I need tips for entering corners w/ speed....

[kawraper]

So I struggle to enter corners with speed. I suck with the back brake, and i downshift before i get there to get in the right gear and loose a bunch of speed.

What is the proper way to enter a corner? I see dudes sliding in sidways and blowing out like its nothing. I got the blowing out part but not the coming in part.

When I come in hot I tend to wash out and eat it. Do you pull the clutch when entering than dump it on the way out or do you keep it engaged coming in and keep it there?

Is this just a matter of commitment that I dont have yet? A lack of confidence to just lay it down and rail it or what? Do I need to work on my rear brake skills?

btw i ride a 125 if it makes any difference.

Help me out.....thanks!

 

[Patman]

Sounds like maybe you are trying to remain in complete & total control at all times. Try letting the bike move around a bit instead of over correcting and washing out. Granted I'm NOT going to be the fastest guy through the cornere but my son struggled with this same problem for a little bit after years of just riding. Once he learned or RElearned to just go with it he was fine.

 

[kawraper]

I dont wash out every time but about 1-2 times an hour wich is more than i want.

You may be on to something with the being in total control. I understand that i need to relax hang on and let the bike do its thing most of the time but i think i am trying to exert too much control in the corners. Over whoops, rough terrain, jumps i just let it buck and relax and the less tense i am the less i get off. Maybe I need to focus more on relaxing in the corners.

Keep em comin guys!

 

[RM85rider123]

I usually feather the clutch around a lot of turns, and ride as many ruts as I can depending on the situation. But when entering a turn, get as much throttle as you can before you enter it, and when halfway through the turn, give the clutch a little feathering and roll on the throttle out of the turn. A little tip that may help is say you are taking a right turn, try to press your left foot on the left peg, and put your right foot out by the front tire, and carry out the the turn. Putting your right foot out near your tire will help you balance your self out a little, so you don't lose control on your back tire coming out of the turn.

 

[kawraper]

Ok i got some good practice yesterday, about 9 hrs at my buddies track.

I was getting too far over the bars for one, 2nd i was leaning too far in and not putting enough pressure on the outside peg.

I can always use more practice. Im one of thoes guys who will never be satisfied until im a friggin pro riding perfect(this is only my 2nd season)

Im definetly getting better with every hour i spend in the saddle. Thanks for the tips guys!

now off to cali for a 2 week vacation so no riding for a lil while.

 

[sharky243]

First off, I will say that I'm no expert, but I have worked with some junior level riders to help them with this problem aswell. What I try to teach them to do is, select a gear that will alow you to keep your momentum without lugging the engine down and still be able to use the power band to come out of the corner. Next, be sure to be sitting in the saddle portion of the seat. Thats the lowest position of the seat. Enter the corner as hard as you feel comfortable (this will take lots of practice). Put your inside leg out for ballance. Push down on your outside peg with as much of your wieght as you can. (this will help the side knobbies of your tires bite) Then try to keep your back straight. Lean back a bit if you can. And lastly, motorcycles were designed to stear by leaning the bike into the corner. So don't be afraid to lean the bike. As I said, I'm no expert, but these steps seemed to have helped the kids I've worked with to maintain their speed in the corners. Something els that may help you is to spend sometime on a circle track, like a 1\4 mile used for dirt track racing. If noone is useing the track, ride the track in both directions. You'll get used to the back end sliding out and learn to controll it to your advantage.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I was getting too far over the bars for one, 2nd i was leaning too far in and not putting enough pressure on the outside peg.

It is very rare for someone to be too far forward in a turn. You do have to move around on the bike quite a bit when turning, though.

Approaching the turn, you generally want to be fairly far back and on the brakes hard. Just as you enter the turn, you usually want to transition off the brakes and get yourself forward, frequently this involves planting your butt in the low/forward part of the seat, getting your inside foot as far forward as possible, and starting to get back on the gas to power through the turn.

I've been told by better riders that a smooth increase in power all the way through the turn is better than trying to coast through to a point and then pinning the throttle/dumping the clutch to try to explode out.

 

[dirt bike dave]

Lots of good pointers so far.

Just wanted to add, as for practice, find a nice level dirt lot and do figure 8's.

Start out tight and slow speed, so you don't have to worry so much about the braking aspect. First focus on body position and getting your weight forward (which will help with braking as you enter faster), weighting the peg, and smooth application of power.

As you master the slow speed corner, widen your 8's and enter faster, finding the happy balance between braking, cornering and exit speed.

 

[bikerboyz]

well it also depends on what your racing but i would go with what alot of people have said. stay loose( not to loose) push hard on your out side peg. USE YOUR FRONT BRAKE, you can only stop whats behind you and fyi there is not much behind your back brake. but i like to pull in the clutch about half way around corners and pin it half way through.

 

[bikerboyz]

also try to ride a smooth turn not a funky one and dont try to hard just a nice smooth all in one motion turn is usually good. well a fast smooth one.

 

[LEllis7motox]

This is a little off topic but i was just wondering if this is proper, When applying the brakes or slowing down before a turn you lean back on the seat and when going around the berm/turning you go way up on the seat with your head over the bars and foot by the front wheel?

