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Trail Braking and Cornering

by Bike Coach, posted in Uncategorized

Official Advice

The official advice from both the DVSA and from Roadcraft is to complete your braking before the corner and apply a light throttle to maintain speed through the corner. This leaves all the available tyre grip for cornering, and balances the cornering forces equally on both wheels.

If you have to slow or stop, the advice is to close the throttle and/or use the rear brake.

If you need to stop more quickly, and you have the room, the advice is to bring the bike upright, and brake hard with the front brake.

It’s good advice. Take it.

Alternative Actions

You should always consider riding covering your brakes, which should save you over a second in reaction time.

If you believe you need to brake mid-corner in response to a hazard, usually caused by too high an entry speed or a tightening corner, the advice is to simply look around the corner where you want to go, rather than where you feel you might end up.

You should counter-steer instinctively, but you can also counter-steer deliberately with practice, pushing on the inside bar. The bike initially falls in the opposite direction to which the steering is pointed, and into the turn, helped by the gyroscopic effects of the front wheel, after which the rider will instinctively turn the bars back to stop the machine falling further.

A modern machine with good tyres and ground clearance (not cruisers), can be banked at circa 45 degrees or more on reasonable road tarmac.

Many crashes have been caused locally, the Lincs police informed me, on corners where the rider could have got around easily had they had the confidence. If you’re not confident leaning the bike, then practice mid lane on an empty wide safe road, or try some on-track training where you can practice in relative safety.

Providing the bike is not banked at an extreme angle, there is a surprising amount of grip still left.

Practise

Practise is vital, to avoid the usual panic reactions, involving both braking and cornering.

It takes, in theory, 200 repetitions to achieve the required ‘muscle memory’, which means that your reactions in hazardous situations will be automatic. Panic is probably a major root cause of crashes, see ‘YouTube’.

So lightly apply the rear brake gently into corners and mid corner to feel how the bike reacts, and always ride covering your rear brake.

The Theory

This is the ‘Traction Circle’ for motorcycles, and looks like a fox’s face.

https://britishsuperbikeschool.com/2025/06/17/the-foxs-face-the-traction-circle-of-grip-applied-to-motorcycles/

You can see it’s a linear relationship between braking and cornering. The greater the braking force, then the less grip left for cornering. The fox’s ‘chin’.

Looking at front wheel braking track data logs, in practice racers can brake quite hard into corners, but the front brake needs to be released steadily and off completely at circa 50 degrees.

Racers trail brake as it reduces lap times and prevents competitors overtaking. It is also risky and the main cause of crashes.

When using the rear brake only instead, in theory, the rear starts to slide at around 30 degrees of lean with maximum rear braking, and again runs out completely around 50 degrees. And it’s only half as effective at reducing speed, which is why racers mainly use the front brake.

Road Riders – Emergency Braking Mid Corner

You have 3 options, in order:-

  1. Close the throttle
  2. Apply the rear brake
  3. Apply the front brake

The effect of closing the throttle is to slow the bike and transfer weight onto the front tyre quickening the steering marginally. The effect depends on engine size and configuration, with big singles giving usually the highest rate of braking.

Using the rear brake has a similar effect, but instead pushes the rear suspension down not up (on chain driven bikes). The weight is also transfered forwards, but less than using the front brake.

Using just the rear as hard as possible, moves probably 75% of the weight forward, halving rear tyre grip (Cossalter).

The front brake is potentially the most effective, but can easily cause a skid, even with early ABS systems and at high lean angles. It also straightens the steering which can help (or not), and stands the bike up if applied heavily. This requires more room and/or a greater lean angle. Applying the rear brake at the same time makes a rear skid more likely, without ABS, due to weight transfer.

Bear in mind ABS will not necessarily prevent a skid and fall in bends, but ‘cornering ABS’ with lean sensors probably will. ABS will also not prevent the bike ‘standing up’ and running wide.

Rear Brake

It needs to be applied very carefully, as the weight is transferred off the rear tyre onto the front tyre, so has a double negative effect on the level of rear tyre grip.

However, the rear brake increases the ability for the bike to turn. The bike slows, squats and pitches slightly forward, sharpening the steering angle marginally,

The rear tyre is likely to eventually slip sideways, so the rear brake needs to be steadily released as the weight transfers forwards, and more so if the lean angle is increasing. This is an old race bike trick for quicker cornering. This is like ‘oversteer’ in a car or a ‘handbrake turn’.

In theory the rear brake needs to start to be released at 30 degrees of lean, and off by 50 degrees

Worse case the rear loses traction and the rider may fall, but it’s usually a ‘low side’, (unless the rider releases the brake fully after a wide skid, when a ‘high side’ is possible).

But in most cases, the rider will have time to release and reapply the rear brake if it locks – if they don’t panic.

The outcome from a rear wheel skid is probably better than a front wheel skid, as the machine will likely impact first, then the rider, rather than the rider being followed and struck by the machine.

The other alternative of a direct head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle, or stationary hazard, is likely to lead to a worse outcome.

Many police riders trail the rear brake into corners, as it can provide feedback on the level of grip available, particularly in the wet and on urban roads, junctions, roundabouts etc.  The rear will slide first, which is usually recoverable when a front end slide is not.

You use the rear brake for low speed maneuvering anyway, so it seems just an extension of this, although unnecessary. It also appears to be sometimes used on high speed corners, which allows a higher entrance speed, and/or speed corrections into or mid corner.

I have no idea if this is part of police training or ‘custom and practice’. Having previously worked with the police, it does seem that their training varies by Force.

It also promotes ‘oversteering’, which can help at the limits of grip, puts more weight on the front tyre, and quickens the steering (covered above), without the risk of locking the front and falling. Too risky for the public.

Front Brake

Riders can ‘pick the bike up’ and brake if there is sufficient room and road width, but this tends to be a ‘last resort’. This is often a brutal panic response. This results from the machine being steered more tightly into the corner, which has the opposite effect from counter-steering. Applying the front brake when banked tends to stand the bike up which can help (or not).

Riders can apply the front brake with great care progressively mid-corner in an emergency, as long as the lean angle is not too extreme. It is potentially more effective than the rear, but the bike will try to run wide, and a skid is more likely. Not recommended.

The harder the rider brakes, the more weight is transferred onto the front tyre, but there is already enough grip for cornering. There is no extra cornering grip but less, as braking uses up more grip than it creates and on a poor surface, applying the front brake can make the bike more likely to skid.

An experienced rider already knows this, as they would avoid applying the front brake on a wet road when banked, more so on mud, gravel, or if there were signs of oil or diesel.

Because the centre of mass is to one side of the front tyre contact patch, the bike will tend to stand up, twist and ‘yaw’, which will make the bike tend to run wide. This requires some run off space, or the bike counter steered and leaned even harder into the corner to counteract this, using up cornering grip.

The greater the lean angle, the greater the effect.

RACERS – Trail Braking

This is what racers do, where the rider deliberately brakes later and enters the bends at higher speeds, with usually the front brake, and sometimes the rear applied, planning to reduce the speed through the corner.

It does not increase cornering grip, but the opposite. There is anyway already far more cornering grip on a good surface than you’ll ever need on the road and enough for the track up to circa 60 degrees of lean. You don’t need more.

Front wheel trail braking also tends to keep the steering straight as you try and counter-steer the bike to turn in, making it more difficult.

However, the tyre contact patch moves inwards as the bike leans, with the braking then tending to keep the wheel turned in slightly, dependent on tyre profile, lean angle etc. At the same, the gyroscopic effect of the wheel turning inwards, is trying to turn the steering in further to bring the bike upright, and the bike is trying to yaw, twist and stand up.

