We have an updated version of this video that goes into a little bit more detail and answers some of the most common questions. Check it out! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nNufjLiKq7TPd30.html

Been riding for 40+ years and was an MSF instructor way back in the early days, I must admit that I had no understanding of what trail braking really meant. Thank you for the clear explanation. Old Dogs can learn new tricks. Now to get out there and practice.

MotoGP rider Bradley Smith was asked once in an interview, "What advice would you give street riders?". Smith's response was to practice pushing your bike around, like, on your feet and off the bike pushing, and engage the front brake as softly as possible, learn to feel the first bite and get to know it well. He was advocating trail braking.

I was never taught this - I think I did it intuitively but always felt like I was breaking a rule or something based on what I was taught. Good to know I’m not crazy for doing it this way.

Been doing this for years - both onroad and offroad. This is probably the best instructional video of trailbraking I've ever seen ! +1

Coasting is engine braking, which is rear wheel braking. This was the aha moment of the video for me.

point #2.... "why would you want to accelerate when you can't see what's ahead" ? because you have never crashed before, and think you're invincible.

Finally someone who's says "Slow down".

Amazing to have this free information available to us. I learned this the hard way... but man to hear it in words would have saved me lots of money and a broken shoulder. Thank you for the video! It's extremely helpful and I guarantee many accidents and injuries have been avoided because of this team.

"by using the brakes we are the ones in charge" The best piece of motorcycle advice I've heard. Some riders I see are on a motorcycle but not really in control of it. Knowing you have the knowledge and skill to command your motorcycle in any scenario makes riding much more enjoyable. Yes, the more you know the better it gets.

Seems like many of you who believe trail braking is dangerous think it means maximum braking into the turn. No, you missed the fundamental message that you brake earlier and longer into the bend and gradually feather off of it as you transition to throttle. You don't whang on the brake and hold that pressure the entire time into the curve. The entire point is to leave a greater margin or "traction budget". You don't just brake deeper into the turn, you brake earlier - *not harder*. It also means you apex later and get a better view. Trail braking does not mean, "rushing the corner".

It’s what we would call “risky” lmao had me crying.... was waiting for a technical term

I watched this video when you 1st uploaded it back in 2018, I took the bike out that very afternoon and practised trail braking, over the next few day I spoke to my friends about it and they ALL said "nah rubbish, never trail brake" but I carried on for a few more days trying it out.... 2 years later I can honestly say it's made me a better rider and given me so much confidence in corners, now I wouldn't ride any other way and even recommend this video to my new rider friends... Thank you....

Im currently a MSF RiderCoach and you highlight a very problematic part of this curriculum that needs to change.

Being one of those who got hammered with the "kill all speed for a turn and accelerate out of it regardless" , I found myself well impressed with the clarity and common sense you guys showed in this video. Thank you ever so much for sharing this. Even though I've been driving a motorcycle for decades now, I learned something new today. For which I'm gratefull. Thanks guys!

I rode without trail breaking on I first got my license on my Ninja 250 however once I got a bigger bike I had hard time turning specially at roundabouts. After a while I searched breaking safely while turning and thats when I learned about trail breaking and now riding and turning is not scary anymore.

So I commented on this video over a year ago asking for additional clarification which I received. I then commenced to practicing the technique a lot under controlled and concentrated conditions. I now use it all the time and consider it especially helpful when approaching downhill curves. I can directly attribute this knowledge and subsequent practice to saving my bacon on a couple of misjudged curves. All I did was delicately apply a touch more brake while trail braking. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It's the best explanation of trail braking I have been able to find.

I learned trail braking before I took my first MSF course, I was told I was wrong and to never keep my fingers on the brake lever, sorry but trail braking saved me more than once and I even taught my wife way before watching this video and finding out I was correct after years of being told I was wrong by 7 different instructors ... I have had some terrible instructors, this video needs to be seen by all MSF instructors.

Remember all trail braking is light and very steady. You are not stopping your bike or chopping speed, you are slowly grinding down your speed. Practice first with a feather touch.

