Trail braking?

The Awesome · 06-22-2009, 11:42 PM

Lets clarify a few things before going any further. First, trail braking is an essential skill for performance riding. There is no going fast without it. Second, trail braking MUST be either application of the front brake alone, or a combination of both brakes. Dragging the rear brake into a corner is not trail braking.

The biggest function of trail braking is load distribution upon corner entry. If you brake in a straight line, release the brakes, then turn in, you are forcing the suspension to compress, decompress, and then compress again as you turn in. This causes the chassis to be unstable and fighting the rider through the duration of the corner. Proper trail braking will allow you to compress the forks, then trade braking forces for cornering forces while keeping the chassis of the bike stable and properly loaded. As I explored the development of this skill I gained a huge respect for the ability of pro riders to use and properly control the front end of a motorcycle. It's mind boggling what capabilities are really there if you know how to use them. It's important to approach your development of this skill slowly, because it's easy to get in over your head and tuck the front end when you don't know how to ride the front wheel properly.

06-22-2009, 11:42 PM	#15
The Awesome Custom User Title Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 120	Lets clarify a few things before going any further. First, trail braking is an essential skill for performance riding. There is no going fast without it. Second, trail braking MUST be either application of the front brake alone, or a combination of both brakes. Dragging the rear brake into a corner is not trail braking. The biggest function of trail braking is load distribution upon corner entry. If you brake in a straight line, release the brakes, then turn in, you are forcing the suspension to compress, decompress, and then compress again as you turn in. This causes the chassis to be unstable and fighting the rider through the duration of the corner. Proper trail braking will allow you to compress the forks, then trade braking forces for cornering forces while keeping the chassis of the bike stable and properly loaded. As I explored the development of this skill I gained a huge respect for the ability of pro riders to use and properly control the front end of a motorcycle. It's mind boggling what capabilities are really there if you know how to use them. It's important to approach your development of this skill slowly, because it's easy to get in over your head and tuck the front end when you don't know how to ride the front wheel properly.