It just allows later braking, reduced lap times, and helps prevent competitors overtaking,

Front Brake

If you trail the front brake into a corner, as opposed to applying it mid corner, you have to tip into the corner already counteracting the tendency for the bike to ‘yaw’. It requires more steering effort as front wheel tries to keep in line with the bike due to the trail on the steering. And the more the rider leans, the more the bike wants to yaw, to which the rider responds by even more counter steering and more lean angle.

The weight comes off the rear wheel, allowing a racer to ‘back it in’, sometimes helped with some rear brake.

If you’re racing, you tip in on full front brake and gradually release it. As above, off at circa 50 degrees.

Completing your braking before the corner is obviously safer, but slower.

Some riders feel that trail braking gives them more grip for cornering, but it is an illusion. You already have all the grip you can use without any weight transfer, which runs out at 60 degrees of lean whatever you do.

Using the front brake keeps the steering straight(ish) and fixed, so it feels different.

BUT FOR ROAD RIDERS….

  • You will be entering the corner faster, so any impact speed will potentially be higher and you’ll be less able to increase your rate of turn.
  • So you will therefore likely take longer to stop.
  • You’ll have less weight on the rear tyre which means if you apply the rear brake the bike is more likely to slide.
  • If you need to brake harder, you will be increasing, not decreasing your braking as planned, which will have a negative effect on the steering, as the bike will try to ‘yaw’ even more. This has the opposite effect to you releasing the front brake as your lean angle increases.

Conclusions

Using the front brake in corners needs very careful training and practice, so is probably best left to professional trainers on a race track, as opposed to trial and error, with training and advice to road riders restricted to just looking where you want to go, avoiding ‘target fixation’, counter-steering and applying the rear brake into or mid-corner in an emergency.

There is an argument that applying the front brake into corners is best, as additional braking is almost instant and so is potentially the ‘best practice’. But the problem is also that riders will likely be encouraged to brake later, harder and deeper as their confidence grows. For racers on the road, it’s frankly difficult to get out of the habit.

There is also the alternative option of trailing the rear brake into corners, but again entry speeds would be higher creating more risk, as well as for a rear skid.

But overall, the official advice is probably best, and gives the greatest overal safety margin.

As always ‘It Depends’.

Additional training in ‘trail braking’ into corners in an emergency could be of benefit to riders, which we cover at The School. But it’s an advanced riding ‘failure to plan ahead’. The bike will probably run wide, for which there might not be the space.

Most racers just use the front brake, but they plan ahead, knowing the bike will understeer and run wide at the limits of adhesion, which is not sensible on the road where you need a safety margin.

Racers consistently trail the front brake into most corners. They gradually release the front brake pressure as their lean angle increases, with the brake being finally released usually just as the throttle is opened at the apex.

This leaves no safety margin. It is totally unsuitable for road riders to use as a routine. But it can be a useful tool to have in an emergency. This allows the rider to brake hard and turn at the same time. This is particularly useful when a rider has misjudged their entry speed to a corner. Or has to avoid a hazard.

The difference between carrying the front brake into a corner and applying the front brake mid-corner needs to be completely understood. It is crucial to distinguish between these two situations.

Re-applying the front brake after you have started to turn, leaves the rider with initially only circa 50% of the weight on the front tyre, which is also doing the steering, making a skid and fall far more likely without great care. And the bike will suddenly try to stand up and run wide.

Again, if in any doubt, it is recommended road riders should just use the rear brake when banked, and only in an emergency as per the official advice.

Cornering on a light throttle leaves all the grip for cornering, wtih none lost through braking.

There seems to be a general misunderstanding that cornering forces add more grip, as used to be incorrectly stated in Roadcraft. It is an illusion. The suspension compresses when the bike is banked, but the cornering forces are always horizontal, not vertical.

Summary

The coefficient of friction, and the mass of the bike and rider determine the grip. The brakes or throttle determine the distribution of this grip between the two tyres. When this is equally distributed, you have the most grip for cornering, which is why at the apex racers are off the brakes and have lightly cracked open the throttle.

Mike Abbott, The British Superbike School. 12.11.25

Improving Motorcycle Safety – A review of interventions and guidance for development and evaluation.

by Bike Coach, posted in Uncategorized

This report by National Highways was issued in May last year. I have recently been made aware of it via a RoADAR webinar. It’s quite brave considering how critical it is of providers.

Click to access improving-motorcycle-safety-a-review-of-interventions-and-guidance.pdf

Summary of the Reports Findings

‘In short, while there are numerous post-licence motorcycle interventions being offered in Great Britain, little has been evaluated and the evidence for what works and what does not is almost non-existent.‘

The findings were particularly damning regarding the level of public funding, and organisations profiting from ineffective training :-

 Effectiveness of Post-Test Training Interventions

‘… there is little evidence for the effectiveness of any of them to improve safety outcomes’.

Our Response

A new Proposal for a focus on ‘Machine Control’ for Post-test and Advanced Training

The proposal is to focus on embedding the key skills of Emergency Braking and Cornering. What we regard as ‘best practice’ is outlined below.

Mastering Safe Cornering on the Road, with ‘Slow In Fast Out’ Technique
Ultimate Guide to Emergency Motorcycle Braking

I believe the official advice on emergency braking as contained in the DVSA’s ‘Riding’ and Police Roadcraft need to be reviewed too, and revised to provide the best advice to minimise braking distances.

Official advice as how to best corner safely also needs defining and publishing.

Then both emergency braking and cornering need to be taught more effectively Consideration should be given to include, in particular, emergency braking from higher speeds – 60 mph – within the licence test.

The effect of the training can be measured, in terms of braking distances and lean angles.

Riders should be able to stop from at least 60 mph within Highway Code braking distances, or less (20% less or 0.9g is achievable, compared to the standard 0.7g).

Riders should also be able to lean the machine at 35 degrees or more, which is the equivalent of the standard braking force of 0.7 g.

Both can be measured using datalogging or a simple phone app – which needs designing and implementing, although iAccel is already available on Iphones. The required sensors are already in most mobile phones.

Current ‘Advanced’ Training

‘Advanced’ riding needs to be radically rethought to make it effective. The suggestion is to continue to use Police Roadcraft as a basis, with appropriate changes to emergency braking (close the throttle first and keep the front brake applied as hard as possible until stopped).

The ‘downside’ of the involvement of police riders needs to be identified, openly discussed and tackled. This is encouraging riders to ignore the Highway Code ‘should nots’, and to make ‘good progress‘, taken from emergency response practices. Riders should never be in a hurry.

Riders should not be expected to take every opportunity to overtake or filter. They should not routinely filter right to the front of traffic queues and race away. Riders should stay out of all cross hatched areas unless this has clear safety benefits, and not overtake by riding straight ahead from RH turn lanes etc. etc.

Proposed Advanced training

This for a new focus on machine control, in addition to just Police Rider Roadcraft. The road positioning advice is good, but new planning advice is needed based on ‘invisibility’. There is also additional advice on ‘buffering’ in the New South Wales motorcycling manual, which is free to download.

1. Emergency braking

2. Cornering

3. Invisibilty.

The Report

Seems to focus on complex behavioural issues and misses the basic ‘nuts and bolts’ of the problem, and machine control.

To be fair to everyone involved, the problem is that our very poor crash reporting system focusses on blame and prosecutions, not root causes. This also needs urgently addressing to confirm assumed root causes.

The hidden problem with motorcycle riders, is that many can’t brake or take bends properly and confidently. This may be 80% of the problem, from a personal sample of 500 road riders and over 2,500 riders trained on-track. Very easy to confirm. 

This is incredibly frustrating for me, having presented on Emergency Motorcycle Braking at the IJMS and the RSGB National Road Safety Conference last year, and recently tried again at the Motorcycle Conference this year to raise just Emergency Braking as an issue, with no response from anybody.

