Spent 3 days in hospital with bad road rash and 6 more weeks on crutches for a partially torn Achilles tendon. Lesson learned, if your mind is elsewhere while operating a vehicle of any type......Don't operate it until you're ready to pay attention to what your doing. Stupid games win stupid prizes.
question... if you slowed down enough prior initiating lean, you cannot continue to slow down further in the corner as I sometimes feel I slowed too much and loose the feeling through the corner, I feel much more confident if I slow just before the corner and as I commit to the corner in first half of the corner I keep like 2-3% of the throttle open as I takes me smoothly through the corner, and then after the apex you start to accelerate more and all good. Problem came when I started to practice trail braking, as you just cannot hold both throttle and brake at same time, does not feel natural or right... So, if I keep the brake even that smallest touch, after I initiate lean, I cannot use my 2-3% throttle through first half of the corner and just slow too much...just can't seem to get adjusted on trail brake philosophy....so, just how can you as you say keep slowing down as you see the corner exit.. isn't that getting to slow and almost stopping? that makes sense only if you enter corner way faster than you should and then continue to slow down after you leaned... with throttle completely off??
So try this. Find a corner you know well, that has good visibility. Try entering the corner one gear higher than you normally would, this will result in less engine braking, and the bike will carry speed better. And then just keep enough pressure on the front brake to keep the brake light lit up. Just enough pressure for the brake light switch to click on is really all you need. This will give you an idea on how it feels and how much more stable and precise the corner will feel.
Thanks for your honesty and a most excellent video. Most road riders would not admit to such a blunder. But they should as it's a great learning moment. In Lee Parks "Total Control Second Edition" he covers 'Fear' and explains how the brain works. It would make a great topic. He is right when he says that nobody writes about it.
EXCELLENT Video..!! As I have mentioned in earlier comments about 'Trail-Braking' ... we ALL do it in our cars! {or at least just about everyone I have ever followed thru a curve...} We touch the brakes to slow the vehicle down to a speed we feel 'comfortable' with, hold that bit of drag as we go thru, and once we see the exit and feel what is the right exit speed, we release the brake... It may be no more than to just 'cover' the brake pedal just enough for the pads to touch the discs... But we do it without even thinking about it! I have driven everything from motorcycles to passenger buses and oil tankers! And if I was NOT using trail-braking on buses, I would have some VERY unhappy passengers..!! And if you don't 'control' the liquid movement of a Tanker truck... you are going to Roll it Over!
I've been thinking a lot about this since moving to a very mountainous area with steep roads and hairpin 180 degree plus bends. On the way up the hill everything's great but descending is a scary business sometimes. Even if you enter the hairpin at a walking pace, letting go of the brakes means you'll spiral through it at a terrifying pace and often run wide. For me the moment of truth came when I was carrying a passenger and I went through the turns soooo slowly with both brakes very gently on, and the bike felt so planted and stable. The end conclusion is I think trail braking has a lot to add to descending steep hills on curvy roads, because you simply can't accelerate through those on the gas. For the rest, I still don't know. But heck I've only been riding 35 years, I'm a beginner.
My experience parallels your almost exactly. Following the old paradigm, I was always uneasy mid-turn on the road, and struggling to keep up with my riding buddies. It sucked! But thanks in large part to your Why You Need To Be Trail Braking video, like you, I have not been anxious in a turn since then! And the change was instantaneous for me, I felt it from the very first corner I entered trailing the brake. Thank you!
this is very clear and helpful. regarding other topics, if you haven't already, can you talk about keeping your hands/shoulders relaxed and letting the bike steer rather than leaning on the handlebars and locking the steering head to the frame - which I think causes a lot of people to overcook corners, get scared, etc.
Quite funny. I've never had use of the back brake because of my disability. I had no choice but to learn how to use the front brake in corners. I always laughed when people told me never use the front break in corners. Had so many friends go off the road thinking they could take the same corner at the same speed as me. I've trail braked for 15 years.
Could you please speak your mind about trail braking vs sand / dust in the corner? I' am asking because if you find the road to be really bad in the middle of the corner its acutallly hard to get rid of your fear and keep braking using front brake.
I wrote you this fantastic response, but it was so good, and your question is so on point, that I'm just going to turn my answer into our next video. Just for you! It's been raining gangbusters here for days, so I'll try to crank it out by next week. Is that okay?
Αwesome video! As a new rider, corners fascinate but also scare me and I also find myself slowing down quite a bit. I know my confidence will be built the more miles I accumulate, but it helps to know there are many ways to do things.
Just to add to this... for all of you that are still skeptical. If you are already on the brakes when entering a corner, and then realize you need more braking, you can safely add it since your front suspension is already loaded and your tire patch already expanded. Of course! As long as you add your additional braking gently. I started adding trail braking after taking an advanced course by Lee Parks. I'm still not the fastest rider ever, but I'm more confident and haven't scared myself in forever.
let me give you 9 minutes of your life back, he Highly recommends a method called trail breaking, but refers you to another video if you want to know what that is . your welcome
jynx 1966 yeah, he really took his time going into the corner on this video. I made it halfway before I shut him off and searched the comments. Dude is worse at RUclips than he was at cornering.
For a change, I was smart and stopped viewing at roughly toe 2:00 minute mark. I have a theory/method- if by 1/4 through any instructional video I've yet to learn anything, I'm out. Next, I proceed to the comments which is how I found this comment. Waste of a video and although I'm sure he is a nice guy, I cannot stand listening to a whiner. He should have explained trail braking early on, not whine in some click bait catch video based on receiving viewers. By the way, "trail braking" works. We called it something else and Ive taught and practiced a variation my entire MC career.
I started trailbraking after laying it down on a 190degree hairpin first track day. I finally figured out the tires footprint got smaller. So I started feathering / trailbraking. Then I found a Twist o the Wrist 2 online and my cornering is freaking great after learning what I was doing. I had the same death corners while accelerating running wide. So off throttle entry and feather up, look for exit, aim and throttle up. Thanks for the story. I still have some of those magazines you talk about.
Hey. Watching from France. Had my licence for nearly two years now. I'm surprised when you said that in a moment of danger, you put more throttle and countersteer. I do that when i can see what's coming and got some margin, not when i'm in a difficult situation. I use the rear brake if I find out i fucked up, it slows me down and shortens the turn radius (and my gf now know that if my right leg starts moving in corner, i'm going for the rear brake meaning i'm going to fast and she then helps me out by leaning her body much more then she usually does.) It is true that in every video for begginers, they all instruct not to use the front brake, I believe they say this because they want to prevent new riders to grab a handful of front brake in difficult corner situations to prevent loss of grip and/or bike standing up and going wide. a "forget the front brake to learn all about it again" kind of thing. Trailbraking is really a cool technic and needs more love (spread the love), it's a safe and sporty way to enter corner while using the front brake and adding grip to the front. It's all about respecting the rythm of the wheels and not impose a brutal change on them. But at the end of the day, one of the many ways perks of our leisure is there are many ways to enter a corner.
