If you find yourself in a corner too fast for your comfort, ROLLLLLL off the gas and/or ADD some brake pressure by SQUEEEZZZZIINNNGG. Don't just give up and "lean more bro" that may not be the best choice in that moment of mild-panic. Stay with the brakes, is a much wiser solution. OBVIOUSLY look on your intended path of travel...I didn't focus on that because if you're not first slowing the damn bike down, you'll just see the guardrail you're about to crash into faster. www.motojitsu.com/courses
My dad here in the UK was an advanced driving instructor in the 80s, taught me how to drive and a bit about riding motorbikes. one thing thats stuck with me that you said about doing courses, he would say 'a driving licence is a licence to go learn more about driving. passing your test means you are competent to drive on the road but you should after getting more experience on the road, go learn advanced ways to drive, things to look out for, how to drive more efficently, to be more smooth for passengers and so on'. thats one thing when i feel im driving not at my best comes to my head and next week or so after i try to be a better driver and rider.
Hey. I found myself in a similar situation the other day and did exactly that. Roll and squeeeeeze. Worked a treat. Although I did still panic 😳. Anyway all good. What if the road is wet? Apologies if it’s a silly question but I’m a new rider here in the UK.
It is just great how you can explain and give your knowledge to the others. I learned and take license for motorcycle in army like MP almost 30 years ago. Most of the things you explain in your videos I already know but some of this didn't know what I am doing 😂😂 . It's more easier to drive when you know how your reaction affect to the motorcycle. Best regards from Serbia
I've been in that mild panic situation before in a corner. Luckily for whatever reason I applied this technique and it saved me. Not what I was taught but it works!
@@jeffpulford2884 I think he would say you need to practice braking in a wet car park to get a feel for the brakes in the wet. My advice would be when you can afford to, buy quality tyres that have good wet weather performance (we live in the uk (i live in Scotland lol) so it does rain a lot). And watch out for rainbows on the tarmac on roundabouts, when it rains it brings the diesel up to the top and turns that patch into ice. If a truck driver doesnt do the cap up properly as leaves fuel station, first corner is usually a roundabout so the overspill happens there. Bit of advanced driving my dad told me, be careful where you know fuel garage for that situation. Hope you enjoy riding.
I'm 81 years old and have been riding since I was 14. Your advice on use of the brakes is great, and well explained, especially the need to practice. BUT, I've stopped at more a half dozen scenes where a rider has run off the road or crossed the yellow line coming too hot into a turn. There is one constant. The riders panicked and failed to keep their eyes on the exit, sensed they were getting close to the edge, and looked down to see if they were going to go over. Of course they went over as soon as their eyes saw a target. Watching for the exit causes the rider to automatically increase counter-steer, tightening the turn. Won't help if you are so tight that hard parts, not just spring mounted pegs, are dragging so much that tires lift. Then you are just screwed. The beauty of all of this is, as you said, practice when you are not in an emergency situation.
I did think that roll off the throttle and brake gently where givens , the point you make about never looking at the trouble is the real key , just fixate on that apex , if you go down still itll only be because youve leaned to much and you get a slide and a chance , that said i was once forced by another bike to stand it up and we both ended up in a field 🤷🏻♂️ thankfully unscathed 🙏
Been riding 40 years on every imaginable kind of bike. On and off road. Sports bikes, Touring bikes, Old vintage bikes and even quads. It’s really difficult to explain how to ride. Like explaining to child how to ride a bicycle before they get up and try it. Having said that, I think your making a great effort and your vids are probably very helpful to many new riders. The only thing I would like to add is how valuable it is to learn to ride off road. And the importance of NEVER riding at 100%. Even if you want to ride fast, keep it to a level well within the skill level you think you have. 80 - 90 % of your max speed unless you are on a track.
Spot on ! Your advice applies in fact on all high-risk activities. On sailing, diving, parachuting, always keep a range of flexibility to adapt to the unexpected shit that will occur, sooner or later.
I'm riding a kpm 200 as my first street bike and its 100% is like 70mph. (honestly only 65mph because I'm a heavyset rider.) I'm finding that I'm riding the bike to its 95% most of the time, just to keep up with traffic, but not even reaching 80% of my potential as a rider.
@@alfuriusstraut8721 Sounds like a perfect bike to learn on. I crashed a moped and ended up in hospital in Thailand a few years ago. Had 30 years experience and thought I was well safe….. you never know.
the best thing i learned from you and champ school is the tire can take a hell of a load... it can NOT take an abrupt mode. (brake and/or gas), ... this gave me confidence to use my brakes as much as the throttle. game changer man
I once came into a corner to hot. It was so scary it’s seared into my memory. It was on Highway one in California, on a 30° steep downhill grade, decreasing radius, on a 300’ cliff down to the pacific. Because I was going downhill, I was already on the brakes, and when I realized I was coming in too hot, I honestly panicked. I tensed up, the last thing on my mind was leaning the bike more LOL, I just smoothly applied the *front* brakes as aggressively as possible. To be honest, I probably was well within the limits of the motorcycle and tires, but I was at MY limit. Breaking hard helped me navigate the turn in a way that simply leaning more wouldn’t, as I felt I was at the limit of my lean and it did not seem like an option at the time. I was under the impression that any sort of breaking in a corner would cause the tire to wash out, but you’d be surprised how much the front tire can handle if brakes are applied smoothly and your body position is correct.
I had exactly the same thing n it’s seared into my mind. I didn’t know anything that is in this vid but I tensed up, did the ease on the brakes n somehow naturally got thru it. I find in these situations that somehow my body knows what to do, I had to take a moment after the corner but all was well. Also I would advise counter steering, just a minute push opposite on the bars can REALLY help your cornering.
Jesus thank you. I appreciate the information.. really I’m a new rider and I need all the info and coaching I can get.. but I literally came here thinking get to the f***ing point!!
Started riding motorcycles 60 years ago. Thank You for passing on your wisdom to all of us. You are saving lives and educating the inexperienced. Ride on and Ride Safe!
One more tip which can help a lot is that when you are in this panic situation and push the brakes into a turn, don't forget the vision part, you have to look where you want to go while you are braking. Regards from Greece!
Exactly, it was actually stupid leaving that out, it's the most important part of cornering and trail braking at the same time, noobs usually don't know this. He should take this video down and edit it, looking through the corner and trail braking are part of the same technique, big fail not linking the two together...
I took 18 years off from riding and recently got back in to the saddle. Unfortunately I found I was taking turns like a newbie - I had lost a lot of skill and confidence over time. I started taking really early rides on weekends (no traffic to worry about) to practice specific turns and roads that I felt I was having trouble with. I focused on how to ease in brakes, lean with confidence, to trust the bike and even how leaning your own weight forward can affect turning. I noticed within a few sessions my confidence and skills grew enough that I was able to keep control when I over shot a turn on an totally unfamiliar road. Practicing a skill can really help you keep your cool in a situation that demands that skill; it massively decreases the time from the initial panic to executing a solution and that increased reaction speed keeps you out of the bushes and guard rails.
@@rawhide966 Teaching he RLAP I found that probably only 2% of riders have ever done a panic stop practice. The rest usually laid them down from, overbraking rears and a slideout crash! My guys were cutting stop distances in HALF after just 8-10 trys!
Started riding bikes in 1974 and front brake was taboo especially going round corners.40 years later have started riding again and mate, have watched a lot of your videos.Thankyou so much.They say 'cant teach an old dog new tricks '.Being an old bugger now ,self preservation is foremost.You have given me the knowledge and confidence I was lacking this time round .Ur cool dude.
As a road cyclist that can't rely on engine braking, I found out early on that gentle brake pressure when you've overcooked a corner is a necessary survival tool. This skill has translated well to the moto. Great advice! Thanks! P.S.- Your enthusiasm is contagious.
Same here im mofe of a bycicle rider than motorcycle rider. You cant belive how much riding bycicle helps you with motorcycle riding. When on bycicle i overcocked the corners milion times the breaks are the only solution. Being gentle is the key and to know wich brake to apply at given situation.
I can assure you that there are plenty of motorists that have and still ride bikes. Pretty different animal. 50+ mph, 500 to 1000lbs. Situations happen at an exponentially faster rate. Most bicyclists don’t ride on main roads, highways or rural routes. I would suggest trying a motorcycle before trying to be a critical expert. I mean, I rode a tricycle too.
I’ve been riding more than 20 years and I find your videos super helpful man, so good, and realistic. The amount of time experience riding means nothing if your not actually practicing skills.
I am recovering from from a crash where I came into a corner too fast. It was a pretty easy corner but I wasn't paying attention. I panicked and jammed the front and rear brake, if I would not have panicked I would have followed everything he is showing in this video. I know what he shows is exactly what I should have done.
To have you as an instructor, while taking my license here in Sweden- is beyond incredible! They do teach me what I need to know, to break properly - but You make it so much easier!!! ✨️ Thank you! ❤
What a great instructor you are!! I am 75 yrs. old and still ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I agree with all you have shared in this video. I wish all motorcycle instructors would share these safety riding skills with their students rather than advise them not to use their brakes in a curve. An outstanding job!!
Right with ya at 70, and I've even been cut off in a formation by a guy who was told "to use the whole lane" in a turn. Apparently, beginner advice does NOT induce common sense or make you a rider!
I've been riding only two years and find you to be such a great teacher, I am really grateful for your experience and ability to retrain what we had been told. I found I was doing some of the things you teach and was wondering why I hadn't crashed! Then I see your videos and am so thankful! You tell us that was all entry level ideas and we HAVE to go past that! I'm older and willing to learn from others. May God bless your ride always.
This video saved me. New rider (1 month), found Motojitsu and watched as much as I could before riding. This information helped me realize exactly what was happening and how to respond appropriately without panicking. Downward decreasing radius and I was drifting, I just rolled off the throttle until I felt confident enough to counter-steer and find a better line! Thank you for the knowledge and information you are sharing!
My wife and I just started riding again after 18 years and noticed a big difference between riding my motorcycle in the city of Cleveland Ohio and the difference in riding these winding country roads of West Virginia, even though we had several years under our belts riding it was a night and day difference totally… We decided to take the MSF safety course which helped us immensely but just didn’t seem like enough until we started doing a whole lot of your training with cones and did your riding techniques over and over until it became first nature when riding…. We have our notifications for your TH-cam videos on and watch them when they are posted, Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for the videos and insight from your experience that you share!!!!