The report barely mentions ‘control’. It fails to evaluate any improvement in machine control or any motorcycle training in ‘other environments’ as proposed by the DVSA. 1,000’s of riders every year are trained on-track or off road by many providers, often the major manufacturers, which are likely to lead to positive outcomes in improved machine control, fewer crashes and better outcomes.

Emergency Braking

I now find that the suggested focus on emergency braking for motorcycles was already recommended in this report earlier last year, and has also apparently been completely ignored.

‘With the lack of clear evidence for post-licence motorcycle intervention content, it may be necessary to consider lessons learned from driver training. Historically, advanced driver training focused on teaching complex lower-order skills, such as advanced vehicle control in emergency situations like skidding or braking’. 

One of my early trainees was Kashi who had a very bad crash through being unable to brake in time. So we used a local quarry access road. He literally couldn’t brake to save his life. It took 10 mins to nearly halve his braking distance from 60 mph. 

I’ve found the same with many riders, and typically they can reduce their braking distances by at least 20% after training.

There is research that confirms riders inability to brake. 50% cannot even meet Highway Code braking distances. We recently confirmed this with advanced riders from our local IAM group (SAM). We’ve also had riders who never use their front brakes, which is like driving a car just using the handbrake.

Crash outcomes are obviously very sensitive to impact speeds, particularly for riders, who are usually thrown from their machines.

Cornering

This is largely ignored in the report, but the problems are included in a quoted paper.

Crundall, D., Stedmon, A. W., Crundall, E., & Saikayasit, R. (2014). The role of experience and advanced training on performance in a motorcycle simulator. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 73, 81-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2014.08.009.

However, any police force will confirm this, as will Youtube.

The only problem is referring to ‘the racing line’ without really understanding what it is. It’s probably the largest available radius through any bend. It’s rarely used in racing, appears in the 1970’s Police Motorcycle Roadcraft, but has since been removed. 

There are no proposed cornering lines in any official publication, just positions to get the best view in Roadcraft. So it cannot be a surprise that bends are a major cause of crashes.

Invisibility

Riders need to understand that other road users may not see them. The reasons are complex, and dependent on circumstance, but a rider must never assume that they have been seen.

Hazard awareness has been the long term focus, but we now need to train riders not only to recognise, but how to react to hazards.

This involves closing the throttle, covering the brakes, changes in speed and road position ready for evasive action, and light pressure on the rear brake to warn following vehicles.

What’s missing?

What is very obviously missing is any assessment of the ability of riders to control their machines. Bikes look simple, but are actually extraordinarily complex, difficult to understand, and to ride competently. There has been no attempt to evaluate what level of control is needed, or what the various groups of riders have. Or what ‘experience’ provides to riders, but finds that the level of ‘hazard awareness’ which is currently the main thrust of interventions, varies little from novices to advanced riders.

The Report

The report is a competent comprehensive professional review of all the various ‘legal’ road training initiatives from 20 providers. From Advanced Training from RoSPA, to Street Spirit (Essex). The unlicenced, unapproved post-test road training industry has understandably been missed out, but there is nothing to suggest that this would be any more effective, the methodologies being likely the same.

The ‘Executive Summary’ finds that none of these programmes, many publicly funded, have any measurable positive effect on casualty reduction

‘While there is some evidence of best practice from international literature, this work suggests that either the adaptation of existing resources, or new resources, need to start with a detailed mapping exercise to bring it in line with best practice in other areas of public health.’

The seriousness of the situation is made clear in the report:-

 ‘In 2022, the fatality rate per billion passenger miles for motorcyclists was 114 across Great Britain. In comparison, for car occupants it was 2, and for pedestrians and cyclists it was 27 and 23 respectively’. 

The report mentions GDE from the 1990s, which is described as a ‘pivotal framework’.

The report then identified the one single intervention on ‘Basic Vehicle Control’, which was Motorcycle Cornering Advice from RoSPA. Only 4 out of 20 initiatives that had any self evaluation content regarding machine control.

Nothing at all on braking (or any more on cornering). I believe the problem is the lack of understanding of bike control by non-riders, who probably assume motorcycles are just like cars. You just stamp on the brakes if you need to stop, or turn the wheel to corner.

The report doesn’t identify properly what constitutes ‘Basic Vehicle Control’, which is it’s major flaw.

Hazard Awareness

‘Results found that while advanced riders performed better (i.e. reacted quicker at identifying hazards) than experienced riders, they were not significantly better than novice riders’.

‘The evidence for hazard perception training with motorcyclists is limited and paints an unclear picture. Logically hazard perception is a key skill that is likely related to crash risk, but the relationship with experience is not as consistent as with findings from the driving literature. It seems intuitive that some form of hazard awareness training should be beneficial for post-licence riders, whether they are novices, returning riders or simply experienced riders, but the best approach to this has not been demonstrated.’ 

There are two Road Safety Trust funded projects looking to address hazard awareness due later this year. But we suspect that the issue is rider control and the ability to react appropriately. The problem with standard hazard awareness tests, are that riders just have to push a button on a keyboard or screen.

 Effectiveness of Post-Test Training Interventions

‘… there is little evidence for the effectiveness of any of them to improve safety outcomes’.

Four possible reasons are explored:

1. Poor evaluation and reporting.

2. Not all motorcyclists are the same.

3. Interventions are unrelated to crash outcomes.

4. Design of content and/or delivery is not effective.

This report identifies a TRL report undertaken for clients which was not published, presumably due to the findings:

“In 2019, TRL reviewed a set of four rider training courses (aimed at riders from novice through to experienced) and compared course content with main crash types. The (unpublished) report for the client noted inconsistencies in the ways in which the ridertraining courses introduced and covered these main crash types.”

https://www.trl.co.uk/news/predictable-nature-of-motorcycle-collisions

‘Without transparent publication of all evidence, whether good or bad, it is impossible to develop a weight of evidence and learn lessons’. 

The above report appears to have been suppressed by the organisations who funded it, presumably due to the poor outcomes.

Why is the accident rate so high for new motorcycle riders?

by Bike Coach, posted in Uncategorized

The truth is no one currently knows exactly how experience makes riders safer, although some things seem obvious.

Riders probably mainly learn either by crashing, or having near misses. Trial and error.

I crashed a dozen times in my first year of riding, but apart from racing, only twice since – both at very low speed on slippery surfaces.

Motorcycle training didn’t exist at the time. My parents generation didn’t even have a licence test.

I learned that scraping the floorboards on my Lambretta lifted the wheels off the ground, more so with a pillion (sorry Graham).

I learned that a car moving over when I was trying to overtake was not necessarily to let me pass (He was ‘swan necking’ and turned right). I got prosecuted for ‘lack of care and attention’ via A&E. (Sorry Andy – pillion).

I learned cars and trucks often didn’t see me, and pulled out it front of me.

I found wet roads had far less grip than dry.

I found out what ‘black ice’ was and where it often formed, and how slippery snow was when compacted, but fresh snow was better.

I found out oil and diesel were also slippery and where you might find them (petrol station forecourts and nearby roundabouts).

I also found mud on the road was particularly slippery too, and where farmers and construction companies often left it. This was a surprise as I’d taught myself, with the help of my sister’s boyfriend Tony Dyer, by riding around waste land next to Southend Airport on an old 98cc James. Mud was better when it was deeper!

(The police and wealthy land owners largely prevent the current generation of youngsters learning how to control a motorbike this way, away from road hazards. Mike Hailwood (who) learned the same way, so did Casey Stoner and many other top riders).

The Notts police have a 12 man team on dirt bikes, a helicopter and patrol cars. You’d think they’d be better deployed elsewhere like city centres tackling anti social riding, the out of control gig economy, private E-Scooters etc etc. No one bothered me, and clearly noise wasn’t an issue, but continually smelling of aircraft fuel was.

