How to Ride A Motorcycle Through Steep Downhill Corners // Part 2 

Officer: Do you know how fast you were going? Dave: I was going at the speed that brings me the most joy!

Love love love the dedicated hand shot with throttle tape and break outline. Brilliant!

As someone who rides down this pass, I can definitely say the camera doesn't convey the difficulty of some of those turns and you did a great job navigating them 👌.

Bob Ross of the twisties! Nice video! Thank you!

Great video Dave! I was definitely in this category of riders who didn't enjoy twisty downhills. After a few months practicing trail braking on easier roads I revisited a road much like the one in your video and I was thoroughly surprised by the confidence and joy with which I rode it. One of those "light-bulb" moments that come once in a while in any sport with great coaching. Thank you!

I cannot tell you how terrified I was going down. I was in topanga canyon. Had to detour so it was very very scary but I made it out -- like my bike just kept picking up speed, no matter how much I slowed down...

Some days I curse RU-vid/the internet! Your videos make me thankful for it! Thank you! EXCELLENT video! The brake lever overlay is sooo helpful.

Excellent video. I'm glad I went back and watched part 1 before finishing this one.

Very good videos. Downhill corners have always been difficult for me. Time to put your techniques to work. Thanks again for the great insight.

Excellent video! The best you have done yet. Showing your hand movements on the brake & throttle as your go through the corners was a brilliant idea.

Best video I have seen on not just downhill corners but also trail braking. The hand cam with red tape and green outline was Awesome Bro it made it so much easier to understand the subtleties of Movement. Can't wait to see the next one, Thank You Bro!

Just returned from doing 300 miles worth of uphill/downhill tight twisties in the Great Smoky Mountains. It was the most fun I have had on a bike since I started riding 50+ years ago. Where I live we have very little in the way of tight twisty roads. I particularly like a tight downhill lefthander that immediately turns into an uphill righthander. There is something to be said about technical roads that never allow you to get out of second gear. 🇨🇦

Absolutely one of my favorite drives ever! I remember when it was still dirt. Beautiful!

I love sharing these videos with anyone who I know just went through the MSF course.

This video answers a lot of questions about negotiating downhill corners. Thank you for the excellent instruction.

Love the use of the brake outline in this video! Very clever. The mark of a good teacher isn't how much knowledge that they have, but it's in the techniques that they use to impart that knowledge to others. This was one of the clearest examples that I've seen on YT. I would LOVE to see this on the track. Especially how quickly you pick up throttle once you have direction and take away lean angle.

Thank you for explaining the rational for not downshifting through the turn. Makes sense. You got me trail braking btw and it has transformed my confidence level especially on downhill turns. Thank you.

Fantastic video! Having the little picture in picture of your brake hand with the stationary lines giving a reference for how much you were braking was brilliant!!! And yes, it seems to riders who use the technique a very "obvious" thing to do but, to so many(too many really) riders who do not use and or understand the technique of trail braking and riding based on direction are missing out on having so much more enjoyment with their riding. Not to mention being much more in control and safer. Thanks for another great video and keep yourself safe! 😃👍❤🏍 Randy

Another great video, thank you! I love that view, and that road looks fun! Nice addition on the hand cam, that was cool to watch. Man, I'm jealous, I wish I had that road in my backyard, lol.

The quality is excellent, the explanation is very accurate, what more can you ask for, simply amazing, thank you very much

For the first two years of my riding I hated downhill corners. I never felt comfortable going through them and it just killed the joy of riding for me. When I got better with trailing brakes it all changed, but the biggest boost in confidence for me came when I changed tires on my bike.

Love, love, love, love your videos. Some of the best content I have found and you are making me a better rider. Thanks so much for the effort and keep ‘‘em comin!!!

Great to see the in set of the throttle/brake while you’re riding. Looking forward to the uphill episode 👍

Dave, the mellow sound of the Vs, the feedback of your thoughts, the pleasant vistas. What can go wrong! Great tips as always.

Outstanding video. Thank You

Love this video, very informative and visual too. Thank you! On the point of engine braking, one point I would make is that it can depend on the type of pass, some of the passes in Switzerland and Austria will end up cooking your brakes if you don't engine brake, so its sometimes a combo thing

Your videos on trail breaking have revolutionized the way I ride! Downhill curves have never been so much fun - or so controlled. The hand video was inspired to show the technique. Great idea!