I think you may have misunderstood. When I stayed on the gas and leaned more, that was the total wrong thing to do, even though that's what a lot of programs still teach. The best method is to use Trail Braking, but I'd encourage you to trail brake with your front brake more than your rear brake.
Just had a big accident today doing EXACTLY what you said... Leaned the bike to the max and it just wasn't enough. I wanna start practising this in every corner like you did because it is clear to me the old ways are not the best. I thought I broke my ribs it hurt so bad and my bike is now requiring a lot of TLC. I find this so relatable because I have the exact same mindset as you even the standing the bike up to go wide as a last resort (i unfortunately did it on the grass which wasn't too forgiving). When I'm well and my bike fixed I'm going to practice this method and preach it!!!!
Right on, man. Your trail braking video pretty much changed my life (is that melodramatic?) and I really like the way you made the case for it in this video. People still need to hear it. Serious, curious riders will be better for it.
Charles learn to meditate. The story leading up is important to the context of the video. Take a deep breath and don’t be in such a hurry. Might save your life
As a mechanic I am aware of how we can be locked into a way of thinking. Holding on to the old ways is natural but when confronted with new ideas we have to open our minds and try new things and compare pros and cons. I never took a riding course but have been on two wheels for forty eight years. I was always trail braking naturally but a friend introduced me to the method he learned at school and it did me no good. He was a better rider than me and could drag a knee anytime. I quickly got into trouble and went back to trail braking.
I just started riding a couple of months ago in my 2 stroke 75cc NSR which has VERY thin tires (3" rear). I kept running wide, kept fearing that one day my small contact patch would not stand the too harsh lean angles I was forcing on blind sharp corners. I therefore came around RUclips looking for answers. Honestly, its the second time I watch this video. The first time it didnt make much sense, but this weekend I went on a solo mountain trip near my hometown, here in Spain, and practiced the concept of trail braking as explained by you guys in the other video. Well, I had the most wonderfull, blissfull mountain road curves since I started riding. I felt safe. Not very fast (remember my bike and my experience), but very fluid, relaxed and confident. I feel like this is a great base to build upon. Thank you Canyon Chasers !
Great stuff my man thank you for the work and the insight. I was planning on releasing a video myself on counter steering and I am going to add trail breaking to it because I was also thinking slow, look, press and roll. I will definitely give ya some cred for it. Hopefully I can record it tomorrow on the ride to work.
Never Heard of trail braking, but life is about learning no matter how much u think u know. So glad I came across ur video and going to watch and learn more about trail braking.
As a newer rider enjoying California roads but also starting to realize how much blind corners terrify me, this video was wonderful. Thank you for the renewed sense of hope! Will rewatch the trail braking video now :)
Thanks for sharing your experience! Trailbraking is an option. On the other hand you can roll through a corner too. Breaking into the corner till the apex then accelerate might encourage you to ride at of near your personal limit. I personally prefer slowing down before a corner and holding the gas when street riding and especially down hill. I do motorcycle trainings each year (for security and track riding) and on one training for cornering you exercise breaking while cornering. With both front and tail brake. Helps a lot if the corner surprises you badly.
Knitting is underrated....scary that you were teaching riders for a long time to accelerate through the corner....I always got it slowed before the corner, go through the first part at a steady throttle and then accelerate when you can see the exit if the surface is grippy.........this gives you more road and more options...you don't have to go as fast as possible all the time to have fun.
Yeah, that's what we were charged with teaching by credentialed programs. MSF has started updating their programs. Others are doubling down on the whole "you have to be on the gas through the entire corner" thing. We have data that shows slowing until the exit and/or the apex is a much safer method.
Yep. The MSF instructions work on racetracks, maybe. I am a 1-year rider, and about 9 months ago I figured out that this "accelerate through the corner" business was nonsense on most real-world corners when I am not racing.
Glad to have watched this. Had my close call over the weekend. Went in a ditch doing 20. Just locked-up and couldn't think. Small left turn, just didn't know the road. Forgot everything, was doing it the way I was thought a few years ago.
Hi, I am returning to riding after 22 years. Have lost the confidence but do have that feeling and excitement of how it feels to be on 2 wheels. Your video has truly inspired me to get back on the saddle and jus ride it. Thank you so very much. Cheers brother
Great video! I began riding in 1980, without a clue - I just rode on instinct. And trail braking was simply what I did, without thinking about it. Then, 30 years later, having read the TWOT 2, I began practicing braking earlier, finishing while upright. And felt insecure, and like you had many close calls and no feel for the front tyre grip. After a couple of season, I managed to grasp it - the vital point was to not accelerate until full lean and apex was reached, instead just using maintenance throttle until then - but it was still uncomfortable. However, it did widen my range of tools to use - I often trail braked past the apex, now I am smoother and more accurate - and I also try to stay off the brakes entirely as long as I am not fanging. Instead, I enter corners on trailing throttle and re-apply at the apex after full lean has been reached. When you are riding briskly on roads with limited visibility, there is another important benefit of trail braking; the front end is already loaded and so are the brakes. So if you have to stop suddenly for something, reacting time is far less and safe additional braking can commence almost immediately. If the front isn't loaded and you grab a handful of front brake, chances are you will lock the front and go down. And no matter how well you apply them, you will never stop as quickly as if the brakes were already applied - even just a little bit.
Yes, I was in a similar boat. I would read about trail braking, watch the pros do it, concluded that's a track only skill, and ignored it. I wasn't progressing with my riding and the bike was so unstable. Then, I went riding with this MSF instructor. I inquired, "Aren't you scared of what's around the corner?" He said, "You have to trail brake and understand its benefits. It stabilizes the bike, you stop shorter, keep your line, control where you want to go, and can tighten your turn without unsettling the bike." Like you, I told him, "Isn't that dangerous and only for controlled environments like the track?! How!?" He literally showed me on his parked bike the action of his two fingers on the brake lever simultaneously rolling on and off throttle. That memory plays repeatedly in my mind to this day how something so simple exponentially grew and grows my ability, technique, and enjoyment of riding. The rest is history.
trail braking was known from the beginning of motorcycling, just current modern silly riding schools rarely know something about this essential technique, same goes with the rear brake braking... You do not ride bike by the books, follow your wild intuition :)
I've always knew that 90% of you stopping power is in your front brakes so I'm going to use it. Granted I do have sense enough to know that if you hit the front brakes hard in a curve you will skid straight (and out of control)
I started riding motorcycles on the street at age 20 and was also doing the same techniques per MSF training. I remember braking into a corner as being suicidal. After joining the Army having sold my first bike and reinterring motorcycling after my enlistment I revisited bikes. This time reading materials and coming across Keith Codes "a twist of the wrist" and the Total Control series by Lee Parks. I found a well-paved section of roads that had very low traffic and open site lines (fields, no fences) and began to put all of it to work. I found my weaknesses and using a process of continual small improvements became significantly more proficient in cornering. I now feel I'm at the limit of speed I can realistically perform for street riding without being suicidal. Twisty roads are an absolute joy and zenlike experience of focus putting all the techniques to use. Each spring is like sharpening a rusty sword as I hone the skills back into working order. Late corner entry is also a very good technique and enhances safety for street riding. Thank you Canyonchasers for all the hard work. I've very much enjoyed it and love the tire chart and road rating system you employ. Anyone visiting Utah follow their advice and ride this road, it's one of the best in the country. www.canyonchasers.net/maps/14/
guys, this man is telling you the truth. magazines used to exist. they are not make-believe. i've seen them myself.