I found out tractor drivers couldn’t apparently see or hear, and were generally oblivious.

I found gravel in places, that was also very slippery, but figured out why and where – mostly. I also found out it can be difficult to recognise on some surfaces, again recently.

I discovered white lines were like ice when wet, drain covers were always slippery as was overbanding (thin lines of tarmac on joints)

I found leaves were slippery too in the autumn.

I found out my brakes were better than my bicycle, and I also now didn’t go over the handlebars if I braked as hard as I could.

I found the rear brake worked better than the front, and a rear skid didn’t mean a fall although a front skid did. (Old drum brakes).

I also found that stamping on the rear brake or snatching at the front, often caused a skid.

I found out some of my mates were lunatics. The wheelie on a 50cc Honda along the top of a double brick wall outside Leigh-on Sea Community Centre wasn’t big or clever, was it Phil? Spectacular – I’ll give you that. A helmet might have been a good idea (not compulsory then). Just a broken arm was quite lucky.

I then learned, after my licence test, that my Triumph Tiger 110 could corner far quicker, went twice as fast, but that the throttle could jam wide open. But I never dropped it.

I found out I could do a ton-up fly past of the Blinking Owl on the A127. And by following another rider, if you got it wrong coming through Raleigh Cutting just before the cafe, and went over a sequence of drain covers, you could end up running wide, across the Esso station forecourt, and through a nice white fence.

I saw a few riders panic and crash on rural bends when I was following them, or they were following me, but I didn’t. I just leaned the bike further.

Interestingly, when I returned to riding 15 years later, I learned quickly to cope with more than twice the power, a bike capable of 140 mph that would both wheelspin, wheelie and do stoppies, but didn’t seem to like corners (Kawasaki GPZ1100 A3).

There followed a selection of sports bikes of ever increasing speed and power, until commonsence finally prevailed after 3 weeks riding an adventure bike around New Zealand. I bought a KTM 950SM in 2007 which I still have. (I still do trackdays on classic bikes).

I seemed to have learned not to panic somehow, and to instinctively brake or swerve before I’ve realised what is happening. I found out that this is called ‘muscle memory’ but it isn’t, it’s learned instinctive reactions without conscious thought.

And how to brake really hard and steer consciously in what seems to be what I call ‘slow time’ to avoid a collision. I guess it’s the effect of adrenaline?

I’ve dropped it twice at zero miles/hr, on an oil slick on the roundabout over the M1 Junction 29, and last year on gravel in a car park whilst putting it on the side stand.

I’ve had some crashes racing.  Two bad ones. I locked the front going into Sears at Snetterton on an unfamiliar bike with better brakes, and had a corker when my TZ350 seized flat out going into the Esses at Mallory (before the chicane was put in and the tyre wall moved back).

Not all learn by trial and error, some mates and other riders continue to have the same collisions. Some only have one crash. If they survive, many don’t ride again.

Some continue to generally crash regularly.

But most simply seem to ride more carefully.

Research shows that the chances of a crash diminish by 40% every time experience doubles, in the early years.

Research has also found ‘advanced’ post-test training is ineffective, riders just go faster, ride more, and have different types of crashes. They are also more likely to blame others, which is unhelpful. It’s all far too late and far too ‘clever’, (as a RoSPA instructor).

Evaluation of Advanced Motorcycling

The problem is also that crash reporting systems are so poor, despite ‘black boxes’ in many new vehicles. So root causes of crashes are guessed.

The current system is performed by the police, who appear to focus on blame and prosecutions rather than prevention.

BikeSafe is, I believe, mainly a PR exercise as they say it’s ‘not training’. I could explain why but it would take too long and doesn’t make any sense. Any biker likes a ride out – even better if you’re getting paid and on a company bike. But go anyway, you’ve nothing to lose and it’s cheap, and you will learn some good stuff from receiving something that’s ‘not training’. (It is really). And you’ll find police riders are generally a great bunch in this setting.

Back to crashes. We don’t know how experienced riders were, only how old, so we can’t match the type of crashes with experience.

We don’t even know if they had a licence or any training. This is a factor in over a third of fatal crashes in Sweden, and even higher in the US where this factor is reported.

40% of young rider fatalities in the UK are underage. Many others won’t have a licence. So no training is probably 50% of the problem, but could be up to 80%? (Pareto’s Principle).

This is where we all really need to focus, learners, young and newly qualified riders, but everyone needs to be critically aware of the child protection issues from both sides.

The Potential Problems with ‘Advanced Motorcycle Training’

by Bike Coach, posted in advanced motorcycle training, motorcycle safety, motorcycle training, motorcycling

These are what I believe are the common issues with ‘Advanced Training’ from the unqualified and unlicenced, and the charity sector observers and tutors exceeding their roles, trying to provide training not assessments, ignoring official riding advice and standards, thinking they know better.

The source is probably, at least in part, old police ‘pursuit’ and ’emergency response’ practises – usually on a marked bike but could also be unmarked surveillance:-

