As a motorcycle training professional, I looked at the title of this video and thought this guy is an idiot. How could he be against one of the most important cornering techniques we could use to keep ourselves safe. Then I watched the video. Boy, i could not have been more wrong. This one of the best explanations i have seen so that the average rider can understand how it works. Thanks.
Trail braking is a difficult term to grasp, yet he made it easy to understand .. imo no one has explained it better. I've watched a dozen other technical explanations with vectors and charts and still never understood it. After watching this I thought.. so that's it. How simple!
After 50 years of riding I’m now using trail braking to put the FUN back into twisties and just safer riding. The the slow, look accelerate method that was taught in all the MFS classes I attended would get me into trouble in some unfamiliar turns, trail braking has helped make turns a lot more fun.Your video attached to the handlebar is a great teaching tool. Ive also seem how trail braking actually helps load the front wheel to give it more grip in a turn by just slightly applying the brake to cause the weight transfer to the front tire. Great lesson!
"Trail Braking" came to be, as a term, because it refers to 'trailing' your braking passed the braking point/turn-in point. Many riders think they must FINISH their braking by the turn-in, and 'coast' to the throttle out point. But with proper technique, you hold a portion of your brake pressure beyond the turn-in ... keeping the weight-transfer on the front tire for max pressure onto the ground/contact patch... Then, you gradually release the brake as you start to add throttle... so you "trail off of the brakes".. And on the streets, as you go into 'blind curves' behind trees and other surroundings, you MAY find the curve is getting Tighter! {Especially where I ride a lot, where curves can literally be 360 degree reversal of direction, in an un-even arch...} And if you are still 'holding' a bit of brake pressure, you can ADD some braking by smooooothly squeezing just a Little bit. If you already released the brake at the turn-in, and are coasting, you may upset the bike by adding brakes at that point..!! But if you are 'trailing' the brakes a bit, you just add a little more gentle squeeze. Sure, if you want to call it something else, that isn't going to hurt anyone... but it will still be good to KNOW what other people are talking about when They say "Trail-Braking"... whether you call it a patAto or a patAHto it is still the same vegetable The Important thing is for Everybody to make it a HABITUAL riding skill!! It is interesting that EVERYBODY does it in their cars, without a thought... just watch the tail-lights the next time you are following somebody -- whether it is a mini-van, SUV, or BMW -- you'll see brake lights thru to about a third of the curve, until they can see clearly ahead and they are comfortable with the vehicle speed. Yet MANY motorcycle riders will say, "Never use your brakes in a curve!" Or, as you said at the beginning, "That's only for Racing!" What they are really saying is that they are "Self-Taught Riders" who ride with other "Self-Taught" Riders... but little or no Skills Training by a quality Instructor.
@@brianyoung4863 The dynamics of driving a car and braking are not the same as that for a motorcycle so the comparison is odious. If using the SLPR techniques one does not use a coasting throttle at all but a slightly positive one that maintains a constant speed around any bend or corner. that technique balances the front to rear of the machine and if a tighter turn is required one can use counter steering techniques or slight use of the rear brake to travel a reducing radius bend or if some braking is required. With SLPR its not impossible to brake at all as some would now have us believe. By placing a small amount of pressure on the brakes the front and the rear and by doing this just as gradually as one would with trail braking one can continue through the bend without any trouble. Its only by using hard braking that one might come to grief but that is exactly the same with trail braking.
This video and your other “The Best Trail Braking Video Ever” upped my ride game so much! I’m a fairly new rider and I’ve been hit or miss with my throttle control and smooth cornering. I’ve watched other videos on trail braking but your videos gave me the missing pieces to trail braking and solved my throttle control at the same time. My corners are smooth and fluent, and I have so much more control.
I'm watched several videos about TRAIL-Braking and still not 100% get it how it works. This video explained Trail-braking the way I understand it STRAIGHT AWAY! Thank you for this GREAT VIDEO!
bro itsactually pretty simple. point and shoot. point the bike with the brakes and shoot out the corner with the gas. you can practice this on any corner. Gently apply brake to drift into the corner.
Man I’ve been riding for over 40 years and back when I first learned to ride the method routinely taught then was to get all your braking done before hitting the bend then to accelerate out of the bend. In the past few years that technique has been turned on it’s head and ‘Trail Braking ‘ is now the new technique considered to be the safest and fastest way through the bends. I agree the term ‘Trail Braking’ isn’t totally intuitive and as much as I’ve tried to get my head around the technique through reading as many articles on the subject I could, I’ve struggled to properly implement this technique. However I’ve just come across this video and the visual techniques you are showing having 2 fingers covering the brake and the rest on the throttle and either slowly applying the brake as you roll off the throttle or slowly release the brake as you roll on the the throttle has completely enabled me to understand in my head the complete process, thank you. I’m over 60 years old but still not too old to learn. I wish I could have mastered this technique over 40 years ago, how much more fun could I have had and to have negotiated the bends more safely? I’m glad I came across your channel.
@@jdelv86 I’m interested in understanding how you came to learn the 2 finger technique? Bizarrely now I’ve watched this video a few times, this technique just makes perfect sense to me and I’m frustrated that in over 40 years of rider in it never occurred to me. Using the age old technique mentioned above I often found I either ran wide or almost straight on through a bend rather than round it so evasive action was needed. After about 10 years of riding I resigned myself to thinking some riders are just naturals and the rest [like me] weren’t. Not being able to master cornering to the level I thought I needed, it totally put me off trying track days. However I have viewed things differently since I became aware of ‘Trail Braking’ but even then I never fully understood it exactly. That is until coming across this very video. You seem to have filtered out all of the guff and come up with a method that not only makes a lot of sense but makes the operation quite intuitive. Yet all you have basically done is use a pair of stationary bars and demonstrated the 2 operations with your right hand. Now I find myself asking why there are dozens of other video’s discussing the virtues of trail braking vs the traditional technique yet have somehow managed to turn it into something far more complicated that it clearly needed to be. You obviously have a talent of getting information across in a very intuitive manner. It’s often been said that there have been many intelligent academics over the years that have been very knowledgeable in their field but made terrible teachers. Some can teach and most cannot.
Best "video" so far on the subject. Most instructors talk about it but you're showing it which is gold. I'd love to see video with your brake light or a red light in the lower left corner and a tach in the upper corner as you ride through the corners. Heck throw in gear indicator as well. Then we can all relate on what is actually going on.
Brilliant and original idea to attach a monitor with footage of an actual ride to the handlebars, and then talking and showing the throttle/brake controls. By analysing a ride in your garage, the audio and explanation is clearer, than a muffled breathless on road commentary. As Josla said it explained the mysteries of trail braking straight away.
This is the best description yet that I have seen, the added bonus of keeping your fingers on the lever, is the ability to respond to incidents, i.e. being cut up, add in, never driving faster than the visible distance you can see to safely stop in given the conditions, and you will have many years of fun motorcycling ahead of you. Keep an eye out for the Blind Drivers Society members though, fairly easy to spot, they're usually on their phone. Enjoy.
I've recently learned about and how to trail brake. I don't go wide anymore. Relying on engine braking alone to slow down while in the turn caused me to go wide. The thing about engine braking is, that the braking force diminishes as RPMs drop. You decelerate at a diminishing rate. That initial forward G you feel when you close the throttle is deceiving. On speed and radius.Turn radius shrinks at the square of the speed reduction. Example: At any lean angle, a 10% reduction in speed shrinks your turn radius by 19%. I think of my front brake as my radius regulator. Since learning trail braking, I'm much safer and confident in the curves. Thank you so much for your videos.
Philip Martin wow! Awesome comment. Radius regulator is a great way to explain trail braking. Throttle is also a radius regulator, as it increases it. Best wishes.
This was a good one. I've also been doing motorcycle training for some time now, and one of our courses deals with this technique. The message is that this is not really about breaking, "trail braking", but adjusting your speed for each corner. A gentle adjustment is enough since the turning radius is directly proportional to the square of the speed. Therefore a small reduction of speed lets us get through a surprisingly tight corner without need for hammering the brakes, which wouldn't go without side effects.
