Better Riding: Trail Braking Explained

Trail braking: few topics in motorcycling stir up such heated debates, confident opinions, and misunderstandings. For some riders it’s a dark art, reserved for racers and trackday heroes. For others, it's something to avoid at all costs - an act whispered about as dangerous, complex, or even incompatible with “proper” roadcraft. Both views are incorrect.

Here, in this episode of Better Riding, we demystify, explain, and contextualise trail braking. What it is, what it isn’t, why it’s so misunderstood, and how it can be a valuable tool for more advanced riders. And importantly, why trail braking is not a cornering strategy for the road, yet still belongs in your skills toolbox.

Trail Braking Explained - Better Riding

What is it, where is the confusion and how to use it to your advantage.

Watch all the Better Riding episodes in our YouTube playlist.

With the help of Mark McVeigh (www.motorbikecoach.com) – an ex‑MotoGP engineer, founder of a Riding Academy and the mind behind the motoDNA training system, we’ll look at the realities behind trail braking from how to build the skill safely to why modern motorcycle training needs to evolve. Whether you’ve been riding for five days or fifty years, there’s always more to learn especially when technology and techniques evolve.

That’s the focus of our Better Riding series, created in partnership with Honda Motorcycle UK aimed to provides drills that help increase rider confidence and machine control in real world situations based on measured data, to supplement traditional post-test training techniques.

Why is trail braking a contentious subject?

According to Mark, in over 20 years of rider coaching, nothing sparks debate among riders (especially via social media) like the phrase trail braking. And there’s a simple reason: Racers use it, commentators talk about it. Road riders see racers use it and hear the commentators, so they assume it’s purely a racing technique. On the racetrack, riders are often braking as late as possible, carrying braking force deep into the corner, and keeping purpose designed slick tyres right at the edge of the traction envelope. Road riders watch on understandably thinking “That’s not for me.”, “That looks dangerous.”, and “You should get all braking done before the corner.”.

The problem is not trail braking itself, it’s the version of trail braking they see. Racers use trail braking to reduce lap times yet road riders can use a gentle, controlled, low‑pressure version to increase stability and confidence. But first, to understand its value, we need to define our terms.

Notice the two-fingers on the brake lever, as the rider leans in the pressure is slowly released

What is Trail Braking?

Trail braking is often incorrectly described or half‑understood. So we start with the simple, correct definition: trail braking means continuing to carry some front brake pressure after beginning to turn or lean the bike, and then gradually reducing (“trailing off”) that brake pressure as lean angle increases.

That’s it. No drama. No last‑second dives. No knee‑down heroics. You're not braking hard while leaned over, you're blending decreasing brake pressure with increasing lean angle. The two always move in opposite directions: more lean = less brake.

or the single-finger approach, and with ABS-equipped bikes, that’s all the front brake pressure you might need.

Trail Braking vs. Comfort Braking

Trail braking can be confused with comfort braking.

Comfort Braking

• Happens mid‑corner

• Triggered by discomfort: too much speed, a hazard, tightening bend

• Usually involves a light squeeze to remove a bit of speed

• It’s reactive rather than planned

Trail Braking

• A planned technique

• Begins before lean, not after

• Brake pressure is progressively reduced, not added

Comfort braking often happens because something unexpected has occurred.
Trail braking is part of a smooth, controlled corner entry but Mark warns it’s a more advance technique.

This rider is covering the front brake just in case – there’s no pressure on the lever

“Don’t brake in corners” – Why traditional training falls short

Most new riders are taught a simple rule, finish all your braking before the corner. This makes sense in early training. Beginners benefit from clear, simple, low‑risk rules.

But Mark highlights a serious issue:

• Riders eventually gain confidence

• Their corner entry speeds increase

• Their habits do not evolve

• They begin opening the throttle too early

• This widens their cornering line

• Widening leads directly to running wide - the number‑one cause of single‑vehicle corner crashes

In other words, the rule that keeps novices safe eventually puts experienced riders at risk. Mark cites crash statistics showing that:

• Half of motorcycle crashes are single‑vehicle

• Half of those occur in corners

• 80% involve the rider failing to react appropriately

• Often the crash pattern is simply: ran wide

This is not caused by bad riders - it’s caused by incomplete training.

The stats don’t lie. Post test training is either not good enough or not enough riders are doing it

Motorcycle training needs to keep up

Most riders receive around 20 hours of training to get a licence. Then… nothing. For life. But mastery (of any hobby) takes thousands of hours and must evolve, in motorcycling terms, with rider experience, rider confidence, motorcycle performance, modern rider aids, and real-world riding conditions.

Mark argues for a whole‑of‑life training philosophy - similar to aviation principles, where constant practice and scenario‑based drills are built in.