Thanks for this pro tip. I've always been taught to get all things in order prior to the corner, and not mess with brakes with bike at lean. You talked about the struggle that I've always had on roads that I'm not familiar with. On a known road I know the gear \ braking needed to feel safe going through a corner, but as soon as I end up on a new road I'm in learning mode. My riding style completely changes as I try to guess what gear \ braking is needed. This is usually fine on the corners that allow for a little more room for error, but on those corners where there's a hair pin type turn it can get unsettling. I'm going to start holding the brake a little longer, and give this a try on my "home" roads that I'm familiar with. The hard part for me is being on the brake, and holding the throttle steady as well.

This is the third time I have watched this video in the last year. Congratulations one making one of the best motorcycle videos on KZfaq. Trail braking changed everything for me on the street. Thank you 🙏

Used trail braking inadvertently when I got my bike last year. Was still recovering from knee surgery and found it was literally uncomfortable to move my ankle when riding. As a result I found that using the front brake was much more suitable for me until my knee (and ankle) felt better. Now I'm feeling more in control thru the corners using the trail braking technique. Thanks for a great description thru your video! Only thing I would add (as more of a reminder) is to not become fixated on the hazard spots of the corners (ie: guard rails, other vehicles, objects, etc). Keep looking as far ahead as you can in the direction you want to go and not at the perceived obstacles. Thx.

Not only does trail braking: -change the geometry so the bike wants to turn more, -but also loads the front tire increasing contact patch -AND reduces speed at the same time.

One of the best tips for cornering. Having watched this sometime ago I started to practice this technique and you can definitely benefit from it. It gives you way more confidence if you need to slow in a corner as you brake in a more relaxed way as opposed to grabbing a handful and washing out in a panic as shown on shed loads of KZfaq vids.

I had many moments of terror every time I rode for past 10 years until I tried trail braking. No more being scared. I always preferred following someone, buy now I love to lead. Thank you!!

no one taught me the term 'trail braking' but as i gained experience on the bike, this technique saved me numerous times when i went into corners bit too hot.

I'm a very new rider , I've only been out a couple of times but I applied this and all I can say is wow....made cornering much easier and I felt much more comfortable..great video ..thanks

Some years ago, when I bought my first bike, I watched this video. Later I bought a book but until now I wasn't able to understand trail breaking. KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and WORK are necessary. Thanks for such quality on your material.

I dont even own a motorcycle lol

That graphic with the rake and trail was really well done!

« Do you add more coast » is the best thing I’ve ever heard

Been doing that for about 20 years. I ride Harleys hard and learned from a really good sport bike guy. Respect!

Smoothness in operating all the controls is the biggest deal in riding a bike, even more so on a high power one...

This is pure motorcycling gold! Great video.

Wow, just discovered your channel and the “Trail Breaking” episode...LUCKY ME!!! GREAT QUALITY, HIGH SKILL LEVEL, COMPETENT INSTRUCTION AND ADVICE! I’m looking forward to binging on your content and honing my skills. THANK YOU!

I've been riding since '69 and accidentally figured this out by trial and error,(trail braking) the idea of not knowing where the exit is a great point a lot of riders don't get until it's too late, thanks for pointing it out. two more points, counter steering helps get the bike leaned over and especially when you realize you have entered too fast, a lot of people don't get the mental image of just how small the contact patch is, especially in wet conditions, and look out for any signs of foreign material, I ride in the country a lot where vehicles are always pulling out and transferring all kinds of bad stuff like liquids, sand, gravel, etc., to the road, thanks for putting this info out there you guys will probably save some lives

after many years, I've in the last year started doing this. It's by far one of the very best techniques I've EVER done. So much more control and confidence in corners.

The feeling when you ride into the corner too fast. 💩👎💩👎💩👎💩💩💩💩

I've been riding for 40 years. What an eye opening video. Thank you!

Every time I watch this I get more out of it, and it's had a massive effect on my riding. Gold.

I'm new to riding on the street, and I find corners intimidating sometimes. The way I've been taught just doesn't always feel good. A few times I've come out of a difficult corner and realized I've instinctively done just what you're describing - I'll notice that it worked really well, but then I'd think "wow I was lucky, better not do that again!" Now I understand why. From now on I'll work on it on purpose! Thanks for reminding us how braking and accelerating affects bike geometry.

