How Much Throttle?

The techniques in this article are used at motoDNA Motorcycle Training closed circuit training days to develop riding skills for the road and track.

The more you lean your bike over in a corner the less grip is available from your tyres.To understand lean angle vs throttle its useful to imagine your rear tyre has a dollar’s worth of grip.You can spend 60 cents on the throttle, which leaves 40 cents for lean angle, or 10 cents on throttle and 90 cents on lean angle.To develop your throttle control divide the corner exit into four stages. At the corner apex you are at your maximum lean angle.Practice picking up the throttle just before the corner apex to take up drivetrain slack and start transferring weight to the rear.Feed the throttle smoothly and progressively as you aim for the corner exit using the four stages of throttle application.This develops your degree of throttle application through muscle memory, feel and consistency.As you exit the corner you are progressively reducing your lean angle as you pick the bike up and increase throttle until you are at your 100% throttle at the exit point.

Just as you feel the front tyre through your hands you feel the rear tyre through your feet and butt.Especially focus on foot pressure through the outside peg and listen to the rear tyre as your throttle on.Anticipate rolling off to control a slide rather than shutting the throttle.Experienced riders control rear slides with a steady throttle, body position movement and steering.

When you brake, the bike pitches forward applying load to the front tyre.When you release the brakes, weight comes off the front tyre and starts transferring to the rear.The key is to load the tyre progressively to build pressure on the contact patch. This applies to braking, acceleration and cornering.Problems arise when a rider overloads the tyre by grabbing the throttle rather than applying the input smoothly and gradually.

Rule of thumb is to decelerate from your turn in point to the apex, and throttle on from apex to exit point.Road riders set up your corner speed before the corner entry.Remember, motorcycles enjoy subtle and progressive inputs and this also applies to the throttle.

Think about the weight distribution of your bike.Statically, a bike and rider are around 50 / 50 weight distribution front to rear.When you brake it takes weight and therefore grip away from the rear.As you apply throttle weight transfers off the front to the rear.

6 – Tyre Pressure

Pay special attention to those black hoops.If you have 100psi in your tyre it wont give you much grip!Grip is sensitive to tyre pressure, make sure your pressure is correct.

7 – Chain Tension

8 – Soften Up

9 – Get A Grip

10 – Get Regular Training