I remember you had a video where you demonstrated braking in turns. You were braking quite hard, in turn after turn, and your bike was perfectly fine with that. Seeing that, that was really helpful! It helped me to become more confident about braking in turns, and as a result, I feel safer now. It's comforting to know that should the need arise, I can always brake. By now I can't imagine riding without this, because on the road, we should never be in a situation where we would be afraid to brake.
I have been riding now for 6 months and learning from this channel. It's scary when you realize your in the corner to hot. Knowing how to trail brake has saved me on a few corners already. My skill has increased and those same corners are easy now. I always practice track standing at all stop lights and signs. I need to practice the cones so I can pass the California course test. I originally thought I would find a smaller bike for test but this channel has taught that it's not the bike but the skill of the rider.
You SHOULD HAVE FOCUSED on looking through the corner and braking at the SAME TIME, because it's ESSENTIAL to keeping the bike going where you want it. You can apply all the brake you want mid corner but, if you're looking where you THINK the bikes going to end up, like over the edge, that's where you'll end up. I've been around racing my whole life and been riding on the road for 45 years and i can tell you, you can trail brake all you like in a corner, but if you're not LOOKING THROUGH THE CORNER, you still end up in the sh1t. There's no , "oh lets talk about that later", It's all part of the same technique.....
I was in this situation a couple of years ago on a bike I was uncomfortable on. I thought I was going to crash, but I didn’t. Pure luck. I went home and quit riding for a long time. Just recently turned in that bike for a smaller cc bike and started working on the motojitsu drills. I haven’t gotten past white belt but do feel a lot more confident on this bike. I’m slowly working my way through curves and have learned a lot. I will take this advise and add it to my skills. I’m fighting my fear of riding with action and practice. Thank you for all the knowledge you put into the world.
Been riding for 2 months. You doing the “bad” example really helps me visualize. I do get to speed and have overcooked corners. Lucky no accidents yet but i wanna do better. Thanks man.
42 yrs ago on my 1st day of road race school I learned, hang the crack of my ass off of the seat . Did that every time I rode fast, and became second nature. I agree with everything you said, and if you are ''hanging off'' you can always lean more than you think, and if the frame levers the tires off the pavement , you are low to the ground and less likely to get launched in a ''high side.''
But I have had semi-trucks barrel past me, on very windy day, and I've fought to keep out of a high-speed wobble. In that case, my anus would suck to the seat, and I couldn't move my ass crack over the seat.
Great stuff. I loved the "rolling hills and mountains" analogy. I like how you don't do a big reveal until near the end of a lesson, leaving room for your audience to attempt to figure it out for themselves. Makes people think. Many of your skills, I can figure out where you are going, having worked through the exact lesson over time in my head as I have ridden. I have said since day one of riding, "don't get cocky, you will always be a student here"... so every ride I evaluate every move and decision, and try to learn as much as I can. Your lessons bring some of those lessons a clarity and understanding, and reinforcement. Then there is the knowledge you share that I never even considered. Excellent work, saving lives, I am sure! Good Man.
1. The song: Happy to know I am not the only one who sings things I do sometimes. 2. The panic thing: While doing Rescue Diver training a part of it is all about panic and how to protect yourself from the person you are rescuing. Like you said, they try to climb you. When you "grab a fist full" you destabilize the bike. It is the rider that crashes the bike not the bike that crashes the rider. You need to allow the bike to respond to your actions. You need to be able to predict those responses. That takes practice and experience.
I've ridden a lot. This kind of content is saving riders lives. It's been 40 years since I got my first bike and I'm still learning things from kids on TH-cam. Keep it up.
Thank you for this. I wrecked about 4 months ago and then almost a week ago I had a close call. Both were due to going into a corner a little too quick and you have given me some things I need to work on and practice.
Man this channel is absolute gold. Haven’t bought my bike yet, I’m in the research phase pretty much. But not enough channels talk about these situations and what to do.
This video couldn’t be better timing for me! Just Saturday I was out with a group and took a few curves too hot and I did use both break and no throttle feeling the entire time like I was doing it all wrong! I’m happy to learn I wasn’t and that my “stick shift driving” instincts are still good after many years😊.
30+ years riding, MSF instructor for 12 years, taught for BMW Adventure school a couple of years. MSF Basic Rider course emphasizes the separation of braking and turning because each uses some amount of traction. New riders are overwhelmed enough without introducing ‘advanced’ cornering. As long as you don’t blend braking and turning incorrectly and don’t use more traction than available, you can use your brakes in a turn. The best explanation for braking and turning I have ever read was in Nick Ienatsch’s “Sport Riding Techniques”.
@@MickH60 You would’ve been an outstanding student to have in class, for sure. You could demonstrate how to pick the bike up after demonstrating your awesome trail braking technique on the practice range. 👍🏼
I just started riding this year, all brand new to me. I watched SO many TH-cam videos on a variety of subjects to familiarize myself with the many aspects of riding. Took my riding course this summer, got my learner's permit, started riding, and I'm making a point to practice, practice, practice various things (corners, lane changes, turning right, etc.). I gotta say, this video is extremely well done, thanks for doing it. Your explanations are good, clear, and well presented, makes it easier to understand the concepts.
Thank you so much for the Marine Corps definition of panic. I have been struggling to find the simplest way to explain it to students in my classes and this is by far the best way I have come across to explain it. Super helpful. Thanks for everything you post.
In this video I learned that I've been riding longer than you, yet you are so much better at it than I am. That goes to show that 15 years experience isn't the same as 1 year experience repeated 15 times. Thanks for your explanations and everything you do. I definitely had the misconception that any braking other than straight up and down was dangerous, and I'm reprogramming my brain accordingly. I just finished Yamaha Champion Riding School's online thing, and I learned so much just in a couple days. I also bought some cones and have been doing Motojitsu with my girlfriend in parking lots. Thanks again for all your help. You're probably saving lives.
You make great points about not just leaning more, but from my personal experience, just remembering “lean more” has saved me a few times. If you trust that countersteering will work, and you find yourself going wide, that quick little “lean more” shouting in your brain as a reflex can save your line (possibly life too). Not saying all the time, but don’t discredit it too much. If you trust that countersteering will work, because you’ve been practicing, it helps you not panic too
If you downshift before your turn, instead of just floating into a turn in the gear that you're in ??? you will (usually) have plenty of control of your rear tire speed (and your motorcycle) without using any rear brake, at all. Best Advice ; Don't overcook corners.
I watched a moto GP video that showed the rider breaking so hard in the turn that his rear tire lifted. That was precision progressive breaking at its finest. It made me rethink my aversion to heavy breaking into a turn. Practicing these techniques has saved my bacon more than once. I now know to calm down, keep my focus, make my actions as smooth and as progressive as possible, and never bail - just keep up the focus until I’m either through it or crashed. I was a private pilot and lost an engine one time and I was sure glad that I had practiced emergency landings. Practice and teaching ourselves to calm down in times of stress are essential to riding safely. Well done on the video!
@@stephenscharf6293 training includes making mistakes. If you make a mistake with abs you may end up going home just fine, if you make a mistake without abs there's a big chance you're gonna hurt yourself. Tech does not hinder your ability to learn, not having tech does
You saved my life. I already know it. I’ve had a couple low sides and it’s always when I’m in a group. After those I’ve learned screw trying to stay up with friends. I don’t care what they say. “Bro we had to wait on you” “you slow af” “you ruined this road for us, we had to slow down for you” cool, don’t worry bout me, go as fast as you want. At the stop sign just stretch or something. I’ll be there at the end cause I’m not going well above my comfort zone. If I’m not there in 5 minutes then come look for me. Like I said this video already saved my life from watching cause now I know what to do and what to go practice. I was bout to sell my bike and get something smaller or just quit. Not anymore. Now I know a way forward and something that will actually help. I’m staying on 2s and I’m not gonna be afraid to hit the twistys anymore. Going to practice right now. Thanks brother!
I’ve been riding longer than you’ve been alive. Great advice. Decades ago, there was no jargon, TH-cam, courses for newbies, just OJT. I’m a flight instructor and I appreciate your instructional technique and verbalization. Both activities, mortar cycles and flying, are inherently risky, and solid, intelligent, meaningful instruction is always a excellent method for mitigating risk. Keep it up!
I've been riding for 45 years and what he said was INCOMPLETE, he left out the MOST IMPORTANT part, looking through the corner to where you want to end up. MOST people that are inexperienced, when overcooking the corner, focus on the place they think the bikes heading, which is is the verge/ditch/guard rail, and that's where they end up, just look at the sheer amount of video's doing exactly that on youtube. What he's described is "trail braking", which is essential to slowing down in a corner, but the thing that will stop you leaving the road , at the same time, is LOOKING THROUGH THE CORNER, it's part of the technique he really should have mentioned, and focused on.
Some of us call it the "vanishing point", and one clue is, if,it's getting closer, the curve is tightening up - slow down, and getting farther away, curve is loosening up. Another trick I use in the mountains is watching the trees; if the clearing goes one way or the other, it's USUALLY the road clearing, but not always - it could be a driveway or a different road below.
70 years young been riding since I was 16 years old !! Did my first track day at 60 and during this session a racer took me out for a spin he followed as I went round. In all the years of riding I had been told not to use the brakes on corners then this young dude showed me how it should and can be done even at race pace Every day a day at school no matter how old you are ??? The best advice I have ever been given it bum /ass time on the seat The more you ride the better you will be.. Great vid lets hope it saves a few lives !!
I think your “singing” toward the end was the most helpful to relate when & how much to gently squeeze the brakes on a turn. This is the best explanation I’ve heard of the procedure to follow that I came on by accident when entering a turn too fast & panic was about to set in - it definitely worked!
Very important, to downshift before the turn. Don't overcook the corner Get your RPM up, Lean, press, and turn. Using higher RPM in a corner, gives you greater ability to adjust your turn radius, by simply increasing or decreasing the amount of throttle ! Using this technique, a rider can sometimes even begin accelerating, while cornering,..(instead of trying to slow down in the middle of a turn, in order to save their life) !
I really appreciate your videos. You have helped me overcome a lot of anxiety and better learn the limits of my bike. You have probably saved lives putting this information into the world, so on behalf of everyone smart enough to implement your advice into their driving, thank you.
