Ride Through Downhill Corners With Confidence! 

I love your videos. I also love Nick Ienatsch and his teachings. But I simply can’t understand your dogmatic insistence that you should NEVER OVERLAP THROTTLE AND BRAKE!!!! THE WORLD WILL END IF THERE IS A MILLISECOND OF OVERLAP!!! I’m sorry but imo this is just inappropriate and frankly wrong. There are plenty of outstanding riders who use the technique very well-it smooths the transition between brake and throttle and keeps the suspension stable. Lee Parks and Freddy Spenser advocate the technique. I’ll bet YOU have overlapped brake throttle and didn’t even realize you did it. I’m not talking about grabbing brake while still at significant throttle. It’s a very subtle, gradual transition that may last a fraction of a second. It’s very unlike you to be so dogmatic (although I do love your dog, Chase!). I understand Nick can be dogmatic-I get it-he’s awesome and I guess has earned the right to act like the final word in riding. But to say that there should NEVER be overlap sounds an awful lot like the dogma “never use your brakes in a turn”. Be very careful using the word NEVER. You’ll likely be wrong. I love your videos and please take this in the most positive light-from a very experienced rider who learns every time out and from every source he can. I hope this sparks positive debate and not negative flame throwers. I’m just relating what I feel to be the truth. Thanks.

I had the pleasure of reading through this entire thread, and it was handled in such a professional matter that I've learned more from this video than many others. Canyon chasers does an excellent job at presenting material and the fact that champ school chimed in and Peter also kept things very civil with some sincere questions made this quite enlightening. Much hope for the motorcycle community. Kudos to all of you!

The concept and understanding of 100 pts of traction (and thusly, trail braking) made an incredible improvement in my riding. For those of you who don’t know- your tires have 100% traction going straight on a level road. The more you add braking, you’re using up some of those 100 points. Add lean angle, and you’re using more of them. The idea is to progressively decrease braking as you’re adding lean angle, so that the smoothness of the action maintains whatever percentage of your 100 points you’re using remains consistent. You want to add and subtract traction points at a steady rate upon braking, lean, then acceleration.

my usual technique in a very downhill corner is to start saying, "fuckfuckfuck FUCKFUCKFUCK" until the angel of death goes away

I once went on a crazy downhill ride. There was no road, only rubbles. The road was real step. I had to use both brakes plus keep the bike in 1st gear and leave the clutch to slow down the bike. The main thing you have to prevent from happening is not let the bike slide. You are gone for good if the bike slides as there nothing to protect you from 100+m drop. And I did it all in road tyres.

Hi Dave, I made a comment in one of your earlier videos about how effective trail braking is downhill You replied to say you intended to do this video but had been thwarted owing to Covid Brilliant video Dave. The technique you describe has made me a much safer, more competent rider, with more confidence I recommend Canyon Chasers to anybody who will listen. I have learned so much from you Thank you for your effort and knowledge, I am sure you have saved many lives.

If you never use the front brake with the throttle, how do you do sweet burnouts... ok I'll just go back to the dark corner I came from now

I practice trail braking, but I struggle to understand one thing. When riding on the road, many corners are just too long to keep braking until I see the exit. Not to mention those long 180 degrees turns, which you actually use in a few of your videos for illustration, where keeping even the slightest brake pressure and no throttle would just slow you down way too much before you ever see the exit. I mean, I often have to add throttle BEFORE I see the exit, or I will nearly come to a stop. So how do you deal with this? How fixed is the rule of not opening the throttle before you see the exit? This is my favourite motorcycling channel, I watched all your riding technique videos at least twice. Thanks for sharing all the knowledge, I really appreciate it!

Never will forget. When I first became a rider on streets. Took this road near my where I live . (I’d say it’s an intermediate level road) was going down hill. Come to a left hand off Camber bend . Was coming in too hot and started to run out of road. Panicked the HELL outta me . Truly was a terrifying experience. But a very valuable one. Instead of going home with my tail between my legs. I went back to the bend. And hit it again and again. Ever so slightly introducing trail braking into the mix. And got better and better. Embrace corners folks. Don’t fear them. It leads to nothing . And Know that SLPR is not the answer. Try to learn trail braking. It can improve your skills and more importantly literally save your life. As always thanks for the awesome uploads Dave! Always look forward to new content from you! Keep it up buddy!