You don't need Trail braking alone as one can do all the things you say about slowing and accelerating and turning and indeed braking whilst still using the SLPR technique. That's if you wanted to or needed to. Its better to prevent something untowards happening especially on bends and if one does the SLPR correctly and anticipates, as one should, what might happen then you need no other way of taking bends. However as you say some bikers prefer to take increased risk and that places them in increased danger and as so many come to grief with the performance way then it beholds us all perhaps to try and remove some of those risks and dangers. Only time will tell if that is happening but on the other hand as far as I can see trail braking has been around for over a decade and instructed on. Over that decade or more as it actually had an effect of reducing incidents on bends? It appears not.
The most important point about this is, that this allows you to apply more brake if the corner turns tighter then expected. Then you wont have to hammer the brakes and mabye get highsided or a lockup, since you allready have break applied which means geometry and weight on front tyre is in a much favorable spot to adjust mid corner then before. So its not a speed tool, but a safety precaution. Not for hardcore corner shredders but for all who want to have emergency reserves in every single sitzations
You can also brake gently with the RLPR so its not alone in that. People seem to believe that once you have done all your braking before the bend that you cannot brake actually on a bend and that is far from correct. As you ride around curves in the road you may use brakes and so if the bend is a sharp one its best to get the speed right from the start but if not you can use rear brakes and that could get you out of trouble or the front brake to slow. Any sharp use of the brakes whether with RLPR or Trail braking will or may get you lose your bike.
Thank you for explaining it so clearly! The term Trail Braking makes me think it’s some technique involving the rear brake and it’s confusing. Your explanation was a true “Ah Ha!” moment! Thank you!
This is the best video I've seen so far about trail braking, especially the part with the iPad. Now I really understand how it works and when I should apply the brake. Thx.
Hi Jon, I couldn't agree more on how the term 'Trail Braking' really sucks and how non-descriptive it is to what it actually is! For the longest time, I kept seeing videos and articles on-line on the subject but never even gave these a second look, primarily because I did not know what the heck 'Trail Braking' was. In the back of my mind, the imagined that 'trail braking' had something to do with using the rear brakes, hence, I couldn't find it in myself to even investigate this technique. Well, am glad that I saw your video and as able to put this technique to the test and actually use it in practice whenever I ride. Good job sir! Thank you very much and keep up the good work. Lastly, your 'Slow-Go Secret Weapon' is simply fantastic! Such a simple and yet highly effective technique. -Ricardo
Still new to Riding. I've been working on trial breaking, (the secret weapon) I was developing a habit of coasting through the corners but when I got trail breaking right yester it did give me more confidence in the corners.
at our school, we teach it this way, "go to the brakes when you're nervous. stay on the brakes until you're happy with your speed and direction. go to the throttle only when you can take away lean angle and see your exit. we teach this under the "100 points of grip" and "umbrella of direction" mantras for both street and track riding. using 50 points of grip on brakes? then you have 50 points of available lean angle. using 50 points of throttle? then you have 50 points of lean angle. and so on. as you increase lean angle, you will need to decrease brake pressure or throttle input depending on which motor control you're using at that point of the corner. good stuff, thanks for the video.
Thank you !! Using the handlebars video combined with hand demonstration and clear commentary has given me the understanding of this technique that I've not previously been able to understand. Your guidance is much appreciated !!
Hey, Jon. I just want to thank you for this video/technique/mentality. This is one of my absolute favorite videos on trail braking. You and Eddie from motojitsu are immensely helpful.
Best "slow go" video out there, excellent work. I've been using trail braking for a while, this is one of those videos that just really improves technique.
Very good explained. I searched for an easy understandable Video about that. The way to explain it on Video while showing your hands without gloves helped me a lot to understand how this is meant. Thanks for that, thumbs up and have a good ride!
Good video, never grab a handfull or even 3 fingers mid corner... The secret weapon is 1-2 fingers for sure. Have pressure already applied or you will probably stand the bike up and run wide/off the road.....you make that mistake once and youll probably never do it again...have downshifting chosen for gear you want mid corner. Stay off cars asses in corners they have 4 rotors and 4 tires to stop and they will stop, we wont. Just watched Canyon Chasers trailbraking vid explanation of bikes wheelbase being altered w fork compression/rebound is great thing to ponder also and why it all makes sense no matter what style bike
This is exactly what I understand, Osevors. This technique sounds dangerous. I use a little bit of rear brake in a corner for added stability or slight slow-down mid corner if neccessary.
You are right - it does confuse people - I use to think trail braking is using the rear brake to lock the rear wheel like the pro riders - like when they do that sliding the rear end entering a corner to change direction.
Something I cant wrap my head around in the trailbraking principle: if you go into a blind corner and you trail your brakes and the corner happens to be vey long, lets say its a 180 degrees, at some point your speed becomes too low but you still cant see exit of the corner, what do you do? You release the front brake or you add throttle while braking? Seen so many trailbraking videos but nobody explains this
Trail braking is only the first part of the cornering process. The second is transitioning to throttle at the lowest mph speed in the corner. In your example, you basically want to add speed to maintain your arc, so do that (release the brake and add throttle). Closing throttle and/or brake application will sharpen cornering arc. Adding throttle will open it up or widen the arc. We are free to add or delete brake or throttle at any point in the curve if we're using the right technique, I call it the "secret weapon." I advocate for separating brake and throttle application in these transitions. Thanks for the comment!
I keep seeing comments like this on every trail braking video. What about the concept was confusing before? Who explained it so poorly that it was hard to understand?
Thank you for your thought-provoking video. I’ve tried the two-finger brake position, with the other two fingers on the throttle, but quite honestly it feels like I’m asking my right hand to do too much. Brake, throttle, countersteering, add in a thick pair of gloves on a cold day and I’m struggling to control everything. Is it reasonable to suggest that, for most riders at street legal speeds, we will control our speed with engine, gear choice and brakes BEFORE we enter the corner? But if necessary, decreasing gentle front brake pressure can be maintained into corner entry if we misjudge entry speed? Really, the only riders who will use “trail braking” on every corner are racing in Moto GP!
If you practice the technique of brake/throttle transitioning like demonstrated in the video, it may become more of a natural feel. Roll up, roll down. This is what riders do normally when they ride a motorcycle. I have found the opposite...that this hand position and transitioning simplifies motorcycle speed and steering control. That said, it may not be for you. You should do what you feel comfortable doing. Slower riders (at or below speed limits) may find the technique less valuable. But if one rides a little faster, the technique is essential in my opinion. Finally, racers use trail braking to get get around a track faster. Street riders use trail braking to increase control of speed and steering. May I suggest my book and online course to communicate my advice? A reply on YT isn't really adequate to really make my points. Thanks for the comment and best wishes!
@@jdelv86 Thank you for your comments. I guess the important thing is to listen, watch and try everything before deciding what is best for you. Me, I feel more comfortable being either on the brake or on the throttle, with all my fingers. I feel like I actually have better, more sensitive brake and throttle control that way. Keep riding!
Maybe we can switch to calling it “corner breaking?” It’s the best way to be in control of a corner w out kicking out the back tyre. IMHO (I’m an old dude who rides a Ducati SS… I’m a BIG FAN of staying upright. 😜
I've just sat on my bike in the dark with this video running mimicking the roll on roll off and front braking try it even leaning in and out of the bends .Great way to get this Trail Braking into your mind set. Doing in the dark puts you right in the video .Do it a bunch of times.
I've been riding for many years (since I was 15, I'm now 68)and I didn't know what trail braking was. Somewhere along the line I learned trail braking and didn't even know I. Thanks for the understandable explanation.
The majority of braking is still done in a straight line before the corner. Trail braking just kind of extends the braking zone deep into the corner until the apex. Bleed off the amount of braking until the apex. Very little brake pressure is applied for trail braking. In my opinion, the greatest advantage of trail braking is controlling the amount of fork rebound when coming off the brake and onto the throttle at the apex. Be smooth. Abrupt rebound on the front forks mid turn leads to a low side crash.
In my experience it has several advantages. For instance; You are already on the brakes so if you go in too hot its a lot easier to adjust your speed in middle of the corner without running wide.
Count me amongst the those who find this the best instruction on trail braking on the web. Thanks. I’ve subscribed to your channel and hope to learn more on your site.
Great instructional vid, when I was growing up dirt bike riding the term trail breaking defined using the bake brake. It's taken a while to reprogram my head and my hard skills to work this out but the improvements in cornering are worth it.
Indeed you explain trail braking in a very simple and practical way. Just one point, since this video is for those who wants to learn this technique, therefore i suggest you also talk about how dangerous it could be if brakes applied more harder than required on turnings. Not all bikes have excellent braking systems. Lastly, once again, lovely video. Thank you sir.
