Motocross
How to corner like a pro motocross racer
Jumps and whips are all well and good – but if you want to win races, it's your cornering game that needs to be on point.
There’s an old proverb in the motocross world that goes something like this; "Jumps for show, corners for dough" (look it up, it's real).
A simple translation for the uninitiated is that jumps may be cool, but if you want to win races, you’re going to have to master the art of cornering. You may be able to hit the biggest jumps on the track and throw the sickest whips, but if your corner speed is lacking, you’ll be losing vital seconds on the competition each and every lap.
The corners are where races are won or lost. The difference between a good rider and a great rider is how well they can manoeuvre around the many turns found at a motocross circuit. You’ll find the best dirt bike riders in the world take things back to basics while training, spinning countless laps around the ‘turn track’ – (a short circuit, usually a large figure of eight, with no jumps or long straights) in order to hone their skills and master the art of the corner.
So with that in mind, we’ve once again hooked up with Neville Bradshaw, the head honcho at the 272 Race School, in order to find out the five key tips to improving your cornering technique.
1. Arms up
Neville Bradshaw: You should always ride with your arms up and your elbows square. This allows you to control the bike and bend it to your will when needs be.
Get your arms up and shoulders square
© Max Hind
2. Head up
It’s imperative that you keep your head up and focus well ahead. This allows you plenty of time to spot what’s coming next. Specifically in terms of cornering, the bike will always follow the direction your head and eyes are looking towards.
3. Be smooth and consistent
Go easy on the throttle, don’t be overly aggressive or erratic. A short, sharp burst of the throttle and a dump of the clutch may seem and feel quicker, but trust me when I say that a smooth, methodical and calculated motion is always far superior.
A smooth and consistent power delivery will enable you to link sections together continuously. Linking corners together with this technique will create a much better flow around the entire track; you’ll be exerting less energy and dropping those lap times all at once.
Keep your focus up and in front of you
© Max Hind
4. Squeeze your knees
Make sure that you’re always gripping the bike with your knees whether standing or sitting. This creates a connection between the bike, the rider and the ground, once again allowing a better feeling and an overall stronger control of the machine. Gripping the machine with your knees will also allow you to loosen up how tightly you’re gripping the bars, helping to prevent the dreaded arm pump.
Maintain contact between your knees and the bike
© Max Hind
5. Love the line you're on
Picking the right line is important, but it’s not the be all and end all. Even if you may have picked the slower, more difficult route, you must always be positive in your line choice. Once you’ve chosen your line, go with it, don’t second guess or hesitate. Simply hit your marks, use the techniques listed above and nail that corner!
So there we have it. Five simple tips to help you improve your cornering game:
- Keep your arms up and elbows square
- Fix your gaze well ahead
- Be smooth with the throttle
- Squeeze the bike with your knees
- Pick a line and stick to it
Take these away to the practice track and focus on hitting your marks. Then repeat, again and again. Once these tips become second nature and your arms are square, your head is up, your knees are gripping, your power delivery is smooth and your line choice is stellar in every single corner, get that stopwatch out and you'll see your lap times dropping!