  1. You will probably not receive any training to brake from high speed, so you need to master this before you go.
  2. The key thing is not to snatch the front brake lever, so you need to continually practise so you automatically just squeeze it in an emergency with increasing pressure.  Practice braking from higher speeds until it becomes automatic.
  3. Use both brakes and cover the front brake with your two inside fingers when you can. This should reduce your reaction time by around 1 second – 88 feet at 60 mph. The difference between stopping and a 40 mph, probably fatal impact. Use a phone App such as iAccel Lite with care.  The standard is 0.67 g average. I went though all my training and trainer training without anyone ever checking I could stop from high speed. 
  4. https://britishsuperbikeschool.com/2024/04/04/the-british-superbike-school-guide-to-emergency-braking-on-a-motorcycle/
  5. If you are presented with a two-way radio, walk away. This is in direct breach of DVSA standards. Radios should be one way only, for obvious safety reasons. The trainer would probably not have been trained in the correct instruction protocols to keep riders safe.
  6. If you are shown the ‘suicide swoop’, which I have by an ex-police rider  – overtaking an HGV on a LH bend – forget it. Unnecessary and very dangerous.
  7. If you’re shown ‘off siding’ – taking a LH corner from the RH gutter – forget it as above. These are two old ‘pursuit’ techniques. Never cross the centre line except when overtaking, and don’t cut corners.
  8. Be aware if you move out near the offside kerb to get a better view, you may not see RHS hazards, and emerging vehicles from your right will not be expecting you. You could also be in the blind zone of the vehicle in front, which could pull out.
  9. If you’ve been pressurised into overtaking at every opportunity – don’t. You shouldn’t be in a hurry. Only overtake when you are absolutely certain there are no hazards.
  10. Be very careful filtering. It’s not necessary and it’s hazardous. You may well be encouraged to do it at every opportunity. The training is usually to look for a gap ahead so you can get back in, but there’s no guarantee it will still be there when you get there, and you could be ‘hung out to dry’. Also, if there is a gap it’s often for another road user. This could be for a pedestrian to cross, a car to emerge etc. The gap is very unlikely to have been left for you.
  11. When filtering, treat every vehicle you pass as a separate overtake, and make sure there is the space to slot back in, in front of them.
  12. Only filter past stationary vehicles or vehicles travelling < 10 mph.
  13. Don’t filter up the inside between the traffic and the kerb. Drivers and others won’t expect it, and gutters are often full of debris.
  14. When filtering in between two lines of traffic, or when using a bus lane, be aware of hazards appearing from the RHS as well as the LHS.
  15. Don’t filter right up to the front. If you’re in between two lanes the RH driver may not see you and you may get squeezed on take off. You might also get some competition at the ‘traffic light Grand Prix’ as you will probably need to get immediately ahead to stay safe. This can be very dangerous. Look out for sports cars and hot hatches – (and anyone with his cap on backwards). Stop in a space one car back from the front.
  16. Be very careful filtering down the outside, particularly on narrow roads.
  17. Don’t filter up front by using the RH turn lane unless you are sure that you can get back in. Don’t go straight ahead from the RH turn lane. Other road users will expect you to turn right, and if there’s a RH traffic light filter, you’ll be blocking the lane. 
  18. I’ve been deliberately pushed into oncoming traffic when filtering, in one case over a double white line by an irate driver who thought I should stay behind him. Got very close to an HGV coming the other way. The drivers had all moved over to give me room. The driver in question did the same until I appeared. He then seemed to realise why everyone was doing it. He then pulled back out just as I was almost next to his car. Many years ago we had a driver opening his car door in front of a group of us, standing in the road trying to stop us passing him.
  19. The lesson is, even if you think a driver has moved over to let you past, you may be mistaken.
  20. Many police riders appear to have been taught ‘pursuit’, are hugely experienced, but they have one other big advantage over the rest of us – a marked bike. From my experience they still ride the same way on a civilian bike when training the public, although it’s usually white, and they often wear a police hi viz jacket with chequered stripes.
  21. Be very careful cornering. You may be following your trainer, and he could be going very quickly. He may be encouraging you to ride at the same pace, potentially taking you out of your comfort zone, leaving you very vulnerable to a panic induced crash.
  22. You may be encouraged to routinely  trail brake into corners using the front or rear brakes. If you have to brake into a corner then you have entered it too fast. It makes very little difference to your journey times, but increases your entry speed and uses up some of your safety margin. DVSA and Roadcraft advice is to brake before the corners for obvious safety reason. There is currently a widely publicised MCN video promoting front wheel trail braking into every corner by an ex-police rider from a well known training company. Ignore it.
  23. If you have to brake into or mid corner, DVSA and Roadcraft advice is to carefully apply the rear brake only. This is difficult and risky to practise on the road. However, you can with care, and you can also make sure that your foot is ready. You can also make sure you are using the rear brake regularly as you are stopping normally. Some riders never use it.
  24. Police riders have also done far more riding than almost all civilians, being on a bike most days, so are hugely experienced and have been very well and continuously trained over many years. They are used to riding at high speeds well above the speed limits. I’ve had a couple of ex-police riders come on the DVSA Enhanced Riders Scheme. They didn’t say they were ex-police, and were both surprised when I asked them when they left. They are easy to spot from their attitude and the way they ride – usually at circa 85 mph when they get the chance.
  25. Passing on their knowledge tends to be difficult for many police riders and others. Most are handicapped as they’ve never been taught how to train and pass on their knowledge properly. We used to have a number of police track coaches at The School. Not now. They are trained to be unemotional, impersonal, remote and aloof, so have to overcome this. A large part of the DVSA post-test trainer’s course is how to train using a well-established modern teaching method known as ‘client centred learning’.
  26. The ex-police and some civilian trainers will often check where the speed cameras will likely be before they plan your route. This info is publicly available from some forces, so they would not be overly concerned of being caught speeding. You should adhere to speed limits, so don’t be encouraged to speed.
  27. You may be encouraged to ride on motorways and dual carriageways at 85mph next to the centre barrier. There are some good reasons for this, but be aware that cameras on motorways are far more common, some mobile sitting on the bridges. Stick to or close to the speed limit – probably an indicated 75. You are probably at least as safe on the inside lane at 60 mph with the hard shoulder as an escape route.

Never do anything that you feel is unsafe. Ever. Ride away.

Upgrade Your Bike’s Suspension: Top Brands to Consider

by Bike Coach, posted in Uncategorized

A worn rear shock can be quite dangerous as the bike can bounce and the rear tyre leave the ground. Not great in a corner.

Springs can also sag over time allowing the forks to bottom out which can cause a skid on braking.

You can check the ‘static’ and ‘laden’ sag both ends with the help of a friend. Sometimes you can adjust the spring preload to compensate. Advice is widely available on how to do it.

You can check the rear shock damping simply by pushing the back of the bike down and then releasing it. It should gently come back up without overshooting. If you’ve got adjustable damping, add a couple of clicks to adjust it if you need to.

However, this all does mean your suspension has worn, so consider replacing it. Avoid cheap imports which could make it even worse. 

Take a deep breath and buy a decent aftermarket shock or get yours serviced by 9ne of the established companies – not someone you’ve never heard of. 

We’ve used KTech, Kais, WP (White Power – how did they get away with that!) and Maxton in the past, and there’s always Ohlins if you’re minted.

Any major established European brand should be OK.

Consider also checking your head, swinging arm and wheel bearings while your in your overalls.

It’s like having a new bike.

Motorcycle Tyres and Wear.

by Bike Coach, posted in advanced motorcycle training, motorcycle trackdays, motorcycle tyres, Uncategorized

There are an extraordinary number of internet posts on tyres and tyre wear, particularly on track bikes.

And very varied and often contradictory diagnostic advice on make, suspension setting, tyre pressures etc.

Tyre Type

You can use road tyres on track days, but avoid using track tyres on the road.

They have very little grip when they are cold, and are very unlikely to reach their operating temperature on the road.

You can get ‘cold tears’ in the rubber if you don’t warm them up properly.

We have constant issues at The School with riders failing to warm up their tyres, and falling on the first lap. You need two full laps at a gradually increasing pace to be safe.

This applies to road tyres too, although 1 lap should be enough, dependent on type.

Generally speaking, the more tread, then the quicker they heat up due to tyre flex.

Tyres have a relatively narrow range of temperature at which they are designed to work.

Slicks in particular need great care to warm properly. Even with tyre warmers, after you’ve waited in the collecting area for a couple of minutes, the tyre would have lost much of its temperature.

‘Wets’ are usually only needed when there is standing water on the track. Otherwise, intermediate or sports tyres are usually better. Wets wear very quickly if the track dries, and can become very slippery.

Tyre Pressures

Consider using the manufacturer’s suggested tyre pressures, but reduce the cold pressures by 2 psi front and back on trackdays.

This to compensate for the increases temperature and pressure.

Running with lower pressures may sometimes give marginally more grip, but causes very high wear rates.

Tyre Wear Patterns

This is a typical early tyre wear pattern on a track bike with rubber building up just behind the grooves.

‘Graining’ has just started, with rubber being worn off the surface of the tyre and getting stuck back onto the edge or the carcass.

Tyres ‘slip’ on cornering, moving sideways as they rotate, which can cause strange wear pattens on treaded tyres.

This is my R6 front tyre from Donnington a couple of years ago. It has started to melt, due we think to the tyre being just 1 psi lower than was recommended.

Different makes and models of tyres can weather very differently.

Tyre Compound

On track days, you could change to an optimum compound of tyre to suit the conditions, but you’d have to be on race pace to make this worthwhile.

If you’re not, the tyre may not get to temperature and you’ll end up with worse grip.

The Theory

If you want to know how tyres (and suspension) work, look at ‘Motorcycle Dynamics’ by Vitorre Cossalter, which covers this in great detail and is based on lab tests, not opinion.

You’ll need degree level maths to fully understand it all, but even without, you can see the factors involved.

The relationship between suspension settings and tyre wear is very complex. As tyres, riding speeds, riding styles, and bikes vary considerably, be aware of suggestions based on tyre wear patterns alone.

Mike Abbott, British Superbike School

Mastering Safe Cornering on the Road, with ‘Slow In Fast Out’ Technique

by Bike Coach, posted in advanced motorcycle training, motorcycle cornering, motorcycle safety, motorcycle trackday training

Summary

This approach discourages riders from entering corners at high speed and high lean angles. The aim is SIFO – ‘slow in fast out’.