Man thanks so much for making these videos. I went a little too fast into a hairpin curve the other day and scared myself to death. Ultimately it was the brake that saved me but I had poor control and my back end wobbled a bit. Now thanks to you I know a little better and I can go practice so that the next hairpin won't be my last!
I done some advanced training in the UK with Rapid Training the instructor told me if I’m looking for tips on the internet only use Moto Jitsu . I have followed you for some time and your help has been amazing. A few years ago I was in Spain in the Picos mountains with a group and I couldn’t get around the twisty mountains roads very well , it took me about 8 days to get used to them in a fashion. When I came back I finally booked some advanced training and things started to make sense. Like you said practice, practice I’m out on my Honda NT 1100 DCT every weekend and my riding has so improved , no more worries about u turns and hairpins. I’m off to Spain again in October to face those roads I was scared on to prove to myself I can do it . Thank you for sharing your videos this one makes sense on what I wasn’t doing in Spain ..🏍️🏍️🏍️
Thank you, you have probably saved my life in advance! When I get a bike again I shall of course practice what you have said here. When I had a bike in the 70's I remember vividly such 'too fast' corners and had no idea what to do. This led me to be frightened of riding a motorbike to a certain degree. Because of your calm, confident instruction I'm convinced I will be able to handle them in the future. Panic is indeed when you are unprepared. Actors really only get stage fright or super nervous when they haven't learned their lines properly. I know!
"Ta-ra-ra... Everything is Hillie... Everything is Flowie... Ta-ra-ra..." This might be the most valuable and life saver lesson I´ve ever learned. Thank you so much, Motojitsu. Greetings from Chile 🙂
Thanks for the vid. Riding on lots of mountain twisties in western Colorado gives me tons of practice. I sometimes intentionally go a “little” too hot into the turns to practice exactly that. Off the throttle and Gradual brake pressure. BTW, I’m 69 and female on my Heritage lovin’ the ride. 😉
One of the best videos about bike riding I have seen. Not just riding technique but also riding psychology. When you are on the road you are not sitting behind your computer.
Thank you MotoJitsu. I find myself in doubt of the front tire traction often. Its because of inexperience and will apply front brake not with the idea of slowing down but to increase pressure on the front tire to increase traction and lean more holding steady throttle. I'm a cautious rider and typically over compensate on the slowdown before the turn. I'm sure with more experience will come more confidence but for the most part just enjoy the opportunity to get out and be away. in the first year of riding i would have to tell myself to think about what I needed to do because in a sweeping turn my brain would say turn left or right rather than push left or right and it would put me in panic mode until it became muscle memory.
With experience, you stop thinking about counter steering, it all becomes intuitive and muscle memory, I never ever think about counter steering through bends, it just happens, along with trail braking to bleed of speed, good luck, have patience, riding over 45 years and still upright...
I’m with you brother. I bought my first “bike” (2022 Honda ADV150) back in April. I was gonna grab a KTM Duke 200, but swiftly decided against it since I wanted to focus solely on learning the _dynamics_ of riding without the worry of a clutch. When next spring rolls around, I’m gonna get me a cheap dirt bike to learn how to use a clutch, then trade in my ADV when I’m ready. ANYWAY lol for 3mos, I was terrified anytime I got into a turn to the point where I’d slow down a lot and lean very little. 2K miles later, I feel like my lean angle is on point & finally have zero anxiety when I ride. I’m slow going in and faster coming out, rather than slow in and slow out. Like MotoJitsu has said before-You need to take EVERY turn at the speed in which you are COMFORTABLE, period. Being on 2 wheels is always a learning experience & will be until we are very seasoned. Good luck! We got this 👊🏻
Greg, I found this video very significant. One of my main difficulties is to predict the behaviour of the rear brake on the road: I only use it consciously at low speed manouvering but most of the times (eg. urban riding)it seems as it doesn't exist. I know it's not the case, so your tips on how to use it clarified my mind. Thank you!
Thank you!! This always seemed like the correct action. I even do it instinctually when I’m hitting curves on highways and am going too fast and realize I’m going wide. I always lay off the throttle and I regain control. I still have stock tires on my bike so I would be so anxious to try to add lean into a tight corner
Breaking when it's already too late is as tricky as leaning more. Both require some practice and confidence in your safety margins. I had this experience a couple time, fortunately with lucky endings. Recently I had a "ho shit too fast" corner and I found myself just leaning more than I ever did. I guess I would probably have been also able to break. The real progress is actually to calibrate the confidence so you don't panic anymore when its getting "hot". And you are very right : practice is everything!
True dat yo! We all have ran into the situation. Unless you’re totally checked out and deserve what you get, I usually break aggressively as straight as possible. Even a second of this can drop 20 mph, which is usually enough. But I don’t panic. That is for some other type and I do practice crazy stuff, including every time I start my ride, like to work, I do brake checks and slow slow speed maneuvering like it’s training. I calibrate myself each time. And it’s fun. So when the time comes, I’ve already done it, recently or something close. I’ve been side swiped, accidentally rode on rear wires when wet and had the backend go out on a slight turn on a freeway going 80, and so many near death stuff as a lane splitter in California. Never went down. Only once when I was a young kid. That was enough.
Appreciate this video a lot. It’s really helpful to hear that it’s safe to brake responsibly in a turn. As a new rider riding daily since February but being taught to never brake in a turn this gives me some additional confidence in defensive riding
Great video. I have 50+ years in the saddle and you are spot on for entry/intermediate level. This stuff is foundational and riders need to learn and practice this stuff before they start messing with more agressive counter steering, weight distribution and the like. I especially appreciated the discussion on panic. The only 2 things that I wish you had added is that panic kills, so mentally squash it down as soon as it starts to creep in, and 2) the way to do that is to remember that you, the rider, will generally become uncomfortable long before you reach the bike's limits. These techniques also translate into general life, be smooth, trust the bike and look deeper into the corner...
50+ yr rider/racer here and I think this is a great vid! I just got back from COTA MOTO GP and always greatly admire their ability to slow everything down and get in the zone despite the break neck speeds.
Explaining is one thing but actually giving live examples. That's what I call a real expert and teacher. And how things should be done. I already know this and do it because it felt natural to me. But getting confirmation from an expert gives more confidence. Thank you so much for the content. Best regards, From the Netherlands 🇳🇱✌️
(sorry for my poor english) Thank you man. I'm riding during this period of time, learning and waiting for the license exam next month, here in Italy. And I have to say that I almost learned EVERYTHING from you (video and app!), so Thank you again. Now I'm riding safe but most importantly I learned from you the "constant training" state of mind. I turn on the motorbike in the morning to go to work and, as soon as I'm on an empty road, I experiment with countersteering, emergency braking, etc etc, in ANY moment just to be better every day. You push us to improve every day man. About this video I think that there are 2 variables: the amount of panic state (low / mild / high / extreme) and, on the other hand, the Time you realize the "oh f***" moment. Sometime is too high the state of panic, sometimes you realize that you are in danger too late. And this increases the panic state and so on to infinity. I think that we (as beginner) MUST pay more attention and go at an easier pace, like a musician when start to learn a new piece, we have not to be afraid but at the same time we must take it easy and improve little by little, building not only confidence but our "toolbox" for every situation. Dave
Have you watched Dan Dan the Fireman’s videos on motorcycle riding? He is another good coach. He focuses more on the mental skills of riding. A good complement to Motojitsu’s physical skills mentoring.
Watching your channel for a while now and has built my confidence in braking sooo much...I stay with the brakes in corners now and haven't had any brown pants since.
Nice but what I noticed from my ridding experience is that if you stick to the speed limit and speed recommendations you will most probably never find yourself in a situation when you have to do a lot to save your ass 😀. If you want to go fast and have fun, please wear a full body suit and go to the track or go faster on the straight, and before corners, go back to speed limit. 😊
I wish that was emphasized more. When learning to drive a car, the message is "speed kills", but when riding motorcycles, the message is wear gear. Most motorcycle fatalities are the fault of the motorcycle, and most of those don't even involve another vehicle, and most of those involve turns. But the common denominator is SPEED. Gear will prevent road rash, but you don't die from road rash. Motojitsu is an excellent rider/instructor, but something just seems off in the world of riding instruction today. They ignore the 800 lb gorilla in the room. If you feel panic coming into a turn, then you were going too fast. There are definitely riding habits that will allow you to have a long accident free life, and all of those habits deal with avoiding panic.
@@roberthansen9876 completely agree, maybe it’s my age, but I have no desire to go over 55 or 60 on my bike. I just enjoy riding, taking it all in….especially in the Fall, the foliage and the cool temps. Nothing better for me than an easy ride down some back country lanes.
Riding over 40 years....still practice this method. Have had a lot of bikes over the years. Go out and practice, practice, practice on each addition to your stable of steeds.
Watching you brake at the lean angle your at is not a problem, but if I’m leaned over way more than your video is showing is it still ok to use the brakes progressively? Can you do a video leaned over more than this video is showing and then go to the brakes.
In a different video he explains it like this: Imagine you have 100 points of grip for lean + brake. If you have 0 lean you can use 100 brake. If you have 90 lean you can only use 10 brake. Just adapt accordingly so you never exceed your 100 points of grip.
Hi Dale, watch a video called 100 points of grip by Champschool, it covers learn angle vs using the brakes..... Greg talks about these guys all the time.
@MotoJitsu , I recently had to apply the break in a corner (mild panic) BUT when I did the bike started to stand up out of the lean that I was in which made it like I was giong to run wide. I stayed with the brake, made the corner on my side of the road. I also was happy that nothing was coming up fast behind me. Thank you for making great content that can help us all improve our riding skills .
I do not have a motor cycle but maybe want to get one. It seems to me as a new rider trying to be safe maybe go slower than the posted speed limit and do not go much over the posted speed limit would be a good starting principle. But again I have no experience.
In which country is the speed limit always safe in the tightest corner? Not every road is a motorway. In my experience it is usually a deterioration in road surface that catches you out or an animal on the road. Trail braking is the safe method because it increases the contact patch and allows you to add more brake when something unexpected happens.
As someone who has only passed their motorcycle test a few months ago being fairly new to riding (in the UK) I love your content! I’ve learned so much from watching your stuff! Thank you :)
This makes me feel better that I was correcting my speed as you said, naturally. My heart was in my throat a couple times. Being quick, BUT smooth and gradual was fine. Leaning more for my skill level would have definitely made me more nervous than just making a smooth break while letting off the throttle. I have been told this was wrong, but it worked for a decreasing radius that wasn't marked at all and scared the shit out of me when I first started riding. Keeping your body calm, even when you're scared is paramount. I hadn't been riding long and I zoned out a little, thinking the curve was gradual. I got on the brakes pretty hard by the end of it, but I did it gradually. Worked like a charm. Your videos have helped me so much.
