[paperairplane]

Trail braking is not a beginner move.... but it is very useful in harder riding. I keep my rear brake set so that it is not easy to lock the rear tire. I like having the rear on the weakish side b/c this is about all that I do with it...

You definitely should hang off, knee dragging is probably best left to the track, though.

Get a book and or video. There is a lot of info out there, just pick one or two things to work on at a time.

In my opinion, throttle control is the #1 skill you need to work on. This will help you to be smooth, which is also critical. The smoother your inputs are, the happier the bike will be and the faster you will go.

[Mojoe]

TIP: Dragging the rear brake *LIGHTLY* will tighten up the turn radius and slow your speed at the same time (also useful if you need to shift your path because something is in your intended arc, such as road debris). This can make a real difference if you go into a turn too hot...
Do not lock up the rear brake in the process.

+1 on that one. I use my rear brake often for that purpose. But like paperairplane, this is not for everyone.....especially noobs who are not used to applying the rear brake delicately.

[BigCorySBFMC707]

TIP: Dragging the rear brake *LIGHTLY* will tighten up the turn radius and slow your speed at the same time (also useful if you need to shift your path because something is in your intended arc, such as road debris). This can make a real difference if you go into a turn too hot...
Do not lock up the rear brake in the process.

+1 on that one. I use my rear brake often for that purpose. But like paperairplane, this is not for everyone.....especially noobs who are not used to applying the rear brake delicately.

I am glad you guys said this, I have heard so many times not to rear brake during tight turns but that must be because my advisers cant do it right. I continued to do it anyway and it has always worked for me.

[WildKat]

TIP: Dragging the rear brake *LIGHTLY* will tighten up the turn radius and slow your speed at the same time (also useful if you need to shift your path because something is in your intended arc, such as road debris). This can make a real difference if you go into a turn too hot...
Do not lock up the rear brake in the process.

+1 on that one. I use my rear brake often for that purpose. But like paperairplane, this is not for everyone.....especially noobs who are not used to applying the rear brake delicately.

I'll say +2 to that statement about the newbs. Breaking in turns to any degree when your new can be disastrous. when you get nervous on a bike, you instinctively brake, and sometimes alittle too much.

[BISQ]

I must say that this is the "endless discussion". I'm not going to go over what I have said 89 times over the past several years, but advice to new riders to use the rear brake during cornering is irresponsible.

If you are good enough to do that...then great. Letting new riders know that you are good enough to do that by giving this kind of advice....not responsible in my book.

FAR beyond the abiltiy to late-brake, trail-brake, or "focus" some apex by rear brake application are the basics of countersteering, throttle control, body position and appropriate visual references.

Why talk to Elementary kids about calculus when they are learning number sense?

[The CyberPoet]

I must say that this is the "endless discussion". I'm not going to go over what I have said 89 times over the past several years, but advice to new riders to use the rear brake during cornering is irresponsible.

If you are good enough to do that...then great. Letting new riders know that you are good enough to do that by giving this kind of advice....not responsible in my book.

FAR beyond the abiltiy to late-brake, trail-brake, or "focus" some apex by rear brake application are the basics of countersteering, throttle control, body position and appropriate visual references.

Why talk to Elementary kids about calculus when they are learning number sense?

I defer to my esteemed collegue Bisq on this point -- it can be a dangerous event for new riders.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[SoloScott]

Having recently taken the MSF class, it's very clear to me that in-turn braking is an advanced technique. I do appreciate hearing what may be on my plate for riding techniques in the next years to come.

[Range]

Well said everybody...you have some good advice Soloscott, good to see you have the cajones to ask and even more to see your faults and learn....thats what this site is about.

[stevnmd]

I just think it's funny that people actually show off damage that they do to their bikes because they don't know how to ride. That's like saying, "Look at me. I don't know how to get my arse off the seat in the corners. Heck, I probably cross up when I ride and actually lean the opposite way of the corner to force by bike down further. Yeah, I'm a true idiot!" It is never acceptible to scrape hard parts. Period.