Thank you, my dear friend, this saved me today, and I saw this video yesterday. I was riding a tight corner and it was a blind corner, I had a little front brake on when I entered a corner and all of a sudden an SUV was riding in opposite direction in my lane ( it's. Two line country road ) and I managed to brake effiflciently and slow down enough to maneuver safely through. ( My motorcycle is a classic 350 and don't have abs) Thank you

Great video…I’ve learned today. Another great tactic for cornering is pushing with your inside hand against the bars. It really stabilizes your angle when cornering. Did wonders for me in the way that my cornering was in a better line and more stabile for when coming into and out of corners.

I am a 50 year old man who has just purchased his first bike SV650 LAMS in Australia, I can’t even ride yet because of Covid, however I have been watching your content and it’s is so informative and I think when I do get to start riding I will have good habits because of what I’m learning from you! Thank you

I just watched the vid.. after years of riding, I started doing this a couple of months ago.. where I live the twisties are sometimes bumpy and can go off-camber in the corners... so after I started 'trail-braking' I was able to keep my line in the corner and maintain my speed throughout the corner and exit easily... without 'trail-braking', the corners were a bit dangerous and unpredictable to ride through... often I would have to back-off or brake fast which made each of the corners really hairy... so thanx for the vid .. awesome stuff explained easily.

"Do you add more coast??" LOL

I remember from 55 years ago a piece of advice I was given, slow in fast out. I think that was aimed mainly at rear wheel drive vehicles which were the predominant drive in those days. Used it in cars and motor cycles ever since without any problem. This sounds pretty similar, but it's really good to hear the reasoning for it.

this is what I just got taught in learners only a couple weeks ago in Australia. keen to start practicing this more

well u learn something new every day cheers .

Loved the fork pressing and wheelbase graphic. Amazing video

Your videos on cornering are my "go-to" videos ! So well done!

I've watched a number of videos on trailbraking since watching this, but this is the best description I've seen.

Amazing. This has changed everything for me.

Thanks for this public service. Suddenly I'm seeing trail braking videos all over the place, but yours was the first, and I like the approach you used. I've ridden bikes for almost 20 years, and I was always timid about corners, apparently because I was trying to follow the old dogma you mentioned. So many close calls due to coming out of the corner wide, sometimes crossing the center line. As a result, I haven't put many miles on my bikes, simply because the fear factor interfered so much with the fun factor. I'm looking forward to getting back on the Bonneville and experimenting with this technique.

This video has made all the difference !! As a beginner rider with less than five hours on the bike and reviewing this video a couple times it brought control and confidence and joy into turns. Thank you for sharing. I just did a 40 mile canyon ride yesterday and it was smooth sailing.

Really smooth, articulate explanation. Each segment of your presentation anticipates my next question, or “what if.” Nice job. Thank you.

Well done, Excellent presentation. Best explanation of Trail braking I have ever heard. Thanks so much.

I watched this video yesterday and tried Trail braking out today. It really helped me taking corners better and riding through them more stable. It also helped me correcting my line when i took a corner faster than usual. You earned a sub, good content and good videos!

Very informative , straight to the point and just an amazing explanation overall. 10/10 ! Thank you for another great video

I have 40 years of riding experience and am learning how to turn NOW ! Thanks.

This makes a lot of sense. Great explanations! 🤟

Brilliant! I'm just back from a little ride where I tried to put your trailing advice into practice. Usually, I am forever changing up and down gears in the twisties for "engine braking" and also dragging the rear brake a little as advised by more experienced riders I used to know. Please correct me if I my interpretation of your instruction is mistaken but today the prior method went out the window. All I need do today was ease off - or maybe maintain (not open wider) - throttle while applying a little front brake. I am a little unsure how much front brake I am allowed to apply and today I applied a little front brake in a deliberate fashion well before the apex and the ride was seamless. On command, the bike compressed and leaned into my "safe zone" until I was ready to ease off the brakes and open throttle a little. The whole entry - apex - exit was smooth as silk - a sense of control not before experienced in a blind-bend before as I'd be forever correcting using the old method. I was also able to remain in 3rd or 4th gear much of the ride I was not having to change from 3rd to 2nd to 3rd to use "engine braking". A game changer for me breathing new life into riding. Thank you. 🙏🤪👍

The explanation regarding reducing rake while braking and vice versa is the best explanation I’ve seen, thank you!