Excellent video...I've been riding since the 90s and trail braking used to be something that was semi discouraged or considered a track only technique but my street riding vastly improved once I began using it there as well.
Hello Jon, Me again. I agree that the term "Trail Braking" sucks. I couldn't find any definition of the word trail that makes sense to me as it applies to the concept of trail breaking. The word taper makes more sense, as in taper off. Trying to come up with a more apt term, I've arrived at Contour Braking. The definition of contour as a verb is "mold into a specific shape, especially one designed to fit into something else". Now, a bit of physics. At any lean angle, each 1% reduction in speed shrinks your turn radius by 2%. Trail braking has proven very effective for me to not go wide anymore. Now the curves are a lot more fun and much safer. Jon, Thanks again for all you've done for us.
Philip Martin you’re so welcome! I love the term contour braking. Great way to describe. Almost like “situational braking”. Best wishes and enjoy the ride!
The very best trail braking explanation i have seen so far. Thank you! I have be wanting to integrate this technique to my riding and never truly understood how to apply it. Now i have a better understanding. Now to apply to my very big cruizer!! Has tons of engine braking when i release the throttle but i want more control on what I’m doing.
Engine braking is good, but adding trail braking provides finer control and improved vital front tire traction. I explain this in some detail on page 68 of my "Cornering Confidence" book. Best wishes!
You should explain the percentage of braking applied during a corner entry, I think people get confused because they can regard the brake as an "on off switch". Trail braking in my experience is adding a small percentage of the overall braking power, just enough to check speed and gain control. I grew up riding 2 strokes, with zero engine braking, so learned naturally how to trail brake into corners. I now ride a ZX9R, I have two of them and always trail brake into bends. The vital thing to teach is just how little brake lever pressure you need to gain control and that needs to be taught, to save lives.
Yes, “On/off switch” explanation is misleading. I don’t use it anymore since it can confuse people. “Slow/go” is the one I prefer. And always remember to taper brake/throttle transitions smoothly and that advice is better in line with your suggestion.
Thank you so much!!! This is so clear, not only your explanation of this technique but you just taught me how to get better control of my throttle. I was taught in the MSF course to hold the throttle with all my fingers and I always had trouble keeping it smooth but I can see that with the “secret weapon” I will be able to have better throttle control. You have a new subscriber 👍
Noemi Reyes thank you! I will note that you don’t have to do the secret weapon hand position all the time. It is fine to wrap all fingers around throttle too. Over time you’ll decide when each is most appropriate. Best wishes.
Awesome video, way better and clearer than so many others. I've used this technique intuitively and had no idea it had a name - which as you say is confusing. Congrats and thank you.
Did an afternoon class with Jon in 2017. What a great experience! I still bend over and "kiss my mirror" in corners, and really, he just taught us to be smooth, not to make abrupt changes to the throttle/ brake.
Hi. I would just like to say that after watching several videos of trail braking that left me none the wiser yours got it in one. Easy to understand and the video on the front of the bike was the clincher. Appreciate it.
Thank you ..... from a rider who first got a bike at 60..... now just turned 70 ...with a new Triumph speed twin.... and always found cornering a bit nervy.... regards Fred
Probably the best explanation of why to use trail braking on the street. One question, though: if you get used to two fingers on the brake, what happens when you have to execute emergency braking. On a cruiser/ touring bike, two fingers won’t provide enough pressure to fully utilize maximum braking pressure,
My typical answer to this is that in traffic and during routine stops, perhaps use four finger braking to build muscle memory. If you have a motorcycle that requires more strength to stop quickly there is more benefit to doing this. Quick stops are a different skill set than cornering finesse. In my Cornering Confidence book and online course I do make various connections between trail braking and emergency braking. For example, there are mental and physical strategies we can use to reduce the need for emergency stopping. Specifically, the "brake/throttle transitions" that provide instant reaction time to controlling speed and steering.
I took John's course at the BMW National Rally and I was glad I did because I used it daily, all day in a ride in the mountains of Spain. It made the curves easy to master with confidence.
Hi Jon. That was an e cellent video describing trail braking. You were recommended by Fast Eddie from MotoJitsu, whom I follow and find his teaching skills top notch. I've also had the opportunity to attend Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic in Pennsylvania (Lee was the actual instructor, lucky me!) and I set the bar high for me to become the very best rider I can be.
Great explanation! The video realy helped to illustrate the technique hand position and timing. By far the best explanation of trail breaking I've seen.
I’ve watched a lot of videos with a lot more views, buy yours explained it better than any of the others. Tremendous. I will subscribe so that I can learn other gems you may have parted with, thank you , Jon (uk)
Hey... thanks for this. I’ve been trying to figure out trail braking and found myself starting to do exactly what you just described. Thanks for reinforcing this. It’s clearly a key to the technique. Looking forward to learning more from you.
jon, thanks and very good job on this video. this is kind of a difficult concept to get your head around but your video demo helped me alot on the execution. Yes and the term "trail braking" threw me off for the longest. Its more like "brake-enhanced steering"
joe m Nick ienatsch calls it brake assisted steering. The brakes providing less speed and quicker steering geometry allows for very precise steering control.
At around 3:00 - 3:15 you are showing the brake to be worked by your index and middle finger. I learned this technique on my own many years ago in high school. All I rode was a bike in high school so I had plenty time to learn. The only thing is that I learned it differently "on my own" with no instruction which brings me to my point. I learned to control the gas with my thumb and index finger while controlling the brake with my middle, ring, and pinky (little) finger. It is very difficult for me personally, to extend my middle finger while closing my index finger. Since I learned this way many years ago (I am 56 now) I suspect it would be hard for me personally to "re-learn" what I have been doing for so many years, especially with my problem of extending my middle finger while my index and pinky are closing or closed. My middle finger wants to close with the other two. I would like some input on this and if anyone things "my way" is problematic in some way that I do not see. I realize of course that my way gives more leverage and possible excessive braking, but I'm used to this. I feel this helps in a way because I could possible use that greater leverage to my advantage if I am careful. I am looking for some constructive criticism or some acceptance or both to "my way" of controlling the gas and brake simultaneously. Thanks in advance.
Your way is absolutely fine! The fingers used to to the brake throttle transitions are subjective and a personal preference. As long as you're making the transitions as I was in the video with the first two fingers, but with your outer three, you're good to go. It's the timing of the transition from brake to throttle at the slowest point of the turn that is important. Best wishes and enjoy your current finger usage preference.
That's a good way to demonstrate it with that ipad at the handlebar, but your hands are not matching with what you do in reality . You need two cameras, one on your head for the road and one focusing on your right hand.
I use my index and thumb on the throttle and use the remaining three fingers (less pinky since it's too short) on the brake. My fingers are short so my way suits me perfectly. Sorry can't take your suggestion on this one. Otherwise, it's a great informational video. And all the best with the school. (Thumbs up)
I get this comment often. The hand position you describe is the most common alternative I’ve been told. While I prefer the “secret weapon” two first fingers on brake lever, it’s the technique of smooth brake/throttle transitions timed correctly that is important. The number of fingers placed where is personal preference. Thanks for the comment!
David Hysom shameless plug...if your just starting to learn about TB, my book is a shortcut. You’ll be a pro quicker. Paperback or Kindle. Best wishes.
I don't typically use rear brake in the twisties. Lots of responses below on that if you have the time to spend reading a bit more here. Best wishes and thanks for the comment!
so i always use two fingers on my brake , in my motorcycle class i had they taught me the opposite. they wanted us to full hand the brake. man when i switched to the slow or go position really helped my riding ability
Basic riding courses are teaching fundamentals to inexperienced riders. This technique is for experienced riders to build on those fundamentals. Best wishes.
Thank you! Honestly I’ve watched probably a dozen videos on Trail braking and this is the first that has clearly showed it being used on the street in an understandable manner.
The road in this video is not a good example. I find that in most twisty roads you don't need to use braking at all, unless you are going at a speed that will cause loss of license.
Thanks! I do not at the moment have coaching tours planned for 2020. However, I do offer an online Cornering Confidence course with various packages. The Premium Package does allow for more personal contact and perhaps meeting up in the twisties somewhere.
