Hello,

I am learning how to ride on a 09 ninja 250. One thing I am wondering is about my turning technique. Where I live (Yonkers, NY), it is very hilly, windey, and there are many sharp turns. When I need to make a 90 degree or sharper turn, my technique has been to pull in clutch and apply brakes to slow while downshifting to 2nd. Then, as I approach the beginning of the turn, I get off the brakes, look where I want to go, lean the bike, and slowly let out the clutch while applying throttle so I accelerate through the turn. I am wondering if this is the appropriate technique for these sharp turns where I am approaching them at ~30-40 mph?

For the record, I took the MSF course and we did turning like this, but the reason I ask is because in that course, we didn't practice approaching a 90 degree or sharper turn from 40 mph in hot traffic, so I figured I ask the officinatos here.

God bless you all!

 

jcon, fwiw, I always try to do my braking while I'm pointed straight, instead of mid-turn when I may not know what the surface is like. If you set-up before the curve (speed, proper gear, brakes) then you reduce the risk of surprises and can gently roll into throttle as you exit. You don't want to upset the chassis mid-turn. The GP-style late braking is cool on known surfaces, but it WILL get you into trouble eventually on the highway. Smooth is good on the clutch-throttle combination as you exit. Sounds like you are doing fine.

 

Jeff, thank you for your advice. Yes, I definitely get all my braking done while I'm still straight, before I've leaned the bike at all to enter the turn. Some people suggest perhaps trailing with the rear brake, which I've practiced in a parking lot, but I haven't seen the need for it on the street...at least not yet.

Here's an interesting question, though -- what about sharp turns while you're going downhill? When the road starts dipping into a steep downhill, I basically roll off the throttle and hold it steady, not really using any brake or clutch. But then halfway down the hill I've got to make a 90 degree turn. I imagine my procedure would be the same -- clutch in, apply brakes to slow, downshift to 2nd, get off brakes, lean bike to commence turn, slowly release clutch and apply throttle?

 

Your technique is sort of fine, but at 40 mph you should propbably be entering the urn in 3rd gear under power, after having slowed o the brakes and downshifted before entering the turn.

Downhill you might feel more comfortable going a bit slower and slipping the clutch through the turn

Rob