Glad to find all these good technique videos before I start riding so I can have a baseline of knowledge when I begin. The less bad habits I pick up early the better.

I taught myself how to ride a motorcycle, and I guess I've naturally been doing this technique. Never knew some people don't brake during the turn. Seems much more dangerous.

Trail braking is excellent technique for any traction driven wheeled vehicle. Great moto-specific explanation, though. Much appreciation.

Thanks for the clear and useful instructions. I recently returned from a 3000 KM trip to the Dolomites, Italy. Beautiful motorbike landscape with more turns than you can imagine. I have focused on trailbraking there. I was amazed how much more control and fun trailbraking brought me. What an eye opener. I can drive safer and faster. Thanks a lot. Jan Peter, The Nerherlands

Thanks for the video. It pretty much cleared up most of my uncertainties on trail braking

I have watched this again after your personal experience on the benefits it gave you to your riding. It has made it a lot clearer looking at this again. Thank you for sharing, clearly backed by the science.

Very professional and informative! Super helpful! Thanks 👍

I love playing with the geometry of my bike it's like a different motorcycle each time. Getting a feel for how each change makes a difference is key in being a motorcyclist

Love your teaching style man & I'm 56 and have been riding for over 50 years

Thank you for the video. I have been riding a TW adventure bike custom. with an extended rear tire. In the beginning i used a lot of the rear brake in the wet,dry and in corner. Several times i almost lost control till i practiced and perfected used the front brake. It's amazing. I guess i will improve as i use the tricks you have given us.

Lots of YCRS/ Spencers type info in the vid. There is way too much misinformation out there WRT trail braking. Good job distilling it down a bit. Last time I did YCRS Scott Russell talked a little about having the confidence to stay with the brakes especially if you colossally eff up a corner and get in too hot or off line. You may loose positions but you can still be in the race by reeling it in and not running off and crashing. This is a even more important skill on the street where if you make a mistake you may not have safe runoff. And we know all good riders never make mistakes ;)..

This was something I may have never learned from others, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience

Best content and explanations, should be taught everywhere.

Great video Dave! I wish all riders would be able to drop their pride and get some advance training on their bike. Being able to hold 3% front brakes really changed my riding.

Wow, finally a video with actual specific techniques that I can go out and try out on the road. Cool, thanks!

I've been watching and watching and watching the same few videos as I have ended up scared and uptight about cornering. I just don't feel safe. Thank you for sharing your story with the silver Honda and how you moved past that time with trail braking. I'm yet to go riding and discover the difference but are hopeful for decreased stress levels and a little more fun than I am having atm. As a newer rider I am feeling very vindicated that my concerns and feelings of fear are not just because I am a useless rider and 'not getting it'. So many of your explanations match my experience and I am feeling very grateful to have come across these tutorials. Thank you.

Thank you for making us aware of these techniques.

Since I passed my UK bike test in 1980 before it got difficult, nobody has ever mentioned anything like this to me. Not even when I much later passed the IAM so called advanced test! I’m now subscribed and I’ll start practicing straight away. Many thanks.

Nice technique to add to my arsenal. Me and my sv650 thank you

Buy the recommend book if your still struggling to understand trail breaking. A superb read with very clear advice for road and track.

I’m just around the corner from my GOLDEN anniversary on motorbikes and want to say THANKS for taking so much time to show and explain how to make my ride so much more fun and much safer. In my late 30’s and early 40’s all you young whipper-snappers were just full of opinions, was I way off on that train of thought. Each time you do one of these videos it makes my next ride more challenging but so so much more fun. Between this video and the face you fear video I now have a whole summers worth of practicing to do. So thank you for putting things in terms we can all understand.

I thought I was a good rider, but that's ignoring I that have issues in some curves.. this is enlightening! thanks

I live in mountain area and in downhill hairpin roads the trail braking is natural. I kept this technique from there and use it every where.. It's amazing technique with the combo of countersteering Because you are learning to control the bike at high speeds... It's not only a game changer technique but also life saver.