As a rider here in the UK where 6 months of our year, the road surfaces are normally very wet or even sometimes icy. I would like to hear whether or not trail braking is appropriate in adverse weather conditions such as here in the UK…..I imagine that to use TB on cold wet roads should be definitely avoided, but I’d be interested to read any expert opinions on this! 👍
I would say in slippery conditions you could use trail braking. The major difference is that your cornering speed should be slower in those conditions because you have less traction available. That would me much less braking pressure. Additionally, in slippery conditions use lighter braking pressure over a longer distance. Again, this would help manage the situation with less traction. Final point: I put together the final pieces of trail braking at a track day school on a rainy day.
Trail braking is just a part of cornering. Typically you brake up to the corner entry and get off the brakes. If you want to slow down while in the corner more than compression braking will do, you use the brakes. So you brake up to the corner entry and your braking trails off until you get back on the throttle. If you have a long straightaway, corner, long straightaway you can consider the corner in isolation. Plan your ride, ride your plan. Your drawing of a corner is an excellent representation of a cornering plan. Then you lose points for apexing into the oncoming lane (here in the colonies). If you don't have long straightaways on both sides of the corner, the previous or next corner can affect your plan for the current corner. Corners can have changes in radius, camber, elevation and traction (grip). These all affect your plan for the corner. Braking in a corner is simply away of lowering your speed while in the corner. Part of your plan. If you brake in a corner you have a bit less traction available to handle "centrifugal" or cornering force. It's nice to draw a circular arc through the corner and plan to just maintain a constant speed throughout the corner. With very high powered modern sport bikes a quicker way is: get it in, get it turned, fire it out. Point and shoot. Optimizing for corner exit speed is common, especially with a long straightaway after corner exit.
I took his class and believe it or not. These techniques work. The more you incorporate these practices the more they become ingrained into your everyday riding
When I first heard the words “Trail Braking,” I thought it was a technique of applying ONLY the rear brake while cornering and THAT instantly made no sense at all.
@@jdelv86 Between this video, and the one about "Do nothing", My cornering skills have increased so much in 24 hours. Once I got the "secret weapon" ironed out, corners became so much more fun. Now, practice practice practice. I like the way you teach. Thank you!
My advice: All front no rear brake when husting through twisties. Rear tire can lift off pavement and skid. Game over. Your speed and steering control can be very precise with exclusively front brake/throttle transitions. However, Good to Use both brakes in traffic and routine riding situations.
Street Skills Moto Hey thanks very much for the quick reply, that all makes sense to me. I’m an older rider returning after about a 10 year break, last course i did was on my learners 30 years ago but i plan to do some more now. I’ll check out your online course. Thanks again.
What’s the difference between braking and trail braking? Braking: applying the brake Trail braking: applying the brake Can you trail brake in a curve? Yes Can you trail brake in a straight line? Probably. The problem is everyone describes trail braking as something different: using the back brake only (trail meaning end or rear). Wrong Using the front brake only. Wrong Using both brakes or one or the other. Yes Braking before a curve. Wrong. Braking after a curve. Wrong. Braking during a curve. Yes. So what the hell is trail braking? Braking can change weight distribution- all weight in the front as a ‘stoppy ‘ to locking the rear. This can create a slide or loss of traction in a corner. Trail braking is to prevent this and is it’s only purpose - traction. Only to manipulate traction. Which is weight distribution. That’s it. Smooth braking, during a corner, to maximize traction and speed.
I live in the UK and stumbled on this video by luck. Great video everything made sense best trail braking video I have seen. Question my new bike will have linked brakes how do i apply your method. Front brake or back brake. Right going to watch another of your videos. Thanks
Roland Bristow ... glad you found the video! The trail braking technique as I show it here does not interfere with a linked braking system. There is no need to ride a linked brakes bike differently than non-linked. Linked brakes are designed to work transparently to the rider in the background.
Sorry but it’s more than just „slow-go“, it’s also about flicking the bike at the right time and hitting the corner at the right, or shall I say safe point. Trail braking is important, but there is much more to mastering the technique(s) of cornering.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing, I have subscribed to your channel because of this video :). Is it really needed to front brake everytime when entering a corner? I have motor-braked for years before entering a corner most of the time, instead of using front brakes.
Good pointers bro. I def used it and it sure works. I took Keith Code's school a couple of years ago and although they don't teach it I've had trail braking in my bag of tools to use while riding or on the track.
Trail braking itself is a concept which when i speak about to people, says "Are you crazy you don't use the front brakes while cornering"... They even aren't ready to listen to me about the feel of the front brake pads against the discs, the feel of the suspension etc etc... Trail braking, the term itself is confusing to some, it can be understood only by experience and this is the reason why even a friend of mine on his new 390 cc bike cannot keep up with me on the canyon roads, while i am on my 6 years old #Yamaha R15.. a 150cc bike... P.S. - This is when, my front brake cylinders were destroyed and i didn't have a working front brake. I applied the concept of trail braking on the suspension (Where one's front suspension forks has to be in the mid range section during the corner and how weight shift to the front tyres, helps tighten a corner ). Obviously this wasn't safe on my part and I am sorry for that, but yeah i properly learned about the applicational procedure of trail braking When I had no front brakes...! #TrailBraking is Bae... #NorthEastIndia... #Assam #JOIAAIAXOM
As a motorcycle training professional, I looked at the title of this video and thought this guy is an idiot. How could he be against one of the most important cornering techniques we could use to keep ourselves safe. Then I watched the video. Boy, i could not have been more wrong. This one of the best explanations i have seen so that the average rider can understand how it works. Thanks.
David White ... thanks for the post. Best wishes.
Thought likewise at first. But he turned out to be a great explainer. :)
Trail braking is a difficult term to grasp, yet he made it easy to understand .. imo no one has explained it better. I've watched a dozen other technical explanations with vectors and charts and still never understood it. After watching this I thought.. so that's it. How simple!
the term "trail braking" is not very explicit.
After 50 years of riding I’m now using trail braking to put the FUN back into twisties and just safer riding. The the slow, look accelerate method that was taught in all the MFS classes I attended would get me into trouble in some unfamiliar turns, trail braking has helped make turns a lot more fun.Your video attached to the handlebar is a great teaching tool. Ive also seem how trail braking actually helps load the front wheel to give it more grip in a turn by just slightly applying the brake to cause the weight transfer to the front tire. Great lesson!
Thank you thank you thank you! Isn't trail braking (the "secret weapon") so awesome? best wishes and thanks for commenting
There are plenty of trail braking videos on UA-cam and this is the best instruction I have ever watched. Thanks for easy to understand instruction.
I love how u hooked up a pad to your bike so u can explain trail braking with vid and your hand controls. Awsome
just keep in mind that he doesn't start braking in the corner like the hand+table combo would suggest. He enters the corner braking
Outstanding way to present an important concept... they say a picture is worth a thousand words.... your video was worth 10,000 words... Great Job!
"Trail Braking" came to be, as a term, because it refers to 'trailing' your braking passed the braking point/turn-in point.
Many riders think they must FINISH their braking by the turn-in, and 'coast' to the throttle out point. But with proper technique, you hold a portion of your brake pressure beyond the turn-in ... keeping the weight-transfer on the front tire for max pressure onto the ground/contact patch... Then, you gradually release the brake as you start to add throttle... so you "trail off of the brakes".. And on the streets, as you go into 'blind curves' behind trees and other surroundings, you MAY find the curve is getting Tighter! {Especially where I ride a lot, where curves can literally be 360 degree reversal of direction, in an un-even arch...} And if you are still 'holding' a bit of brake pressure, you can ADD some braking by smooooothly squeezing just a Little bit. If you already released the brake at the turn-in, and are coasting, you may upset the bike by adding brakes at that point..!! But if you are 'trailing' the brakes a bit, you just add a little more gentle squeeze.
Sure, if you want to call it something else, that isn't going to hurt anyone... but it will still be good to KNOW what other people are talking about when They say "Trail-Braking"... whether you call it a patAto or a patAHto it is still the same vegetable
The Important thing is for Everybody to make it a HABITUAL riding skill!!
It is interesting that EVERYBODY does it in their cars, without a thought... just watch the tail-lights the next time you are following somebody -- whether it is a mini-van, SUV, or BMW -- you'll see brake lights thru to about a third of the curve, until they can see clearly ahead and they are comfortable with the vehicle speed. Yet MANY motorcycle riders will say, "Never use your brakes in a curve!" Or, as you said at the beginning, "That's only for Racing!"
