Trail braking. . .

[Jake D]

Some of you racers may be able to explain what trail braking is.

What is it?  Besides the obvious. . .
Why is it done?

I heard that term all the time, with regard to both motorcycles and race cars.

[Jared]

Well I'm not a racer....but trail braking is starting your braking later as you get into the turn....so you're still braking part the way through the turn...you carry more speed into the turn..(maybe passing someone with that speed) and by being on the brakes ( at least in cars ) it will set the front end down (more traction ) so it corners a little harder......

Higher corner speed ....higher exit speed (If you do it right...) and you carry more speed through the corner and into the next straight........

I'm sure the Racers could give you a more specific explanation.

[Jared]

Did a quick search....


http://www.visordown.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189671&page=1

Hmmmm After perusing that...I think Straight line braking mastery might be a better idea (If It's Good enough for Kenny Roberts.......).

[Jake D]

Interesting.  I would have never guessed that is what that meant.  

Cool beans.

[pantablo]

and to quell a common misconception trail braking isnt using the rear brake-its using the front brake deep into the apex of a turn.

[Jake D]

See Pablo, I would have guessed that it had something to do with the rear brake. . . which I never even really use.

[gsJack]

Trail braking in my opinion does not include all braking in corners as suggested in Jared's link above.  Do a Google on "trail braking" and you will get a hundred thousand responses almost all pertaining to high performance cage driving.  I borrowed one line from one of them:

"Trail-braking is an advanced technique that involves braking and turning into a corner simultaneously."

When you are coming around a blind curve and find a cage coming at you half in your lane and you stand it up heading for the right edge and then lay back into the turn, that is emergency braking in corners and has nothing to do with trail braking.  Likewise a little stabilizing rear brake after your into the turn is not trail braking in my opinion.  Trail braking is braking while turning into the corner.  

I use front, rear, and engine brake when trail braking hard into the corner, but frequently just use a little rear brake when not pushing as hard.  Rear braking in corners tends to settle the bike much the same as accelerating in corners does when you need to slow a bit.  I mostly stay on the throttle while rear braking in corners and if more braking is required I add the front brake.  If braking in the corner is standing you up more than you like, push it back down where you want it.  Remember countersteering works all the way thru the turn, not just when entering it.

A GS500 does not require as much of the rear tire's available traction to manage the power output as a bike like Pablo's RR does.   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Jared]

Yep Jack...my only real "knowledge"  of it does pertain to automobile racing....My old landlord raced vintage vettes...So I got to hear alot about the outings ( which was pretty cool...). Always some  Hairy stories...

Doesn't sound like something you want to do in the real world (trail braking)....