Bravo, one of the best explanations of use of trail braking and why.....

This has to be the best explanation of trail braking I've found yet on KZfaq. I've seen a few. None of the others make it clear that this is a front brake technique. They show using the front brakes, but never declare it. Thanks for that.

Excellent video in both content and presentation! I've seen other videos on trail braking and other motorcycle skills but this was far more informative in the time taken since it was done without all the useless, nearly off topic rhetoric so many others think they have to use to make their videos entertaining.

As usual, it's all about being smooth. Smooth is fast and smooth is safe.

The best educational bike braking video! Thanks

Took my MSF class last week. New to Motorcycles, glad to learn this early.

Thank you getting back to my passion after quit a long lets say a Lay off lol..but im back...

Generally, I agree with you. The motorcycles I learned on were old, top-heavy bikes with narrow tires. Before I took a safety coarse, I learned on city areas and narrow, and bumpy, twisted watershed roads that often had loose asphalt from road patches. I will not recommend anyone do anything, but I found that where conditions were good, and at very slow speeds, while the bike was upright, I practiced feeling just what it took to make the rear tire skid. I found that even with a lowly 450cc engine, that skid threshold was very dependent on engine rpm. Engine compression braking during de-acceleration is something I like to get a feel for--while modulating the rear brake. Especially at low RPMs, if the engine wants to stall, surely, it alone wants to skid the rear tire. What I wanted to learn: at each given engine RPM, at varying surface and tire conditions, how much rear brake must I subtract to make the rear tire microskid on compression strokes. Obviously, cornering and braking forces are applied to the same tire contact patch. Obviously, as you slow, much of the weight comes forward, and as you said, compressing the forks, and changing the suspension geometry. By its nature, like a shopping cart wheel, trail keeps the front wheel stable, and I do think that your assertion that keeping the bike level/from not diving, so the trail does not diminish is a handy technique. Still, I feel one of the most important mantras to use, is to look where I am going, and if I cannot see, then slow down. You mentioned something to that effect. Not riding your bike into the unknown may take the fun out of it, but where I rode, I never knew where branches might have come down. I never new where a pile of wet leaves might have been. I never knew where the pot holes might have formed, that day. Not all the blind-driveways where marked. I don't trust the public-works people to have built any stretch of road--until I see it for myself. Sport-bikes are so fast now. Is there any reason why someone couldn't speed up later, when they can finally see?

Just wanna stop by and say you guys are awesome! I watched all of your videos where you mentioned trail braiking and I was very sceptical at first thinking ''I don't know, I mean do I really need this? I already know how to go through the corners''. Still, I decided to give it a shot and even though I've been only out practicing this 3 times (1-1,5 hour each session) it makes a huuuuge difference in my riding! I now lean far less than before which makes the corners less scary and I'm much more confident knowing that if I overcook the turn or there is something unexpected there I now have a plan B. Whereas before it was more like ''let's just lean more and hope for the best'' haha. This is a real game changer. Anyone who claims otherwise simply hasn't tried it or misunderstood what you said. Keep up the great work fellas.

Great video, I was always told "trail braking is bad" 👎 and only novices trail brake into corners. Since I've watched this& started to use the techniques, my riding is smoother, bends so much better and turning into side roads is now far more confident.. many thanks guys..

“What are you going to do, add more coast?” LOL Great quote.

Best explanation and teaching style. Light bulb moment.

THANKS FOR SAVING MY ARSE TODAY!!! Been riding 15 years. Getting complacent. Saw this video a year or so back. Today, on a road I know A BIT, curvy, trees both sides. Hammering along at 70/80 because I know I can along here. No nasty surprises along here. I remember. Then I find myself right on top of a sharp left hander. SH1T!! Where'd THAT come from?? Lean angle wasn't going to do it. Presence of mind to remember progressive breaking.... Now it's lean in time - still too fast! Then I remembered trail breaking - ease off lever a bit, tip in...thank christ, heading towards apex, gradually ease off lever some more, apex, ease throttle back on... Enter in terror - exit grinning like a fool. Home to Her in one piece & having a lovely Friday evening. THANK YOU!!

Great video. I've watched quite a few and you explained trail braking in a way that was very comprehensible.