What they are really saying is that they are "Self-Taught Riders" who ride with other "Self-Taught" Riders... but little or no Skills Training by a quality Instructor.
Floyd Burdett bravo comment. I agree on all points. Best wishes.
Absolutely 200% agree. You made a HUGE realization point - how car drivers apply this technique almost unconsciously. ✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽
Excellent
@@brianyoung4863 The dynamics of driving a car and braking are not the same as that for a motorcycle so the comparison is odious.
If using the SLPR techniques one does not use a coasting throttle at all but a slightly positive one that maintains a constant speed around any bend or corner. that technique balances the front to rear of the machine and if a tighter turn is required one can use counter steering techniques or slight use of the rear brake to travel a reducing radius bend or if some braking is required.
With SLPR its not impossible to brake at all as some would now have us believe. By placing a small amount of pressure on the brakes the front and the rear and by doing this just as gradually as one would with trail braking one can continue through the bend without any trouble. Its only by using hard braking that one might come to grief but that is exactly the same with trail braking.
This video and your other “The Best Trail Braking Video Ever” upped my ride game so much! I’m a fairly new rider and I’ve been hit or miss with my throttle control and smooth cornering. I’ve watched other videos on trail braking but your videos gave me the missing pieces to trail braking and solved my throttle control at the same time. My corners are smooth and fluent, and I have so much more control.
I appreciate the comments. Ride on!
I'm watched several videos about TRAIL-Braking and still not 100% get it how it works. This video explained Trail-braking the way I understand it STRAIGHT AWAY! Thank you for this GREAT VIDEO!
Absolutely agree with you
bro itsactually pretty simple. point and shoot. point the bike with the brakes and shoot out the corner with the gas. you can practice this on any corner. Gently apply brake to drift into the corner.
Man I’ve been riding for over 40 years and back when I first learned to ride the method routinely taught then was to get all your braking done before hitting the bend then to accelerate out of the bend. In the past few years that technique has been turned on it’s head and ‘Trail Braking ‘ is now the new technique considered to be the safest and fastest way through the bends. I agree the term ‘Trail Braking’ isn’t totally intuitive and as much as I’ve tried to get my head around the technique through reading as many articles on the subject I could, I’ve struggled to properly implement this technique. However I’ve just come across this video and the visual techniques you are showing having 2 fingers covering the brake and the rest on the throttle and either slowly applying the brake as you roll off the throttle or slowly release the brake as you roll on the the throttle has completely enabled me to understand in my head the complete process, thank you. I’m over 60 years old but still not too old to learn. I wish I could have mastered this technique over 40 years ago, how much more fun could I have had and to have negotiated the bends more safely? I’m glad I came across your channel.
I had a very similar experience. Until I learned how to use the two fingers correctly, I was in the land of confusion. Best wishes!
@@jdelv86 I’m interested in understanding how you came to learn the 2 finger technique? Bizarrely now I’ve watched this video a few times, this technique just makes perfect sense to me and I’m frustrated that in over 40 years of rider in it never occurred to me. Using the age old technique mentioned above I often found I either ran wide or almost straight on through a bend rather than round it so evasive action was needed. After about 10 years of riding I resigned myself to thinking some riders are just naturals and the rest [like me] weren’t. Not being able to master cornering to the level I thought I needed, it totally put me off trying track days. However I have viewed things differently since I became aware of ‘Trail Braking’ but even then I never fully understood it exactly. That is until coming across this very video. You seem to have filtered out all of the guff and come up with a method that not only makes a lot of sense but makes the operation quite intuitive. Yet all you have basically done is use a pair of stationary bars and demonstrated the 2 operations with your right hand. Now I find myself asking why there are dozens of other video’s discussing the virtues of trail braking vs the traditional technique yet have somehow managed to turn it into something far more complicated that it clearly needed to be. You obviously have a talent of getting information across in a very intuitive manner. It’s often been said that there have been many intelligent academics over the years that have been very knowledgeable in their field but made terrible teachers. Some can teach and most cannot.
Best "video" so far on the subject. Most instructors talk about it but you're showing it which is gold. I'd love to see video with your brake light or a red light in the lower left corner and a tach in the upper corner as you ride through the corners. Heck throw in gear indicator as well. Then we can all relate on what is actually going on.
Ed Floody ... thanks sooo much. I’ll look into that video.
Ed Floody ... one more thing: see trail-braking.com for a video playlist of all my tb videos. First one is my absolute fav!
Brilliant and original idea to attach a monitor with footage of an actual ride to the handlebars, and then talking and showing the throttle/brake controls. By analysing a ride in your garage, the audio and explanation is clearer, than a muffled breathless on road commentary. As Josla said it explained the mysteries of trail braking straight away.
This is the best description yet that I have seen, the added bonus of keeping your fingers on the lever, is the ability to respond to incidents, i.e. being cut up, add in, never driving faster than the visible distance you can see to safely stop in given the conditions, and you will have many years of fun motorcycling ahead of you. Keep an eye out for the Blind Drivers Society members though, fairly easy to spot, they're usually on their phone. Enjoy.
I've recently learned about and how to trail brake. I don't go wide anymore. Relying on engine braking alone to slow down while in the turn caused me to go wide. The thing about engine braking is, that the braking force diminishes as RPMs drop. You decelerate at a diminishing rate. That initial forward G you feel when you close the throttle is deceiving.
On speed and radius.Turn radius shrinks at the square of the speed reduction. Example: At any lean angle, a 10% reduction in speed shrinks your turn radius by 19%. I think of my front brake as my radius regulator. Since learning trail braking, I'm much safer and confident in the curves. Thank you so much for your videos.
Philip Martin wow! Awesome comment. Radius regulator is a great way to explain trail braking. Throttle is also a radius regulator, as it increases it. Best wishes.
By far the best instructional video on trailbreaking on UA-cam. Thank you for this thorough and in-depth exclamation.
Thanks for the comment! Enjoy!
This was a good one. I've also been doing motorcycle training for some time now, and one of our courses deals with this technique. The message is that this is not really about breaking, "trail braking", but adjusting your speed for each corner. A gentle adjustment is enough since the turning radius is directly proportional to the square of the speed. Therefore a small reduction of speed lets us get through a surprisingly tight corner without need for hammering the brakes, which wouldn't go without side effects.
You don't need Trail braking alone as one can do all the things you say about slowing and accelerating and turning and indeed braking whilst still using the SLPR technique. That's if you wanted to or needed to. Its better to prevent something untowards happening especially on bends and if one does the SLPR correctly and anticipates, as one should, what might happen then you need no other way of taking bends.
However as you say some bikers prefer to take increased risk and that places them in increased danger and as so many come to grief with the performance way then it beholds us all perhaps to try and remove some of those risks and dangers. Only time will tell if that is happening but on the other hand as far as I can see trail braking has been around for over a decade and instructed on. Over that decade or more as it actually had an effect of reducing incidents on bends?
It appears not.
The most important point about this is, that this allows you to apply more brake if the corner turns tighter then expected. Then you wont have to hammer the brakes and mabye get highsided or a lockup, since you allready have break applied which means geometry and weight on front tyre is in a much favorable spot to adjust mid corner then before. So its not a speed tool, but a safety precaution. Not for hardcore corner shredders but for all who want to have emergency reserves in every single sitzations
FlipsGTS I agree 100%. Thanks for the comment. Best wishes.
You can also brake gently with the RLPR so its not alone in that. People seem to believe that once you have done all your braking before the bend that you cannot brake actually on a bend and that is far from correct. As you ride around curves in the road you may use brakes and so if the bend is a sharp one its best to get the speed right from the start but if not you can use rear brakes and that could get you out of trouble or the front brake to slow.
Any sharp use of the brakes whether with RLPR or Trail braking will or may get you lose your bike.
Thank you for explaining it so clearly! The term Trail Braking makes me think it’s some technique involving the rear brake and it’s confusing. Your explanation was a true “Ah Ha!” moment! Thank you!
Glad you got it. Keep in touch.
The best explanation of how to trail brake. The demonstration with the iPad and seeing you trail brake was brilliant.
David Lee I really appreciate the comment. Best wishes.
Trail off the brakes as lean angle increases. Very important.
