cornering

[Guest Guest]

I have gotten a lot of good cornering tips from my fellow WR riders but I am still not as good as I would like to be. I was wondering if you guys had any tips that may help. This is how I am currently turning the bike. I concentrate on being as far forward as possible, elbows up. chest up and forward with my head looking through the corner. I try to keep the rpm's up then roll on it comming out of the corner. I don't use any brake during the turn and right turns are better than left. Running dunlop 756's. Any help in correcting what I am doing wrong or anything I should try would be greatly appreciated. I need help to keep up with my buddies since they corner better than I do.

Thanks Mike

[OTBC_yz426f]

Sounds like you are on the right track. One thing you forgot is you really need to weight the outside peg, as you lean the bike. You can practice/play with this. Go into a corner weighting the outside peg at different times and try letting off. You should notice the rear wheel braking loose. This is just away to prove to yourself how much of a difference this makes. Bottom line the harder you weight that peg the harder you can turn. Another obvious one is practice practice.

[EK314]

Bike set up is very important too. Having the suspension and the ergos set up for YOU is most important.

I ride mostly moto but on my 01 426 I had to raise the forks up about 10mm in the clamps. It has the stock suspension without anything done to it yet. That by itself helped my cornering greatly because it puts more weight on the front wheel. It also shortens the wheelbase just a hair and that helps cornering too.

play with your clickers a little bit, just one or two clicks at a time and see what might feel better to you.

Sounds like you are doing the correct things and like OTBC said, practice is the best plan. I have a weakness for flat high speed corners and I practice them as much as possible. I have gotten better but I'll never be a Jeremy or Ricky!!!

Enjoy, yzernie

[Guest Guest]

Thanks for the tips guy's, I will be practicing them tonight. I have a small bermmed oval I ride around switching direction every 10 min. I will spend some extra time there tonight before I hit the trails. I raised the forks on my 01 426 the 10 mm and changed to a 52t on the rear. Suspension is stock so I may play with that a little. I may go to a YZ tank and seat. I also have the hardest time on the flat and fast corners. So pressure on the outside pegs, I can do that. Letting pressure off the outside peg makes the rear wheel slide? Do I want the wheel to slide? When putting pressure on the outside peg, are you semi standing or in the saddle? Sorry for all the dumb questions, but I don't want to develop any more bad habbits.

Thanks Mike

[Sandracer_uk]

find a flat field and start ridding small figure 8's,,,works wonders

[EK314]

So pressure on the outside pegs, I can do that. Letting pressure off the outside peg makes the rear wheel slide? Do I want the wheel to slide? When putting pressure on the outside peg, are you semi standing or in the saddle?

Mike,

When weighting the outside peg you should be sitting **unless** you were going to stand up in that corner anyway.

Un-weighting the outside peg puts less downward pressure on the bike and the rear end could slide out on you. That is ok if that is what you want to do.

On corners with a wide or increasing radius I allow the rear end to kick out a little bit while under acceleration. You have to be careful for bumps along your path of acceleration. They could cause you to loose traction all together and the rear end could slide out all the way so you hit the ground!! They could also cause you to start to swap from side to side.

Hvae fun and I hope this helps you,

yzernie

[luvmythumper]

Setting up the corner is also important. Usually I find it best if I stay standing as late as possible and do all by braking(almost 100% front brake) while standing.

Hope this helps.

[Guest Guest]

Thanks for the help everyone. I was playing around yesterday trying to put it all together. I tried everyones sugestions together at the right time for the turn. When it all flows together, the bike and I rip right through the corner. It feels so good. I wish it happened every time. When it doesn't go right, I flounder around like a dying fish. Sometimes I end up double dabbing with my foot to get around the corner. i think that means I am going to slow. I did some figure 8's on some flat stuff and that did not go nearly as well as the berrmed turns. The main thing seems to be body position. If it is not right, nothing else seems to work right. I ride againd Wednesday. I will try standing up a little longer on my approach. I may be sitting to early while setting up for the corner. Do any of you stand through the corner. I was watching some MX on TV and some of the guys rip right through the corners standing.

