Trail braking

Trail braking

Trail braking is a motorcycle riding and driving technique where the brakes are used beyond the entrance to a turn and are gradually released up to the point of apex.

Usage in motorcycling

In applying this technique, motorcycle riders approach turns applying both front and rear brakes to reduce speed. As they enter the turn, they partially release the brakes, as to keep only partial brakes throughout the turn. This will give more traction as the front tire is forced into the pavement.

This technique is commonly used when racing, but can enhance control and add more evasive options for street riders making it very worthwhile to learn or at least understand.

Be aware though that excessive trail braking can result in a loss of grip as the tire's adhesion is split between braking and cornering forces. It will also noticeably affect the motorcycle behaviour (as in handling). Should the surface traction be unexpectedly impaired, possibly by oil or fuel spills, a crash is utterly unavoidable.

For a discussion of how this applies more force to the front tire and how much, see Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics.

Usage in four wheel vehicles

In 4-wheel vehicles trail braking pertains to using the brakes past the corner entrance (as opposed to the normally taught practice of releasing the brakes before starting the turn). This practice is used for creating weight transfer towards the front tires, thus increasing their traction and reducing understeer. It works best in light vehicles that have their brake bias to the front.

In order to be properly performed, the driver must have excellent sense of the vehicle's behavior and be able to keep the braking effort within very tight limits. Excessive braking effort may result in the vehicle heavily understeering, or - if the brake bias is set to nearly neutral - in the rear wheels locking, effectively causing the vehicle to spin as in a handbrake turn.

Once a driver has mastered trail braking, it can help enter the corners at higher speeds, or avoid an accident if the driver has entered a corner at a speed exceeding the vehicle's (or driver's) capabilities.

Usage in racing

A drift-inducing technique called "the brake drift" is used in racing, involving a series of light trail-braking pulses (usually 2 or 3), followed by a momentary full-force braking and sharp releasing of the brakes. Mastering continuous trail braking as used under road conditions is a prerequisite for learning brake drifting. This is one of the most used drifting techniques in rally racing because - if done properly - allows the driver to enter and exit the corner with full throttle.

Depending upon cornering situations, techniques like trail braking can be used to maintain more speed upon entry of a corner, and attaining more grip while turning into the corner, and has an effect on apex selection. In this technique, brake pressure is applied slightly later than usual upon deceleration, and is maintained during steering input, sometimes all the way to the apex. The action of braking causes a weight transfer in the vehicle, shifting more weight from the rear of the car forward to the front tires, increasing the normal force on them and in turn increasing the amount of traction the front (steering) wheels have. Because of the characteristics of weight transfer, this technique causes weight to be shifted away from the rear of the car, resulting in lower rear traction, and can be used to induce oversteer in some cases.

References

*cite book
author=Ienatsch, Nick
title=Sport Riding Techniques: How to Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety and Confidence on the Street and Track
publisher=David Bull
year=2003
id=ISBN 1-893618-07-2

*cite web
url = http://virtualracersedge.com/trail_braking.htm
title = Physics of Racing -- Trail Braking
author = Brian Beckman Ph. D
accessdate = 2006-12-31

External links

*Video Footage of [http://www.karting1.co.uk/braking-karting.htm Trail Braking with a Kart]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • trail braking — A driving technique in which the driver begins to brake before entering a turn and then continues to brake as he eases into the corner. As cornering forces build, the driver gradually feathers off the brakes trading braking power for cornering… …   Dictionary of automotive terms

  • braking — The action of operating the devices for slowing the motion of a vehicle. Also see active braking time all out braking cadence braking diagonal split braking system dual circuit braking system dual line braking system dual braking system engine… …   Dictionary of automotive terms

  • Lebanon Countryside Trail — The Lebanon Countryside Trail is a rail trail in Ohio.Largely used as a bicycle trail, it links the city of Lebanon, Ohio on the north to the Little Miami Scenic Trail at Middletown Junction on the south. The trail is about convert|8.5|mi long.… …   Wikipedia

  • Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics — A computer generated, simplified model of bike and rider demonstrating an uncontrolled right turn. An …   Wikipedia

  • Brake — A brake is a device for slowing or stopping the motion of a machine or vehicle, or alternatively a device to restrain it from starting to move again. The kinetic energy lost by the moving part is usually translated to heat by friction.… …   Wikipedia

  • Oversteer — is a phenomenon that can occur in an automobile which is attempting to turn. The car is said to oversteer when the rear wheels do not track behind the front wheels but instead slide out toward the outside of the turn. Oversteer can throw the car… …   Wikipedia

  • Racing line — In racing sports , the ideal line is the route the vehicle must take in order to minimize the time taken to complete the course.When analyzing a single corner, the optimum line is one that minimizes the time spent in the corner and maximizes the… …   Wikipedia

  • Racing video game — Racing game redirects here. For the type of board game, see race game …   Wikipedia

  • Bicycle and motorcycle geometry — Rake (angle) redirects here. For cutting geometry, see Rake angle. Bike wheelbase, head angle, fork offset (AKA rake), and trail Bicycle and motorcycle geometry is the collection of key measurements (lengths and angles) that define a particular… …   Wikipedia

  • Motorcycle fork — 1968 BMW R60US with conventional telescopic fork Unusual trailing bottom …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”