Kinda the most important part to teach! Lol
This is the best video I've seen so far about trail braking, especially the part with the iPad. Now I really understand how it works and when I should apply the brake. Thx.
I really appreciate the comment! Best wishes and enjoy the bike!
Hi Jon, I couldn't agree more on how the term 'Trail Braking' really sucks and how non-descriptive it is to what it actually is! For the longest time, I kept seeing videos and articles on-line on the subject but never even gave these a second look, primarily because I did not know what the heck 'Trail Braking' was. In the back of my mind, the imagined that 'trail braking' had something to do with using the rear brakes, hence, I couldn't find it in myself to even investigate this technique. Well, am glad that I saw your video and as able to put this technique to the test and actually use it in practice whenever I ride. Good job sir! Thank you very much and keep up the good work.
Lastly, your 'Slow-Go Secret Weapon' is simply fantastic! Such a simple and yet highly effective technique.
-Ricardo
It's my primary goal...demystifying the awesome trail braking technique for the street rider.
Great video, and great way to make us understanding with this original way of showing the "hand in action".. Thanks
Thanks for the comment. Let me know if you have any more questions or comments.
Thanks for the lesson. I'm still nervous when I practice, but I keep practicing.
Still new to Riding. I've been working on trial breaking, (the secret weapon) I was developing a habit of coasting through the corners but when I got trail breaking right yester it did give me more confidence in the corners.
Andrew Harper awesome! Keep I touch!
at our school, we teach it this way, "go to the brakes when you're nervous. stay on the brakes until you're happy with your speed and direction. go to the throttle only when you can take away lean angle and see your exit. we teach this under the "100 points of grip" and "umbrella of direction" mantras for both street and track riding. using 50 points of grip on brakes? then you have 50 points of available lean angle. using 50 points of throttle? then you have 50 points of lean angle. and so on. as you increase lean angle, you will need to decrease brake pressure or throttle input depending on which motor control you're using at that point of the corner. good stuff, thanks for the video.
I learned more about trail braking in this video than any other video on UA-cam.
I really appreciate the comment! Best wishes and enjoy the ride!
Thank you !! Using the handlebars video combined with hand demonstration and clear commentary has given me the understanding of this technique that I've not previously been able to understand. Your guidance is much appreciated !!
Hey, Jon. I just want to thank you for this video/technique/mentality. This is one of my absolute favorite videos on trail braking. You and Eddie from motojitsu are immensely helpful.
using the display and the handlebars was genius. Finally I got the real meaning of the technic.
Thank you heaps
Best "slow go" video out there, excellent work. I've been using trail braking for a while, this is one of those videos that just really improves technique.
Thanks for the comment!
Very good explained. I searched for an easy understandable Video about that. The way to explain it on Video while showing your hands without gloves helped me a lot to understand how this is meant. Thanks for that, thumbs up and have a good ride!
I really appreciate the comment! Best wishes!
Good video, never grab a handfull or even 3 fingers mid corner... The secret weapon is 1-2 fingers for sure. Have pressure already applied or you will probably stand the bike up and run wide/off the road.....you make that mistake once and youll probably never do it again...have downshifting chosen for gear you want mid corner. Stay off cars asses in corners they have 4 rotors and 4 tires to stop and they will stop, we wont. Just watched Canyon Chasers trailbraking vid explanation of bikes wheelbase being altered w fork compression/rebound is great thing to ponder also and why it all makes sense no matter what style bike
This is exactly what I understand, Osevors. This technique sounds dangerous. I use a little bit of rear brake in a corner for added stability or slight slow-down mid corner if neccessary.
Great video Sir! AND that you follow up and comment on the readers comment - very admirable.
I believe in this technique! It's a game changer. Thanks for the comment and best wishes.
You are right - it does confuse people - I use to think trail braking is using the rear brake to lock the rear wheel like the pro riders - like when they do that sliding the rear end entering a corner to change direction.
Love it. I do this transition without thinking about doing it I've been riding so long. Great technique.
Something I cant wrap my head around in the trailbraking principle: if you go into a blind corner and you trail your brakes and the corner happens to be vey long, lets say its a 180 degrees, at some point your speed becomes too low but you still cant see exit of the corner, what do you do? You release the front brake or you add throttle while braking? Seen so many trailbraking videos but nobody explains this
Trail braking is only the first part of the cornering process. The second is transitioning to throttle at the lowest mph speed in the corner. In your example, you basically want to add speed to maintain your arc, so do that (release the brake and add throttle). Closing throttle and/or brake application will sharpen cornering arc. Adding throttle will open it up or widen the arc. We are free to add or delete brake or throttle at any point in the curve if we're using the right technique, I call it the "secret weapon." I advocate for separating brake and throttle application in these transitions. Thanks for the comment!
I watched a lot of Trail Braking videos and it's only after watching your video that I finally get it. Thanks so much!
I keep seeing comments like this on every trail braking video. What about the concept was confusing before? Who explained it so poorly that it was hard to understand?
Thank you for your thought-provoking video. I’ve tried the two-finger brake position, with the other two fingers on the throttle, but quite honestly it feels like I’m asking my right hand to do too much. Brake, throttle, countersteering, add in a thick pair of gloves on a cold day and I’m struggling to control everything.
Is it reasonable to suggest that, for most riders at street legal speeds, we will control our speed with engine, gear choice and brakes BEFORE we enter the corner? But if necessary, decreasing gentle front brake pressure can be maintained into corner entry if we misjudge entry speed? Really, the only riders who will use “trail braking” on every corner are racing in Moto GP!
If you practice the technique of brake/throttle transitioning like demonstrated in the video, it may become more of a natural feel. Roll up, roll down. This is what riders do normally when they ride a motorcycle. I have found the opposite...that this hand position and transitioning simplifies motorcycle speed and steering control.
That said, it may not be for you. You should do what you feel comfortable doing. Slower riders (at or below speed limits) may find the technique less valuable. But if one rides a little faster, the technique is essential in my opinion.
Finally, racers use trail braking to get get around a track faster. Street riders use trail braking to increase control of speed and steering. May I suggest my book and online course to communicate my advice? A reply on YT isn't really adequate to really make my points.
Thanks for the comment and best wishes!
@@jdelv86 Thank you for your comments. I guess the important thing is to listen, watch and try everything before deciding what is best for you. Me, I feel more comfortable being either on the brake or on the throttle, with all my fingers. I feel like I actually have better, more sensitive brake and throttle control that way. Keep riding!
Maybe we can switch to calling it “corner breaking?” It’s the best way to be in control of a corner w out kicking out the back tyre. IMHO (I’m an old dude who rides a Ducati SS… I’m a BIG FAN of staying upright. 😜
Excellent suggestion. "Corner Braking" is such a better description.
I've just sat on my bike in the dark with this video running mimicking the roll on roll off and front braking try it even leaning in and out of the bends .Great way to get this Trail Braking into your mind set. Doing in the dark puts you right in the video .Do it a bunch of times.
Ian Lockley ...excellent! Enjoy the ride!
I've been riding for many years (since I was 15, I'm now 68)and I didn't know what trail braking was. Somewhere along the line I learned trail braking and didn't even know I. Thanks for the understandable explanation.
Same here.
I think it’s what most normal riders do automatically
Just what I was thinking!
The majority of braking is still done in a straight line before the corner. Trail braking just kind of extends the braking zone deep into the corner until the apex. Bleed off the amount of braking until the apex. Very little brake pressure is applied for trail braking. In my opinion, the greatest advantage of trail braking is controlling the amount of fork rebound when coming off the brake and onto the throttle at the apex. Be smooth. Abrupt rebound on the front forks mid turn leads to a low side crash.
In my experience it has several advantages.
For instance; You are already on the brakes so if you go in too hot its a lot easier to adjust your speed in middle of the corner without running wide.
Count me amongst the those who find this the best instruction on trail braking on the web. Thanks. I’ve subscribed to your channel and hope to learn more on your site.
Great instructional vid, when I was growing up dirt bike riding the term trail breaking defined using the bake brake. It's taken a while to reprogram my head and my hard skills to work this out but the improvements in cornering are worth it.
Thanks for the comment!
Indeed you explain trail braking in a very simple and practical way. Just one point, since this video is for those who wants to learn this technique, therefore i suggest you also talk about how dangerous it could be if brakes applied more harder than required on turnings. Not all bikes have excellent braking systems. Lastly, once again, lovely video. Thank you sir.
