SBK Japan

Firstly I would like to just preface this write up, cornering is a particularly individual concept. What works for some doesn't work as well for others and vice versa. This is by no means definitive but rather my individual perspective on how to get around corners as fast and safe as possible. There are many other sources out there worth looking into. Like the "Twist the wrist" series that are considered many to be the bible of track fundamentals. So read what i have written here and and see how you can make it work for you!

The style I am writing for is for 1000cc machines, 600s differ a little not in cornering mechanics but primarily in line selection.

A corner starts from before you start to brake until you are straight up and down on your exit. That is how you should think, everything you do is a step in the process of getting your bike to change direction as fast and as smoothly as possible. So here are the steps that I take.

I will start with body position and movement and discuss bike mechanics after that. I will color the passages into actions and reasoning.

Brake Zone

1. As approaching the brake zone before braking move your ass off the seat (one cheek right on the edge) and as far back as i can get it, jamming my knees into the tank. Off the gas and on the brakes simultaneously. I put downward pressure on the pegs, ankles hooked in. The most important part of this is the knees into the tank, and the space between your body and the tank. the knees should bear the brunt of your body weight. This has the effect of lowering the weight transfer and due to a lower turning moment over the front wheel will allow the bike to maintain chassis stability under heavy load. It will also reduce pressure on your arms and wrists, making your controlling the bike easier and reducing the physical and mental load.
2. In the brake zone you should do the heaviest braking early to mid then it should taper off allowing the chassis to stabilize, so the fork decompressing isn't happening while you are approaching high lean angles. everything you do should be about reducing extra forces on the tyres.

note the distance beteen the tank and my crotch, at this point i am starting to arc in so the inside leg is coming off and my body will be moving forward and off.

In The Corner

1. Your ass is already off the seat to commence your arc into the corner you should initiate with pressure on your inside peg, This will start the tip in. Now you basically just take your inside knee from the tank and allow it to reach out. Your body will naturally come forward. As you approach max lean your weight should be transferred to your outside knee and elbow on the tank. All weight should be lifted from the inside peg. As an exercise squat down on the floor, turn your inside leg out, look at your foot this is the position it will have on the foot peg. Your upper body should remain in a somewhat central position, leaning too much at this point will make it hard to save a crash should you get sudden tyre movement.  Be careful not to crowd the tank maintain space and freedom for your body to move separately from the bike.
2. At this point you should be looking to open the throttle, In every corner you should have the throttle cracked and winding the throttle on before the clipping point of the corner. The only way to achieve this is by having a stable chassis (see brake zone comments!)

Note the foot on the balls and the body is more centrally located. Also note the space between the body and the tank, allowing for me to bring my weight forward and allow the bike freedom to move without taking me with it.

Exiting

1. As you exit a corner you will be steadily winding the throttle on, at this point you should be pushing your upper body away from the bike and down. To the kiss the mirror position, essentially you are providing a counter balance to the bike, in effect allowing it stay as vertical as possible, and in effect keep as large a tyre contact patch as possible with the road. Keep your ass position until you are straight up and down but move your upper behind the cowl as soon as possible.

note, exiting throttle is cranked here, and the shoulder are getting further away from the centrline, allowing the bike to straighten.

Note the ass is still off the seat to not add any instability to a still settling machine, but the upper is under the cowl for wind protection.

2. WOT!!! repeat!!

Notes:

a) Crash Avoidance.

Firstly don't panic, don't grab the brakes, On the track you can always stand the bike up and head off to the kitty litter. On the road you can't always do that, in those times, brake as far as you can then let go and just lean the bike over Do not continue braking as you try and take a corner faster than you think you can. But have faith and you will probably surprise yourself with what your bike and Tyre's are capable.

On the track or road when you have a large rear tyre slip, you must not grab the brakes, the most important thing to do is get your ass off the seat by standing up on your pegs, allowing the bike to move under you without adding your weight to its momentum is key to not crashing.

Running off

On the track when you head into the kitty litter even at speed don't panic. avoid the front brake, It can be very rough in there so stand on the pegs and use your rear brake to slow you. In Motegi or other tracks with extensive deep litters you can pretty much get by without using any brake at all until the end. If you get stuck in there at the last you will almost certainly drop your bike, getting a fine sandpaper scratch. So just relax and dirt track it to near the end and then if need be use a little rear brake.

b) Line

Line is very important in going fast. Basically with practice you should be aiming to reduce the time you take to get to max lean, and the time you spend at it. Every second spent in the arc of a curve is time (if had reduced the arc of that curve) you could be spending winding the throttle on.

The most basic mistake in line selection that new track riders make is that they turn in too early. This in effect lengthens the corner and the time you spend at maximum lean. So simply put, wait until you have gone past where you feel like you should!!! Trust me it will make you faster!!!

 Traditionally known as squaring off the corners the advantages of doing this on large horsepower is apparant when looking at the spot you can open the throttle from, on both of the lines. While this is just a diagram, it is easy to see that with a shorter arked curve you are allowing longer straight up and down braking, and shortenning the length of time you are in a maintainence throttle mode. For street riding it also give you the advantage of openning up the road so you can maintain better visibility around the corner and allowing you options to avoid debris or adverse conditions that may be waiting around the corner.

The blue line is the squared off corner, The throttle opening positions are shown as a green tick and you can see the track postion of the blue line is much earlier than that of the yellow line where the rider has commited too early to the corner and is now stuck leaned over unable to either brake or accelerate effectively.

General notes

a) Keep your arms relaxed at all times, don't grip the bars, don't hold yourself up mid corner with the inside bar.

I will continue to edit this as i go along and think of more stuff that might be of use. Feel free to leave comments in the forum and add your experiences and ideas that have helped you develop your riding. Take what i have written here and don't expect to adapt it in one ride, but if you can keep the basics in your mind and at how body position and riding technique changes the way the corner feels then it will help you immensely when you decide to pick up the pace.

Stay safe!!!