You enter corners on a closed or light throttle. You are at a steady speed and a modest lean angle. You can turn tighter towards the apex when you see it’s safe.

When you can see a clear exit, turn tighter and briefly increase your lean angle to turn the bike. Pick the bike up again on a smooth, continuous throttle after the apex. This minimizes the chance of a slide or high side.

If you’ve misjudged the radius of the corner, or your entry speed, you can instantly just turn tighter earlier. You can also do this if you meet an unexpected hazard. Or just stay wide for longer if it’s safer. You have options and escape routes.

Use the rear brake if you need to. This will allow you to slow and turn even tighter, as a last resort, but it needs to be applied gently,  and reduced as your lean angle increases.

Introduction

We are responding to the MCIA’s call for a new approach to motorcycle road safety. We have posted on ‘Braking‘ before. This seems to be the priority issue.

The second problem is ‘Cornering‘ on the roads. Riders can lose control on corner entry. They can also lose control mid corner and crash. On exit, the rear wheel can slide. This can cause a potential ‘High Side’ that throws the rider into the air. Alternatively, they might just run off the road.

66% of fatalities are on rural roads. 58% of crashes are reported as not occurring at junctions.

I started as a RoSPA volunteer civilian accessor for BikeSafe in Lincs. The police told me that they get over a dozen biker fatalities in Lincolnshire on corners every year. Not because riders were speeding, but that they were apparently unable to make the corner, panicking and crashing.

I’ve ridden on the road, cornering like this since I started racing in the early 90’s. When I did BikeSafe in 2008 I expected to be criticised for it. And again when I did my RoSPA training and their Advanced Instructor’s course. And again when I had my DVSA riding test to become a Post-Test Trainer. No one ever has. (My ACU Road Race Coaching assessment wasn’t a problem either).

I am sure many others ride like this. But many don’t, having trained over 500 road riders in the last few years.

The advice is ‘Slow in Fast Out’ – ‘SIFO’

Background

We organized a classroom session and an on-road training course on cornering in 2010. We had been delivering RoSPA ‘RideSafe’ courses for 2 years, subsidised by Notts CC.

Rupert Paul from BIKE magazine joined us, and gave the day an encouraging write up. The drawing below then appeared in his book ‘Pass the Bike Test and be a Better Rider‘.

This is ‘squaring off’, made popular by Noriyuki Haga 25 years ago. It’s also similar to Keith Code’s earlier ‘hook’ turn for track riders, which is more brutal. (Twist of the Wrist).

We’ve edited it to add the escape zones that this technique provides for riders, which are critical. These zones are available at any point through the corner.

In 2012 we moved to track-based training for cornering, as it was clearly safer, and started ‘The School’.

The Method

  1. Finish your braking before the corner.
  2. Select a lower gear before entering if appropriate.
  3. Keep your foot just over the rear brake.
  4. Set your speed so you can turn more tightly when you can see the road is clear.
  5. Use a light or closed throttle.
  6. Enter the corner on the outside of the bend for the best view – if it’s safe.
  7. Look through the corner and turn more tightly towards the apex, when you can see your exit line is clear.
  8. Roll the throttle on smoothly after the apex, to pick the bike up
  9. Take as much of your lane as is safe on exit.

You always have the yellow ‘escape zones’, at any time.

If you like leaning a bike, then this is your opportunity to do it safely. You can run as deep into the corner as you want. You can turn as late and as sharply as you want (within reason).

(You actually do this automatically by pushing on the inside bar – counter-steering).

Try and keep your head horizontal, but lean your body with the bike. It’s your eyes that contribute most to balance.

Accelerating on Exit

You need to be careful when applying the throttle on exit. A ‘High Side’ is more likely on the road due to a poor surface. You could run wide and off the road. Or into oncoming traffic even if you have traction control.

Always roll the throttle on steadily, as the revs build up. If you do lose traction, the bike will slide to the side. You should be able to correct it. You will snap the throttle shut automatically. The wheels should come back into line.

If you have the throttle pinned, the revs will rise instantly. This happens if the tyre loses grip. The revs may even hit the rev limiter as the engine climbs up the power curve. The bike will slew violently sideways. When you shut the throttle, the tyre will dig in, flipping you off the bike and into the air.

You could rely on traction control if your bike has it – but I wouldn’t. The danger is you’ll come to rely on it, and come unstuck on a bike that doesn’t have it. You’ll never learn to ride properly. On earlier bikes we’ve found it won’t necessarily stop a fall at high lean angles, but should prevent a ‘high side’.

If you have traction control, then on the road consider setting it at least one below the ‘race’ or the lowest setting. Like the ABS coming on, regard any activation as ‘rider error’.

Personally I never trust computers. When we went from analogue to digital in the last century, we were assured there would never be any errors…. It would either work or not.

God help us with AI (which is usually ‘machine learning’ – they’re not that bright).

Gear Selection

Consider changing gear before entering corners. Don’t be lazy.

Most rural corners are best taken in 4th gear on larger bikes, although you may need to go down to 2nd or even 1st just before a hairpin bend.

This gives you tighter control and a better drive out.

You can pull the clutch in and blip the throttle, matching the gear and revs with your road speed as you’re changing down. (Sequential down shifting). This makes life easier on the clutch and gearbox. It was also essential when racing, before slipper clutches, to avoid locking the rear wheel.

You don’t need to do this if you have a slipper clutch. But do it anyway as you need the skill to ride bikes that haven’t. And it saves wear on the clutch. In any event, always let the clutch out slowly to avoid locking the rear wheel.

You brake with your left two fingers and blip the throttle with two outside fingers.

It takes some practice to get right, but it is very satisfying. And makes some more noise for those of us with louder exhausts. (My old KTM also pops and bangs rather satisfyingly on the overrun).

It’s also ‘good practice’ to do this when you’re slowing at junctions too, if done properly. It assures that you’re always in the most appropriate gear.

Yes, I know you were told to ‘block change’ as you came to a halt. It’s simply easier, but poor practise.

You may need to accelerate briskly away from a hazard, which you can’t in a high gear at low speed.

Rear Brake

It is sensible to have your foot ready over the rear brake. Press steadily down if you want to reduce speed at any time in an emergency. This will also allow you turn even tighter if you need to. You’ll need to steadily release it as your lean angle increases to avoid skidding.

Bear in mind engine braking will also be working alongside the rear brake. A big twin or single with higher engine braking will have more effect. They will have more effect than a large 4-cylinder bike.

You should be able to brake quite firmly up to around 24 degrees of lean (0.4g grip). This will vary dependent on machine, tyres etc. Leaning further will need you to gradually release the rear brake, to avoid a lock up. This is rear brake only!

Using the rear brake also transfers some weight onto the front tyre, sharpening the steering and providing more front-end grip. This will also help to tighten the turn.

Front Brake

Avoid using the front brake in corners as it straightens the steering and stands the bike up. And a front wheel skid usually results in a fall. However, a rear wheel skid, can usually be recovered if the rider releases the brake.

You can use the front brake, but only in an emergency, leaving it on as you turn in. The bike will resist turning, and try to stand up, so you will likely run wide. Doing this routinely as racers do, puts riders at very high risk, due to faster corner entry speeds, a variable road surface, and no safety margin.

If you try using the front brake mid corner you will likely skid and fall, or the bike will stand up and run wide. The official advice is only use it if you have space to stand the bike up, brake and run wide. The problem applying the brake mid corner, as opposed to trailing it in, is the lack of weight and grip on the front tyre. So it needs a very gentle application and great care, or a skid and fall is very likely.

Using just the rear brake is safer.

Hopefully this method will avoid riders having to learn by experience (trial and error). It’s painful, usually involves visits to A&E, and lots of bits of broken coloured plastic – from experience.

