Coming into the turn too hot...options?

[Murdah]

This is one of my biggest fear, and I just started riding a few months so I wanna be able to handle the situation..



Scenario:



You misjudge the turn and hit it too fast, left hand sweeper...you lean as far as physics will allow you to...now you've got about 1 second before you realize you are going too fast and end up lowsiding into a ditch...what can you do to correct yourself...ease off the throttle and apply some rear brake? or just close your eyes and pray?

Now please don't respond with "Why are you going into turn faster than your ability to handle it"? I know you're supposed to enter the turn at the appropriate speed and not use your brakes at all during the turn...but sometimes there are corners that you can predict the degree of difficulty...

I just wanna know what is the proper way to save yourself from a wreck...

[riggz]

from what i've read, you should be using your brakes coming into the turn... i believe it was coined "trail braking" but then again what do i know?

[Lonebrave]

I'll give it a shot, and I'm sure there are guys here who can correct my thoughts, too. I see two options:
1) Hope you really have more lean than you think you do, stay steady on the throttle to keep from unloading the rear tire and keeping it from sliding on you, lean more and trust the bike to carry you through.
2) stand it up straight and brake hard.

That's all I got...any others.

[thwwx]

Originally Posted by Murdah

You misjudge the turn and hit it too fast, left hand sweeper...you lean as far as physics will allow you to...

You're going down then. The key to survival on the streets is to give yourself enough buffer so that at least the physics part says it is possible for you to do some corrective measures. This usually means:

1. No full lean at the edge of you or your tire's abilities

2. Plenty of body hang off so that you keep your tires at as little angle as possible, in a pinch, u can still lean in the bike a little further and pray

3. Look far into the turn, don't commit into a turn at a speed which does not allow you to do evasive maneuvers within the visible distance

4. Hugging the inside of the turn, it is much easier to drift wide than to tighten up the turn in an emergency (but not feasible all the time on dual carriageways).

5. Oh, you can still brake fairly hard leaned over yet not totally straighten up. Front brake only and keep your body upright and hanging off to counterbalance the bike's tendancy to stand up from the braking force. I doubt you can ebrake this way, it just gives you a little more time while slagging off some speed without running off the road. With more time to think, you can replan a line.

[Lonebrave]

^ Good points and a good reminder to all about things to do in a turn. I'm still working on making everything second nature.

[Murdah]

My MSF instructor says to avoid using front brakes at all costs during a turn...using your front brakes will cause a front end wobble and eventually high siding your bike...i also experienced a mini high side a month ago, went into a turn too fast and panicked and grabbed some front brake...almost did a tank slapper but i let go of the brakes and gave it more throttle and leaned more...pretty scary..

[thwwx]

Originally Posted by Murdah

My MSF instructor says to avoid using front brakes at all costs during a turn...using your front brakes will cause a front end wobble and eventually high siding your bike...i also experienced a mini high side a month ago, went into a turn too fast and panicked and grabbed some front brake...almost did a tank slapper but i let go of the brakes and gave it more throttle and leaned more...pretty scary..

You will learn with experience that the front brake is as fickle as women and varies with models which is why your MSF instructor choses to tell you a general blanket advice instead of confusing you. You're riding an R6, a steep steering angle sportbike with wonderful brakes. This machine is designed to be ridden in ways which your MSF instructor will scream "Noooo.......!" Avoid using your front brake during a turn, yes, it will upset a smooth turn. A textbook turn will have you crack on the throttle and keep opening it all the way as Keith Code will tell you.

At all costs? Absolutely not if the other option is crashing. As with all things, you need to acquire the skill with practise and always be as progressive as you can possibly be when it comes to using brakes until you have totally figured it out. People always blame the brakes when it is their abrupt technique that lock up a wheel.

I'll recount a recent scenario encountered where braking in a turn saved my ass. My riding buddy and I were heading towards the customs as we ride over to the neighbouring country. The usual partly blind left sweeper towards the checkpoint was as familiar as my backyard. Peeked over the top of the waistheight concrete wall to see all was clear and proceeded taking the turn. Asshole immigration closed off the road and thought nothing about putting waistheight portable barriers right in the middle of a blind turn with no forewarning signs. Heading into the tight left sweep at a decent lean, my buddy on the right saw the barriers sooner than I (was on the inside of the turn). By the time I saw it, holy fuck, I layed on the brakes and at the same time decided I cannot countersteer right as I risk taking out my buddy. Slag off speed and was heading straight for the metal portable barriers, realise I cannot stop completely and aimed for the barely wide enough gap inbetween. Made it but only because I had enough time to react properly after slowing down mid turn. If I followed what your MSF instructor said, I would have plowed into the barrier or taken out my buddy.

[Murdah]

^^^ Good info, that one time i grabbed the front brake while in the turn causing my front end to slap around...scared me into never using the front brakes again...i need to find backroads to practice emergency high speed maneuvers while turning...too bad all the roads i know have ditches on the side, so if i run wide i'll fall right into jagged rocks and trees....need to find a road that will sweep into some grass and not ditches...

[Big Deezul]

99.9% of the time when you think you are going to fast you are not...just make the turn. Do you think Hacking or Buckmaster could take the turn that fast....probably. So the bike will make the turn, thw question is will you?

[motorthings]

here are 2 questions for you (back to the original scenario)
how quickly did you turn the bike into the turn?
2 seconds?
how do you think it would change your line in the same corner with the same speed if you had turned in more quickly?