Posted by Andrew on June 14, 2003 at 00:05:40:
In Reply to: new rider posted by Jim on June 13, 2003 at 23:26:15:
Hi Jim,
Welcome to motorcycling.
Yes, you can brake in a turn. But you must be careful. Slam the brakes on and you will lock the wheels and fall off. But be gentle and you'll be surprised at just how much grip there is available. Most of us get nowhere near the maximum grip available on a corner, so there's always some grip left for braking. (Unless you have got those cheap and nasty Kendo tyres. Always buy quality tyres).
What you need is experience.
Start first (on an empty road) feeling the engine braking on a bend. That's the bike the bike slowing down with the engine in gear with the throttle shut off. Then you can gradually experiment with engine brakes plus the regular brakes (very gently, very smoothly).
In England, where it rains most of the time and there isn't more that 100 yards between bends, you soon discover just how much grip there is, even in the wet. (And just how much grip there isn't !! ) But it takes thousands of miles of experience. So get out there. Ride the bike. And be careful. Don't go too fast too soon. Going fast is the easy bit - it's stopping safely that needs skill. Ride smoothly. Brake smoothly. Use both brakes, even on a corner.
Did I say you need the experience of thousands of miles biking ?
The best way to ride is to avoid the need to brake on a corner by anticipating what's going to happen and being at the correct speed when it does. This is where experience comes in.
Happy Savage riding,
Andrew