Probably the best trail breaking video I have seen, Thank You!

You're awesome! Thanks for everything..I've learned so much from you!! Keep em coming!!

Good stuff, I like the speed of fun. I only got a RE Himalayan 411 cc, 24.5 hp, because I want the joy and thrill of a motorcycle without trying to break land speed records. I am a little intimidated getting started so these videos that show you can relax and enjoy the leisure activity are great for me. When I ride my motorcycle I won't be in a hurry to get anywhere, that is in fact the point for me. Life is a journey, enjoy the ride!

On vacation in the Swiss Alps right now, applying your trial breaking wisdoms. It really makes a difference. Thanks so much for your insightful videos! I feel more confident on my old Pegaso 650 with 50/50 tyres, than I did on my BMW R850 with street tyres. Although I can't lean as much, the ride feels much more controlled than before.

Wow what a fantastic video!!! I hope you continue to more videos like this in multiple different riding situations! Have the breaking hand there in real time is so helpful! I found myself holding my hands up like I was riding and breaking along with you! 😆

Best trail braking video bar none. Brilliant. Thank you

Thanks heaps for the great video! I just low sided last weekend going through a tight corner going downhill. Saved this video to my playlist and will rewatch multiple times to learn how to do it right.

Exxxxcellent what you did with that brake illustration!

You wouldn't believe how much it helps to improve my cornering by telling myself every corner "nice and easy" :). Great vid!

"Don't trust signs, folks." Love it. We have lots of tight, technical roads like this here in Oregon, densely treed so visibility through the corner is always an issue. I shared a video with some riding buddies and their comment was "why so sloooooow?". Because twice the advisory speed through back-to-back blind hairpins isn't "slow", just not relying on luck to get home. One thing I notice about downhill corners consistently is that corner entry can be pushed later because it's so easy to compress the front. The bike wants to turn very quickly. It takes some discipline to not fall into that trap and start stuffing the bike into corners further and faster. Doesn't usually end well. Thanks for another great video! Ride safe.

What a beautiful road for a nice ride!

Outstandingly useful video. Many thanks!

Nice video! Smooth and safe style you have.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge via these fantastic instructional videos. I did my first NC Mountains run this past weekend. Utilizing these "downhill corners" videos, I was able to effectively navigate the curves with confidence. I trust your content and truly appreciate the no-BS format.

You are helping me so much! Thank you! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

This is GOLD!!

Love this stretch of road through the Wasatch state park. I too live in northern Utah. These are the best mountains to be in for sure :) ever looking for a riding buddy let me know! I ride an Indian FTR and wear full gear.

Excellent. Thanks very much. Very useful. Greetings and respect to all from Durango Mexico 🇲🇽

Just started riding. I live in the mountains in Colorado. Exactly what I needed

Thanks for uploading Dave, it was also a good demonstration of what delayed apex looks like at slower speeds. Im lucky enough to live in an extinct volcano in Australia so every road within a 100 kilometer radius is a tight twisty mountain road. So I have been practicing to master these techniques since I saw your videos 3 years and 70,000km ago and encourage my friends to do the same. I'm pleased to say I'm a faster, smoother and safer rider. Thankyou.

Love the right hand cam!

Very well explained!👍🏍👍

Great video! We all can use some help on turns and switchbacks, I know I can. Hwy 191 north of Vernal has been known to challenge everyone on turns, as well as claim a victim every so often, especially in big trucks. Ya gotta love Utah for its diverse beauty, and hwy 92 does not disappoint! I haven't been up there, but now it's on my bucket list of roads to travel. You are so right that road hazards can be present at any turn, such as sand and gravel, and Ram trucks. I'd also like to add tourists and wildlife, as that deer are frequent in my area. Thanks for the video!

"Wee" 😂😂😂 I loved this video so much, and seriously - just watching you ride and studying your technique is entertaining enough, if you just want to relax and ride in silence - that's totally OK dude.

Super video Dave. Bet that was so much fun to make. Great piece of road. You make it seem so simple. Well done, ride safe, ride well 🤓

Well produced and presented.

Greetings from the pprc thanks for the great advice. Nice scenery thanks.🇺🇸

Fun road! Great video!

Great riding; made it look easy! I have riden that piece of road many times and appreciate the challenge! On the way back up there is a very tight and steep right hander that I would love to see you ride!

Ride at the speed that brings you the most amount of joy..YES!

Great video about trail braking, thank you!

