Braking Technique
by
Paul Aschmann

 

In this months EDM technique article we are going to talk about braking. Braking when used correctly can save you a considerable amount of time. Consider this - on my local MX track we have 19 turns where you would need to apply your brakes. By simply braking ¼ a second later on all those corners you would be cutting your lap times down nearly 5 seconds! Fundamentally, braking is one of the most important techniques in dirt bike riding because majority of it is not performance/machine related but rather the riders’ skill and technique.

Today we will be looking at braking after a jump. In our case it is a left hand turn onto a short straight leading into a small table top with a short run into a sharp right hand turn.

The key to any corner like this is to find the smoothest fastest line using the correct braking technique. If you have the correct braking technique after the obstacle it allows you to be more flexible and give you more options. Preparation is the first item to address and could be done by simply using the inside or outside of the previous turn and setting yourself up to take the best possible line through the corner. This will enable you to maintain a good speed and control over the obstacle in question and be ready to get on the brakes for the following turn