Legend has it there was entire stores dedicated to them.
Until smartphones and the internet issued a burn notice on them
@@beardedbowhunter6139 there were even things called books. They were generally bigger than magazines :-)
I found some under the bed. No motorcycles but WOW
Fake news
Dude THANK YOU so much, you've literally described what riding's been to me the last couple of months (particularly after a hard crash with a drunk driver). The more I ride, the more I'm freezing on turns, thank you for reminding me I'm not the only one and providing solid advice.
Dude leave your fear behind and come back stronger with adaptation to new approaches.
My personal fear is being disabled for the rest of my life, don't know how I could deal with that. I definitely love riding, and so remain ultra ultra careful every single time.
That is not a bad attitude. Also, the more aware of the risks you are, the more you will experience speed as fast even if you don't drive that fast and you will be right in doing so. Hope you understand what I mean. English is not my first language. Be safe my friend.
ive seen many disabled people rides and race bikes chill whats meant to be will be just enjoy yourself
@@stockmatthew2010 I think there's a happy medium to be struck here... taking some agency in your own situation and not just "letting what will be will be" is really valuable and can help you keep from crashing. But also, we shouldn't let the fear of what may happen if we crash keep us from doing what we love, or diminish our fun while doing it (in this case, riding).
@@stockmatthew2010 I'm one of those people. Combat injured- I ride maxi scooters and I'm trying to adjust to the weight of my new kymco ak 550i on the weight of those injuries
💯
I wish I had watched this years ago. I too was a disciple of proper technique, until one day I was rounding an off camber corner on a tea cozy and was nearly killed. It scared me so bad, I hung up my needles, completely quit knitting, and took up motorcycling instead.
Everyone get's that one corner that gets you shook - you just come back later and slay it!
I have 1 in my mind and it isnt even that sharp lol
Also never go more than about 85% on public roads, they are covered in oil, grit, sand, dust leaves, potholes etc. Tracks are for all out.
Been there done that. Got the boo boo to prove it live and learn to love it counter stealing is my co pilot. Riding 50 years. Ride on.
Honestly my fear is not crashing in a corner its the fear of losing my bike.
me too:))
i had a fall on the crash a few weeks/maybe a month ago, at the track, as i slid across the track, i was worried as i watched the bike slid along the track haha
@@seannz100 :( tears to my eyes
This hits my heart. lol
I feel you bro, same here...
I’m a New 23 year old Mexican rider just purchased a new Harley Davidson 2020 street bob here in California and I always learn so much from watching ur videos and gained more confidence as a solo rider with no mentor to teach me you are the best tanks for making this videos .!
I've been trail braking for three years, after over 40 years of riding. I carve through the twisties on my half ton GL1800 so fast and smoothly that keeps me confident, safe and smiling.
Thanks for the great videos that have made me change my ways and become a better rider at 73 than ever.
So Great to hear. I'm planning to return to riding after a 6year hiatus hitting a deer at 100k at 63. My 70 year old gift to myself will be a new motorcyle and trail braking will make it a lot easier. \Thanks for letting me know i'm not too old.
“For our younger viewers, magazines were these hard copies...” 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Jajajaja, Hahahaha. soooo.... true
Lovely Video clip! Forgive me for chiming in, I would love your thoughts. Have you researched - Siyndrew Dumbfounded System (do a search on google)? It is an awesome one off guide for getting rid of your fear of driving without the normal expense. Ive heard some unbelievable things about it and my good mate called Gray finally got great success with it.
I thought that he was kidding...but no
😂
No, no, Imagine now if you will- a source of information that you pay for, get to hold in your hand, that cannot be revoked electronically. And that you pay even less money in a subscription for.. Books & magazines are the sacred relics of sovereignty now.
I never knew that this method was controversial. It’s just how I naturally ride
I think a lot of psychological problems in riding skills are due to buying expensive bikes ,always scared of dropping them so you only learn the skills that you need on your daily route and stop improving your skills, Think you’ve learnt it all in the first year and ride the same for the next thirty,I have several bends that I ride around frequently and never get right and they always play on my mind ,I’ve only started trailbreaking in the last few weeks and my cornering has improved hugely but you have to be careful ,I’m still very much a learner but I’m feeling the improvements on the bikes handling in the corners. It’s a must learn skill on a motorbike.
Ride safe everyone.😀🇬🇧🏍❤️
i think you hit the nail on the head with this
Pretty much same story here. I've been riding regularly for 20 years, although I first learned about 40 years ago. I have some twisties by me that I run through regularly, a series of 4 consecutive turns that run off camber and on a downhill grade. Just heard about trailbreaking a few weeks ago and have been toying around with it, trying to get the feel. Cornering has improved, but speed through the turns hasn't really. Fact is, I think with the new technique I could enter the turn faster than my guts want to let me LOL. I still have that slow to enter the curve and then throttle out of it in my head. Old dogs and new tricks, man!
Could not agree more.
Don't you insure your bikes? Lol
Had a mate who lost the front end,hit a wall took his arm and half his chest with it,worst thing was he was still alive for a time,hate going past that corner and still dream about it
Halleluah - this is a pivotal video in my life of riding motorbikes for 40 years. Without any training as a youngster I evolved into trail breaking naturally and always felt safe in corners. I went on an advanced motorcycling course with the Institute of Advanced Motorcycling here in the UK and remember being ridiculed in front of a class of bikers for using this technique. Using the counter-steering and accelerate method I can see some benefits and tried to unlearn what I knew before. Unfortunately I have a LOT of nervousness in corners as a result and feel more out of control. Your video confessional has struck straight to the heart. Thank goodness someone has dared to question the widely held beliefs of dogmatic but powerful motorcycling organisations who persist that there is only one technique to go round a corner. Thanks mate, thanks a lot.
As a female rider, it was SO nice to hear a guy voice the same concerns and fears that I have!!! Thanks for the video, I'm definitely going to watch the instruction vid on trail braking and give it a try
That's why everyone wears a helmet when out riding their motorcycle - so they can hide their fear :)
Im strugling with some techniques and sometimes i dont want to ride either exactly the same feeling he had and having my bike is a dream since i was a kid...
Lady you’re in for a treat because I’m terrified of riding all together and i ride everyday
@@josh_etsYikes. I can't relate to that one brother
Love the feeling of feathering off that last bit of brake and continuing that hand motion to roll the throttle on. It’s ridiculously satisfying.
Same for me with rev matching, love it!
Riding with a friend who has ample track time for years now....i watched his brake technique for some time....it seemed so late into corners but quickly realized how this was the key to being fast. Same as any hobby, look to those who are where you want to be.