You have an amazing way of explaining things. I wish I could have instructions with you. But I live in NYC
Thanks. I have a book and online course which are pretty close to having me coach you live and in person.
Street Skills Moto will check it out
So far, the best explanation, and video about trail braking, Thank you.
Thx bro that definitely explains how to handle those tough corners
It's like magic. Thanks for the comment.
Excellent video...I've been riding since the 90s and trail braking used to be something that was semi discouraged or considered a track only technique but my street riding vastly improved once I began using it there as well.
BEST explanation so far! Using very single words and straight to the point!
joe Cardon thanks!
Hello Jon, Me again. I agree that the term "Trail Braking" sucks. I couldn't find any definition of the word trail that makes sense to me as it applies to the concept of trail breaking. The word taper makes more sense, as in taper off. Trying to come up with a more apt term, I've arrived at Contour Braking. The definition of contour as a verb is "mold into a specific shape, especially one designed to fit into something else". Now, a bit of physics. At any lean angle, each 1% reduction in speed shrinks your turn radius by 2%. Trail braking has proven very effective for me to not go wide anymore. Now the curves are a lot more fun and much safer. Jon, Thanks again for all you've done for us.
Philip Martin you’re so welcome! I love the term contour braking. Great way to describe. Almost like “situational braking”. Best wishes and enjoy the ride!
The very best trail braking explanation i have seen so far. Thank you! I have be wanting to integrate this technique to my riding and never truly understood how to apply it. Now i have a better understanding. Now to apply to my very big cruizer!! Has tons of engine braking when i release the throttle but i want more control on what I’m doing.
Engine braking is good, but adding trail braking provides finer control and improved vital front tire traction. I explain this in some detail on page 68 of my "Cornering Confidence" book. Best wishes!
That was a great demo Jon. The use of the video made it much clearer as to how and when you execute the 'secret weapon'. Many thanks.
You should explain the percentage of braking applied during a corner entry, I think people get confused because they can regard the brake as an "on off switch". Trail braking in my experience is adding a small percentage of the overall braking power, just enough to check speed and gain control. I grew up riding 2 strokes, with zero engine braking, so learned naturally how to trail brake into corners. I now ride a ZX9R, I have two of them and always trail brake into bends. The vital thing to teach is just how little brake lever pressure you need to gain control and that needs to be taught, to save lives.
Yes, “On/off switch” explanation is misleading. I don’t use it anymore since it can confuse people. “Slow/go” is the one I prefer. And always remember to taper brake/throttle transitions smoothly and that advice is better in line with your suggestion.
Thank you so much!!! This is so clear, not only your explanation of this technique but you just taught me how to get better control of my throttle. I was taught in the MSF course to hold the throttle with all my fingers and I always had trouble keeping it smooth but I can see that with the “secret weapon” I will be able to have better throttle control. You have a new subscriber 👍
Noemi Reyes thank you! I will note that you don’t have to do the secret weapon hand position all the time. It is fine to wrap all fingers around throttle too. Over time you’ll decide when each is most appropriate. Best wishes.
Awesome video, way better and clearer than so many others. I've used this technique intuitively and had no idea it had a name - which as you say is confusing. Congrats and thank you.
Did an afternoon class with Jon in 2017. What a great experience! I still bend over and "kiss my mirror" in corners, and really, he just taught us to be smooth, not to make abrupt changes to the throttle/ brake.
Great to hear things are going well. Best wishes.
Hi. I would just like to say that after watching several videos of trail braking that left me none the wiser yours got it in one. Easy to understand and the video on the front of the bike was the clincher. Appreciate it.
Thank you ..... from a rider who first got a bike at 60..... now just turned 70 ...with a new Triumph speed twin.... and always found cornering a bit nervy.... regards Fred
Wilbury Castle love your bike! Best wishes
Thank you! This is an excellent description and demonstration of " trail braking". Looking forward to practicing this on the weekend.
Cheers!
Great video thanks. Would you be able to do a video demonstrating trail braking in a parking lot?
Maybe when the weather warms up. I’ll put it on my to do list
@@jdelv86 thank you very much. Cold here in Northern Ireland too
EXCELLENT video! This is by far THE BEST video I've found explaining this concept. Subscribed.
Probably the best explanation of why to use trail braking on the street. One question, though: if you get used to two fingers on the brake, what happens when you have to execute emergency braking. On a cruiser/ touring bike, two fingers won’t provide enough pressure to fully utilize maximum braking pressure,
My typical answer to this is that in traffic and during routine stops, perhaps use four finger braking to build muscle memory. If you have a motorcycle that requires more strength to stop quickly there is more benefit to doing this. Quick stops are a different skill set than cornering finesse. In my Cornering Confidence book and online course I do make various connections between trail braking and emergency braking. For example, there are mental and physical strategies we can use to reduce the need for emergency stopping. Specifically, the "brake/throttle transitions" that provide instant reaction time to controlling speed and steering.
Excellent illustration on hands on technique trail breaking. Looking to order book. 👍
Howard Jr ... I think you’ll love the book. Sign up for my monthly newsletter at streetskills.net/news
I took John's course at the BMW National Rally and I was glad I did because I used it daily, all day in a ride in the mountains of Spain. It made the curves easy to master with confidence.
Charles Vaughan ... glad you were able to enjoy riding so much in Spain! Sounds like a nice place to visit on two wheels.
Very good explanation of front brake controlled cornering. I found it useful to practice roll on roll off in straight line braking. Thanks.
Shannon Payne great idea. In my book and courses we first do this in straight line to build muscle memory.
Hi Jon. That was an e cellent video describing trail braking. You were recommended by Fast Eddie from MotoJitsu, whom I follow and find his teaching skills top notch. I've also had the opportunity to attend Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic in Pennsylvania (Lee was the actual instructor, lucky me!) and I set the bar high for me to become the very best rider I can be.
Jim Gravante thanks for the kind words. Glad to be mentioned in same sentence as those two guys!
Great explanation! The video realy helped to illustrate the technique hand position and timing. By far the best explanation of trail breaking I've seen.
I’ve watched a lot of videos with a lot more views, buy yours explained it better than any of the others. Tremendous. I will subscribe so that I can learn other gems you may have parted with, thank you , Jon (uk)
jon williams thanks!
Hey... thanks for this. I’ve been trying to figure out trail braking and found myself starting to do exactly what you just described. Thanks for reinforcing this. It’s clearly a key to the technique. Looking forward to learning more from you.
jon, thanks and very good job on this video. this is kind of a difficult concept to get your head around but your video demo helped me alot on the execution. Yes and the term "trail braking" threw me off for the longest. Its more like "brake-enhanced steering"
joe m Nick ienatsch calls it brake assisted steering. The brakes providing less speed and quicker steering geometry allows for very precise steering control.
At around 3:00 - 3:15 you are showing the brake to be worked by your index and middle finger. I learned this technique on my own many years ago in high school. All I rode was a bike in high school so I had plenty time to learn. The only thing is that I learned it differently "on my own" with no instruction which brings me to my point. I learned to control the gas with my thumb and index finger while controlling the brake with my middle, ring, and pinky (little) finger. It is very difficult for me personally, to extend my middle finger while closing my index finger. Since I learned this way many years ago (I am 56 now) I suspect it would be hard for me personally to "re-learn" what I have been doing for so many years, especially with my problem of extending my middle finger while my index and pinky are closing or closed. My middle finger wants to close with the other two. I would like some input on this and if anyone things "my way" is problematic in some way that I do not see. I realize of course that my way gives more leverage and possible excessive braking, but I'm used to this. I feel this helps in a way because I could possible use that greater leverage to my advantage if I am careful. I am looking for some constructive criticism or some acceptance or both to "my way" of controlling the gas and brake simultaneously. Thanks in advance.
Your way is absolutely fine! The fingers used to to the brake throttle transitions are subjective and a personal preference. As long as you're making the transitions as I was in the video with the first two fingers, but with your outer three, you're good to go. It's the timing of the transition from brake to throttle at the slowest point of the turn that is important. Best wishes and enjoy your current finger usage preference.
@@jdelv86 Thank You! :) Best Wishes
That's a good way to demonstrate it with that ipad at the handlebar, but your hands are not matching with what you do in reality . You need two cameras, one on your head for the road and one focusing on your right hand.
Henry Chang thanks for the feedback.