That's what you should have running through your head when people are "showing off" their damaged hard parts. If you're hanging off the bike, almost planting a knee, and your pegs still lightly touch, and you do this regularly, it's time for rearsets or a new bike.

[Mojoe]

I must say that this is the "endless discussion". I'm not going to go over what I have said 89 times over the past several years, but advice to new riders to use the rear brake during cornering is irresponsible.

If you are good enough to do that...then great. Letting new riders know that you are good enough to do that by giving this kind of advice....not responsible in my book.

FAR beyond the abiltiy to late-brake, trail-brake, or "focus" some apex by rear brake application are the basics of countersteering, throttle control, body position and appropriate visual references.

Why talk to Elementary kids about calculus when they are learning number sense?

I went back through all the replies, and I must be missing something...because I do not see anyone advising new riders to try this. In fact, all I see is everyone saying not to. I do not see any harm in disussing it to make them aware of the technic as long as you make it clear that it is an ADVANCED technique. It is up to them to use this info responsibly and work their way up to it.
BUT....I will suggest they do not wait too long to start getting used to braking in a corner. Would it be safe to say that most bikes that leave the road do so while in a curve? I would think so, myself....cuz you kind of have to be a dumbass to leave it on a straight.
So if I was to suggest anything to a new rider as far as braking in a curve...go find a parking lot and practice emergency braking while in a good turn. That is something I feel to be very important. The 2 sort of go hand in hand. Emergency braking should be something you are capable of doing. Trail braking, even if a bit more difficult, can actually prevent the need to emergency brake. You never know what you will find in a curve. They give a bit of a lesson in the MSF class, but at slow speeds. I think they should improve on that by practicing even more on thier own. Once they have that established, THEN maybe they can consider trail braking. You gotta start somewhere. If you can't use both brakes in an emergency situation while in a turn, then you might as well forget about trail braking.

[Black_peter]

I really gotta get new tires!!!
I still have about 3/4" of chicken strip..
Every time I tip into a corner with a good surface, good view and stable speed, it feels like the tire is coming out from under me.
Everything feels good and stable but I get that queasy "about to low side" feeling.
It's not the lean angle, it just feels like when I hit the chicken strip the tire looses traction.
Possible?
It definatly feels like the rear.
Naturally once this happens I lose my confidence,
I'm not leaning as hard as I'd like and I'm sure not as hard as I could.
No way am I near dragging hard stuff..

[The CyberPoet]

I really gotta get new tires!!!
I still have about 3/4" of chicken strip..
Every time I tip into a corner with a good surface, good view and stable speed, it feels like the tire is coming out from under me.
Everything feels good and stable but I get that queasy "about to low side" feeling.
It's not the lean angle, it just feels like when I hit the chicken strip the tire looses traction.
Possible?

Very easily possible, especially depending on the age and brand/make of the tires... I know that I used to start getting uncomfortable within 1/8 - 1/4" of the edge of my Z4 rears on most roads -- but that was with the bike already more than 45-50 degrees canted over here in Florida (where everything is flat); at the gap, I go to the edge without issue.

You might want to try this:
Put the bike on the centerstand. Grab a pail of sand or some "soft" scotchbrite (I don't remember what color the "soft" formulation is, but normally ScotchBrite pads are color-matched to their stiffness), spin the tire and rub the sand or the scotchbrite against it to scuff up the chickenstrips. You just need to remove the "polished" looking finish, not sand off the whole of it.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Black_peter]

Rotate the tire by hand right!!??

[The CyberPoet]

Rotate the tire by hand right!!??

I think it should be obvious that, yes, you should rotate the tire by hand, by hey, it's your hands, your bike, your time and your hospital bill if you go a different route...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Black_peter]

Cyber, you should know by now:
No such thing as a stupid question..
No such thing as obvious...

I bet there are STILL folks out there that think they have cup holders on their PCs...