Motocross is a sport and a lifestyle. It says something about the people who are interested and who participate in it. It means they are a soul drawn to adventure, thrill, and adrenaline. Whether you’re someone who has just started riding or if you’ve already got experienced wheels, revisiting the fundamental techniques always pays off.
How Can Strong Cornering Technique Help
“Jumps for show, corners for dough” –motocross world. This famous adage is given a spotlight by experts who’ve been into the highly competitive motocross racing world. Corners are one of the most opportune places for an overtake, and your skill here determines whether you will be taking over or will you be overtaken. Mastering cornering technique also saves a few seconds on each turn which can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
How To Turn Heads When You Turn Sharp Corners
Sharp turns can prove to be challenging to beginners and advance riders alike. Here are a few fundamental cornering technique to keep in mind which can let you gain an edge on your competition:
#1 Keep Your Arms Up and Your Head High
A good stance while cornering is to ride with your arms up and your elbows square. This elevated position allows improved control of your bike, which is essential at the cornering moment.
Also, keeping your head high ensures you have narrowed your focus on the track. Seeing an upcoming turn in time can trigger the motor skills you’ve gained during training, and the automatic calculations start to churn in your head. Follow your instinct but avoid the natural tendency of overly focusing at the closer obstacles, this leads to object fixation, and you’ll likely end up crashing.
#2 Picking Your Entry Line
Picking the right spot of entry to execute your turn is the deciding factor to how much time you can save and your chance at overtaking that shadowed fellow rider. Picking the fastest routes at every corner is an instinct honed after a lot of hours cornering technique on the track. Once you understand how to pick the right entry points, rest is just using the best practices to follow through.
#3 Gear selection and Braking
The cornering moment is a play of entering the corner in a controlled way, using the brake to slow down, shifting into the right gear, maintaining balance, and then finally powering through at the first sight of a straight road. The right technique is to do most of your braking and gear selection before entering the turn. Braking before the corner slows you down and puts you at the optimal speed for a controlled turn.
#4 Light Throttle
Once you’ve slowed down, switched to the right gear and you’ve hit the corner, the throttle is all you need to control your bike. The ideal technique would be to stay away from the brake during the turn and lightly throttle to manage trajectory. Stay away from stomping the brakes or twisting the throttle.
#5 Leaning Into A Corner
When you transition into the apex of the corner, sit down, extend your leg and hover it above the ground, beware of touching the ground as it can lead to serious injuries and crashes. This is the ideal technique to circumvent any corner.
Conclusion: Bonus Riding Tip
Cornering skills and performance can significantly increase if your riding gear maximizes protection, comfort, and mobility. Make sure you can move freely while riding and the gear is not too heavy. Once you’ve got the right gear, make sure you master carrying that gear and quickly changing into riding mode. Browsing for quality riding gear bags can greatly reduce your hassles and reduce the time it takes to hit the tracks!