This is the basis of cornering lines from our track training courses, on which the advice is based.

The advice is to consider using the green line.

The red line shows what happens when you turn in too early.

The yellow line tends to be the usual ‘fast riders’ line. The bike is at maximum lean for most of the corner. No room for error. No safety margin. You’re committed from the point of entry.

Cornering Issues

From experience, there are 4 main problems when cornering, which this method seeks to address:-

  • Misjudging entry speed – in too fast.
  • Turning in too early.
  • Taking RH corners leaning into the oncoming lane.
  • Failing to spot a hazard on the road surface, or having to avoid other mid corner hazards.

Misjudging Entry speed – in too fast

Problems with corners often occur because riders misjudge their entry speed. They find the bend is longer, or tightens mid-corner. They try to brake and fall. Or simply panic and run wide.

There is a good section on judging entry speed using the ‘Limit point’ or ‘Vanishing point’ in Police Motorcycle Roadcraft. It is the furthest point of continuous tarmac you can see. A road hazard may be hidden in a dip. You might also be misled by looking at hedges, fences, telegraph poles, etc. You could wrongly assume they follow the road. Sometimes, they don’t.

There is one local junction where two riders I’ve trained ended up on the grass verge, luckily without falling. The hedge line is misleading, and the bend is on the brow of a hill at a junction.

The limit point starts to move around the corner as you approach it. With practice you can use this to judge the tightness of the bend and set your entry speed.

There is a tendency for some riders to want to go around corners as fast as they can. They assume that the faster they go in, the faster overall they will be. Wrong.

We see this on-track all the time.

We’ve nearly all been too enthusiastic at some time or another, or been caught out through not paying attention.

With this method you are already entering at a speed intending to turn in more tightly. You can do this when you can see the exit is clear. So a tightening bend, and most hazards, should be avoidable.

Turning too early

Turning in too early can lead to running wide on exit. It’s a problem both on road and track. It can also be a panic reaction when riders feel they are going too fast. Or due to a lack of confidence that the bike will turn in time.

The rider then cannot turn in as they are too close to the inside kerb. Or too close to the centre line on RH corners. Their view is also restricted.

As the bike gets to mid corner, it then starts to run wide, heading towards the scenery. Or across the centre line, possibly into oncoming traffic.

The rider now has to turn more sharply to stay in the lane. This is after they should have apexed and accelerated away. Dependent on speed, ability, luck and confidence, they may be unable to.

Leaning across the centre line on RH corners

The suggested method allows you to lean over into the opposite lane only when you can see it’s clear. But it’s safer to keep all of you and your bike in your lane. Never cut corners by riding over the centre line. It’s too risky generally and tends to become a dangerous habit.

If you are leaning into the incoming lane and a vehicle suddenly appears, you will be at serious risk. You have to immediately bring the machine upright, and then lean it back over again. There may not be sufficient room on the road for this.

If the rider tries to turn the bars to the left away from the oncoming vehicle, which they may do in panic, the opposite will happen and the bike will turn tighter into the oncoming vehicle (counter-steering).

Even if the rider has avoided the vehicle, they are still left heading towards the scenery. This will usually require the rear brake to be applied. You then need to get the bike back over again.

The alternative, only when the bike is upright, is to apply the front brake smoothly. If there is enough space to stop.

Best keep within your lane?

Failing to see a Hazard

This can be a simple lack of attention. Or an unexpected hazard – pot hole, gravel, mud, diesel, oncoming vehicle cutting the corner, etc. etc.

Sometimes surface hazards are not obvious until you get close. A pedestrian or vehicle can also appear ‘from nowhere’. A horse may be just out of sight. A dog. A deer. A scaffold board from off a truck. An oncoming vehicle may cut the corner or run wide.The list is nearly endless.

It’s the ‘unexpected’ nature of the hazard that is often the root cause of crashes.

The suggested method should allow you to change course quickly to avoid hazards. You have options. Both ways. You will probably be in, or close to, the RH or LH car wheel track, which tend to be clear of debris. But you may have to avoid turning tighter towards the apex and stay wide if there is mud etc mid lane.

Or you may have to turn tighter earlier to avoid a hazard on your path. You are planning to turn tighter anyway.

Below are two illustrations from the New South Wales Riders Handbook regarding oncoming vehicles.

If you’re in the habit of entering corners as fast as you dare, you will have few options.

Leaning the Bike

Many riders are worried about leaning the bike, and the tyres losing grip and sliding.

On a fairly decent road surface, you can usually lean the bike to 45 degrees safely, with a 30% grip safety margin. 55 degrees is probably the limit for most bike and tyre combinations – (not cruisers which can deck out at 25 degrees).

In an emergency, you can probably lean the bike until something scrapes. This is usually the footrests, which are designed to hit first as a warning. They then fold up to prevent the wheels from being lifted off the ground. Many have ‘hero blobs’ under the footrests that scrape first. These can be replaced.

When you lean far over for the first time, many riders seem to confuse the suspension sinking under the centrifugal force, with the tyres sliding. We’ve often heard riders saying they ‘lost the rear’, when it was just the suspension compressing.

However, it’s not sensible to habitually ride at steep lean angles. 35 degrees is probably the maximum for the road, giving you a good safety margin.

If you’re not confident of leaning the bike, you are at high risk.

Don’t Panic

There are two usual mid corner panic reactions.

The first is to hit the brakes. If you snatch the front brake, you will likely skid and fall. Even if you have ABS, if you squeeze the front brake, then the bars will twist, sometimes violently. The bike will sit up and run wide.

If you stamp on the rear brake it will also likely skid and you may fall. However, with ABS or gentle pressure the bike slows allowing you to turn tighter at the same lean angle.

The second panic reaction is to think the bike is falling inwards or sliding, and the rider jerks the handlebars into the corner to bring the bike up. Again, you will run wide.

If you find yourself going too fast, or needing to turn tighter, just look where you want to go, not where you don’t. Press gently on the rear brake and push on the inner bar to counter-steer the bike into the corner. Practice this carefully until it becomes automatic in an emergency.

Official Guidance

There is a lack of diagrams from the DVSA, or in the latest Police Motorcycle Roadcraft. In the 70’s version, this was simply the largest continuous radius back to the centre of the lane.

But look carefully, and you’ll see the danger if the bend is longer than you thought, or tightens. You’ll have to brake or run wide over the centre line, or through the scenery.

Maybe this was why it was dropped?

If you use the suggested method, you simply stay wide at a slower speed until you see the exit. Then turn tighter and accelerate away. Your maximum lean angle is for a short duration at the apex. Not all the way around the corner.

The main difference is the faster rate of turn just before the apex in our suggested later turn in. You can do this simply because frames are stiffer, steering geometry more radical. Tyres are far grippier and engines far more powerful. You can be back up to the speed limit in a second or two.

Maintaining higher corner speeds, which was the best route on older slower bikes when maintaining speed was the aim, is still used in the lower capacity racing classes.

An old DVSA videos shows the ‘Wall of Death’ line, around the outside of the corners, again leaving little room for error.

Check your Lean angle

You can check your lean angle using a phone App or a data logger. We use the KurvX system, which displays your maximum lean angle shortly after the corner. The display goes to red if you’ve leaned over 35 degrees.

You can then play back your route and back check your lean angles on corners, which are colour coded. Best to stay out of the red on the road.

This is a few steady laps at Cadwell Park, but it’s also useful to be able to check your road riding. Really useful feedback for training on road or track.

See also:-

https://britishsuperbikeschool.com/2024/04/04/the-british-superbike-school-guide-to-emergency-braking-on-a-motorcycle/

Feedback, good or bad, welcome.