I remember some years back I was riding down a twisty mountain road. I had a friend behind who had been riding motorbikes forever. When we stopped at the bottom he gave me some feedback. He said you rode that very well , however I noticed your brake light was on in every corner, you must do all your braking before the corner. I replied I was trail braking with my front brake. He replied what’s that, you never use your brakes in a corner. Just goes to show that it is not how long you have been riding, but what skills you learn along the way. I am never frightened of any corner, because I know I have full control, due to the correct use of trail braking, it’s a game changer.

I definitely have more fun uphill! If I know the road downhill is fun too. Living in Eastern Tennessee makes you good at both lol. Awesome video!

Great video man

@CanyonChasers I rode the Twisted Sisters in Texas a couple months ago and utilized the braking demonstrated in this video. It was a really relaxing way to ride simply trusting my machine. Thanks for the education.

Hello ! Beyond amazing this video !! thank you so much for your dedication to the motorcycling world ! Greetings from Costa Rica! #hugefan

Great video. Thank you!!

Great scenery

Man, I wish this video had existed when I was having trouble with figuring out how to use trail braking without slowing too much without overlapping! I've been craving (and asking various channels for) a dedicated "hand" shot like this forever! Like, I wish the video title could be long and detailed enough to let people know how great this is, ha. Thanks! And feel free to post more using this setup!

Well done and filmed! Since we save the engine for new front brake pads do not forget to order new front tires even much before …

Good stuff, well done!

Thanks for your great video 📹

I live just a few miles away, but didn't know about Pine Canyon Dr. Heading to it next week!

Thanks for this great share! As always, good tips supported by well documented content! I dare though to suggest you to switch to orange (KTM 😅) levers so it can contrast better with the green outline border 😉

Slipper clutches is also a game changer in cornering.... All these are second nature to me now... What i continue to struggle with is impatience 😁😂

The “hand cam” is a cool idea; sometimes I watch the videos, doing the rollons and braking with my hands as I watch yours and look for discrepancies.

Nice video and commentary. I did enjoy it. I do almost exactly as you explain, but I remember my instructor always saying that I should use the rear brake too ( much less of course). He claimed that it helps to settle the bike even more.

Hey, thanks for this one. I think I got it now. I thought trailbraking was about compressing the front suspension from entry to apex of the corner - but if I'm slow enough to start falling to the inside, and needing more gas, there's no need to keep loading the front... The camera on the brake lever is a great trick. Hope you manage to make a video like this one on the track, in the future. I would like to see what would you do about gear shifting and keeping revs high enough for exiting corners fast on a less powerful bike. 🙂

really helpful thank you

Great video, especially with the camera also on your right hand! Do you also use your rear brake or, in most cases, your front brake only on these downhill curves?

Thank you for always sharing important information to help us ride safely. Your content is much more valuable than so many other channels. Also wanted to ask if the small windscreen is helpful and if so, what benefit do you get from it? It just seems too small to buffer much wind away from the rider. Oh, and wondered f you have produced the uphill cornering video that you mentioned?

Fun ride and thanks for not hauling ass on those roads. It's easy to go way too fast on downhill corners until you need to brake really hard to make turns safely. I think Champ School recommend twice as much brake pressure on a downhill compared to a flat corner.

wow, fantastic, thank you very much.😊

Nice road indeed!

Great fun! If I remember correctly, I think you're in the South Salt Lake area. I don't know if you've tried it yet, but one of my favorite routes for downhill practice is going up AF Canyon to Cascade Springs, over to Midway then up to Strawberry Reservoir and within the past couple of years the road up over to Sheep Creek Road has been paved which makes a nice route to loop back over to I 15. Coming down from Cascade Springs and again down from above Strawberry has some fun twisty downhill stuff. Thanks for the videos!

That brottle historical fact is interesting, thanks!

coming to you as a current subscriber Adam Akins. however I started a new channel that I am dedicating to motorcycling only as my other one is for viewing only I absolutely enjoy your channel . I ride a 2003 HD low rider, 2014 HD street glide special and waiting on my 2022 Yamaha MT07,

Excellent video. But you were actually overlapping brake and throttle numerous times. I’m not talking about a ton of throttle-just a slight overlap as you release the brake-and that is exactly what I was referring to in your last downhill cornering video. One of many examples was at 5:30. I think we are not really very far apart in our philosophies. I’m just saying there is often a fraction of a second when brake is trailing off and throttle is rolling on. You’ll probably say there is play in the throttle, but I believe there was definitely some fueling of the engine while the brake was trailing off-and that is one reason why you are such a smooth rider. Anyhow, love your channel and everything you do for us riders!