Wow! I went through this same thing, sort of.... I used to trail brake just because that's the way I rode and didn't know it had a name. Then like you I became an instructor and started the Slow, Look, Roll, Press, just like we teach. I noticed the same as you. My cornering was slower and less controlled! I have now went back to my trail braking and am now getting back into the corners again!
my fear is not crashing but my fear is the amount of money the crashes takes
Yea long story short I wrecked due to a deep deep pot hole and a dumb beotch slamming on brakes ... IN A PARKING LOT ... flew over handle bars bike landed on me and slide ... MONEY .. I hate it .. 😢
Pretty interesting video. I feel identified with many things you said. The more experienced I got, the more I got obsessed in being able to ride comfortable, precisely and fast on any technical road I encountered on my trips. All about feeling in control, nailing the corner lines and feeling super satisfied.
Its taken me years to gain the confidence to do that. I was never taught by anyone, but I started to naturally improve body position and trail brake with practice.
If I ever go into a corner to fast, I can correct it without panicking.
Your trail braking video that I watched a few months back actually saved me going off a corner (with no run off) and down a very steep embankment. I still need more practice with the technique but I’m getting there and it definitely works for me!
While I do endorse learning skilled techniques for optimum riding I'll never understand why anybody wants to ride like they are on the track on unpredictable curves with steep ravines and jagged rocks to plummet down when hitting loose gravel or dodging a oncoming car or animal.
Great video and your honesty and openness just made it more powerful. As a mid-lifer returning to riding after 20 years, I had never heard of trail braking until a few months ago. Always wanting to improve my riding and come home safe, I embraced the technique and I haven't looked back. I have yet to perfect the technique but I am so much more confident, safer and faster in corners. Riding a heavy 2008 CB1300S I can't afford to get a fast corner wrong, but I can now keep up with my mates on much lighter and flickier? bikes. Make sure you watch Canyon Chasers vids on trail braking and then practice practice practice. You won't be disappointed. Thanks again mate, Bloody brilliant channel.
Great comment on a great channel-hope your second run at moto’ing is still treating you well in your search for knowledge!
Dude! You are absolutely DA BEST! You just nail it every time. I watch them all and nobody comes close. Thanks and please keep them coming.
As someone who never comments on videos i really want to comment on this one:
Im a Rider from Germany and i had the exact same problem as you had i tried to work on everything but became so stiff right in front of every corner that i couldnt have less fun on a bike... i tried to work on every skill possible and got really good at it but still corner entrys scared me. in the back of my head i allways heard a voice say "do everything perfect now! once you are in a corner you cant break and you are fucked!"
one evening i stumbeled across your trailbreaking video and thought i could give it a try... and it safed everything for me and gave me a lot of fun back! i finally felt like i REALLY have the control over the bike just like i wanted to especially on corner entrys... since then i became a lot better with all the other skills i wanted to learn because all the stiffness was gone... i could finally relax again i could finally have some fun again and i finally had the feeling i was totally in control.
At this point i just want to leave a huge thank you! you safed the fun of riding for me and just because of that trailbreaking video i keept on driving a bike.
ONElvlToHighFORyOU since I saw that trailbraking video I releasea lot of my potential and my skills for controlling the bike. That means that now I'm a faster safer rider. How I now that? Well, now I can pass some of my buddies with newer and most powerful bikes. I remember some months ago how they simply desappear from my sight. The point is that I told them about the technique and no one listen to me!!! Their problem, not mine.
Thanks for sharing your story. Dave from Canyon Chasers is the very best moto-vlogger. He will save many lives. You may also benefit a lot from Lee Park’s Total Control book. He changed everything for me.
@@brozobmwmex Like he said in the video... It's not about driving fast it's about having control over everything that makes you fast.
If you use the brakes poorly you lose one of the keyelements to control your bike
@@ONElvlToHighFORyOU can you share that trailbraking video link, please?!
This is 100 percent how I use to feel before. I'm still learning but everyday gets better. Thanks for letting us know and helping us realize everyone will go through this stage. Great channel. Subbed!
I started riding almost a year ago and have been by the book (to what my beginning course teacher said) since I got my license and I almost have left riding motorcycles coming to a couple close calls. I wasn't riding aggressive or fast for my experience. I took it slow until I felt confident riding on the highway. Took almost 10 months before I started taking my bike to work (27 miles from home) up until recently when I stumbled on your channel figuring out why my throttle hand hurts so much half way through my commute. Everything that you have said in this video as well as other videos you have, have changed my riding. I don't have people around me what ride to help me with this but because of your videos I'm much more confident. Thanks
There is a difference between "accelerating into a corner" and trail braking + maintenance throttle which I know from our discussion under another video you're not a fan of. You absolutely need maintenance throttle if the corner you're taking is long and/or uphill. With trail braking and engine braking, you would lose way too much speed by the time you're ready to accelerate again according to your technique, not to mention a lot of bikes, mine included, are pretty choppy on the throttle at lower speeds/rpm and upsetting your suspension mid corner is not something you wanna do.
Your video convinced me to give trail braking a try right before a 3-day moto trip. Wow, what a difference! Had a blast in the twisties, looking forward to improving my technique. Thanks!
If you cant or dont trail brake....you're an idiot who shouldnt be riding
I ride every day. Trail braking is natural when your late for work.
Hahaha 😂😂😂
😂😃
Hilarious!! 😆🤣😂😅😁
I'm still laughing. Adversity is the true Mother of invention. Kudos!
Amazing the skill level that fear can extract from a person! Fear of getting fired in this case! I habitually was running late and got to where I could get from home and 2 miles to work ....my garage to parking lot ...through a man trap through security entrance and to a badge swipe in time clock in less than 5 minutes ....Looking back it seems like it should have been utterly impossible but I did so many times it is not funny ....I mean yes I was very occasionally late but never so many times there was any discipline etc ...my brain just knew the absolute limit what I could get away with and took advantage of it over and over and over....lol ....was not the best way to treat my vehicles! From Stone cold to high RPM right away! ....the incredible thing? Never even got a speeding citation! ( on the way to work that is ....got plenty of tickets otherwise lol)
I've been watching the videos you've made over and over again. You are my first motorcycle teacher. Thank you always from your fans in South Korea. 😄
Another fan from South Korea! Whoooop!
Welcome all my South Korean CanyonChasers!!
Thank You for your videos about Trail Braking and Perfect Cornering Posture . It literally changed my life. Ive been riding motorcycles over a 30 years and all Ive been doing on the road or on a racetrack was the way of tries and errors. But when I tried these techniques it changed a lot. Now everything is working together! By braking further into the corner gives me better chance to get my body far from the bike and lean angle of the bike is not so big, so I can much more push on the throttle and with the technique of switching the hand on the throttle at the late apex I can accelerate harder. Its like a holy grale of motoridding. It gives perfect sense when you connect all atributes of this techniques together. Anyway, there are still (blind) corner in the real word so you have to sometimes slow your riding speed in matter of predict danger on the road. Thank you again. Fan from Czech Republic.
Great video. As someone that is always trying to get faster and safer, your content is great stuff. We all have that friend that effortlessly leaves us in the dust. They say things like “it’s all about vision” or “you gotta trail brake bro” but very few actually know how to articulate it properly. Your explanations are making better riders for sure.