My biggest problem when I first started riding was trusting the machine to be able to handle the turn. One time I had this exact scenario happen. I was coming off the freeway on an offramp and I was traveling too fast for my comfort level but I knew how to counter steer. In that situation I just had to force myself to trust the machine and implement what I learned in class. Would love to see a video about trusting the machine and what they can handle when it comes to lean angle.
This yes yes. ChampU has taught me so much. I use my brakes on corners if I need to. Haven’t been in panic mode yet but what I did learn is - turn my head more, ride the brakes with constant pressure, lean more. I practice this ALL the time so I know what it feels like for emergencies. I don’t have ABS
Thank you for your input. I am a bit ADD, OCD, etc., etc. and my mind tells me I have to check in with reality every few seconds. This is what has helped me the most. I've done the drill of counter steering and it really works. For my mind set I have to discipline myself not to take risks outside of my comfort zone and be extra cautious of my surroundings and practice "what if scenarios". I've dropped my bike quite a few times and it was always my fault even if I slipped a flattened paper cup or gravel. Keep it coming!
Hi - just discovered your channel and am riveted….great presentation. I am a new rider, about to get my first bike at the age of 63. I love driving cars and work on my knowledge of the physics, so your approach to riding bikes makes absolute sense - keep it up.
Everyone says never use brakes in curve but I feather my brakes in curves when I need too slow down some and trailbrake at times and never had any issues. There's situations where you need to use brakes in curves...glad to see someone show how to use brakes in curve without causing bad things to happen
NOW THAT WAS A GREAT VIDEO !!! I'm a life long rider (since 14yrs old) 10 yrs a bike instructor UK, IAM, DIAMOND, ROSPA, (Advanced instructor) and I'm saving this video to reccomend to trainees. I've learnt something myself today and that's not to doubt my instruction when telling trainees to do just what you've said. I've always said it's OK to use your brakes so long as your not fierce grabbing, being progressive, ease the squeeze and be gentle building pressure when you've entered a bit too hot. Over here in the UK you've just got to be REAL careful of the crappy roads and gravel in bends and this time of year (Autumn/fall) wet slimy leaves. Wish I could ride those good roads and have the decent weather you guys have. Shiny side up bud ! 😉👍
Been riding since I was 16 and I'm now 69 from dirt bikes thought to Ducati and Harleys and your advice is right on the money, this riding style is the way to archive many wonderful years of riding 👍
I watched someone else's video on this same topic, except that video didn't mention that trailbraking in a corner should only be used if you have entered a corner too fast. Glad that you stated this.
Great video! As a “new” old rider, it is a good refresher video. Just started riding again after a 30 year absence. Didn’t realize how much fun I had missed in 30 years after I quit. Your DI training sounds like it came in handy for driving course training.
I am a returning rider. The difference as a returning rider is I was an off road, so returning to a road bike was like starting from scratch. Anyway, Point being, I have watched your videos now for about 5 years and applied and practiced every new thing you teach that I felt I needed to know. The first big one for me was counter steering. On my next big trip, over 2500km, I practiced this on every corner, so now that is built in to my ride as a natural thing now. All of your tips and explanations are the ones I use. This is another great video that I am going to make a part of me when I ride. Thanks. BTW, 72 next month.
Great video! I think that whole bit with you singing that tune "rollll off the gas and squeeezzze the breaks". If you can sing that tune in your head or even out loud to yourself, that'll help keep you slow and smooth. Thanks for sharing these golden nuggets.
All the videos teach me something or remind me of something. "Slow hands" is what has been my best help. It has made a great difference in my confidence level and riding ability.
The first time I was going fast and had to slow hard into a turn, I was not prepared for the extra weight in the handlebars and gyro forces on the front wheel. Practicing it before you need it is great advice.
Man, am I glad and lucky I found your channel. Also, if someone is having trouble with being soft on brakes, pick up downhill cycling a bit, that will teach you to: 1. Keep your eyes ahead on your goal, and always calculate the speed thats most comfy to pass the corner at highest speed 2. Using the right amount of brakes for certain corners, situation 3. Staying concentrated on your ride and things ahead due to panic, cause yeah, you can aknowledge the panic, but overpower for the sake of yourself and the bike Hope this helps, not a Bike rider, but a bycicle rider, and alot of his advices also applies in cycling, downhill.
1. Zero throttle 2. Fingers on the break lever 3. Progressive breaking if necessary 4. Look where you want to go 5. Progressively push forward on the right handlebar to turn right (and vice versa) (counter steering) and lean with the bike 6. Continue trail braking until the apex if braking was necessary 7. Progressively reduce the counter steering / leaning and get back on the throttle as you exit the corner Counter steering and trail breaking as essential skills that are not intuitive for most people, they need to be learned, practiced, and will save your life.
Yo Moto thanks for all the vids, I just got my license and still got lots to learn my first bike was a little 300cc but now I got a Honda cbr 1000 I’ve learned lots from your videos keep up the good work. Everyone stay safe on the road we all want you to get home in one piece💨👍
10:31 You're doing 97 M.P.H. in a 35 M.P.H. zone. You're doing 62 M.P.H. over the speed limit. Always enter every corner at the appropriate speed limit and you will never be in a panicked situation.
I got about 5 minutes in and was looking for the video to get to the point. I scrolled down and read MotoJitsu's comment, which saves a lot of time watching the video. Guess what, the few times I did have the issue I instinctively used the brakes.
I've also been riding about 7 years, but live in an area where there is not a lot of twisties. It took me a few trips out east, like around the interior of Nova Scotia to clock some good time navigating twisties in a safer environment. This made a huge difference in my riding skill when it comes to sharp bends. I'll just share to add to your wise words what I've learned. -Always take the bend from the outside, even when going slow. -Never touch the yellow line. Paint can be slippery, even when dry, and there is probably a truck coming the other way that is riding that line. Even better, don't go within three feet of it. -Watch carefully for sand or debris on the road. If you see it far enough ahead you may be able to avoid it. -Never hit the brakes on the bend. Neither front or back. In an emergency, you could trail brake front and back by braking very lightly but only in an emergency and this can be risky. -If you accidently find you are going too fast on the bend, release throttle and wash off speed with your engine, and twist the bike as hard as you need to make the bend. Remember that professional racers lean and twist that bike a lot harder than you would think is possible. -Accelerate smoothly only once you've passed the APEX. About the term "twisting": I also learned on those twisty roads in Nova Scotia about "twisting" the bike rather than just push steering or leaning it. A lot of riders think there is no difference, but there is. Twisting gives far more control and ability than simply push steering or leaning. To twist the bike you push on the side you want to go, while pulling on the other handlebar at the same time. While doing this, your body assumes a neutral counter balancing position. I found this to give me a huge amount of control and confidence, even on sandy corners. It works with offroading too. If you disagree with any of this, it's ok, we all ride different, but this is what works for me and so far, I've been keeping the rubber side down. Cheers! Rich
the other day i was having a bit too much fun and went into a roundabout at like 50, locked up the front wheel while all the way leaned over. through the power of not panicking I let off the front brake most of the way and straightened up and made the corner without dropping the bike. just a reminder that no matter what, you should never give up on a turn. there's always a way to make it.
Thanks so much for dropping the knowledge. I'm in my first year of riding - your app has helped me tons and I am enrolled in an off-road class for this coming weekend. Your philosophy speaks volumes to me (love the tough love) - keep cranking out the content!
You're right in what you are teaching, braking in a corner is for the advanced rider, because braking in a corner takes feather-braking. Knowing how to feather-brake in a corner can save your life for sure, but it has to be practiced to know how to do it. A lot of people biff trying it.
Ive only been riding for 52 years. I dont drive a car.. so im I’m on the bike a lot. I live quite far from the city (over 200kms to the nearest traffic light in any direction). The advent of ABS has made this advice spot on.. at one time hitting the brakes too hard led to locking up, or a slide if already i the corner. ABS and TC are a must. Emergency braking becomes quite safe. One piece of advice to share.. start the corner wide , watch the vanishing point, then finish wide. (Some say “start wide, finish tight”, its the same thing. Stay upright, keep the rubber side down.
I've learned to use my breaks in turns thanks to your video's about two years back, it's helped me atleast 3 times not eatin the opposite curb, also the use of the front break is practice people need to get in, I know far to many riders that don't use there front break. I'm so glad you put emphaise on getting to know your break.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
If you find yourself in a corner too fast for your comfort, ROLLLLLL off the gas and/or ADD some brake pressure by SQUEEEZZZZIINNNGG. Don't just give up and "lean more bro" that may not be the best choice in that moment of mild-panic. Stay with the brakes, is a much wiser solution. OBVIOUSLY look on your intended path of travel...I didn't focus on that because if you're not first slowing the damn bike down, you'll just see the guardrail you're about to crash into faster. www.motojitsu.com/courses
My dad here in the UK was an advanced driving instructor in the 80s, taught me how to drive and a bit about riding motorbikes. one thing thats stuck with me that you said about doing courses, he would say 'a driving licence is a licence to go learn more about driving. passing your test means you are competent to drive on the road but you should after getting more experience on the road, go learn advanced ways to drive, things to look out for, how to drive more efficently, to be more smooth for passengers and so on'.
thats one thing when i feel im driving not at my best comes to my head and next week or so after i try to be a better driver and rider.
Hey. I found myself in a similar situation the other day and did exactly that. Roll and squeeeeeze. Worked a treat. Although I did still panic 😳. Anyway all good. What if the road is wet? Apologies if it’s a silly question but I’m a new rider here in the UK.
It is just great how you can explain and give your knowledge to the others. I learned and take license for motorcycle in army like MP almost 30 years ago. Most of the things you explain in your videos I already know but some of this didn't know what I am doing 😂😂 . It's more easier to drive when you know how your reaction affect to the motorcycle. Best regards from Serbia
I've been in that mild panic situation before in a corner. Luckily for whatever reason I applied this technique and it saved me. Not what I was taught but it works!
@@jeffpulford2884
I think he would say you need to practice braking in a wet car park to get a feel for the brakes in the wet.