I use my index and thumb on the throttle and use the remaining three fingers (less pinky since it's too short) on the brake. My fingers are short so my way suits me perfectly. Sorry can't take your suggestion on this one. Otherwise, it's a great informational video. And all the best with the school. (Thumbs up)
I get this comment often. The hand position you describe is the most common alternative I’ve been told. While I prefer the “secret weapon” two first fingers on brake lever, it’s the technique of smooth brake/throttle transitions timed correctly that is important. The number of fingers placed where is personal preference. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the vid. I'm just starting to learn about this tecnique. I agree 200%, the term "trail braking" is confusing. We need a better term!
David Hysom shameless plug...if your just starting to learn about TB, my book is a shortcut. You’ll be a pro quicker. Paperback or Kindle. Best wishes.
Fantastic lesson especially with the video on the iPad . Thank you very much..
Thank you - slow /go is way better ... I agree.
What are you doing with THE BACK BRAKE during those twisters that you illustrate with front brake ?
I don't typically use rear brake in the twisties. Lots of responses below on that if you have the time to spend reading a bit more here. Best wishes and thanks for the comment!
so i always use two fingers on my brake , in my motorcycle class i had they taught me the opposite. they wanted us to full hand the brake. man when i switched to the slow or go position really helped my riding ability
Basic riding courses are teaching fundamentals to inexperienced riders. This technique is for experienced riders to build on those fundamentals. Best wishes.
Thank you! Honestly I’ve watched probably a dozen videos on Trail braking and this is the first that has clearly showed it being used on the street in an understandable manner.
Just ordered your book
Great explanation and illustration on Trail Braking.
Whiskey Fox thanks!
The road in this video is not a good example. I find that in most twisty roads you don't need to use braking at all, unless you are going at a speed that will cause loss of license.
Great information, do you have any classes planned in DC/Maryland areas?
Thanks! I do not at the moment have coaching tours planned for 2020. However, I do offer an online Cornering Confidence course with various packages. The Premium Package does allow for more personal contact and perhaps meeting up in the twisties somewhere.
Brilliant way of explaining
As a rider here in the UK where 6 months of our year, the road surfaces are normally very wet or even sometimes icy. I would like to hear whether or not trail braking is appropriate in adverse weather conditions such as here in the UK…..I imagine that to use TB on cold wet roads should be definitely avoided, but I’d be interested to read any expert opinions on this! 👍
I would say in slippery conditions you could use trail braking. The major difference is that your cornering speed should be slower in those conditions because you have less traction available. That would me much less braking pressure. Additionally, in slippery conditions use lighter braking pressure over a longer distance. Again, this would help manage the situation with less traction. Final point: I put together the final pieces of trail braking at a track day school on a rainy day.
Trail braking is just a part of cornering. Typically you brake up to the corner entry and get off the brakes. If you want to slow down while in the corner more than compression braking will do, you use the brakes. So you brake up to the corner entry and your braking trails off until you get back on the throttle. If you have a long straightaway, corner, long straightaway you can consider the corner in isolation. Plan your ride, ride your plan. Your drawing of a corner is an excellent representation of a cornering plan. Then you lose points for apexing into the oncoming lane (here in the colonies). If you don't have long straightaways on both sides of the corner, the previous or next corner can affect your plan for the current corner. Corners can have changes in radius, camber, elevation and traction (grip). These all affect your plan for the corner. Braking in a corner is simply away of lowering your speed while in the corner. Part of your plan. If you brake in a corner you have a bit less traction available to handle "centrifugal" or cornering force. It's nice to draw a circular arc through the corner and plan to just maintain a constant speed throughout the corner. With very high powered modern sport bikes a quicker way is: get it in, get it turned, fire it out. Point and shoot. Optimizing for corner exit speed is common, especially with a long straightaway after corner exit.
thank you for sharing your knowledge and skills on this trail braking vid... very much appreciated!
Sure, this is the focus of my teachings!
I took his class and believe it or not. These techniques work. The more you incorporate these practices the more they become ingrained into your everyday riding
Thanks Waldense!!! See you at bike nite!
Very creative👍
Explanation was helpful. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the clarification, i watched a few other videos, i was more confused..but you have helped heaps, thankyou corners were my main issue.
You get an A+ for teaching this technique
Thanks! Second person today I heard say that. The other was in the most recent The Riding Obsession podcast episode.
When I first heard the words “Trail Braking,” I thought it was a technique of applying ONLY the rear brake while cornering and THAT instantly made no sense at all.
It’s one of motorcycling’s biggest myths. Thanks for the comment.
FINALLY a video that explains it for anyone to understand.
Johnny Mnemonic I really appreciate the kind words. Best wishes.
@@jdelv86 Between this video, and the one about "Do nothing", My cornering skills have increased so much in 24 hours. Once I got the "secret weapon" ironed out, corners became so much more fun. Now, practice practice practice. I like the way you teach. Thank you!
Thanks for the compliment. Maybe you’d like my book.
Brilliant explanation - thanks, but what is the right foot doing through all this? Are we dragging any rear brake or is it all front?
My advice: All front no rear brake when husting through twisties. Rear tire can lift off pavement and skid. Game over. Your speed and steering control can be very precise with exclusively front brake/throttle transitions. However, Good to Use both brakes in traffic and routine riding situations.
Street Skills Moto Hey thanks very much for the quick reply, that all makes sense to me. I’m an older rider returning after about a 10 year break, last course i did was on my learners 30 years ago but i plan to do some more now. I’ll check out your online course. Thanks again.
Steve O welcome back!
What’s the difference between braking and trail braking?
Braking: applying the brake
Trail braking: applying the brake
Can you trail brake in a curve? Yes
Can you trail brake in a straight line? Probably.
The problem is everyone describes trail braking as something different:
using the back brake only (trail meaning end or rear). Wrong
Using the front brake only. Wrong
Using both brakes or one or the other. Yes
Braking before a curve. Wrong.
Braking after a curve. Wrong.
Braking during a curve. Yes.
So what the hell is trail braking?
Braking can change weight distribution- all weight in the front as a ‘stoppy ‘ to locking the rear. This can create a slide or loss of traction in a corner. Trail braking is to prevent this and is it’s only purpose - traction. Only to manipulate traction. Which is weight distribution. That’s it.
Smooth braking, during a corner, to maximize traction and speed.
John Madsen all correct. Thanks for the comment. What’s clear to you isn’t clear to lots of people. I’m trying to change that. Best wishes.
I live in the UK and stumbled on this video by luck. Great video everything made sense best trail braking video I have seen. Question my new bike will have linked brakes how do i apply your method. Front brake or back brake. Right going to watch another of your videos. Thanks
Roland Bristow ... glad you found the video! The trail braking technique as I show it here does not interfere with a linked braking system. There is no need to ride a linked brakes bike differently than non-linked. Linked brakes are designed to work transparently to the rider in the background.
Sorry but it’s more than just „slow-go“, it’s also about flicking the bike at the right time and hitting the corner at the right, or shall I say safe point. Trail braking is important, but there is much more to mastering the technique(s) of cornering.
Dominic Heart true, much more. My book hits much more points. But trail braking as shown here is the key.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing, I have subscribed to your channel because of this video :).
Is it really needed to front brake everytime when entering a corner? I have motor-braked for years before entering a corner most of the time, instead of using front brakes.
Nice the video set up in relation to the handle bars - brilliant.
Good pointers bro. I def used it and it sure works. I took Keith Code's school a couple of years ago and although they don't teach it I've had trail braking in my bag of tools to use while riding or on the track.
Trail braking itself is a concept which when i speak about to people, says "Are you crazy you don't use the front brakes while cornering"... They even aren't ready to listen to me about the feel of the front brake pads against the discs, the feel of the suspension etc etc... Trail braking, the term itself is confusing to some, it can be understood only by experience and this is the reason why even a friend of mine on his new 390 cc bike cannot keep up with me on the canyon roads, while i am on my 6 years old #Yamaha R15.. a 150cc bike...
P.S. - This is when, my front brake cylinders were destroyed and i didn't have a working front brake. I applied the concept of trail braking on the suspension (Where one's front suspension forks has to be in the mid range section during the corner and how weight shift to the front tyres, helps tighten a corner ). Obviously this wasn't safe on my part and I am sorry for that, but yeah i properly learned about the applicational procedure of trail braking
When I had no front brakes...!
#TrailBraking is Bae...
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