Tightening the line?

**Madness** · 4th March 2014, 19:35

Originally Posted by bogan

Iirc she was telling cunts to coast around corners if they were 35kmhr speed rated or some shit.

My Mrs does that in the car all the time. I get urges to slap her when she does it.

**Drew** · 4th March 2014, 19:39

Originally Posted by bogan

Iirc she was telling cunts to coast around corners if they were 35kmhr speed rated or some shit.

Oh God, wasn't it a Bosslady thread? Something about whether to use 'high' or 'low' on her slow cooker for her dinner maybe?

Yeah, think I did make it clear that morons (no matter how long they have managed to stay alive on a bike) shouldn't give advice. Don't recall anything gender specific in the dribble though. Prolly just me missing something obvious.

**actungbaby** · 4th March 2014, 21:22

[QUOTE=The Little Gixxer;1130685848]Ok so i was plodding along the other day and as I came around the corner it seemed I had mischosen my line leaving me coming out wide and entering the left hand lane. Maybe it was a lack of concentration on my part but also the fact I haven't been riding long has a bit to pay.

So my question is what is the best way to tighten the line:

Slow down a bit is the best advice i use the rear brake dab it but really road isnt the place for being a hero

**XP@** · 4th March 2014, 22:08

Moderator : any chance we can clean up the stuff in this thread that isn't a useful answer to the questions posed?

**The Little Gixxer** · 4th March 2014, 22:37

Ok so obviously there are many different ways to do this and no one way is perfect for everyone. That doesn't mean that the advice given is bad or unjustified just something that needs to be tempered. As such I have developed quite a bit through reading this and through practicing each idea that has been brought up.

Essentially for me it isn't just about tightening the line although that seemed at the out set what I should have been doing. The reason I didn't stay on track was because of a number of factors that now having read through I can pinpoint a little more clearly.
Step by step, I came into the corner too fast for my ability, got distracted, thought I was going too fast, got distracted, line starts opening, got distracted and it goes on. Essentially the key here was I was at fault for not focusing.

What I wanted to know was how to tighten it back up again once you have moved off the ideal line. This has been answered several times by itself and also in the whole as a general discussion of how to enter, follow and come out of corners. This has been incredibly useful information although at times a little difficult to grasp until i am on the bike.

I still tend to use the rear brake more that the front but will work on this habit, have found that slowing before the corner to a manageable speed choosing the right gear and then applying throttle (open/closed when necessary) has helped this means I have less to worry about as I go through the corner. All I have to do is feel the bike, know what it is doing and look where I want it to go. Sounds easy but it is still a skill I am working on.

Thank you very much to all the contributors. It has really shown both the support and diversity of this forum to me. I am glad that although sometimes tongue in cheek you overall provide a valid sounding board and advice.

Thanks.

**The Little Gixxer** · 4th March 2014, 22:52

Yes I did, that's what I meant by feel the bike. Knowing which way to shift the weight and how far so it maintains its line throughout the corner in the most efficient manner. Seems it is a skill that I have but needs some fine tuning for safeties sake more than anything else.

**XP@** · 5th March 2014, 05:25

Originally Posted by cassina

Did you not read where he did post and thank others for their replies? So some of the responses must have made sense to him even if not to you.

Yes I did, but since then there are quite a lot of comments that are really off topic and detract from the future value of the thread.
The philosophy discussions are also useful and I would like to participate in a robust debate on the subject but I don't believe this is the place as it is way too low level.

**bogan** · 5th March 2014, 07:33

Originally Posted by The Little Gixxer

Yes I did, that's what I meant by feel the bike. Knowing which way to shift the weight and how far so it maintains its line throughout the corner in the most efficient manner. Seems it is a skill that I have but needs some fine tuning for safeties sake more than anything else.

Don't shift your weight mid way through the corner if you're going off line, shifting your weight is something you do before the corner, on account of its propensity to upset the suspension etc. Just ease off the power, tip it in a bit further, and don't fuck it up the next time.

**Katman** · 5th March 2014, 08:13

At the risk of upsetting Drew - counter steering is the best way to change your line in a corner.

Where your bike heads is a direct result of the input you put into your bars.

**Drew** · 5th March 2014, 08:19

Originally Posted by Katman

At the risk of upsetting Drew - counter steering is the best way to change your line in a corner.

Where your bike heads is a direct result of the input you put into your bars.

Oh yeah, you hate upsetting people.

Loading the bar and leaning in is where it's at for sure.

I just believe it's not achieved through conscious thought of the mechanics, of the action.

**The Little Gixxer** · 5th March 2014, 08:33

I would agree with Drew that the less I think about it and the more I feel it the easier it gets. When I was thinking about it just too much to process at once and easy to forget something. The advice is still the same just try to learn by instinct is I think what Drew is talking about.

**Drew** · 5th March 2014, 08:44

More importantly, stop using the back brake. Altogether if you're not riding gravel roads or pissing rain. Even then I only use the back brake to gauge the grip levels.

I think people say something like 70% front, 30% rear. I reckon it's 95% front, and 5% rear at the most.

I use the back brake for when I'm doing wheelies, I have only a vague recollection of using it outside of that application. (Funny story, I flipped my GL the other night after breaking off the brake pedal, and doing a wheelie anyway after forgetting).

Using the brakes mid turn is too tricky to write about in depth, sooooo many things to consider. In an emergency of course, but you stand the bike up and hope for the best in those situations I have mostly found.