My advice would be when you can afford to, buy quality tyres that have good wet weather performance (we live in the uk (i live in Scotland lol) so it does rain a lot).
And watch out for rainbows on the tarmac on roundabouts, when it rains it brings the diesel up to the top and turns that patch into ice. If a truck driver doesnt do the cap up properly as leaves fuel station, first corner is usually a roundabout so the overspill happens there. Bit of advanced driving my dad told me, be careful where you know fuel garage for that situation.
Hope you enjoy riding.
I'm 81 years old and have been riding since I was 14. Your advice on use of the brakes is great, and well explained, especially the need to practice. BUT, I've stopped at more a half dozen scenes where a rider has run off the road or crossed the yellow line coming too hot into a turn. There is one constant. The riders panicked and failed to keep their eyes on the exit, sensed they were getting close to the edge, and looked down to see if they were going to go over. Of course they went over as soon as their eyes saw a target. Watching for the exit causes the rider to automatically increase counter-steer, tightening the turn. Won't help if you are so tight that hard parts, not just spring mounted pegs, are dragging so much that tires lift. Then you are just screwed. The beauty of all of this is, as you said, practice when you are not in an emergency situation.
I did think that roll off the throttle and brake gently where givens , the point you make about never looking at the trouble is the real key , just fixate on that apex , if you go down still itll only be because youve leaned to much and you get a slide and a chance , that said i was once forced by another bike to stand it up and we both ended up in a field 🤷🏻♂️ thankfully unscathed 🙏
Been riding 40 years on every imaginable kind of bike. On and off road. Sports bikes, Touring bikes, Old vintage bikes and even quads.
It’s really difficult to explain how to ride. Like explaining to child how to ride a bicycle before they get up and try it. Having said that, I think your making a great effort and your vids are probably very helpful to many new riders. The only thing I would like to add is how valuable it is to learn to ride off road. And the importance of NEVER riding at 100%. Even if you want to ride fast, keep it to a level well within the skill level you think you have. 80 - 90 % of your max speed unless you are on a track.
100% agree!
Spot on ! Your advice applies in fact on all high-risk activities. On sailing, diving, parachuting, always keep a range of flexibility to adapt to the unexpected shit that will occur, sooner or later.
I'm riding a kpm 200 as my first street bike and its 100% is like 70mph. (honestly only 65mph because I'm a heavyset rider.) I'm finding that I'm riding the bike to its 95% most of the time, just to keep up with traffic, but not even reaching 80% of my potential as a rider.
@@alfuriusstraut8721 Sounds like a perfect bike to learn on.
I crashed a moped and ended up in hospital in Thailand a few years ago. Had 30 years experience and thought I was well safe….. you never know.
i absolutely agree because i am old like you. when i was 20 i always went 100% or more. so age is a factor too
the best thing i learned from you and champ school is the tire can take a hell of a load... it can NOT take an abrupt mode. (brake and/or gas), ... this gave me confidence to use my brakes as much as the throttle. game changer man
I once came into a corner to hot. It was so scary it’s seared into my memory. It was on Highway one in California, on a 30° steep downhill grade, decreasing radius, on a 300’ cliff down to the pacific. Because I was going downhill, I was already on the brakes, and when I realized I was coming in too hot, I honestly panicked. I tensed up, the last thing on my mind was leaning the bike more LOL, I just smoothly applied the *front* brakes as aggressively as possible. To be honest, I probably was well within the limits of the motorcycle and tires, but I was at MY limit. Breaking hard helped me navigate the turn in a way that simply leaning more wouldn’t, as I felt I was at the limit of my lean and it did not seem like an option at the time. I was under the impression that any sort of breaking in a corner would cause the tire to wash out, but you’d be surprised how much the front tire can handle if brakes are applied smoothly and your body position is correct.
I've been there too! I did same as you, thanks for replying with your experience.
Greetings from Newark, California
@@robdonell9915 greetings to you, Yosemite foothills.
I had exactly the same thing n it’s seared into my mind. I didn’t know anything that is in this vid but I tensed up, did the ease on the brakes n somehow naturally got thru it. I find in these situations that somehow my body knows what to do, I had to take a moment after the corner but all was well. Also I would advise counter steering, just a minute push opposite on the bars can REALLY help your cornering.
What was the correct body position?
Answer begins at 6.05, folks!
Bless you
Jesus thank you.
I appreciate the information.. really I’m a new rider and I need all the info and coaching I can get.. but I literally came here thinking get to the f***ing point!!
Best comment.
😂👍🏿
Started riding motorcycles 60 years ago. Thank You for passing on your wisdom to all of us. You are saving lives and educating the inexperienced. Ride on and Ride Safe!
60.....that s three generations....respect
One more tip which can help a lot is that when you are in this panic situation and push the brakes into a turn, don't forget the vision part, you have to look where you want to go while you are braking.
Regards from Greece!
Good point. Target fixation is guaranteed crash. ALWAYS look where you want the bike to go.
Exactly. Look THROUGH the bend. Don't panic by focusing on the potential point of impact, you'll only head for it.
Looking through the turn was SCREAMING at me while watching this. Excellent point. Thumbs up.
Exactly, it was actually stupid leaving that out, it's the most important part of cornering and trail braking at the same time, noobs usually don't know this. He should take this video down and edit it, looking through the corner and trail braking are part of the same technique, big fail not linking the two together...
Γεια σου μπρο μου
I took 18 years off from riding and recently got back in to the saddle. Unfortunately I found I was taking turns like a newbie - I had lost a lot of skill and confidence over time. I started taking really early rides on weekends (no traffic to worry about) to practice specific turns and roads that I felt I was having trouble with. I focused on how to ease in brakes, lean with confidence, to trust the bike and even how leaning your own weight forward can affect turning. I noticed within a few sessions my confidence and skills grew enough that I was able to keep control when I over shot a turn on an totally unfamiliar road. Practicing a skill can really help you keep your cool in a situation that demands that skill; it massively decreases the time from the initial panic to executing a solution and that increased reaction speed keeps you out of the bushes and guard rails.
PRACTICE is the key Doing before the situation demands---> panic stops & tight turns
Maybe think about a 1 day lesson. The instructor will see and fix your weaknesses. In 1 day.
...and that is why you are a smart guy...keep up the good work
@@rawhide966 Teaching he RLAP I found that probably only 2% of riders have ever done a panic stop practice. The rest usually laid them down from, overbraking rears and a slideout crash! My guys were cutting stop distances in HALF after just 8-10 trys!
6:05 what to do
8:29 demonstrated and explained
11:57 clarification
18:25 bonus tip
Started riding bikes in 1974 and front brake was taboo especially going round corners.40 years later have started riding again and mate, have watched a lot of your videos.Thankyou so much.They say 'cant teach an old dog new tricks '.Being an old bugger now ,self preservation is foremost.You have given me the knowledge and confidence I was lacking this time round .Ur cool dude.
Its unfortunate that the "never front brake" guidance has continued for decades and still persists.
Same thing here went log time not riding. Have internet now and there was so much I didn’t know always can learn more
As a road cyclist that can't rely on engine braking, I found out early on that gentle brake pressure when you've overcooked a corner is a necessary survival tool. This skill has translated well to the moto. Great advice! Thanks!
P.S.- Your enthusiasm is contagious.
preparing when entering -> front break already loaded & throttle rolling off relax & focus
it's kind of amazing how many motorcycle riders have ultra limited experience riding bicycles, i find it fascinating...
Same here im mofe of a bycicle rider than motorcycle rider. You cant belive how much riding bycicle helps you with motorcycle riding. When on bycicle i overcocked the corners milion times the breaks are the only solution. Being gentle is the key and to know wich brake to apply at given situation.
I can assure you that there are plenty of motorists that have and still ride bikes. Pretty different animal. 50+ mph, 500 to 1000lbs. Situations happen at an exponentially faster rate. Most bicyclists don’t ride on main roads, highways or rural routes. I would suggest trying a motorcycle before trying to be a critical expert. I mean, I rode a tricycle too.
Fixed gear riders: "Yay I have engine braking!" - strikes pedal mid turn.
I’ve been riding more than 20 years and I find your videos super helpful man, so good, and realistic. The amount of time experience riding means nothing if your not actually practicing skills.
I am recovering from from a crash where I came into a corner too fast. It was a pretty easy corner but I wasn't paying attention. I panicked and jammed the front and rear brake, if I would not have panicked I would have followed everything he is showing in this video. I know what he shows is exactly what I should have done.
To have you as an instructor, while taking my license here in Sweden- is beyond incredible! They do teach me what I need to know, to break properly - but You make it so much easier!!! ✨️ Thank you! ❤
What a great instructor you are!! I am 75 yrs. old and still ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I agree with all you have shared in this video. I wish all motorcycle instructors would share these safety riding skills with their students rather than advise them not to use their brakes in a curve. An outstanding job!!
Right with ya at 70, and I've even been cut off in a formation by a guy who was told "to use the whole lane" in a turn. Apparently, beginner advice does NOT induce common sense or make you a rider!
I've been riding only two years and find you to be such a great teacher, I am really grateful for your experience and ability to retrain what we had been told. I found I was doing some of the things you teach and was wondering why I hadn't crashed! Then I see your videos and am so thankful! You tell us that was all entry level ideas and we HAVE to go past that! I'm older and willing to learn from others. May God bless your ride always.
This video saved me. New rider (1 month), found Motojitsu and watched as much as I could before riding. This information helped me realize exactly what was happening and how to respond appropriately without panicking. Downward decreasing radius and I was drifting, I just rolled off the throttle until I felt confident enough to counter-steer and find a better line!
Thank you for the knowledge and information you are sharing!
My wife and I just started riding again after 18 years and noticed a big difference between riding my motorcycle in the city of Cleveland Ohio and the difference in riding these winding country roads of West Virginia, even though we had several years under our belts riding it was a night and day difference totally… We decided to take the MSF safety course which helped us immensely but just didn’t seem like enough until we started doing a whole lot of your training with cones and did your riding techniques over and over until it became first nature when riding…. We have our notifications for your TH-cam videos on and watch them when they are posted, Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for the videos and insight from your experience that you share!!!!
I remember you had a video where you demonstrated braking in turns. You were braking quite hard, in turn after turn, and your bike was perfectly fine with that. Seeing that, that was really helpful!
It helped me to become more confident about braking in turns, and as a result, I feel safer now. It's comforting to know that should the need arise, I can always brake.