Thanks again for the help. I will let you know when I start passing everyone.

[EK314]

Tire pressue is a good point. Also, tires that work for the terrain that you are riding on makes a HUGE difference too.

yzernie

[ToddW]

Run the correct air pressure in the tires for the conditions you ride in. I.E. 12-15 psi track or 16-20psi for rocks ect.

Good Luck,

[Guest Guest]

Right now things are a little moist and am having good hook up with the D756. As things dry up I will put on a 755. I am on firm terrain when things dry up here in New Hampshire. Tire pressure is at 16lbs. I will be riding again tonight and trying to put it all together again.

[EK314]

Here in So. Cal. I rarely run more than 15 lbs of air pressure. I usually run 13-14. It helps the tire flex a little bit. That gets more knobby on the ground which equals more hook up.

yzernie

[Blueblood]

Mike,

One thing I noticed you said,you'd play with your suspension a little. Try alot. Compression and rebound settings vary greatly depending on rider, weight, conditions and skill level. Add to that all the techniques you've been practicing (lower tire pressure 12-14)and you'll hook-up like a big dog. So spin those clickers (and write it down)and rip!

------------------

Lez Ride!

BB-

[Guest Guest]

THANKS YOU ALL!!!!!!

It all started to come together on yesterdays ride. I have been practicing all the techniques sugested. I stiffened up the front a little more, started to apply more pressure on the pegs, dropped my tire pressure to 16 front and rear. Things were feeling a little better but I was missing something. Then I remembered some advice from a junior member (luvmythumper)about standing up untill the last second. Thats got to be it I thought so off I went, right over the back of the berm into the woods. I figured I must have done something wrong so I tried it the other way. Sure enough, over the ber sideway and into the trees!!! &%$#@!!!

Realizing I was concentrating on standing to the last second I forgot to do everything else. Here I go again, Into the corner,standing, tap the front brake a little, plop down on the seat nice and forward, elbows and head up, pressure on the pegs and turn all at once and the thing hooked uo and I pinned it on the way out and the front came up about 10 inches and I was on my way. I almost split my lips in half from the huage grin on my face. Not all my turns were perfect after that, but now that I tasted it, it won't be long untill they are.

Thanks sooo much for the help.

Mike

[Howard_Huge]

Are you crashing in your turns if not than your not riding fast enough. If you have time to think about all of those little thing while your riding around a turn WOW im impressed.Come into the berm turn hotter than usual aim extra low on the berm and slide the bike into the with the throttle pinned and have faith you can do it although you might have to clean a little chili out of your shorts after but man what a rush!!!Keeping the throttle pinned is the key if you let up on the throttle the bike will want to stand up in the turns. LOL huge

[YZThumpa]

Mike68, I'm in the same boat as you. I've been riding for one year and still can't pin a turn. Your "summary" of the technique sounds exactly like what I WANT to do. I go to the track and practice the front braking, roll the throttle, etc. Then I get in a race and in the heat of the moment resort to grabbing the clutch, brake sliding with the rear brake, then trying to accelerate out. This makes me SO slow in the turns. As I exit the turn I ask myself, "Why did I just do that, that's not what I practiced?"

[Guest Guest]

Howard,

All that thinking often results in crashing. My 01 426 looks rough. I crash a lot. I haven't tried pinning it yet. I woul assume that is only for berrmed corners and not flat. My mind is racing when going through a corner. Maby I am thinking too much. When I get it right, which is becoming

more frequent, it feels great. I will try anything a few times, so next time I am out I'm gonna pin it.

YZTHUMPA,

I feel your pain. Although I don't race, I want to be fast. It can be agrivating when you don't nail a corner you think you should. All we can do is practice.