 

[High Lord Gomer]

This is a little off topic but i was just wondering if this is proper, When applying the brakes or slowing down before a turn you lean back on the seat and when going around the berm/turning you go way up on the seat with your head over the bars and foot by the front wheel?

Approaching the turn, you generally want to be fairly far back and on the brakes hard. Just as you enter the turn, you usually want to transition off the brakes and get yourself forward, frequently this involves planting your butt in the low/forward part of the seat, getting your inside foot as far forward as possible, and starting to get back on the gas to power through the turn.

 

[J-man]

I like to keep on the throttle just a little bit, Not enough for you to get yourself in trouble but enough to keep the back wheel spinning, When i lock up my brakes in a really tight corner I almost always go down. So you might give it a few tries just see if it fits your style more.

 

[LEllis7motox]

Sorry, i dont know how i missed it... I read this topic before and i was just kind of skipping through the replies just to refresh what it was about :bang:

 

[TEEJAY]

its good to practise when it has lightly rained the day before beacuse you can slide alot more and you can feel the back end sliding.

Enter the corner in a comfortble speed (and gear).
Lean the bike.
halfway through the turn get ready to accelerate.
at the end of the turn start to unlean the bike.
accelerate hard and hang on.

hope this helps.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

You need to stay away from the race track. +2 for the figure 8 track, an oval will work also. Just switch directions once you get a direction down. Sag and sprung correctly. Good tires@15psi. I would recommend a sandy area to begin. When you are thinking about it, you are taking too long, its gotta feel natural, practice. You should be able to go from wfo 5th gear to full lock up, and stop with in a couple inches every time. You max brake to the max entry speed, simple, practice. Set up for the corner, elbows up, envision your arms as extensions of the forks, and do a push up/push on the outside footpeg at the apex. Plant the bike and power wfo out. You have to see it in your head, and attack the corner. No lolly gagging and looking around, dedication. And, your bike needs to respond off bottom correctly of course. Slipping/fanning the clutch is covering an error, and abusive to the clutch. You should be starting to go wfo into the corner, at the apex you should be half or better, by the time you straighten up you should be wfo and setting for the next corner. I do not know of many 4th gear corners, but you should be able to achieve 3rd for sure. Ride in a circle in each gear to get the feel. Fall a lot, or you are not pushing hard enough. Man up on the front brake. When you believe you have it down, remove the seat and try it. When I go to a new track, I ride as fast as I can with your feet on the pegs.

 

[TRexRacing]

A while back when having a similar issue roadracing I was told "the proper line is the one that allows the throttle to be smoothly applied all the way through the turn".It works off road too.Doesn't have to be whacked just twisted slowly until it's at the stop about the same time you're upright enough for the chassis to handle the power.I still go out and find somewhere flat to practice cornering.Takes all the braking and acceleration bumps out of me concentrating on the task at hand.Flat and off camber corners are the toughest anyway.I can't jump fer sh!t but I can turn a motorcycle.Seems to be a good skill to have if ya ask me.

 

[kawraper]

So im getting it....seat time/confidence seems to work the best. And steering by leaning the bike instead of trying to steer with the bars.

 

[TRexRacing]

You lean the bike by using the handlebars.Push the bars with the side you wish to turn.Push right-turn right,push left-turn left.I know it doesn't sound right but it's called countersteering.It's a gentle puch not a big shove.Just find somewhere you can run in a big oval or figure 8 in 2nd-3rd gear.As you come up to the corner pick a turn in spot where you want to start the turn.Get all the braking done while upright,initiate the turn by pushing on that side bar and apply the throttle -GENTLY- through the corner.Repeat until you get too happy and fall.You'll find that you usually start the turn too early as the bike will turn way faster than you think it will.Practice-practice-practice.

 

[doctordirt]

Find a line, if there is one and keep your eyes on it, always look forward and turn your head into the turn, where head goes your body will follow. If the turn is sharp you may want to put your foot way out front to help put weight on front end to get the front tire to dig in, use your Front brakes and keep the throttle on to the apex of the turn and make your cut, when you release the front brakes the power is still on waiting for you with a steady pulling action. Try not to explode out of the turn with alot of wheel slip, it's all about forward momentum, no chop. This only works if you go into the turn very fast. Sounds funny but when a rider looks fast in a turn and explodes out with alot of action and noise, generally speaking if you put a stop watch on him, he wasn't fast at all. Easier said then done.

 

[ncgottiline]

Ok i got some good practice yesterday, about 9 hrs at my buddies track.

I was getting too far over the bars for one, 2nd i was leaning too far in and not putting enough pressure on the outside peg.

I can always use more practice. Im one of thoes guys who will never be satisfied until im a friggin pro riding perfect(this is only my 2nd season)

Im definetly getting better with every hour i spend in the saddle. Thanks for the tips guys!

now off to cali for a 2 week vacation so no riding for a lil while.

off to cali?? no riding?? bring your bike and you can come to my house . and ride! lots of tracks and spots hit me up or anyone in the san deigo /temecula areaif you want to ride