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Edited Date/Time
11/20/2015 5:24pm
So I'm reading a lot of conflicting information about cornering. Read an interview with Dubach on MXA the other day and he talked about people needing to get comfortable with coasting. WHAT?
Then of course I've read alot of Semics stuff that talks about never coasting and dragging the rear brake to help the front end pull around. Awesome stuff but it has me wondering. This makes sense to me as I always feel the front end push on my 125 if I'm mid corner and not on the gas.
With engine braking, have cornering techniques changed from the 2 stroke days?
If so does it take more corner technique to rail on a smoker? I have to say Yes just because I know what I need to do to make that perfect rail happen. Although I don't ride new thumpers much so I have little for comparison.
Here is the Dubach artickle
http://motocrossactionmag.com/home-page/interview-of-the-week-doug-dubach
Discuss, Bro.
Then of course I've read alot of Semics stuff that talks about never coasting and dragging the rear brake to help the front end pull around. Awesome stuff but it has me wondering. This makes sense to me as I always feel the front end push on my 125 if I'm mid corner and not on the gas.
With engine braking, have cornering techniques changed from the 2 stroke days?
If so does it take more corner technique to rail on a smoker? I have to say Yes just because I know what I need to do to make that perfect rail happen. Although I don't ride new thumpers much so I have little for comparison.
Here is the Dubach artickle
http://motocrossactionmag.com/home-page/interview-of-the-week-doug-dubach
Discuss, Bro.
Tight corners I lock up the rear and spin into the corner, but these are two different types of corner situations that you're talking about. My .02 anyways.
4 strokes coast in, round the turn, exit accordingly.
The Shop
(See? Another reason why 4-strokes are inferior! Haha, had to say it.)
For those that were racing when four strokes started taking over you noticed the lines on the tracks started changing significantly. More point and shoot type lines and inside ruts. Probably due to both the difference in the way they corner and also the fact that you could get away with carrying less momentum through the corners.
That's also why you would hear about people complaining that it looked different watching the supercross guys cornering on the four strokes at first. Made it look boring. Just a different style of technique required
In SX, those big bowl turns, you have to have a good "mid corner roll-thru". If you want to see one of the best, watch Milsaps. I realize no one here is lining up at A1, but it depends on the corner itself.
Also bear in mind that when you hear something that sounds "conflicting" from two different guys, try to dissect the wording. You'l see that they may be talking about the same thing, and wording it so differently that it sounds completely different. Think about it... when we talk about anything technique-related, we are usually moving our hands around and making engine noises. Take that away, and only use words. To quote Sterling Archer, "Phrasing!"
An honest question, How are you coasting through corners on 4 strokes with all the engine braking?
Pit Row
Great thread so far. As far as differences in corning I think they are a lot more similar then different. In berms and ruts they behave most similarly. Early lean was mentioned for the four stroke which i firmly believe in especially with 450's. Mostly riding a 250 2t it takes a while for me to acclimate to early and smooth lean on 450s where on my 250 i can more or less throw it down into the corner. Flat hard pack corners are where you see the largest difference, i've never ridden a two stroke that felt as stable and easy to ride fast as the four strokes on entry and mid corner, and exiting smooth is easier too. The two strokes like to break the back end loose exiting which upsets the chassis. Four strokes it's much easier to exit smoothly with out crossing up as much. I think it was that extra exiting cross up on two strokes that made the two stroke era flat corner exits more abrupt and point and shoot.
You have to have a completely different cornering technique then what I learned in the 80's/90's.
Coasting, pffft
How do you keep your two-stroke in that lower rpm sweetspot? Its like you need to have a 20lb flywheel weight so the rpms dont climb too fast and blip you over the berm.
4-strokes made going to my local track to practice not fun in the mid 2000's
Four stroke I'll carry fewer revs but start opening the throttle when I turn in and hold it constant through the first half of the corner. I find engine braking has a big effect on the trajectory of the bike so if I'm in too quick just let off and it'll turn tighter, too slow just gas it more. Two stroke engine braking does very little so why bother, just lunge at a corner and it'll probably be fine.
Using your front brake is also very important to keep you from climbing out of a berm. Slightly dragging the front brake loads the front end causing the bike to turn in. Works on 2 or 4 strokes, street bike guys call it trail braking.
2 stroke you carry a lower gear and more throttle as a higher gear will take you off the pipe....
It's a great idea and it really helps on corner speed.
Top of a hill coming down the track ( engine off , just coasting ) , you would gain a lot of speed and try to coast through as many corners as you could , plus the small straits and at the end of the run try to beat your last mark where you stopped before. It teaches you to carry your momentum better , and carry your body weight to be able to hit corners fast with no gas. Momentum is everything when we talk about corner speed.
Edit: even more interesting- where's that RedBud grocery store located? Need to Jump that thing
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