The back brake can be used mid-corner to tighten lines if need be. It takes some getting used to applying the rear, and you need to be LIGHT on it, then start using more and more.

It's a technique which requires skills and knowing the bike. Start off easy, and only if you need to.

As for trail braking, I wouldn't use it on the street as typically we're not trying to go faster and faster into corners. However, the true definition of trail braking is any braking done after turn-in. Stark's definition just puts it more into layman's terms, and if I may, I'm going to start using that definition in my teaching of the MSRC.

So, and this is where trail braking will come in handy on the street, you can use either brake during cornering to tighten lines. If you've gone in too hot, as long as you're not panic braking, you can use front to slow you down and turn tighter. Same with the back. Just be easy on them, and for god's sake, you're body must be right for the bike to react correctly to braking mid-corner.

nocontrol wrote:
Stark's definition just puts it more into layman's terms, and if I may, I'm going to start using that definition in my teaching of the MSRC.


Most definitely just give me some kind of reference !!

I'm not saying trail braking is bad, because it obviously works, and I do it all the time. But I've read some theory about tire traction. Basically a tire has a certain amount of traction. Just for the sake of this post lets say for any given corner you are using 60% of the available traction for braking, that would leave you only 40% for cornering. If you let off the brakes mid corner after trailing to the apex, supposedly you would have all 100% for the remainder of the corner. That is until you open the throttle and use some of that available traction to drive the bike forward, so now you have less for finishing the corner.

Like I said, I read this as theory. Discuss?

That is true somewhat. However, we need to start another topic...

I use it all the time right up to the apex of a corner. Especially in turn 9 at Pahrump I'm still leaned over from 8 trailbraking into 9. Fastest way through that corner. Same with turn 7 and 9 at Vegas.