nolichuckyjake

I know trail braking isn't an approved technique in TOTW, and I have no experience with, or knowledge of, it. If it's considered off-topic here, my apologies. This video, of a fellow called Yellow Wolf running the Tail of the Dragon on a Goldwing, apparently shows pretty effective trail braking on this road. The rider following and filming is also apparently trail braking, though he's not able to keep up the speed so easily. Is there a standard-form technique? Am I wrong in what I'm seeing? thx.

Thanks for the post, Dave. I've been working on this the last week, and think I've pretty much got it solved. As it turns out, and Cobie probably already knew this, I was turning too early on left turns. A later turn entry coupled with a quicker turn seems to be positioning me more where I want/need to be in the lane.

You know it just occurred to me, while reading your post, that what I'm doing re: the center line is adding to the problem I'm complaining about. I move over and hug the center line, which allows me to see less of the edge of the road in front of me than if I were, say, in the right tire track. So, it couldn't be that I move to the center because I can't see the edge. It must be the more basic fear of riding near the edge on an off-camber road. Welcome, Jack ! I don't believe that you should try overcoming that reaction completely, maybe finding a medium ground would be more appropriate. You shouldn't over-ride your sight: if you cannot see that right edge far ahead enough, you must either reduce your speed or relocate your line toward the yellow line (without getting dangerously close), so your eyes can reach a longer distance. Now, if yours is not a visual problem, but rather a survival reaction for riding and leaning over a negative camber, then you need to reconsider it.

Eirik, I'm not too interested in getting my head chopped off either........thus, I'm trying to work through this little hangup. I should say, it's not terrible.......I certainly am capable of moving to the right when physics requires it.......but I know that's not a good habit.

Thanks, ScrmnDuc. I don't really see which of the 7 enumerated SRs would apply here. For sure I am steering away from something that frightens me. Maybe it could be said that I'm fixating on the security of the center line.......yeah, that should be right. As far as looking at a point (points) 2-4 ft. to the right of the center line---yes, that's what I should be doing. Good point, that I have omitted getting TOTW1. When I bought TOTW2, I did so believing that it was an updated version of the first one. I'll get that ordered. Thanks.

Thanks, alscbr....... no, not in Minnesota, but NC. Many of our roads here started out as buffalo trails, and buffalo never developed the concept of two-lane traffic----so the typical rural/mountain road has 9 ft. lanes, with some actually approaching 8 ft. And when the edges aren't white-lined, it's sometimes a challenge to find it.

Cobie, Thanks for the response and for the suggestion about the school. I admit it's not something I'd thought about---but I will think about it. There is some research I'd need to do first--to decide whether I'd want to use my bike, or ride yours---and I've never ridden a sport bike. I'll ponder it. I know it's a vision issue---'too much space is never a problem. Not enough space always is a problem', to quote Keith. I think it's also a turn-in point problem........been thinking about this today. With right turns, it's easy to run right up to the center line, and pivot. But you can't really ride up to the absolute edge of the road and pivot. You can get close, maybe. But it's different. But what I think I can do is run further into the curve before starting the turn. This stuff is still pretty new to me, and sometimes I treat the literal beginning of a curve as the place where the turn point has to go.........but that's not the case, is it? On a long, gradual right curve, it's possible to hold a straight line well into the curve before being forced by the edge of the road to make the turn. Doing that shortens the turn, forces me to use the actual edge of the road (or near it) as a turn point, and in many cases will let me see the exit from the turn-in point. And most importantly for my issue, will give me a better feel for where the right edge of the road is. Will work on that next week after the rain moves through. btw, I'm in North Carolina, at the foot of the Appalachian Blue Ridge, so there is no shortage of training roads nearby. I can be on the Blue Ridge Parkway in about 45 minutes. I hope you'll tell me if my analysis sounds reasonable. Thanks again.

I've been reading the forum for several months, though this is my first post. I'm a 65 y.o rider trying to improve my cornering skills. I ride a Harley Road Glide---which I know is not a popular bike here-- but it suits me well. Obviously, I ride only on the road. I have read and studied TOTWII, and have watched the CDs several times. I have read a lot on this forum. I've learned a lot from all these sources, and know I'm a much better rider for it. The specific issue I am working on right now is left curves, where the road is not banked, though it is crowned. This generally means that the right edge of the road is not is my field of view, but for a few feet ahead. In fact, it often means that the right lane looks like it's about 4 ft. wide! As do many(most?) road riders, I have a tendency to hug the yellow center line all the way around the curve----and I want to fix that. Using the two-step, I can find and hit an appropriate turn-in point near the right edge of the road, and locate a workable, tentative apex. But I often find that after the turn-in I get sucked up to the yellow line far in advance of the apex. And I'm doing this (I believe) because I can't clearly see the right edge of the road ahead of me. It's hidden by the crown in the road. But if I'm in a left curve which is banked, I'm not so greedy about wanting to gobble up the center line. How can I overcome this?