How do you enter a turn? (on the track)

The scenario is: The corner is a flat 90 degree left hander, there is no one ahead of you and no one behind you. Also the turn is at the end of a straight and it leads out onto another straight. Nothing else to worry about, just get through it quick as possible.

Do you:
Trail brake to the apex and then get back on the gas?

OR

Get your braking all done, turn, then on the gas into the corner then open it at the apex?

What’s you favorite way?

Which way is the quickest?

[This message has been edited by RickyRacer (edited 10-25-2001).]

[This message has been edited by RickyRacer (edited 10-26-2001).]

 

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[This message has been edited by Guoseph (edited 10-26-2001).]

 

Uh, 4 hour what, Jimbo?

 

CRAP..........G

 

I know, he didn't even mention target fixating on the big orange cone directly ahead of you and blowing straight into the grass for some samples.

 

Hey Bucko, he asked about turn entry, not turn exit

 

NO, I'm not kidding. I posted a very similar post on two other boards. I got great replies and not even one smart-ass comments...

From what I have gathered, there's two basic styles of going through a corner. (Excluding "backing it it")
I got some good tips from a board member here and was just curious what the split was between the two methods here. That's all. No big deal right?

I posted here cus of the large number of racers. And in the hope that I would get many more replies and I could pickup some new tips as well.

So are you guys telling me I have nothing to gain from "this board".
I find that hard to believe.

The turn in my scenario is at the end of a straight and it leads out onto another straight. Nothing else to worry about, just get through it quickly as possible.

Maybe I should have posted it as a poll question.


[This message has been edited by RickyRacer (edited 10-26-2001).]

 

You will definately get smart-ass responces on this BBS, that's a given!!

But you can also learn alot here too.

 

Okay, non-smart ass remarks. Get wide, trail brake from as late a braking point as possible to a late apex, and get on the gas ASAP for a good drive out. Pretty simple, eh? NEVER do all your braking before committing to the corner unless the traction is completely gone, oil, rain, sorball, some other problem. Trail braking is the fast way. Even in the rain, you can do some trail braking. Don't take pointers from me, though, on wet riding. I SUCK in the wet. I HATE the rain.

 

No BS.
If I got this senerio right you are coming off a long straight to a 90 degree left onto another long straight.
I haven't seen a track like this, but I would like to stand by and watch the carnage.

First, the left side of your tire will have cooled down while on the straight, so you can't just break hard up the inside and turn it in. Wide entrance wider exit is the best way to do it. I would imagine it would be hard to get an early apex if you trailed correctly. At the apex you should have an even throttle to distribute the weight evenly and prevent your front from sliding making you go wide. If you do it right it should feel like you are definitely going off the track at the exit unless you get the rear really cooking and slide it in line with the front so that you are almost straight up and down just before you run off the track at the exit.

If you do this correctly nobody will pass you, the only think to worry about is the bonehead that thinks he can outbreak you T-Boning you on the way in. It is a predetermined fact that he will run way wide, unless he is Eric Bostrom backin it in at a 90% angle.

 

This sounds like a post from a big bike guy. Good post. A 125, smooth HARD braking early, same wide line trailing the brakes into a late apex. BUT, you can't necessarily square the turn by sliding the rear out. On a 125, the wide line gives you the corner speed. If you take a shallow line (not recommended here by WERA 147 for sound reasons, either) you'll loose valuable corner speed and thus drive off the corner which is where a 125 makes up time.

The times I do take a shallower line in corners like this is to block a passing attempt. If I determine I'm a lot better on the brakes than the guy in front of me, I might be one of those bozos that trys to outbreak inside, but I'll make sure I can do it. If I can't get a wheel on the guy BEFORE the turn starts, I'll hang back on the fast line and follow through to find another spot where I might have an advantage. Traffic can change things, but you specified NO traffic, thus the wide entry to a late apex. Different bikes demand different riding styles, though. Bigger bikes with big time power can square things off by sliding the rear out of corners. You just can't rely on that with a 125. You have to play to its strong suite, corner speed, big time corner speed. That's why many folks will tell you 125s teach you how to ride a motorcycle fast. You just don't have the power to correct for screw ups. You have to be flawless and on the fast line or you lose.

I can describe it a lot better than I can do it, LOL.

 

For the quickest corner speed, hire Nicky.