Who else uses the throttle to steer through the corner? I'm usually using this method in higher speed corners say 50 to 60 mph type corners.
For instance if I find I'm cutting the apex too close, then a little more throttle will drift me toward the outside and if I'm over shooting the outside of the corner then I throttle back until I feel more comfortable with where my corner exit will be.
I end up really using the throttle multiple times in the corner tying to hit the sweet spot of the apex and corner exit. It just feels more comfortable to use the thriottle then trying to adjust the bike by leaning more or leaning less while I'm in the middle of the cornering.
Unless you're right on the edge of friction, throwing a fraction more of that 23.8 hp to the ground won't make you drift... HOWEVER, it does cause the rear end to squat and take some of the weight off the front wheel, changing the geometry of the bike and resulting in the same effect as a slight (as opposed to, say, a Casey Stoner-esqe) "backing it in" technique.
Every book I've read on performance cycling talks about how important it is to brake early, then use the throttle to lighten the front end and set the rear. If you don't already do it, try it - you'll be amazed at how much more stable the bike feels in the turn and how much faster you're going on exit.
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For instance if I find I'm cutting the apex too close, then a little more throttle will drift me toward the outside and if I'm over shooting the outside of the corner then I throttle back until I feel more comfortable with where my corner exit will be.
Hmmmm . . . I don't know it the CBR250R is completely different in this regard, but every other motorcycle I have ridden tends to straighten up when I drop the throttle.
But maybe that just me . . . .
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Messing around with the throttle mid-turn is usually not recommended. You should be rolling on the throttle throughout the turn to keep traction toward the rear tire.
It's not intuitive but to adjust from going wide, you also roll on the throttle, apply countersteer and keep looking at where you want to go.
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Straight from umpteen books by expert/professional rider/trainers/racers:
0. Enter wide, and look where you wanna go (the apex).
1. Brake for the corner and set speed to what you think you can handle. You are braking so throttle is off entering the corner. Throttle off and braking loads up the frontend (increases front tire contact patch size / settles the suspension), setting up the geometry of the bike to facilitate cornering/encouraging it to lean in.
2. Push on the inside bar to start the cornering/lean in. Shift weight to inside of the bike. Edit: Auffit's comment has been addressed.
3. Once the bike is leaned in to the corner then ease on a little "maintenance" throttle. Just enough to keep it going, not accelerate. This smoothly settles and stabilises the bike, and allows some little bit transfer of weight onto the rear tire, thus increasing contact patch of the rear tire and building up traction there.
3. Approaching the apex, look to where ya wanna go (the exit). Maintain maintenance throttle until the apex. At the apex is where you need maximum cornering traction from both tires - so no heavy acceleration until just after the apex.
3. At the Apex begin gently rolling on the throttle. This increases weight transfer to the rear (increasing contact patch size and thus traction which will be needed as you trade some cornering traction for acceleration traction at the rear tire, the front looses traction but you dont need it as much as you are past the point of max required traction and the bike is starting to stand up). This also lifts the front end, thus changing the geometry of the bike and begins to stand it up to exit the corner.
4. Continue out of the corner smoothly rolling on the throttle as appropriate, looking ahead to the next corner.
5. go to 1.
Try rolling around a corner (a) throttle completely off until the apex, and compare it with the (b) maintenance throttle --> acceleration approach, and then (c) acceleration throttle all the way around.
You'll notice that (c) you run wide/have to lean/push like a ba$tard and (a) the bike feels unsettled especially when you start acceleration throttle (going from none), and both result in a less smooth and slower corner...go slow to go fast ;-)
Dave
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Last edited by CBR_Dave; 11-28-2012 at 02:08 AM.
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The throttle should be applied consistently throughout the radius of the turn. Slow, look, lean, and ROLL the throttle.
I'd highly suggest picking up Twist of the Wrist Volume 2 and Proficient Motorcycling which both cover this topic.
I think that's to me the most important piece of advice I took from Twist of the Wrist II. Really opened my eyes along with the explanation that the motorcycle is designed to have more weight on the back.
High speed corners not really requiring any braking, at least not for me on the twisty county roads. I'm not pushing it to the limit, just out joy riding and trying to get into the rhythm of the turns.
Off throttle as I approach corner turn in, set the steering angle and roll on throttle.
As corner apex approaches adjust throttle more or less to precisely hit apex.
At corner apex start adding throttle, as corner exit approches adjust throttle more or less to precisely hit corner exit.
Glance down at speed to see how I did through corner. Set up for next corner.
I try and keep the same steering angle throughout the entire corner. Can't always do this and it's those times when I'm changing the steering that I start to feel uncomfortable. The bike seems stable, not twitching and only moving around when there are bumps involved.
I'm not a new rider, but it's been 35 years since my last BMW touring bike. So, I'm still trying to get the feel for these fancy new bikes.
Using Throttle to Steer Through Corners
