Trail Braking Explained! | Using FRONT Brake In Corners!

[@r0binx]

I play Gran Turismo so I know about trail braking, but you explained it very well, and I never considered the safety aspect on a bike. The fact that you can apply more brake pressure mid corner with less chance of unsettled the bike and loosing the front.

[@throttle_up]

"This technique increases safety, but don't come crying to me when you have an accident". OK, that _was_ a bit hyperbolic. There's no doubt that trail-braking is a necessary technique for effective _track_ riding, for precisely the reasons you mention. But not only is it a technique that is not taught to beginners, it is also actively taught _against_ in advanced road training. The roadcraft manual only talks about braking while cornering "if you have to". In other words, if you've already fucked it up (probably because you were in the wrong gear and didn't read the limit point). It is not a technique that you go into a corner planning to use. 05:44 is _why_ you don't do it on the public highway. This bit of the video overrides everything else you say. You don't only get slippery surfaces in Winter. Fly-tipping Transit vans with missing fuel caps are very handy at spilling diesel on the road. Corners and roundabouts are a speciality you get for free. In any case, to me, your straight-line-braking demonstration looked smoother and safer than the trail-braking ones. Be honest with yourself. Why are you _really_ wanting to trail-brake? For safety? Or because it's fun? If you are riding so that you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear, then you don't need to trail-brake. If, on the other hand, you value excitement _at the expense_ of safety, take it to the track.

[@seanbarraclough2484]

I have been doing this without knowing it was a thing. On my 2nd CBT my instructor commented on several things that came to me naturally that are taught on advanced riding courses.

[@marcbrasse747]

Same with me. I’ve been doing it forever, except when in the wet, and only now learn that this is what trailbraking means. Always thought it was equal to drifting under braking. ☺

[@addisj]

Great video, you explained it much better than many others! The Pro's and con's and your spot on about the state of the roads at the moment. I passed my test this Jan so this is all new to me. My plan is to test the water with this tecnique next Spring... gently!

[@glenben92]

Trail braking - keeping some weight on the front tyre through the turn to improve traction & allow for immediate micro-adjustments to speed without throwing the bike's weight around unduly & unsettling it. I also find it handy to think of it as storing some spare energy in the front suspension springs that, when gradually released as you ease off the brakes will push the front tyre into the ground with that much extra force during all the time that it's extending P.S your ducati chain needs lubed

[@fenrir7969]

Anyone who drives a car (especially front wheel drive) can play with this concept to see the difference weight transfer makes on available front end grip. Trail brake into your favourite corner, roundabout, etc and you can get around much quicker than if you were to be holding a steady throttle (which would make the car far more likely to lose grip and understeer).

[@pw601]

I found trail braking particularly useful for Alpine roads, riding fully kitted out for touring with a pillion. It was essential to get that front tyre developing it's full grip especially on the hairpins. Produced some interesting tyre wear patterns.

[@tindalowos]

its honestly surprisingly easy to do. the simplest way to explain it is if you need to continue braking during a corner let off the brains slowly to decrease suspension instability.

[@eskimo427]

mountain biking is a good way to learn these type of skills.

[@ConfusedRaccoon]

A lot of my DH skills translated directly to riding a supermotard, too. Feels good to "naturally" get it straight away with some minor alterations for weight and a throttle.

[@lipsee100]

I,v been riding a fair few years,, and was never a fast rider,always a little nervous on corners...I put this down to cornering in the conventional manner.Then on my BMW RT I started using the rear brake alot more. Going into a corner but still on the straight, I would use both front and back brakes,on entering the bend I will come off the front (or maybe scrub off excess speed before the bend) going into the corner I am now only using the back brake .Then before the apex gently accelerate around and out of the bend.. Really I am going into corners slower and coming out quicker.. For ME the bike feels alot more stable ,,and I have much more confidence and can really feel the tyres... Yeah Spicy it not so easy to explaine ,,but I find this tecique so much more satisfying.

[@Dead_Assassin]

Hey spicy you should put a warning to ppl learning..I tried it in some lanes on one right turn the bike went wide and of the road in bushes

[@spicy110]

0:32 1:44 5:43 9:18 From the discription "I take no responsablity if you try this, as I have made the risks very clear. " Exactly how much more warning do you need?

[@Dead_Assassin]

@spicy110 oh right maybe I distracted going out this morning..I will watch again... thanks 👍

[@Happydays-d9p]

@@spicy110with the greatest respect Spicy do you think this posting is responsible considering your average demographic audience? This really should be covered with a trained qualified instructor under supervision.