I frequently ride a 500 meter mountain in Mallorca, feathering the front brake on every downhill hairpin bend, 27 of them, never had any issues , faster going down than up.

I live in Japan and pretty much jumped into the deep end going down steep curvy roads. This is basically what I’ve started doing intuitively. However, I need to practice when i apply the brake, and not being afraid of the distance to the corner.

I'm currently traversing the Colorado Rockies and I absolutely swear by this technique!!!

Excellent video, Steve, as always. I was riding in the Italian Dolomites this May and if only i would have known this a couple of months earlier, I would have enjoyed the downhill rides so much more!

Well said. I have just about changed my total ride. I am coming up 60 and had a lot of bad habits. Thanks to your videos I fell safer , calm and enjoy my ride with confidence. Thanks and I hope more riders take your advice. Cheers Roger in Nz.

This is an excellent video all around from the talking points to the videography and examples.

At last, some decent advice on this subject. I’m hoping to ride through the Alps this summer and there will be some very steep, tight hairpin bends. Most videos I’ve seen say do all your braking before entering the bend and low gear engine braking through it. My M109R weights close to 800lbs and I can see no way that it would maintain a safe speed through a steep hairpin with only the engine as a brake, even if I started the turn from a standstill. So thanks for confirming what I suspected, that gentle smooth use of the front brake is also part of the deal. Also, about the rear brake… I do sometimes use it to hold my speed on SLOW manoeuvres on the flat, but doing so on a tight downhill bend is not only ineffective, it’s actually hazardous. As the bike’s weight will be bearing down on the front wheel, at the same time it will be lifting off the rear wheel, giving a much lighter road contact. Applying the rear brake at this point is therefore likely to lock the rear wheel up, and yes it did happen to me approaching a hidden T junction at the bottom of a hill, and I was fishtailing for a few seconds; luckily I recovered it, but you don’t want that happening on a steep mountain road!

Thanks! Returning to ride at 70 after a 6year hiatus hitting a dear. Took champ u on line. U add a useful (to me ) dimension to road riding in the twisties.... Well done keep it up.

Having learned to ride in the mid to late 70’s I was taught pretty much everything that you are saying are out dated methods. Certainly much of what I’ve heard you say makes a lot more sense and is helping me to reduce my fear, [well perhaps fear is not the right word] of using the front brake in corners. I have been trying to implement your ‘new to me’ idea’s and I have to admit I’ve had certain success, however the fear of the bike standing up mid bend and riding straight on is so deeply entrenched in my mind , that I’m very very wary of something cataclysmic happening while applying the front brake during a bend. Basically in my head a little voice says get in the right gear before the bend, scrub speed, tip in and progressively apply throttle while ‘driving’ through the bend and then accelerate once you eyeball the apex. If I’d only been riding a couple of years that way I think changing technique would be much easier, however I’ve been riding this way for decades and quite often being frustrated knowing that I could have executed that bend better than I had. I guess like many riders I figured some riders either have more skill than me or more likely that I’m not doing something right. Getting challenging bends right is always my goal and on the few occasions I nail it I’m made up the rest of the day. I need to find a way of making my brain and fear factor allow me to master front brake trail braking. May I ask what was it that made you turn your back on outdated techniques and learn to master braking continuously through a bend?

3:49 Burnout bois going wild now 🤣🤣🤣

So much wisdom as always, love how you went through and answered every question

I was trail braking for years before I knew what it was, I kept wondering how to take downhill corners while accelerating!! I developed the habit of riding with two fingers resting on the front leaver and dragging into corners if feeling insecure. I guess I had the correct technique the whole time?

Some of our corners and drop off in the Scottish Highlands are a challenge. Especially going down hill with less than one lane in many cases

Great tips and thanks for sharing. I am actually more comfortable riding downhill in twisties at a faster pace than going uphill. Yes, I'll use some gentle front brake to slow -- after "unlearning" the never use the front brake in corners stuff. Uphill is a little more challenging in my mind because of concerns of getting on the throttle too quickly and losing the rear grip. FYI, those roads for this video look awesome. What roadways was this shot at?

When I was coming down the grapevine. I found it much easier to down shift once and apply front when needed. 👍

Good advice, but maybe incomplete: what about gear selection? I find that using a lower gear (usually one lower than I would on level ground), allows me to use engine braking to modulate my speed and spend less time on the brakes. It's equivalent to smooth, consistent, light application of the rear brake, and then use the front brake as you suggest to fine-tune your speed for each corner.

