Originally Posted by 1080Rider
Man, the whole braking thing is gnarly, I've got 3 yrs and prolly 15K miles under my belt, I'm no expert, not even close. But, I've got a buddy who races club here in WA, he's the number 4 plate holder and a pretty damned fast rider. We talk on occasion about all sorts of shit and I'm a way better rider for having talked w/ him. Some of the principles I've learned are:
-You want to brake as much as possible while still straight up. Braking when leaned over can be a problem.
-try to touch the rear before grabbing the front
-squeeze the front, don't grab
-practice blipping the throttle while sqeezing front brake- this helps to keep from locking the rear (match RPM's w/ rear wheel speed, racers will run a slipper clutch that makes it even less likely to lock a rear)
-as you lay is over start releasing brake, it should be fully released half way through corner (what I call trail braking)
-Lastly, practice, practice, PRACTICE
Braking is the hardest thing about riding. I've done a few track days and its amazing what experienced riders can do going into a corner. To be on the brakes and have a guy fly past you and not brake for 40 feet past where you're braking is crazy. I'd love to hear any other thoughts or experiences riders w/ more miles under their belt have...