By now I can't imagine riding without this, because on the road, we should never be in a situation where we would be afraid to brake.
I have been riding now for 6 months and learning from this channel. It's scary when you realize your in the corner to hot. Knowing how to trail brake has saved me on a few corners already. My skill has increased and those same corners are easy now. I always practice track standing at all stop lights and signs. I need to practice the cones so I can pass the California course test. I originally thought I would find a smaller bike for test but this channel has taught that it's not the bike but the skill of the rider.
You SHOULD HAVE FOCUSED on looking through the corner and braking at the SAME TIME, because it's ESSENTIAL to keeping the bike going where you want it. You can apply all the brake you want mid corner but, if you're looking where you THINK the bikes going to end up, like over the edge, that's where you'll end up. I've been around racing my whole life and been riding on the road for 45 years and i can tell you, you can trail brake all you like in a corner, but if you're not LOOKING THROUGH THE CORNER, you still end up in the sh1t. There's no , "oh lets talk about that later", It's all part of the same technique.....
I was in this situation a couple of years ago on a bike I was uncomfortable on. I thought I was going to crash, but I didn’t. Pure luck. I went home and quit riding for a long time. Just recently turned in that bike for a smaller cc bike and started working on the motojitsu drills. I haven’t gotten past white belt but do feel a lot more confident on this bike. I’m slowly working my way through curves and have learned a lot. I will take this advise and add it to my skills. I’m fighting my fear of riding with action and practice. Thank you for all the knowledge you put into the world.
Been riding for 2 months. You doing the “bad” example really helps me visualize. I do get to speed and have overcooked corners. Lucky no accidents yet but i wanna do better. Thanks man.
42 yrs ago on my 1st day of road race school I learned, hang the crack of my ass off of the seat . Did that every time I rode fast, and became second nature. I agree with everything you said, and if you are ''hanging off'' you can always lean more than you think, and if the frame levers the tires off the pavement , you are low to the ground and less likely to get launched in a ''high side.''
A miracle Darwins haven't catch you up yet...
But I have had semi-trucks barrel past me, on very windy day, and I've fought to keep out of a high-speed wobble. In that case, my anus would suck to the seat, and I couldn't move my ass crack over the seat.
Great stuff. I loved the "rolling hills and mountains" analogy.
I like how you don't do a big reveal until near the end of a lesson, leaving room for your audience to attempt to figure it out for themselves.
Makes people think.
Many of your skills, I can figure out where you are going, having worked through the exact lesson over time in my head as I have ridden. I have said since day one of riding, "don't get cocky, you will always be a student here"... so every ride I evaluate every move and decision, and try to learn as much as I can.
Your lessons bring some of those lessons a clarity and understanding, and reinforcement.
Then there is the knowledge you share that I never even considered.
Excellent work, saving lives, I am sure!
Good Man.
1. The song: Happy to know I am not the only one who sings things I do sometimes.
2. The panic thing: While doing Rescue Diver training a part of it is all about panic and how to protect yourself from the person you are rescuing. Like you said, they try to climb you.
When you "grab a fist full" you destabilize the bike. It is the rider that crashes the bike not the bike that crashes the rider. You need to allow the bike to respond to your actions. You need to be able to predict those responses. That takes practice and experience.
Very well said
I've ridden a lot. This kind of content is saving riders lives.
It's been 40 years since I got my first bike and I'm still learning things from kids on TH-cam.
Keep it up.
Thank you for this. I wrecked about 4 months ago and then almost a week ago I had a close call. Both were due to going into a corner a little too quick and you have given me some things I need to work on and practice.
Man this channel is absolute gold. Haven’t bought my bike yet, I’m in the research phase pretty much. But not enough channels talk about these situations and what to do.
This video couldn’t be better timing for me! Just Saturday I was out with a group and took a few curves too hot and I did use both break and no throttle feeling the entire time like I was doing it all wrong! I’m happy to learn I wasn’t and that my “stick shift driving” instincts are still good after many years😊.
I don’t know how many lives you’ve saved by your videos. God bless you my friend!!!
30+ years riding, MSF instructor for 12 years, taught for BMW Adventure school a couple of years. MSF Basic Rider course emphasizes the separation of braking and turning because each uses some amount of traction. New riders are overwhelmed enough without introducing ‘advanced’ cornering. As long as you don’t blend braking and turning incorrectly and don’t use more traction than available, you can use your brakes in a turn. The best explanation for braking and turning I have ever read was in Nick Ienatsch’s “Sport Riding Techniques”.
Braking and turning at the same time is a no brainer and should be taught from day ONE....
@@MickH60 You would’ve been an outstanding student to have in class, for sure. You could demonstrate how to pick the bike up after demonstrating your awesome trail braking technique on the practice range. 👍🏼
I just started riding this year, all brand new to me. I watched SO many TH-cam videos on a variety of subjects to familiarize myself with the many aspects of riding. Took my riding course this summer, got my learner's permit, started riding, and I'm making a point to practice, practice, practice various things (corners, lane changes, turning right, etc.). I gotta say, this video is extremely well done, thanks for doing it. Your explanations are good, clear, and well presented, makes it easier to understand the concepts.
♥️👍🏼
Thank you so much for the Marine Corps definition of panic. I have been struggling to find the simplest way to explain it to students in my classes and this is by far the best way I have come across to explain it. Super helpful. Thanks for everything you post.
In this video I learned that I've been riding longer than you, yet you are so much better at it than I am. That goes to show that 15 years experience isn't the same as 1 year experience repeated 15 times. Thanks for your explanations and everything you do. I definitely had the misconception that any braking other than straight up and down was dangerous, and I'm reprogramming my brain accordingly. I just finished Yamaha Champion Riding School's online thing, and I learned so much just in a couple days. I also bought some cones and have been doing Motojitsu with my girlfriend in parking lots. Thanks again for all your help. You're probably saving lives.
You make great points about not just leaning more, but from my personal experience, just remembering “lean more” has saved me a few times. If you trust that countersteering will work, and you find yourself going wide, that quick little “lean more” shouting in your brain as a reflex can save your line (possibly life too). Not saying all the time, but don’t discredit it too much. If you trust that countersteering will work, because you’ve been practicing, it helps you not panic too
If you downshift before your turn, instead of just floating into a turn in the gear that you're in ??? you will (usually) have plenty of control of your rear tire speed (and your motorcycle) without using any rear brake, at all.
Best Advice ; Don't overcook corners.
I watched a moto GP video that showed the rider breaking so hard in the turn that his rear tire lifted. That was precision progressive breaking at its finest. It made me rethink my aversion to heavy breaking into a turn.
Practicing these techniques has saved my bacon more than once. I now know to calm down, keep my focus, make my actions as smooth and as progressive as possible, and never bail - just keep up the focus until I’m either through it or crashed.
I was a private pilot and lost an engine one time and I was sure glad that I had practiced emergency landings.
Practice and teaching ourselves to calm down in times of stress are essential to riding safely.
Well done on the video!
These videos help so much my bike has no tech and the more comfortable I am with my breaks the better rider I become
Tech is not required, what is required is training, skill, and discipline.
@@stephenscharf6293 training includes making mistakes. If you make a mistake with abs you may end up going home just fine, if you make a mistake without abs there's a big chance you're gonna hurt yourself. Tech does not hinder your ability to learn, not having tech does
@@stephenscharf6293 and practice.
You saved my life. I already know it. I’ve had a couple low sides and it’s always when I’m in a group. After those I’ve learned screw trying to stay up with friends. I don’t care what they say. “Bro we had to wait on you” “you slow af” “you ruined this road for us, we had to slow down for you” cool, don’t worry bout me, go as fast as you want. At the stop sign just stretch or something. I’ll be there at the end cause I’m not going well above my comfort zone. If I’m not there in 5 minutes then come look for me.
Like I said this video already saved my life from watching cause now I know what to do and what to go practice. I was bout to sell my bike and get something smaller or just quit. Not anymore. Now I know a way forward and something that will actually help. I’m staying on 2s and I’m not gonna be afraid to hit the twistys anymore. Going to practice right now. Thanks brother!
The ones that really catch me out are those super tight bends, this is a great video
I’ve been riding longer than you’ve been alive. Great advice. Decades ago, there was no jargon, TH-cam, courses for newbies, just OJT. I’m a flight instructor and I appreciate your instructional technique and verbalization. Both activities, mortar cycles and flying, are inherently risky, and solid, intelligent, meaningful instruction is always a excellent method for mitigating risk. Keep it up!
I've been riding for 45 years and what he said was INCOMPLETE, he left out the MOST IMPORTANT part, looking through the corner to where you want to end up. MOST people that are inexperienced, when overcooking the corner, focus on the place they think the bikes heading, which is is the verge/ditch/guard rail, and that's where they end up, just look at the sheer amount of video's doing exactly that on youtube. What he's described is "trail braking", which is essential to slowing down in a corner, but the thing that will stop you leaving the road , at the same time, is LOOKING THROUGH THE CORNER, it's part of the technique he really should have mentioned, and focused on.
Some of us call it the "vanishing point", and one clue is, if,it's getting closer, the curve is tightening up - slow down, and getting farther away, curve is loosening up. Another trick I use in the mountains is watching the trees; if the clearing goes one way or the other, it's USUALLY the road clearing, but not always - it could be a driveway or a different road below.
70 years young been riding since I was 16 years old !! Did my first track day at 60 and during this session a racer took me out for a spin he followed as I went round. In all the years of riding I had been told not to use the brakes on corners then this young dude showed me how it should and can be done even at race pace Every day a day at school no matter how old you are ??? The best advice I have ever been given it bum /ass time on the seat The more you ride the better you will be.. Great vid lets hope it saves a few lives !!
I think your “singing” toward the end was the most helpful to relate when & how much to gently squeeze the brakes on a turn. This is the best explanation I’ve heard of the procedure to follow that I came on by accident when entering a turn too fast & panic was about to set in - it definitely worked!
Very important, to downshift before the turn. Don't overcook the corner Get your RPM up, Lean, press, and turn. Using higher RPM in a corner, gives you greater ability to adjust your turn radius, by simply increasing or decreasing the amount of throttle ! Using this technique, a rider can sometimes even begin accelerating, while cornering,..(instead of trying to slow down in the middle of a turn, in order to save their life) !