The police in the uk never trail break , we are never taught to trail break , trail breaking works on the track (clean track) but the public roads are not a clean race track , you trail break and if there is grit or leaves. But you see our police teach to look ahead and break before the corner , looking ahead you can see where the corner goes with signs , a vehicle ahead , road markings etc. if you try and go too fast then your breaking the speed limit? Public roads are not a race track , I watch many young riders in America going way too fast and trail break like they are on a race track you do that in uk and you’ll loose your license. If you look at Japanese police they break before the corner then look where they want the bike to go .
Tried trail breaking a few years back and scared the hell out of me(novice at the time) doing it again thanks to your videos I'm enjoying and feeling safer. Thanks bud.
I attended the Yamaha Champions Riding School in Utah and it was a confidence-inspiring experience. I was relatively new to motorcycling and had never ridden on a track. Being newly introduced to trail braking I was told by my "experienced" riding partners that trail braking is too advanced and only for the track. Interestingly enough, they were the ones crashing and running off the road, not me. Though I have done a few track days, the YCRS experience has helped me most in my day-to-day street riding enjoyment and safety on not only my sportbike, but also my vintage motorcycles.
I never took a riding course, and have never heard of accelerating at the start of the corner... in a car you brake the first half of the turn and accelerate out of the second half - that's what I've always done on a bike, and it's worked great
Yes beginning training (MSF in the US) taught you to slow, look, press to lean, and then roll on the throttle. If you had to brake in the corner we were taught to stand the bike up straight and brake to a stop.
Definitely some gaps in that training. But I get why they do it... new riders don't often have that brake control to be smooth yet.
Great video, in the end physics doesn’t care what opinion a person favours. Always learning with an open mind is a great lesson here.
I have been riding now for 46 years and am on bikes 23 and 24 and STILL learning to ride : )
Ive never been on a motorcycle, but this was a very interesting and informative video. Just wanted you to know that a non-rider enjoyed your well done video.
You have described exactly what I do wrong. I've been riding for 35 years but only recently taken to trackdays which have shown me the braking to set your speed before the corner method really does slow you down and then in frustration of been overtaken winding on the throttle makes me run wide and makes the next corner more difficult. I have always considered myself as a quick and safe rider but these trackdays have knocked my confidence. It's time for this old dog to learn new tricks. Thanks very much for your excellent informative video.👍
Your video in trail breaking changed my life. Forever a noob I am still trying to learn and master it, but I am much safer in the canyons now. Thank you :)
MotoThom “Forever a noob” - that’s pretty much my philosophy. Always room for improvement. 😀
*BRAKING
I nearly sold both my bikes and threw out my gear after getting slower and more terrified over time, rather than progressing. I'm so grateful for this video and this channel! Looking forward to trying these techniques and smiling on a bike again!
I love this. Modern tire compounds and modern suspension are so much better than they were 15 years ago but a lot of the riding technique instruction never adapted to take it into account. Learning new techniques is so much fun because it allows me to ride the bike the way it "wants" to be ridden. Meshing with the machine and working like one is my goal, so thank you for all of the great videos helping me down this path!
Absolutely. In the old days if you slowly rolled on the throttle you could slide out the rear and stay pointed in the right direction. Now if you roll on the throttle, all it does is stand you up and make you go straight.
Saying loved ones then cutting to your dog rather than wife. Lol
Daniel Demers The wife comes way down my list, my son the dog the cat ,my motorbike ,a ribeye steak with pesto pasta ,a kebab ,a pint of Old Rosie Cider,then maybe the wife , lol .😀🇬🇧🏍 ride safe my Brother.
I dog will always love you more than than a woman!
@@dlb83082 I hate dogs, can't make love to a dog either. Well normal people don't lol
@@jamesbatten6609 sounds like your marriage is over mate- my condolences
Thank God I watched your video and practiced trail braking before my first track day. It really helped me especially when I passed other riders and had to go into the corner with higher speed than normal.
I've watched a few vids about trail breaking and I've yet to hear anyone mention one little detail. When you break in the corner, or just before entering the corner...do you roll-off throttle, or do you maintain a steady throttle at your entrance speed while lightly breaking? I know maintaining throttle while breaking is having two opposing forces working against each other, but I was thinking that that might be the technique used because loading the front end shortens the wheel-base, which would allow for a tighter turn and maintaining throttle keeps you from losing speed. Obviously I don't fully understand the concept. Would really appreciate some clarification from a knowledgeable fellow rider. Thanks...be safe!
Brakes or throttle. Never both at the same time. Even if you watch MotoGP, with the overlay graphics you'll never see them use both. :)
Really appreciate the reply. No throttle in the turn, just lite touch on front break. Got it, thanks. Now for some lower speed practice to get the timing and muscle memory dialed in and then....hello twisties!
Sweet. Start off by just releasing the front brake super, super slowly - kinda like easing out the clutch. Let me know how it goes.
I remember graduating from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Rider Course (BRC) with the slow, look, press and roll mantra firmly in my psyche. As a brand new rider, this worked well, but as my riding skills developed, I soon questioned how this was supposed to work on blind mountain turns that I soon found myself seeking out. Some good riding friends introduced me to trail braking and my riding world opened up. While not for a new rider, but after your experience develops, good trail braking gives a level of control that has to be experienced to be believed.
I was trail braking before I knew what it was called. I was used to braking into corners while leaning in the dirt. When you ride dirt bikes you develop ABS in your first two fingers and for me it was a natural transition to the road. I know some people think that dirt riders don't use the front brake much, well good luck stopping without it.
I am a relatively new rider (first bike in 2013)... I think one of the bigger problems with the fallacies associated with trail braking starts at basic rider courses and their insistence on NOT braking in a turn... Last year I went to a Yamaha Champion Riders Course and I took 2 things away, 1) always cover the front brake on the street 2) trail braking is an absolute necessity!!!
This should be covered at a basic course, start learning it out of the gate and profit early on!!!
Trail braking isn't necessary on the street pal.neither is hanging off or rev matching none of that is necessary
steady cruising disagree bud... I put knowing how to trail brake as a necessary tool to know how to do, in the event you need it (as in the story told in the video) right up there with seat belts, car insurance, health insurance and a concealed carry permit... Better to have it and not need it than, need it and not have it...
Yeah. Corner entrance mistakes are a giant cause of rider crashes. Trail braking is, without a doubt, a critical riding skill.
ll TH3 ST1G ll
The riding course I took taught us to trail brake.
how could you be an instructor with a vid like this???
As a "returning rider" with some fifteen odd years off the saddle. When I got my new to me Ultra, I began watching motorcycle safety videos on RUclips. This whole "Slow, Look, Lean and Roll" concept was completely alien to me. I had taken a week long motorcycle safety course, way back in 1980, That was provided by the California Highway Patrol. That was truly an amazing class! I must say, the skills and strategy learned in that course, saved my bacon many times over! I had ridden continually from 1974 through 2000 or so. However skills not practiced are soon lost! So these days, trying to figure out this cornering strategy taught today, quite honestly has me confused. I had never-ever, run wide on a curve until, attempting this slow look lean and roll technique. That idea of fading across the double yellow with little control is truly an hair raising experience. IMO that technique should NOT be a beginners guide. Back in the day "IT" wasn't called "trail braking" either! More simply: Proper cornering... Granted back then we didn't have anti skid nor ingratiated, or linked brakes either... Thank you technology! Great video! Thank you for taking the time and effort in posting it!
