Total Motorcycle Community Forums

To summarize my thoughts

Can you brake in a corner?
Yes you can brake in a corner, but not very hard, without standing the bike up (which it will naturally want to do when you brake) If the bike stands up, you'll stop turning and go straight ahead... probably into whatever you're braking to avoid.

Is it good practice?
No, you should have read the corner and its dangers better before entering at a more appropriate speed

Is it a potentially lifesaving skill?
Yes in a select few circumstances

Safest techniques
Engine braking, this is probably the safest way to lose speed, but may be lacking in effect

Rearbrake, trailing the rear brake (not too hard) and engine braking will slow you down faster, still reasonably safely, when engine braking alone isn't strong enough

Front Brake, this is the most aggressive way to brake in a lean, for 2 reasons. 1. it is the most powerful of the brakes, and 2. applying this loads up your suspension in the opposite direction of the cornering action
I can not emphasise this enough, it can be used, but it MUST be applied very VERY smoothly, and you must have a very good idea of how much traction the current road and conditions allow

I think Niblet hit the nail on the head. Braking in a corner is certainly possible, but it could be disasterous if not done correctly. Since this is the New Bikers Forum, it probably wouldn't be inappropriate to say that braking in a corner is not something you want to try. I learned that lesson the very first time I rode a street bike. I bent some metal and got a few scrapes. I wish someone had told me not to brake in a corner

Traction percentage points apply to cages, too. If you're regularly braking hard in corners in your car, you aren't driving it "by the book", either.

That said, as long as you are cornering at normal traffic speed, you are only using a fraction of your available traction percentage points, can use a little brake in corners. If you are at racing speed, you are using all your 100% of your traction for cornering, there is no traction left for braking. It doesn't matter what you are driving or riding.

flynrider wrote:Since this is the New Bikers Forum, it probably wouldn't be inappropriate to say that braking in a corner is not something you want to try.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh triple negatives.... gimme a sec whilst I work out if you're endorsing it or against it

On a side note, trying to confuse people with that "Traction points" polava in the new bikers forum may not be the best place. But those are my personal thoughts, not my moderator-hat-wearing thoughts

+1 to Shorts. Take the msf. That's step 1. step 2 is to buy a nice small cc bike. A ninja 250 perhaps or rebel 250 if you're more of a cruiser type of person. Step 3 is to get in plenty of saddle time on said bike and practice, practice, practice. Things will almost start to make sense on their own. Enjoy and be safe.

Rebel 250 is good for 20 mph in MSF class. Not good for actually riding. 650-750 is better for a beginning cruiser.

Nibblet99 wrote:

flynrider wrote:Since this is the New Bikers Forum, it probably wouldn't be inappropriate to say that braking in a corner is not something you want to try.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh triple negatives.... gimme a sec whilst I work out if you're endorsing it or against it

Must not post when tired.

How about : It would be appropriate to say that braking in a corner is not something you want to try.

Standby. I've got to work an 18hr. day this weekend, so I may go for the elusive quintuple negative

flynrider wrote: Standby. I've got to work an 18hr. day this weekend, so I may go for the elusive quintuple negative

I have NO clue how you'd get a quintuple negative. Not a clue. I don't want to see one, either - certainly not in written material that I have to edit.

My friend was driving his dad's Honda Pacific Coast and he didn't take the MSF yet or learn much about riding, actually.

He got hard on the brakes in a corner while 'racing' a friend.

The bike sat up, he let off the brakes because he was scared.

He drove right into a ditch and demolished his dad's motorcycle.