[@spicy110]

0:32

[@ryanagar7498]

Do you keep any throttle on at all?

[@33441dylan]

Doesn't make much sense to have the throttle on when you are trying to slow down, right ? 😂

[@ryanagar7498]

@33441dylan well it depends. When at slow speeds you're advised to trail the back break whilst using accelerator for stability

[@jamesnoneofyourbusiness8808]

Ah, the unholy triumvirate of online motorbike arguments. Trail braking, counter steering, and filtering. These 3, together with the humble cockroach, are so durable that they will survive the oncoming nuclear apocalypse.

[@spicy110]

I know what you mean with the first two, counter steering just happens, you can not corner a 2 wheel vehicle over 12mph without doing it. Filtering is legal in the UK, not in other places, that is about how far that goes. Trail braking with the front? Not so much. The very reason I made this video is the amount of bikers that assume I mean the rear brake when I say trail braking. When I say no the front they have told me they have never heard of that or I am wrong doing it. Only because they never developed skills beyond how they were trained.

[@LickyDischarge]

I didn’t know till I got my CRF250 Rally that you can lock up the rear wheel quite easily on some bikes by downshifting too aggressively, it’s nearly had me off 😅

[@spicy110]

That's singles for you, but it can be done on anything.

[@freeride6073]

Trailbraking has to be plan ahead . If you've slowed down , leaned , leaned till the footpeg is scraping the pavement , still coming in too fast and you're not at the apex of the curve yet . Sorry to say but it's too late to trail brake and you're going to run too wide and may have to straighten up and emergency brake 😮. If you ride at legal speed , you probably will never have to trail brake . The last time , I've trail brake was to make the green light coming in faster than I normally do . I planned for it , I knew the intersection , pavement was dry , no cars ahead or behind . Made the light , it turned yellow as I enter and was still yellow or I thought it was when I completed my turn . Looking back , I could have slow down and prepare to stop as I was in no hurry but eh ! Ride safe , plan ahead 😊

[@spicy110]

Sorry but no, I use this in slow corners all the time as I ride on so many country roads. It is something you do when riding more spirited but it doesn't mean you are speeding.

[@freeride6073]

​@@spicy110more spirited does sound faster than your regular speed limit . I don't see mom on her scooter doing trail braking on every turn although she probably could , but why? My other point was that if you enter the curve not planning on trail braking and suddenly you realize you're not going to make it , it's then too late to trail brake . Just my 2 cents , ride safe

[@ConfusedRaccoon]

top video.

[@spicy110]

Thanks!

[@mechrior]

I am guessing that at @1:35 in the video you said "brake" instead of "throttle" @spicy110 ? Yeah I noticed :P Also yeah I found myself trail braking within about a year of starting to ride. But thanks to yours and a few others videos, I got told off on my first CBT for covering the back break during slow control when they had not told me to do it! XD Had the Varadero I was learning on doing under 2mph in the training area.

[@iamjames8200]

" I got told off on my first CBT for covering the back break during slow control" I got taught to do just that on my cbt?

[@spicy110]

@@iamjames8200 Everyone does, that is a very odd case/instructor. It also highlights where some arguments come from, as different instructors teach in different ways.

[@iamjames8200]

@@spicy110 interesting 🤔

[@mechrior]

@@iamjames8200 sorry worded badly. Got told off for doing it BEFORE they taught it.

[@iamjames8200]

@@mechrior got ya.

[@funkycowie]

My back brake only gets used for holding the bike in place on a slope.

[@marcbrasse747]

PS: And indeed not over muck! 😁

[@marksteven6116]

Back brake dragger 😊

[@spicy110]

That is a totally different thing.

[@marksteven6116]

@spicy110 drop gears back brake if you are only going 20_30 mph front break is speed let the front wheel roll alot saver

[@neilp1885]

Oooooh, no comments yet! First time I've ever seen that. Guess I'm first 😄

[@markj66]

It's all about which tyre the weight of the bike is acting on. I feel you stressed the suspension compression too much, which is just a by-product of where the weight is acting. Under braking the front tyre is loaded and so has much more grip and can accept further braking should you need to without a problem. If the weight is balanced between front and back in a corner then you have to wait to load up the front tyre before applying harder braking. There's no witchcraft in this.

[@spicy110]

Kinda splitting hairs no? Haha. I do talk about weight and make a big point here about it 6:36 . Just think of it from the other side, why is the susspention compressing? Becuase the weight has transferred, it is the same thing from the other side.

[@privatebribert]

Good explanation