I appreciate your video thank you

Nice video. Now I can be for sure I am doing good in two wheels.

i own a new 158 hp multistrada. fun is not speeding downhill. better is slow and live another day like canyon chasers does here. good advice is always welcome. thanks for the braking tips.

Beautiful from up top ! Also, squeezing the tank with your knees while going downhill can help take some of the load off ur hands which will in turn, help make downhill enjoyable longer ! ✌

Wonderful video and wonderful road! Anyway, those road are straight compared to the italian ones, and the road condition is near perfect compared to ours. We often deal with holes right in the middle of the corners, extremly tight turns and bad bad drivers

Hi, it would be great to see an other video like this but on track, or on higher speed to understand better how the technique changes how you can manage 100 grip points between lean angle and breaking

Great video, probably one of the best to demystify trail braking! Just one small request; next time, consider to put the lever-outline at the position where the pads actually start to touch the disc. I think it would make it easier to see how slowly you use those important 5% of the brake pressure both going on and off. As it is now, especially the release seems to be a bit abrupt, most likely because of the slack of the lever.

Thanks!

Was on my way home from pit-race motoamerica yesterday , 68 mile ride. Was taking the very last bend before my home. Last bend of the ride literally. Was a car coming towards me. I was leaned over. Then what shows up in front of my face? Gravel. And lots of it. I aborted the turn stood the bike straight up . (Remember car coming towards me so to the left was not an option. So I went to the right. Took a persons driveway and yard and used it as to not crash on the gravel. Whole point of story is. Anything can happen anywhere at anytime. U have to be Ready at all times. And thankfully I was, and did NOT lay my bike down as a result

Look up the rev limiter shift points for your bike make a label marked just a few mph below those shift points and put it on your handle bar it will help you learn when you have to upshift while taking off as fast as possible, without hitting the rev limiter and for steep hills, it will also tell you when you can downshift for maximum compression braking, without mechanically red lining your engine and smashing your valves into the pistons most bikes that are damaged from redlining the engine happen when the rider down shifts while going too fast for the lower gear, the rev limiter wont save your engine if you do that keep in mind this is more useful going down straight hills, you dont want to use maximum compression braking on the rear wheel going thru a sharp downhill curve - you have better control using the front and rear brakes together, and leaving the transmission in a higher gear

Dave, great idea on the separate camera for the brake. I have see some other channels do similar things like that also. Very good training aid. Here is something I have always wanted to see; the effects of the movement of the handlebars on the direction the bike goes. Say having a camera pointing at a degree wheel taped to the tank and have a small pointer solidly attached to the handle bar center that would show movement by the pointer moving over the degree wheel. My understanding is during cornering at speed, turning the bars to the left causes the bike to turn right and AFTER the bike is leaned over the bars turn slightly in the direction of the turn. It is rather difficult to notice this when one is out riding at normal speeds. Think you could come up with a video showing and explaining what is happening? Been riding since the late 60's and still learning, trying to always improve. Ride safe and ride home.

Where was this filmed? It's beautiful.

If you really pay attention, the corner at about 9:45 is actually more than a 180 degree turn. You're in it for a looong time. Things start creeping in your head so it's easy to blow aesthetically.

Fantasic video and explanation. Thank you :) at any point is there a time you would also use a little of the back brake? or are you best to just use the front? Thanks again

I have been riding an MT-07 and MT-09 with such severe engine braking that it is very hard to go completely off throttle in downhill corners. My old Honda 750 takes those same corners with no issue, because the emission controls aren't like throwing down a boat anchor as soon as the throttle is closed. I watched your first video, and all week practice canyons up and down - ended up pulling in the clutch as brake in order to stop the "herky-jerky" on-off thing. Then it is super smooth, no throttle, but no severe engine braking either. The other solution has been to very gradually roll off the last 1/8 throttle turn, like watch-paint-dry slow roll off. May have to get ECU flashed as that is one of the claimed benefits, calm down the emissions related "kill it" when roll off the throttle. Your Ducati doesn't seem to suffer from severe engine braking. My bikes shut down so violently (both modern Yamaha's) they actually wiggle mid turn as fully close down the throttle.