Thank you for your continued leadership in busting the myths around trailbraking. I can relate to going around a hairpin turn that without trailbraking I would have been been over the edge of a cliff, even from a dead stop in 1st gear. It's the ultimate example of why trailbraking is an important skill.

Super advice Dave. Super video and ride well 🤓💖🏍️

My only major crash on 2 wheels was in a steep and closing 90° corner downhill no sight whatsoever. I had my girlfriend with me and I knew this corner, it was (still is) infamous for "causing" hundreds of crashes every year so I went super careful and slow which was the problem, we basically tipped over on the inside of the corner. Luckily because at the very moment we tipped to the inside, a bus came around the corner pretty close to the center, If I had gone wide or we had slipped to the outside the bus could have killed us. However, it did hurt A LOT for weeks and I never attempted to take this corner on 2 wheels ever again... Since that day I do fear downhill corners a lot ... which is stupid and makes it even more dangerous to ride...

Absolutely first class tuition! Loved the 2 little clips inserted into this vid... great humour and enhances the message of safety and use of common sense. It's hard to believe that a good number of older riders still hang on to archaic and dangerous philosophies as mentioned by brake pads and all the "hope" cliches. In summary, you nailed it when you mentioned riding should be joyful. Thanks for a brilliantly compiled lesson on this subject! ✌️

Great video 👏👏👏 I always look forward to your great instruction. I used to road race, but i admit riding through canyons with unknown roads and road conditions and adding oncoming traffic still unnerves me a little. Thanks again for all the great insight!

last time i was performing a down hill steep corner at less than 25 mph, my back tire slid out ( a little). I kept it up and under control, but it definitely got my attention. Makes sense that if I was on the back break instead of the relying more on the front.

Crisply articulaed.. To be successful be adaptable to the roads, and use the tools in your toolbox effectively.. Good one Dave!

Fabulous help, now looking for a video or someone to give me advice to help me on steep uphill turns that unexpectedly tighten mid turn, or start to level off. On a couple around here I have started to run wide, and closing off the throttle has not been enough. The best I can do so far is to keep the engine revs really high to maximise engine braking, and be very cautious on the entry speed on sharp uphill bends. Otherwise you are running wide and wondering what is worst, suddenly completely shutting off the throttle so you can then use the front brake, apply rear brake or counter steer. Bit late to be thinking about that then.

Once I was driving with a passenger when the rapid downhill started, this was a challenge! Not only you try not to lean on the handle, but you try to break and the person behind you puts extra pressure, hard to say how further the fork can go. You should include tips when ridding with the passenger in the back

Bare none, trail braking has been the most impactful technique to improve my confidence and overall riding. In addition, getting on the track with California Superbike or Yamaha championship riding school, has helped me get more comfortable with speed and leaning the motorcycle. I am at a loss why some schools, seems to be mostly a British thing, still teach doing all your braking prior to the corner and relying on leaning the bike, no brakes, through the corner. Works great if everything works as it should but what are you suppose to do if you find yourself going too fast “in” the corner? Just doesn’t make sense to me given what we now know about cornering.

You are a top rider promoting trail brake and it’s the most important skill in motorcycling .Also ….I like your jacket .Which Dainese model is that?

Woww...that is a very nice route Dave...love the view and turns 😊😊😊... and yeah... The breking tip is right.... Again thanks for a great video and great technic....

Great video mate. Simple yet brutally effective

Excellent advice and video - to put it simply, It works!

I know this is too late to comment I remember when I was cornering on hill public road. The road surface were smooth. There was a particular corner that got me unaware. Right hairpin downhill with very narrow exit side with deep gutter (in RHD side). At entry, it was smooth, but when exiting corner... That narrow exit side got me panic. I used front brake, but not so sudden and hard. Thank god, I could survive on that I didn't use rear brake cuz it's useless.. I change the whole stock rider footstep with underbone style footstep. My bike is kawasaki w175

With a modern Ducati Monster, it has ABS and very strong engine braking capabilities so when driving in a normal way, like a touring way of driving, there is almost no front breaking needed, when applying the engine brake correctly, which is easier when having a quick shifter.