I've been riding for 21 years and I just wish I knew then what I know now - a significant part of which has come from these vids. Long, unknown and especially downhill corners were a thing of dread for me for sooo long. That's just wrong and I feel robbed that nobody talked about corners like this 21 years ago... or any time in between. Since watching a few of your videos I've been out on a few rides (we're only talking about a few weeks since I first saw them) I feel so much more safe, fast and comfortable on the road. Confident, but not cocky. It's a new experience and I thank you for it.
Couldn't agree more: its all about the brakes. Every rider should see this and watch your trail braking video. Its funny people think braking their bike in a corner is a bad thing when they do it all the time in a car. And they brake in the corner in their car for a reason: to adjust their speed for the turn! Things that should be obvious aren't until someone explains it to you and you practice it
I specifically learned this on a 90 degree right-hand corner near my house which I took sometimes 4 or 6 times a day. It had massive chunks of paint in really awkward positions, and was often wet. I tried the formulaic approach, but whenever I cracked the throttle I was afraid of slipping. I figured out that maintaining and trailing off the breaks made the bike feel more stable and allowed me time to adjust the line to hit the apex while avoiding the paint and also set up my gas and clutch to come out of the corner exactly where and how fast I wanted. 👍👍
Interesting indeed as I think we are many riders to have had this epiphany about trail braking. To me it took to sign up for a tutored track week-end were they taught us the drill. One important thing to mention that they rarely teach you when you learn is that it is perfectly ok to be on the front brake in a corner, as long as you entered it that way and maintain it or release it gently. Any sudden changes in the bike dynamic while leaning will indeed probably have a dramatic turnout... I guess as it is a rather subtle technique, it is easier to say to new riders that corner = no front brake but it not accurate and teach it from the beginbing might actually prevent some crashes.
Nice vid ;-)
I have been riding for close to a year and I think it is time to learn this technique. I have often used a smidge of front or rear brake recently to scrub some speed in turns but it's time to really work to put this to use. I have often felt maintaining neutral or increasing throttle through a corner was very questionable at times... I completely understand why the video creator feels that it would sap some of the fun of riding.
I get why they don't teach this to beginning riders however. They probably don't have the fine braking control to do this successfully along with everything else they have to worry about.
@@justinsmith1001 you are right, there is a lot to think about when you learn to ride and this technique is rather subtle. However, I'm convinced it would be good to at least introduce it early so the riders can then pratice it and improve on their own. Abrubtly releasing the front break near a corner will do more harm than good.
I agree with you though in that sense that it should not be taught in riding schools as it is supposed to be a technique you use when riding fast and you should not ride fast when learning nor in the early stages of you motorcycle life, but we know that between what should be and what actually happens, there is a difference and in my opinion being aware of this technique can make some situations less dangerous
i have been having a blast at trail breaking and i am 57 years young on an xl600r
I learned this early on my 2014 GoldWing! Without it there were times I drifted to the left on a right hand turn! More lean...didn't work on negative camber roads!
Awesome story. Trail braking is something I am going to work on not only for the "art of the corner" but to help me be a safer rider.
He's definitely speaking truth about trail braking. I watched the other video 2 weeks ago and have been employing it on my daily commute to work which has several big corners both up hill and down. It has improved my riding and confidence in corners immeasurably. I'm a true believer! 'Nuff said! 😉
for casual riding, I think it also helps to have a motorcycle that has a decent amount of engine break. That way, you slow down while taking a turn without touching the breaks.
Downhill off camber is the most dangerous corner. Add gravel, oil or black ice and you can have a former motorcyclist.
I live to ride a sport bike and have 47 years of xperience. All street no track. Broke the right knee at 16. Bikes have fallen down on me often but never when moving and especially never at speed. Pain really sucks.
Love this video. Thanks so much for the humorous information!
BTW never crashing is mostly luck . I am not bragging and am certainly no Valentino Rossi or Kenny Roberts.
Please ride safe and always PAY ATTENTION.
Yep, dumped my bike on a freshly asphalt paved downhill, off camber right-hand dog leg. My own fault, mind was elsewhere and realized I was traveling too fast for road condition when I hit the turn. Just touched the rear break and lost traction(stupid move). Low-sided and slid across the lane, wheels first into guardrail (50' drop-off on other side of guard rail, that thing and God saved my bacon) Spent 3 days in hospital with bad road rash and 6 more weeks on crutches for a partially torn Achilles tendon. Lesson learned, if your mind is elsewhere while operating a vehicle of any type......Don't operate it until you're ready to pay attention to what your doing. Stupid games win stupid prizes.
Kick ass. I've been riding 16 years now and just started practicing this last week.
Thank you thank you thank you for making this video! This is my problem and I'm gonna start trailbreaking after watching your trail breaking video.
question... if you slowed down enough prior initiating lean, you cannot continue to slow down further in the corner as I sometimes feel I slowed too much and loose the feeling through the corner, I feel much more confident if I slow just before the corner and as I commit to the corner in first half of the corner I keep like 2-3% of the throttle open as I takes me smoothly through the corner, and then after the apex you start to accelerate more and all good. Problem came when I started to practice trail braking, as you just cannot hold both throttle and brake at same time, does not feel natural or right... So, if I keep the brake even that smallest touch, after I initiate lean, I cannot use my 2-3% throttle through first half of the corner and just slow too much...just can't seem to get adjusted on trail brake philosophy....so, just how can you as you say keep slowing down as you see the corner exit.. isn't that getting to slow and almost stopping? that makes sense only if you enter corner way faster than you should and then continue to slow down after you leaned... with throttle completely off??
So try this. Find a corner you know well, that has good visibility. Try entering the corner one gear higher than you normally would, this will result in less engine braking, and the bike will carry speed better. And then just keep enough pressure on the front brake to keep the brake light lit up. Just enough pressure for the brake light switch to click on is really all you need.
This will give you an idea on how it feels and how much more stable and precise the corner will feel.
@@CanyonChasers thanks for the tip, definitely will try that...
Thanks for your honesty and a most excellent video. Most road riders would not admit to such a blunder. But they should as it's a great learning moment.
In Lee Parks "Total Control Second Edition" he covers 'Fear' and explains how the brain works. It would make a great topic. He is right when he says that nobody writes about it.
blipco5 Try Twist of the Wrist 2 by Keith Code - all about survival reactions and fear.
Mike McGovern ...I think I have that, I'll give it a look. I know I have book 1.
@@blipco5 The video is on here
EXCELLENT Video..!!
As I have mentioned in earlier comments about 'Trail-Braking' ... we ALL do it in our cars! {or at least just about everyone I have ever followed thru a curve...} We touch the brakes to slow the vehicle down to a speed we feel 'comfortable' with, hold that bit of drag as we go thru, and once we see the exit and feel what is the right exit speed, we release the brake... It may be no more than to just 'cover' the brake pedal just enough for the pads to touch the discs... But we do it without even thinking about it!