I really appreciate your videos. You have helped me overcome a lot of anxiety and better learn the limits of my bike. You have probably saved lives putting this information into the world, so on behalf of everyone smart enough to implement your advice into their driving, thank you.
Great video, great advice. I'm still amazed how quickly a bike slows down just by rolling off the throttle and light brake pressure.
Man thanks so much for making these videos. I went a little too fast into a hairpin curve the other day and scared myself to death. Ultimately it was the brake that saved me but I had poor control and my back end wobbled a bit. Now thanks to you I know a little better and I can go practice so that the next hairpin won't be my last!
I done some advanced training in the UK with Rapid Training the instructor told me if I’m looking for tips on the internet only use Moto Jitsu . I have followed you for some time and your help has been amazing.
A few years ago I was in Spain in the Picos mountains with a group and I couldn’t get around the twisty mountains roads very well , it took me about 8 days to get used to them in a fashion.
When I came back I finally booked some advanced training and things started to make sense.
Like you said practice, practice I’m out on my Honda NT 1100 DCT every weekend and my riding has so improved , no more worries about u turns and hairpins. I’m off to Spain again in October to face those roads I was scared on to prove to myself I can do it .
Thank you for sharing your videos this one makes sense on what I wasn’t doing in Spain ..🏍️🏍️🏍️
welcome!
instagram.com/motojitsuclub/
Thank you, you have probably saved my life in advance! When I get a bike again I shall of course practice what you have said here. When I had a bike in the 70's I remember vividly such 'too fast' corners and had no idea what to do. This led me to be frightened of riding a motorbike to a certain degree. Because of your calm, confident instruction I'm convinced I will be able to handle them in the future. Panic is indeed when you are unprepared. Actors really only get stage fright or super nervous when they haven't learned their lines properly. I know!
"Ta-ra-ra...
Everything is Hillie...
Everything is Flowie...
Ta-ra-ra..."
This might be the most valuable and life saver lesson I´ve ever learned.
Thank you so much, Motojitsu.
Greetings from Chile 🙂
Thanks for the vid. Riding on lots of mountain twisties in western Colorado gives me tons of practice. I sometimes intentionally go a “little” too hot into the turns to practice exactly that. Off the throttle and Gradual brake pressure. BTW, I’m 69 and female on my Heritage lovin’ the ride. 😉
One of the best videos about bike riding I have seen. Not just riding technique but also riding psychology. When you are on the road you are not sitting behind your computer.
Thank you MotoJitsu. I find myself in doubt of the front tire traction often. Its because of inexperience and will apply front brake not with the idea of slowing down but to increase pressure on the front tire to increase traction and lean more holding steady throttle. I'm a cautious rider and typically over compensate on the slowdown before the turn. I'm sure with more experience will come more confidence but for the most part just enjoy the opportunity to get out and be away. in the first year of riding i would have to tell myself to think about what I needed to do because in a sweeping turn my brain would say turn left or right rather than push left or right and it would put me in panic mode until it became muscle memory.
With experience, you stop thinking about counter steering, it all becomes intuitive and muscle memory, I never ever think about counter steering through bends, it just happens, along with trail braking to bleed of speed, good luck, have patience, riding over 45 years and still upright...
I’m with you brother. I bought my first “bike” (2022 Honda ADV150) back in April. I was gonna grab a KTM Duke 200, but swiftly decided against it since I wanted to focus solely on learning the _dynamics_ of riding without the worry of a clutch. When next spring rolls around, I’m gonna get me a cheap dirt bike to learn how to use a clutch, then trade in my ADV when I’m ready.
ANYWAY lol for 3mos, I was terrified anytime I got into a turn to the point where I’d slow down a lot and lean very little.
2K miles later, I feel like my lean angle is on point & finally have zero anxiety when I ride. I’m slow going in and faster coming out, rather than slow in and slow out.
Like MotoJitsu has said before-You need to take EVERY turn at the speed in which you are COMFORTABLE, period. Being on 2 wheels is always a learning experience & will be until we are very seasoned.
Good luck! We got this 👊🏻
Greg, I found this video very significant. One of my main difficulties is to predict the behaviour of the rear brake on the road: I only use it consciously at low speed manouvering but most of the times (eg. urban riding)it seems as it doesn't exist. I know it's not the case, so your tips on how to use it clarified my mind. Thank you!
Thank you!! This always seemed like the correct action. I even do it instinctually when I’m hitting curves on highways and am going too fast and realize I’m going wide. I always lay off the throttle and I regain control. I still have stock tires on my bike so I would be so anxious to try to add lean into a tight corner
Months after watching this video (among others you’ve made) I can confidently say this saved me and my bike.
Breaking when it's already too late is as tricky as leaning more. Both require some practice and confidence in your safety margins. I had this experience a couple time, fortunately with lucky endings. Recently I had a "ho shit too fast" corner and I found myself just leaning more than I ever did. I guess I would probably have been also able to break. The real progress is actually to calibrate the confidence so you don't panic anymore when its getting "hot". And you are very right : practice is everything!
True dat yo! We all have ran into the situation. Unless you’re totally checked out and deserve what you get, I usually break aggressively as straight as possible. Even a second of this can drop 20 mph, which is usually enough. But I don’t panic. That is for some other type and I do practice crazy stuff, including every time I start my ride, like to work, I do brake checks and slow slow speed maneuvering like it’s training. I calibrate myself each time. And it’s fun. So when the time comes, I’ve already done it, recently or something close.
I’ve been side swiped, accidentally rode on rear wires when wet and had the backend go out on a slight turn on a freeway going 80, and so many near death stuff as a lane splitter in California. Never went down. Only once when I was a young kid. That was enough.
best video on cornering i have ever seen in my life, and I've watched twist of the wrist twice already.
Appreciate this video a lot. It’s really helpful to hear that it’s safe to brake responsibly in a turn. As a new rider riding daily since February but being taught to never brake in a turn this gives me some additional confidence in defensive riding
Great video. I have 50+ years in the saddle and you are spot on for entry/intermediate level. This stuff is foundational and riders need to learn and practice this stuff before they start messing with more agressive counter steering, weight distribution and the like.
I especially appreciated the discussion on panic. The only 2 things that I wish you had added is that panic kills, so mentally squash it down as soon as it starts to creep in, and 2) the way to do that is to remember that you, the rider, will generally become uncomfortable long before you reach the bike's limits.
These techniques also translate into general life, be smooth, trust the bike and look deeper into the corner...
Thank you, this advice could literally be life saving! They way you explained it and confirmed what you meant by it is truly helpful!
Thank you Brandy :) See ya tomorrow for live
50+ yr rider/racer here and I think this is a great vid! I just got back from COTA MOTO GP and always greatly admire their ability to slow everything down and get in the zone despite the break neck speeds.
Excellent advice 👍. I also believe target fixation is one of the main causes as well during a corner
Yeah - while you're trail braking or leaning - keep eyes up and look where you want to go. Harder than it seems sometimes.
Explaining is one thing but actually giving live examples. That's what I call a real expert and teacher. And how things should be done. I already know this and do it because it felt natural to me. But getting confirmation from an expert gives more confidence. Thank you so much for the content.
Best regards,
From the Netherlands 🇳🇱✌️
(sorry for my poor english) Thank you man. I'm riding during this period of time, learning and waiting for the license exam next month, here in Italy. And I have to say that I almost learned EVERYTHING from you (video and app!), so Thank you again. Now I'm riding safe but most importantly I learned from you the "constant training" state of mind. I turn on the motorbike in the morning to go to work and, as soon as I'm on an empty road, I experiment with countersteering, emergency braking, etc etc, in ANY moment just to be better every day. You push us to improve every day man.
About this video I think that there are 2 variables: the amount of panic state (low / mild / high / extreme) and, on the other hand, the Time you realize the "oh f***" moment. Sometime is too high the state of panic, sometimes you realize that you are in danger too late. And this increases the panic state and so on to infinity. I think that we (as beginner) MUST pay more attention and go at an easier pace, like a musician when start to learn a new piece, we have not to be afraid but at the same time we must take it easy and improve little by little, building not only confidence but our "toolbox" for every situation.
Dave
Have you watched Dan Dan the Fireman’s videos on motorcycle riding? He is another good coach. He focuses more on the mental skills of riding. A good complement to Motojitsu’s physical skills mentoring.
Watching your channel for a while now and has built my confidence in braking sooo much...I stay with the brakes in corners now and haven't had any brown pants since.
Nice but what I noticed from my ridding experience is that if you stick to the speed limit and speed recommendations you will most probably never find yourself in a situation when you have to do a lot to save your ass 😀. If you want to go fast and have fun, please wear a full body suit and go to the track or go faster on the straight, and before corners, go back to speed limit. 😊
Amen
I wish that was emphasized more. When learning to drive a car, the message is "speed kills", but when riding motorcycles, the message is wear gear. Most motorcycle fatalities are the fault of the motorcycle, and most of those don't even involve another vehicle, and most of those involve turns. But the common denominator is SPEED. Gear will prevent road rash, but you don't die from road rash. Motojitsu is an excellent rider/instructor, but something just seems off in the world of riding instruction today. They ignore the 800 lb gorilla in the room. If you feel panic coming into a turn, then you were going too fast. There are definitely riding habits that will allow you to have a long accident free life, and all of those habits deal with avoiding panic.
Yeah but that's boring
@@roberthansen9876 completely agree, maybe it’s my age, but I have no desire to go over 55 or 60 on my bike. I just enjoy riding, taking it all in….especially in the Fall, the foliage and the cool temps. Nothing better for me than an easy ride down some back country lanes.
Riding over 40 years....still practice this method. Have had a lot of bikes over the years. Go out and practice, practice, practice on each addition to your stable of steeds.
Watching you brake at the lean angle your at is not a problem, but if I’m leaned over way more than your video is showing is it still ok to use the brakes progressively?
Can you do a video leaned over more than this video is showing and then go to the brakes.
In a different video he explains it like this: Imagine you have 100 points of grip for lean + brake. If you have 0 lean you can use 100 brake. If you have 90 lean you can only use 10 brake. Just adapt accordingly so you never exceed your 100 points of grip.
The further you are leaned over, the smoother and more gradual you have to be.
The more the lean angle, the less the brake pressure you can apply. But u can still apply some braking.
Hi Dale, watch a video called 100 points of grip by Champschool, it covers learn angle vs using the brakes..... Greg talks about these guys all the time.