Ya gotta love Utah! I love it living in Vernal, except for the cold winters. Oh, BTW, thanks for the tips! I'm an old dirt bike and dual sport rider, so adjusting to the feel of a cruiser is definitely a bit different, but so much fun though. Hwy 191 is going to be a fun ride once I head out north or south, depends on where I want to go. I bet that Wolf creek is a blast to ride over too. Thanks for the video!

*Hope* is the one thing that can help us get through the darkest of times.

This channel taught me the technique, although, granted - it took me couple of different videos to exactly understand what am I actually supposed to be doing, originally I was - all confused - pushing throttle AND front brake at the same time, knowing I wasn't supposed to do that, but I thought - hey maybe this new technique radically changes what is right or not? 😱What can I say, I am not the sharpest tool in the shed 😂 Now - I almost can't imagine entering a corner without it. The amount of control I feel all the time gives such an amazing feeling of "connection" with the bike and confidence that "we both" know what is happening. If I may ask - where is that amazing road you're riding? I would love to visit it.

Northern Utah is motorcycle heaven. Perhaps Highway 12 to Bryce should be included.

Use all front, back and engine brake to slow down with body up coming to the turn..then Control the turn using tapping back brake and throttle control.

Thank you for uploading this kind of videos, they helped me to become a safer rider and faster without even noticing it

Thank you so much for this video. Was told in my course to stay away from front brake anytime bars are not straight and never brake in a corner. One of my first rides was in the Badlands... downhill corners, gravel, ugh... watching this really boosts my confidence in what I felt was a natural way to operate. Thank you, thank you.

The best way to learn how to ride is starting on a dirt bike and riding and crashing on bush trails. I learned how to ride the steepest downhill loose surfaces by standing on the pegs and leaning over the handlebars as required. This really teaches you control …

Always such good content done well. Thank you

Great video and thanks! My only question and what tends to happen is when corner ends up longer and more closing than expected that using brake to long ends up slowing bike too much and once leaned it is not convenient to release brake and add throttle changing front load as we release front brake when leaned a lot...

Thank you for validating what feels right and what I naturally do.

This video is so useful, and your positive vibes so contagious: keep it up man, you're doing great!

Love this Chanel, thanks for the great advice.🇺🇸🏍

Again, thanks a lot, please make some more kids, we need more people like you for the next generations to come.

Great advice and what a kick @$$ jacket 👍

Do overlap front brake and throttle. Helps many times with fine tuning line and balance. Don't listen to strict advice, riding bikes is very complicated.

Totally agree 👍🏽

Thanks for the great video. Very helpful.

Try the Trollroad in Norway? Trollstigen

I learned this thing the first time I attempted (three days ago) by instinct: I was so scared of going downhills that I just keep all the time my foot on the rear brake whit from brake use when there was a curve. But I saw one year ago your videos about trail breaking so maybe I had some previous knowledge

Never a problem for me. 2008 Honda Nighthawk 250cc. Front and rear drum brakes. " Part of the risk of riding". So true!!! 😂. In a sports car one can "left foot brake" while also accelerating with the gas pedal, so as to keep the RPMs up, whilst slowing down. Can this be done on a motorcycle? Can you apply rear brake and also keep RPMs up? I have felt my bike surge forward whilst front braking and using throttle. Great feeling to lunge forward as you come out of a turn. Oh dear, diesel ⛽ fuel. 😬 OOPS.

It is absolutly ok to have maintanence throttle while trail breaking. Moto jujitsu even has a video on it.

Great tips on the down hill twisties, my biggest fear. Seems I've been doing it right all along but man, I feel sooooo slow.

Thanks for another great video!

very interesting, thank you! counter intuitive but will definitely give it a try since I live next to rt 33 in CA.

Great video! One point of clarity, how are you managing your clutch on the downhill turn? Are you fully pulling the clutch before pulling in the front brake?

Excellent explanation, and I appreciated the moving pictures. Hi from New Zealand.

I never understood that fear of front brakes. Been using them my whole life and never once had my front wheel magically slide out from under me. Well except for that one time on my MX'er when I hit a loose rock in a tight corner but that's different. Never had a problem on a road bike. I did a lot of riding over a ten percent grade mountain pass running for several miles that was great training for proper braking. On extremely steep grades like that you also have a risk of brake fade on heavier bikes, so proper gearing and engine braking become very necessary. Where did you find that beautiful shiny new mountain road that looks like it was designed by a motorcyclist?? I need to go there immediately!