Mike@britishsuperbikeschool.co.uk

Mike Abbott, British Superbike School, 14.1.25

Improving Young Rider Safety: Urgent Actions Needed

by Bike Coach, posted in motorcycling, Uncategorized

Suggested Actions

  1. Inform children and parents of the risks of riding E-Scooters. Explain the dangers of riding any PTW when underage or without a licence, and without proper training.
  2. Ban E-Scooters. Require any powered vehicle, wherever used, in public or on private land, to meet Highway Code stopping distances (0.7g) Include hoverboards, ball boards, unicycles etc.
  3. Encourage the use of E-Cycles for 14 years and above.
  4. Make ABS (anti-lock) brakes mandatory for all A1 (125cc) motorcycles
  5. Require riders to retake a CBT when upgrading from a moped to a 125c A1 motorbike.

The Problems

  • 40%, probably more, young motorcycle rider fatalities up to 18 years were riding illegally without any training.
  • 50% of KSIs up to 18 years were underage for the motorcycle they were riding.

This seems to be a well kept secret. You can confirm this if you use the government’s freely available accident database. We don’t know how many of the others didn’t have a licence. They probably received no training. Maybe another 10% or more? More than half the problem?

In 2022 there was only a single 16 year old rider fatality who was riding legally – (Probably).

Young rider Fatalities 2022 in detail

YOUNG RIDER FATALITIES 2014-2023

Over the past 10 years, we have seen an average of 1 death/year of a rider below 16 years. But the situation appears to be worsening.

There are an average of 3 deaths/year for riders aged 16. They were probably mostly riding illegally.

There are also 7 deaths/year for riders each year from 17 up to 20 years old, nearly 300 in total. There is no information available as to how many did not have a proper licence.

2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
< 160021000132
161533212362
17-2033382626282418293635

50cc A1 mopeds aren’t the major issue, but 125 cc A1 motorbikes are. They don’t need to have anti-lock brakes that larger capacity bikes now have to – which makes no sense.

Young riders are mainly a risk to themselves. They are simply demonized by The Press as ‘anti-social’. This view is taken rather than seeing them as children at serious risk.

Young Rider KSI’s 2018 and 2022

Many young riders at 17 move from a 50cc 28 mph twist and go, to a geared 125cc motorbike. They can now easily ride at 60 mph with no extra training. Out they go onto A roads and the countryside at considerable personal risk. KSI’s now more than double.

The number of KSIs of underage riders, 16 and younger, is nearly static. In contrast, overall KSIs for this age group has declined by 25% over the last 4 years. But the underage problem appears to be unaffected.

E-Scooters

In 2022, 440 E-Scooter riders were seriously injured. The highest frequency was in the 10-19 years age group. Estimates suggest that about 150 young riders sustained serious injuries. These account for approximately one-third of all injuries. (Government E-Scooter Fact Sheet).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report

NEW Hazard Shift?

E-Scooters look to have increased 16 years and younger young rider fatalities by >50%, and KSI’s by 400%.

E-Scooters apparently look set to be legalised.

The average E-Scooter rider age is 16 years, youngest 11 years or less.

There are probably now 1.5 million E-Scooters in the UK.

To date, 50 E-Scooter riders and 1 pedestrian have been killed. An unknown number, but probably at least 500/year seriously injured.

TRL research confirmed the poor braking on E-Scooters. The kerb height they can negotiate has had to be reduced. It has been lowered from the standard 10 cm to 3 cm. This puts riders at risk. And that they are unstable, generally poorly maintained needing constant brake adjustment, had steering faults and underinflated tyres.

For local Government rentals, the Dft doubled the braking distance standard for E-scooters. When all other vehicles would have stopped from 15 mph, an E-Scooter would still be doing 11 mph. Speed related fatalities start at 9 mph.

Link to E-Scooter Standards

You can buy an E-Scooter capable of close to 50 mph. Others are easy to tamper with to de-restrict. >40 mph is possible.

The obvious alternatives are E-Cycles. They are legal at 14 years and can stop to Highway Code standards. E-Cycles can also negotiate standard kerbs and use less energy. You have to pedal, which also helps fitness.

Mike Abbott, British Superbike School

Updated 24.7.25

Motorcycle Safety Update 2024.

by Bike Coach, posted in Uncategorized

E-Scooters

See government reports. They are unnecessary, and the most hazardous form of urban travel by a margin, average age of rider is 16 years. E-Cycles are at least 3 times safer, have a smaller carbon footprint, and can carry shopping safely in panniers.

12 riders died in 2022, at least 400 serious injuries accepted as probably significantly understated.

Young Motorcycle Riders

40% (2022) of fatalities <16 years are underage. Others probably don’t have a licence. Youngest 11.

They can move from a 50cc automatic limited to 28 mph, at 17, to a 125cc geared bike capable of up to 70 mph, with no extra training. Out they go onto A roads and into the countryside at > twice the speed, where many are killed or injured.

The death toll rises sharply peaking then falling back at 24 years old.

125cc bikes are also not required to have anti-lock brakes, whereas now all larger capacity bikes have. As everyone learns on a 125 this is represents a very high unnecessary risk of falls under braking, which is far more likely when learning.

Motorcycle Training

There is no course to become a motorcycle learner trainer, just a 2-day test. In contrast, it takes around 40 days of training to qualify to teach in Further Education, ‘basket weaving’ etc at night school.

There is however a short one/two week DVSA training course for post test trainers, as well at 4 tests coving riding ability, training ability, hazard awareness and thery.

However, currently there appears to be no law against anyone training motorcyclists commercially on the road without a DVSA trainer’s licence, whereas there is for cars etc. 

Consequently some ‘advanced training’ is unqualified, putting riders at risk. (The IAM and RoSPA are charities overseen by the DVSA).

In summary, PTW riders are far more of a risk to themselves than anyone, could be far better trained, with the young and their parents apparently particularly unaware of the risks.

Riders are not often trained and not tested in high speed braking. Consequently 50% can’t meet Highway Code stopping distances from 60 mph, and up to half simply skid and fall in an emergency – from research. This is critical as most speed is lost at the end of braking – it’s a ‘square law’. Probably causes over 100 deaths/year, and over 1,000 serious life changing injuries.

The DVSA advice looks wrong with the brake application in the wrong order – should be rear first as your foot’s already on it.

A brief history of motorcycle braking

by Bike Coach, posted in Uncategorized

Early machines were slow and had very poor brakes, sometimes only on the rear, and some had rim brakes like bicycles, which were also used on some lightweight race bikes.

The introduction of drum brakes was a significant step forward, but they were still poor – particularly front drum brakes with single leading brake shoes, bearing in mind at least 60% of braking is done by the front, and up to 100% as the weight transfers forwards.

Aftermarket twin leading shoes became available – John Tickle – and four leading from Fontana. Even 8 leading shoe were used on racers.

The rear brake was key, as the leverage was far higher with the rider standing on the pedal.

The front brake was wholly dependent on how strong your grip was, and lock ups probably very rare. 

In the 1970s disc brakes started to appear which were initially poor in the wet, but over the years friction materials, master and slave cylinder designs have improved.

I cannot remember ever locking a front brake on tarmac until 1992, and that was on a race bike with twin AP Lockheed race calipers and cold tyres.

The latest radial brakes are very powerful, requiring only one or two fingers to stand a machine on its nose, or a lock up.

ABS has been around since the 1970s, but was mainly fitted on top end touring bikes until 2016 when they became compulsory for all bikes over 125cc. 

There is a now a particular problem with machines from around 2000 onwards which have increasingly powerful brakes capable of locking the front wheel with just one or two fingers, which is probably a significant factor with riders falling in an emergency.

As many riders have more than one bike, there is a real danger of going back to earlier machines without ABS (or traction control, anti tipping or anti wheelie) and skidding and falling.