@MotoJitsu , I recently had to apply the break in a corner (mild panic) BUT when I did the bike started to stand up out of the lean that I was in which made it like I was giong to run wide. I stayed with the brake, made the corner on my side of the road. I also was happy that nothing was coming up fast behind me. Thank you for making great content that can help us all improve our riding skills .
If you are going the speed limit, you are never too fast for the turn. This whole paradigm requires people to ignore this postulate
I do not have a motor cycle but maybe want to get one. It seems to me as a new rider trying to be safe maybe go slower than the posted speed limit and do not go much over the posted speed limit would be a good starting principle. But again I have no experience.
In which country is the speed limit always safe in the tightest corner? Not every road is a motorway. In my experience it is usually a deterioration in road surface that catches you out or an animal on the road. Trail braking is the safe method because it increases the contact patch and allows you to add more brake when something unexpected happens.
As someone who has only passed their motorcycle test a few months ago being fairly new to riding (in the UK) I love your content! I’ve learned so much from watching your stuff! Thank you :)
Welcome aboard! instagram.com/motojitsuclub
Didn't realise you could sing 🤣
Search motojitsu loud pipes song.
I have loud pipes myself but this song slaps and I couldn't agree more.
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
@@jerodkenoyer270 thank you, my day is so much better now that i heard that song
This makes me feel better that I was correcting my speed as you said, naturally. My heart was in my throat a couple times. Being quick, BUT smooth and gradual was fine. Leaning more for my skill level would have definitely made me more nervous than just making a smooth break while letting off the throttle. I have been told this was wrong, but it worked for a decreasing radius that wasn't marked at all and scared the shit out of me when I first started riding. Keeping your body calm, even when you're scared is paramount. I hadn't been riding long and I zoned out a little, thinking the curve was gradual. I got on the brakes pretty hard by the end of it, but I did it gradually. Worked like a charm. Your videos have helped me so much.
My biggest problem when I first started riding was trusting the machine to be able to handle the turn. One time I had this exact scenario happen. I was coming off the freeway on an offramp and I was traveling too fast for my comfort level but I knew how to counter steer. In that situation I just had to force myself to trust the machine and implement what I learned in class. Would love to see a video about trusting the machine and what they can handle when it comes to lean angle.
This yes yes. ChampU has taught me so much. I use my brakes on corners if I need to. Haven’t been in panic mode yet but what I did learn is - turn my head more, ride the brakes with constant pressure, lean more. I practice this ALL the time so I know what it feels like for emergencies. I don’t have ABS
Thank you for your input. I am a bit ADD, OCD, etc., etc. and my mind tells me I have to check in with reality every few seconds. This is what has helped me the most. I've done the drill of counter steering and it really works. For my mind set I have to discipline myself not to take risks outside of my comfort zone and be extra cautious of my surroundings and practice "what if scenarios". I've dropped my bike quite a few times and it was always my fault even if I slipped a flattened paper cup or gravel. Keep it coming!
You're welcome, keep at it. Dropping the bike is just part of the journey.
Hi - just discovered your channel and am riveted….great presentation. I am a new rider, about to get my first bike at the age of 63. I love driving cars and work on my knowledge of the physics, so your approach to riding bikes makes absolute sense - keep it up.
Everyone says never use brakes in curve but I feather my brakes in curves when I need too slow down some and trailbrake at times and never had any issues. There's situations where you need to use brakes in curves...glad to see someone show how to use brakes in curve without causing bad things to happen
Good information, but have to say that your final point regarding panic is spot on.
NOW THAT WAS A GREAT VIDEO !!! I'm a life long rider (since 14yrs old) 10 yrs a bike instructor UK, IAM, DIAMOND, ROSPA, (Advanced instructor) and I'm saving this video to reccomend to trainees. I've learnt something myself today and that's not to doubt my instruction when telling trainees to do just what you've said. I've always said it's OK to use your brakes so long as your not fierce grabbing, being progressive, ease the squeeze and be gentle building pressure when you've entered a bit too hot. Over here in the UK you've just got to be REAL careful of the crappy roads and gravel in bends and this time of year (Autumn/fall) wet slimy leaves.
Wish I could ride those good roads and have the decent weather you guys have. Shiny side up bud ! 😉👍
Been riding since I was 16 and I'm now 69 from dirt bikes thought to Ducati and Harleys and your advice is right on the money, this riding style is the way to archive many wonderful years of riding 👍
I watched someone else's video on this same topic, except that video didn't mention that trailbraking in a corner should only be used if you have entered a corner too fast. Glad that you stated this.
Great video! As a “new” old rider, it is a good refresher video. Just started riding again after a 30 year absence. Didn’t realize how much fun I had missed in 30 years after I quit. Your DI training sounds like it came in handy for driving course training.
I am a returning rider. The difference as a returning rider is I was an off road, so returning to a road bike was like starting from scratch. Anyway, Point being, I have watched your videos now for about 5 years and applied and practiced every new thing you teach that I felt I needed to know. The first big one for me was counter steering. On my next big trip, over 2500km, I practiced this on every corner, so now that is built in to my ride as a natural thing now. All of your tips and explanations are the ones I use. This is another great video that I am going to make a part of me when I ride. Thanks. BTW, 72 next month.
👍🏼👍🏼
Great video! I think that whole bit with you singing that tune "rollll off the gas and squeeezzze the breaks". If you can sing that tune in your head or even out loud to yourself, that'll help keep you slow and smooth. Thanks for sharing these golden nuggets.
My first track day helped me immensely on dealing with that hot cornering panic.
All the videos teach me something or remind me of something. "Slow hands" is what has been my best help. It has made a great difference in my confidence level and riding ability.
The first time I was going fast and had to slow hard into a turn, I was not prepared for the extra weight in the handlebars and gyro forces on the front wheel. Practicing it before you need it is great advice.
Man, am I glad and lucky I found your channel. Also, if someone is having trouble with being soft on brakes, pick up downhill cycling a bit, that will teach you to:
1. Keep your eyes ahead on your goal, and always calculate the speed thats most comfy to pass the corner at highest speed
2. Using the right amount of brakes for certain corners, situation
3. Staying concentrated on your ride and things ahead due to panic, cause yeah, you can aknowledge the panic, but overpower for the sake of yourself and the bike
Hope this helps, not a Bike rider, but a bycicle rider, and alot of his advices also applies in cycling, downhill.
1. Zero throttle
2. Fingers on the break lever
3. Progressive breaking if necessary
4. Look where you want to go
5. Progressively push forward on the right handlebar to turn right (and vice versa) (counter steering) and lean with the bike
6. Continue trail braking until the apex if braking was necessary
7. Progressively reduce the counter steering / leaning and get back on the throttle as you exit the corner
Counter steering and trail breaking as essential skills that are not intuitive for most people, they need to be learned, practiced, and will save your life.
Yo Moto thanks for all the vids, I just got my license and still got lots to learn my first bike was a little 300cc but now I got a Honda cbr 1000 I’ve learned lots from your videos keep up the good work. Everyone stay safe on the road we all want you to get home in one piece💨👍
10:31 You're doing 97 M.P.H. in a 35 M.P.H. zone. You're doing 62 M.P.H. over the speed limit. Always enter every corner at the appropriate speed limit and you will never be in a panicked situation.
I got about 5 minutes in and was looking for the video to get to the point. I scrolled down and read MotoJitsu's comment, which saves a lot of time watching the video. Guess what, the few times I did have the issue I instinctively used the brakes.
I've also been riding about 7 years, but live in an area where there is not a lot of twisties. It took me a few trips out east, like around the interior of Nova Scotia to clock some good time navigating twisties in a safer environment. This made a huge difference in my riding skill when it comes to sharp bends. I'll just share to add to your wise words what I've learned.
-Always take the bend from the outside, even when going slow.
-Never touch the yellow line. Paint can be slippery, even when dry, and there is probably a truck coming the other way that is riding that line. Even better, don't go within three feet of it.
-Watch carefully for sand or debris on the road. If you see it far enough ahead you may be able to avoid it.
-Never hit the brakes on the bend. Neither front or back. In an emergency, you could trail brake front and back by braking very lightly but only in an emergency and this can be risky.
-If you accidently find you are going too fast on the bend, release throttle and wash off speed with your engine, and twist the bike as hard as you need to make the bend. Remember that
professional racers lean and twist that bike a lot harder than you would think is possible.
-Accelerate smoothly only once you've passed the APEX.
About the term "twisting":
I also learned on those twisty roads in Nova Scotia about "twisting" the bike rather than just push steering or leaning it. A lot of riders think there is no difference, but there is.
Twisting gives far more control and ability than simply push steering or leaning.
To twist the bike you push on the side you want to go, while pulling on the other handlebar at the same time. While doing this, your body assumes a neutral counter balancing position.
I found this to give me a huge amount of control and confidence, even on sandy corners. It works with offroading too.
If you disagree with any of this, it's ok, we all ride different, but this is what works for me and so far, I've been keeping the rubber side down.
Cheers!
Rich
the other day i was having a bit too much fun and went into a roundabout at like 50, locked up the front wheel while all the way leaned over. through the power of not panicking I let off the front brake most of the way and straightened up and made the corner without dropping the bike. just a reminder that no matter what, you should never give up on a turn. there's always a way to make it.
Thanks so much for dropping the knowledge. I'm in my first year of riding - your app has helped me tons and I am enrolled in an off-road class for this coming weekend. Your philosophy speaks volumes to me (love the tough love) - keep cranking out the content!
You're right in what you are teaching, braking in a corner is for the advanced rider, because braking in a corner takes feather-braking. Knowing how to feather-brake in a corner can save your life for sure, but it has to be practiced to know how to do it. A lot of people biff trying it.
Ive only been riding for 52 years. I dont drive a car.. so im I’m on the bike a lot. I live quite far from the city (over 200kms to the nearest traffic light in any direction). The advent of ABS has made this advice spot on.. at one time hitting the brakes too hard led to locking up, or a slide if already i the corner. ABS and TC are a must. Emergency braking becomes quite safe.
One piece of advice to share.. start the corner wide , watch the vanishing point, then finish wide. (Some say “start wide, finish tight”, its the same thing.
Stay upright, keep the rubber side down.
I've learned to use my breaks in turns thanks to your video's about two years back, it's helped me atleast 3 times not eatin the opposite curb, also the use of the front break is practice people need to get in, I know far to many riders that don't use there front break. I'm so glad you put emphaise on getting to know your break.