New rider here! In the MSF course they tell you to never apply the break into a corner due to a loss of traction. Can you clarify why you would drag and apply the front break into a downhill corner?

dude perfect

Thanks again for your expert advise. A year ago, I struggled traveling south on PCH from Santa Cruz to L.A. because it was mostly down hill. Along with the technique of front braking you mentioned, shouldn't we be down shifting (engine braking) and staying on a lower hear as well? I would have thought that is equally as important or maybe it was implied. Nevertheless, your strategies are very much appreciated. Jesse

Where im from. We have a lot of gravel on our roads. Any tips? Debris mostly from poor asphalt and rain... It rains a lot in the Philippines.

One vital thing to check after downhill riding either with speed or slow, brake fluid, why ?Because when a lot breaking pressure can leads to air penetration through all kinds of lock nut 🔩,ABS unit (4 locknuts to be precise), bleeding nipples on every calipers and master cylinder. So you gotta check the brakes pressure before downhill or after downhill. You can feel lost of pressure when braking often and this is the symptom. I experienced myself with no acknowledgment until I ride in town with all my brakes are all lose.

Nice video! im begginer and i wish to ask you if we use clutch up or down hilll , and how i manage de gear too?! thank you! ✌

well put😄 🏍

That freshly paved road looks delicious ... Where is that ?

Superb presentation. Keeping these points and techniques in mind, has made my rides down the mountain equally enjoyable to the trip up. Ride safe, make good choices, and keep your speed where you’re happy!

Thank you very much appreciate your work

Great videos! I have a clarifying question about throttle. You mentioned in a downhill corner, the instruction was to keep the throttle closed. Does that mean set your speed and hold throttle steady in that position while trail braking, or to literally close your your throttle through the turn, slowly adding more throttle as you begin to see the exit?

Do you hold in your clutch while using the brake when going down hills and around curves

Quality content ✨ As always … Where there drone shots included? I first thought it were 360 camera shots 🤔

*Trail Brake* and have fun !

Great video again. I'm sounding like a broken record but I learn so much from your channel. I have a question though - and it's a newbie question - but when I'm adjusting the front brakes around a curve, am I assuming that I've downshifted already to 3rd or 2nd? If I'm in a higher gear and I am gently braking around a long curve I'm concerned that I might stall.

Very nice video and very detailed information also very well explained. I do have a question regarding the part in which u say: Never overlap frontbrake and throttle! For example going round a blind corner minimal dragging the front brake to make a quick stop in case of an emergency but keeping a constant speed with the throttle slightly open. I am not talking about going up or down hill, just flat surface. What u are saying is that this is wrong because of the overlap?

Mmm, Guardsman's pass to Midway... Such an amazing road. Best have good trust in the front tire and don't do stabby things with the brakes... LOL. I brake until I see the exit. That road is tight and blind enough for cars to be rather surprising.

thank you so much

Make good choices!

So exact same advice for any other corner? Got it!

This was a great video as always. One issue I have though is I feel like when I'm braking downhill I can't help but put too much pressure on the bars to support my weight. I'm admittedly a taller rider on a sportbike, so the ergonomics are a bit questionable to begin with, but do you have any tips for how I can better stay light on the bars, even when braking for a downhill corner?

If you never overlap throttle and brake, then how do you perform a trail braking?

Nice couple of videos on downhill riding! I liked both of them. I keep a close watch on your videos and go see them. I am also a big fan of the music that is played at the end of some of your videos, especially in the older videos. Can you share the mp3 or mp4 file of the music? I would like to make it the ring tone on my phone 🙂 Regards Naveen Reddy Hyderabad, India

Thanks for the great video. Is it safe to combine downhill trail braking with engine braking (downshift)?

Very good video ! I have been using the technique you describe for many (many) years and I don't really fear those downhill turns.........but I confess that I still suck at tight uphill hairpins, especially when riding this old Ducati and its huge turning radius!

For some reason, you forgot to mention keeping your head and eyes up and looking at where you want to be. I'd say that's as important as speed and stability control.

How dare you - I don’t buy cheap brake pads! Great vid as usual - Thanks!

Always flow smoothly, not herky jerky.

How do you wheelie going downhill is the better question

What about engine braking?

And SELECT THE CORRECT GEAR!