I have driven everything from motorcycles to passenger buses and oil tankers! And if I was NOT using trail-braking on buses, I would have some VERY unhappy passengers..!! And if you don't 'control' the liquid movement of a Tanker truck... you are going to Roll it Over!
I've been thinking a lot about this since moving to a very mountainous area with steep roads and hairpin 180 degree plus bends. On the way up the hill everything's great but descending is a scary business sometimes. Even if you enter the hairpin at a walking pace, letting go of the brakes means you'll spiral through it at a terrifying pace and often run wide. For me the moment of truth came when I was carrying a passenger and I went through the turns soooo slowly with both brakes very gently on, and the bike felt so planted and stable. The end conclusion is I think trail braking has a lot to add to descending steep hills on curvy roads, because you simply can't accelerate through those on the gas. For the rest, I still don't know. But heck I've only been riding 35 years, I'm a beginner.
Yeah, trail braking compresses the forks and squashes the front tire down onto the road, increasing the contact patch.
My experience parallels your almost exactly. Following the old paradigm, I was always uneasy mid-turn on the road, and struggling to keep up with my riding buddies. It sucked! But thanks in large part to your Why You Need To Be Trail Braking video, like you, I have not been anxious in a turn since then! And the change was instantaneous for me, I felt it from the very first corner I entered trailing the brake. Thank you!
Thats awesome dude, that exact TOPGUN bike is the one that started the bike thing for me as well....100%
this is very clear and helpful. regarding other topics, if you haven't already, can you talk about keeping your hands/shoulders relaxed and letting the bike steer rather than leaning on the handlebars and locking the steering head to the frame - which I think causes a lot of people to overcook corners, get scared, etc.
Quite funny. I've never had use of the back brake because of my disability. I had no choice but to learn how to use the front brake in corners. I always laughed when people told me never use the front break in corners. Had so many friends go off the road thinking they could take the same corner at the same speed as me. I've trail braked for 15 years.
Could you please speak your mind about trail braking vs sand / dust in the corner? I' am asking because if you find the road to be really bad in the middle of the corner its acutallly hard to get rid of your fear and keep braking using front brake.
I wrote you this fantastic response, but it was so good, and your question is so on point, that I'm just going to turn my answer into our next video. Just for you! It's been raining gangbusters here for days, so I'll try to crank it out by next week. Is that okay?
@@CanyonChasers Thank you! :) Can't wait to check it out! Greetings from Poland!
Αwesome video! As a new rider, corners fascinate but also scare me and I also find myself slowing down quite a bit. I know my confidence will be built the more miles I accumulate, but it helps to know there are many ways to do things.
Just to add to this... for all of you that are still skeptical.
If you are already on the brakes when entering a corner, and then realize you need more braking, you can safely add it since your front suspension is already loaded and your tire patch already expanded.
Of course! As long as you add your additional braking gently.
I started adding trail braking after taking an advanced course by Lee Parks.
I'm still not the fastest rider ever, but I'm more confident and haven't scared myself in forever.
Yes. Exactly. Well said!
let me give you 9 minutes of your life back, he Highly recommends a method called trail breaking, but refers you to another video if you want to know what that is . your welcome
jynx 1966 yeah, he really took his time going into the corner on this video. I made it halfway before I shut him off and searched the comments. Dude is worse at RUclips than he was at cornering.
If only I had read your comment first.
Thank you
Exactly, I wish I had read comments 1st. It took until 9 mins in to figure out he wasn't actually going to say anything useful
For a change, I was smart and stopped viewing at roughly toe 2:00 minute mark. I have a theory/method- if by 1/4 through any instructional video I've yet to learn anything, I'm out. Next, I proceed to the comments which is how I found this comment. Waste of a video and although I'm sure he is a nice guy, I cannot stand listening to a whiner. He should have explained trail braking early on, not whine in some click bait catch video based on receiving viewers. By the way, "trail braking" works. We called it something else and Ive taught and practiced a variation my entire MC career.
I started trailbraking after laying it down on a 190degree hairpin first track day. I finally figured out the tires footprint got smaller. So I started feathering / trailbraking. Then I found a Twist o the Wrist 2 online and my cornering is freaking great after learning what I was doing. I had the same death corners while accelerating running wide. So off throttle entry and feather up, look for exit, aim and throttle up. Thanks for the story. I still have some of those magazines you talk about.
Hey. Watching from France. Had my licence for nearly two years now. I'm surprised when you said that in a moment of danger, you put more throttle and countersteer. I do that when i can see what's coming and got some margin, not when i'm in a difficult situation. I use the rear brake if I find out i fucked up, it slows me down and shortens the turn radius (and my gf now know that if my right leg starts moving in corner, i'm going for the rear brake meaning i'm going to fast and she then helps me out by leaning her body much more then she usually does.)
It is true that in every video for begginers, they all instruct not to use the front brake, I believe they say this because they want to prevent new riders to grab a handful of front brake in difficult corner situations to prevent loss of grip and/or bike standing up and going wide. a "forget the front brake to learn all about it again" kind of thing.
Trailbraking is really a cool technic and needs more love (spread the love), it's a safe and sporty way to enter corner while using the front brake and adding grip to the front. It's all about respecting the rythm of the wheels and not impose a brutal change on them.
But at the end of the day, one of the many ways perks of our leisure is there are many ways to enter a corner.
I think you may have misunderstood. When I stayed on the gas and leaned more, that was the total wrong thing to do, even though that's what a lot of programs still teach. The best method is to use Trail Braking, but I'd encourage you to trail brake with your front brake more than your rear brake.
Just had a big accident today doing EXACTLY what you said... Leaned the bike to the max and it just wasn't enough. I wanna start practising this in every corner like you did because it is clear to me the old ways are not the best. I thought I broke my ribs it hurt so bad and my bike is now requiring a lot of TLC.
I find this so relatable because I have the exact same mindset as you even the standing the bike up to go wide as a last resort (i unfortunately did it on the grass which wasn't too forgiving).
When I'm well and my bike fixed I'm going to practice this method and preach it!!!!
Wow,.man. I'm so sorry. That totally sucks. Glad you weren't hurt worse, but heal up quickly.
Right on, man. Your trail braking video pretty much changed my life (is that melodramatic?) and I really like the way you made the case for it in this video. People still need to hear it. Serious, curious riders will be better for it.
I felt and feel the same way about that Ninja when I see Top Gun...that was one of the first bikes I flew off of thinking I could just ride fast!
Yeah, it did the same for me. Makes riding so much more fun when you I'm not so scared anymore!
You don’t learn how to be a better rider by listening to some guy talk for 10 minutes in his garage. You learn by seeing demonstrations.
6:00 to get to the point is too long.
Hear ye hear ye!
RUclips has decreed that each video must be at least 10 min long!
Hear ye hear ye!
Charles
Another dick with no attention span. Enjoy the story. Context is everything. Get over it.
Thaaaank you
Man though
Charles learn to meditate. The story leading up is important to the context of the video. Take a deep breath and don’t be in such a hurry. Might save your life
As a mechanic I am aware of how we can be locked into a way of thinking. Holding on to the old ways is natural but when confronted with new ideas we have to open our minds and try new things and compare pros and cons. I never took a riding course but have been on two wheels for forty eight years. I was always trail braking naturally but a friend introduced me to the method he learned at school and it did me no good. He was a better rider than me and could drag a knee anytime. I quickly got into trouble and went back to trail braking.
Lol it makes me feel old that magazines aren't a thing anymore
I just started riding a couple of months ago in my 2 stroke 75cc NSR which has VERY thin tires (3" rear). I kept running wide, kept fearing that one day my small contact patch would not stand the too harsh lean angles I was forcing on blind sharp corners. I therefore came around RUclips looking for answers. Honestly, its the second time I watch this video.
The first time it didnt make much sense, but this weekend I went on a solo mountain trip near my hometown, here in Spain, and practiced the concept of trail braking as explained by you guys in the other video. Well, I had the most wonderfull, blissfull mountain road curves since I started riding. I felt safe. Not very fast (remember my bike and my experience), but very fluid, relaxed and confident. I feel like this is a great base to build upon. Thank you Canyon Chasers !
Great stuff my man thank you for the work and the insight. I was planning on releasing a video myself on counter steering and I am going to add trail breaking to it because I was also thinking slow, look, press and roll. I will definitely give ya some cred for it. Hopefully I can record it tomorrow on the ride to work.
What you say all makes sense, the transfer of weight in 'preparation' for more control. Great Vid. Thanks
True words of wisdom, thanks a bunch and ride safe!
Never Heard of trail braking, but life is about learning no matter how much u think u know. So glad I came across ur video and going to watch and learn more about trail braking.
This was a great topic. I really enjoyed it. This is very important for rider plateaus. I appreciate the insight.
Trail braking and without a doubt look through the turn no matter what… has saved my ass countless times and works like a charm.
As a newer rider enjoying California roads but also starting to realize how much blind corners terrify me, this video was wonderful. Thank you for the renewed sense of hope! Will rewatch the trail braking video now :)
I just expect a Prius around every blind corner
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Trailbraking is an option. On the other hand you can roll through a corner too. Breaking into the corner till the apex then accelerate might encourage you to ride at of near your personal limit. I personally prefer slowing down before a corner and holding the gas when street riding and especially down hill.
I do motorcycle trainings each year (for security and track riding) and on one training for cornering you exercise breaking while cornering. With both front and tail brake. Helps a lot if the corner surprises you badly.
Knitting is underrated....scary that you were teaching riders for a long time to accelerate through the corner....I always got it slowed before the corner, go through the first part at a steady throttle and then accelerate when you can see the exit if the surface is grippy.........this gives you more road and more options...you don't have to go as fast as possible all the time to have fun.
Yeah, that's what we were charged with teaching by credentialed programs. MSF has started updating their programs. Others are doubling down on the whole "you have to be on the gas through the entire corner" thing.
We have data that shows slowing until the exit and/or the apex is a much safer method.
The centrifugal forces of the back wheel wanting to stand upright under acceleration makes accelerating INTO a corner extremely unwise
Yep. The MSF instructions work on racetracks, maybe. I am a 1-year rider, and about 9 months ago I figured out that this "accelerate through the corner" business was nonsense on most real-world corners when I am not racing.
@Sunyata Guess it depends on how good your eyes are...hehe
Glad to have watched this. Had my close call over the weekend. Went in a ditch doing 20. Just locked-up and couldn't think. Small left turn, just didn't know the road. Forgot everything, was doing it the way I was thought a few years ago.
Great video my guy.
Hi, I am returning to riding after 22 years. Have lost the confidence but do have that feeling and excitement of how it feels to be on 2 wheels. Your video has truly inspired me to get back on the saddle and jus ride it. Thank you so very much. Cheers brother
Great video! I began riding in 1980, without a clue - I just rode on instinct. And trail braking was simply what I did, without thinking about it. Then, 30 years later, having read the TWOT 2, I began practicing braking earlier, finishing while upright. And felt insecure, and like you had many close calls and no feel for the front tyre grip. After a couple of season, I managed to grasp it - the vital point was to not accelerate until full lean and apex was reached, instead just using maintenance throttle until then - but it was still uncomfortable. However, it did widen my range of tools to use - I often trail braked past the apex, now I am smoother and more accurate - and I also try to stay off the brakes entirely as long as I am not fanging. Instead, I enter corners on trailing throttle and re-apply at the apex after full lean has been reached.
When you are riding briskly on roads with limited visibility, there is another important benefit of trail braking; the front end is already loaded and so are the brakes. So if you have to stop suddenly for something, reacting time is far less and safe additional braking can commence almost immediately. If the front isn't loaded and you grab a handful of front brake, chances are you will lock the front and go down. And no matter how well you apply them, you will never stop as quickly as if the brakes were already applied - even just a little bit.
Yes, I was in a similar boat. I would read about trail braking, watch the pros do it, concluded that's a track only skill, and ignored it. I wasn't progressing with my riding and the bike was so unstable.
Then, I went riding with this MSF instructor. I inquired, "Aren't you scared of what's around the corner?" He said, "You have to trail brake and understand its benefits. It stabilizes the bike, you stop shorter, keep your line, control where you want to go, and can tighten your turn without unsettling the bike." Like you, I told him, "Isn't that dangerous and only for controlled environments like the track?! How!?"
He literally showed me on his parked bike the action of his two fingers on the brake lever simultaneously rolling on and off throttle. That memory plays repeatedly in my mind to this day how something so simple exponentially grew and grows my ability, technique, and enjoyment of riding.
The rest is history.
trail braking was known from the beginning of motorcycling, just current modern silly riding schools rarely know something about this essential technique, same goes with the rear brake braking...
You do not ride bike by the books, follow your wild intuition :)
I've always knew that 90% of you stopping power is in your front brakes so I'm going to use it. Granted I do have sense enough to know that if you hit the front brakes hard in a curve you will skid straight (and out of control)
I started riding motorcycles on the street at age 20 and was also doing the same techniques per MSF training. I remember braking into a corner as being suicidal. After joining the Army having sold my first bike and reinterring motorcycling after my enlistment I revisited bikes. This time reading materials and coming across Keith Codes "a twist of the wrist" and the Total Control series by Lee Parks. I found a well-paved section of roads that had very low traffic and open site lines (fields, no fences) and began to put all of it to work. I found my weaknesses and using a process of continual small improvements became significantly more proficient in cornering. I now feel I'm at the limit of speed I can realistically perform for street riding without being suicidal. Twisty roads are an absolute joy and zenlike experience of focus putting all the techniques to use. Each spring is like sharpening a rusty sword as I hone the skills back into working order. Late corner entry is also a very good technique and enhances safety for street riding.
Thank you Canyonchasers for all the hard work. I've very much enjoyed it and love the tire chart and road rating system you employ. Anyone visiting Utah follow their advice and ride this road, it's one of the best in the country.
www.canyonchasers.net/maps/14/
11 minutes to say that the real answer is actually in another video.