This thinking forms the backbone of his school’s approach where real‑world crash scenarios are recreated safely, In a controlled environment, allowing riders practice the correct response which in turn allows the skill becomes intuitive and then, under stress, riders fall back to what they’ve practised, not what they remember. And that’s where trail braking enters the picture.

And that is why this Better Riding series was developed, to make post-test training aspirational which requires a change in mindset of us riders.

We’ve seen this guy before in our ‘Most common mistakes’ episode, he’s about to run wide and into oncoming traffic. Don’t let this be you.

Trail Braking as a skill, not a road strategy

Trail braking is not a primary road-riding strategy. It is a valuable advanced skill for dealing with unexpected corner hazards.

Why?

Because on the road:

• We don’t attack corner entries

• We don’t brake late

• We prioritise vision, space, lane position, and hazard perception

But:

If something happens mid-corner – the bend tightens, you spot gravel, a car crosses the central line, an animal pops out of the undergrowth - having some brake pressure already applied gives you options.

Here’s why that matters:

With trail braking applied:

• The forks are already slightly compressed

• The front tyre is already loaded

• Steering is quicker

• The bike is more agile

• You can shed a small amount of speed without upsetting the bike

Without trail braking:

If a rider panics and grabs the brake suddenly:

• The weight shifts violently forward

• The bike stands up

• The line widens

• A run‑wide crash becomes very likely

So the real benefit is trail braking gives you control in your back pocket for when things go wrong.

Japanese Police training – we know he’s trail braking not only because of his fingers on the lever but you can see how the front forks are compressed and the front tyre’s ‘footprint’ is enlarged.

Why you will be surprised on the road

Road riding isn't a textbook. No matter how good your roadcraft is, you will eventually be surprised, startled, misjudge a line, misjudge a radius, get distracted, get pushed wide. In these moments riders default to their training:

• No training - you panic

• No training - you freeze

• If you’ve practised - you execute intuitively

Mark sees this consistently during drills. Even when riders know exactly what’s coming, many still freeze or brake incorrectly. This is why developing the correct and intuitive reactions through repetition is critical. Trail braking, practised properly, builds those reactions. And it’s the same for all riding techniques.

When Trail Braking helps on the road

Not every corner needs it. Not every rider should use it. But certain corner types lend themselves to trail braking. None of these are racing scenario, they’re everyday roads:

1. Tight, downhill corners

• Gravity increases speed

• The bike wants to run wide

• Light brake pressure keeps weight on the front

• Steering becomes more stable and precise

2. Open corners with good visibility

If you can see around the corner, for example if the hedge is low, means your entry speed can be a little bit higher. Essentially you're still obeying the riding fundamental of being able to stop within the distance you can see in your lane, to be clear.

3. Pillion riding

Use trail braking more when carrying a pillion, because the extra weight increases inertia while progressive brake release keeps everything smooth and predictable.

>> Better Riding: How to Ride with a Pillion | Expert Two-Up Riding Tips

The circle drill can also be used for hazard avoidance while cornering

How to practise Trail Braking safely

If you’ve never tried trail braking, why not practice in a controlled environment instead of public roads.

Stage 1 — The Circle Drill

Using a simple cone or mark, ride a large circle and practice:

1.      Approaching the circle

2.      Light braking before turning

3.      Maintaining some brake pressure as lean begins

4.      Trailing off front brake progressively as lean angle increases

5.      Holding a neutral throttle through rest of the turn

This builds the feel for front‑tyre loading, smooth brake release and the balance between brake and lean.

Stage 2 — Side‑On Observation

Having a coach or friend watch from the side helps you identify abrupt movements, smooth out inputs, keep braking progressive, and avoid over‑braking while leaned over. 

Stage 3 — Data Feedback (optional but powerful)

Some advanced systems use data overlays showing G‑force during braking and acceleration, brake pressure, and lean angle compared to brake release.

Watching this helps riders see the relationship between lean and brake pressure, clarifying the technique in a way words can’t.

The key mechanics behind Trail Braking

The Golden Rule: as lean angle goes up, brake pressure goes down.

This is because:

• Tyres have a limited grip budget

• Lean angle uses part of that budget

• Braking uses another part

• You cannot exceed the total

• Smoothness is everything

Trail braking is not about braking hard while leaning. It’s about finalising speed control smoothly as you enter the corner and being ready for surprises.

This Better Riding series is brought to you in partnership with Honda Motorcycles UK whose goal: zero traffic fatalities involving Honda mobility products worldwide by 2050. Better Riding is a collection of self-help videos and written guides packed with practical tips, expert advice, and simple yet effective exercises. Designed for riders of all levels, it aims to boost confidence, improve machine control, and complement traditional post-test training. Because when your skills improve, so does the fun.

Feel free to ask specific question over at BikeClub or on our private Facebook Group, or tune in to the other episodes in this series on our YouTube channel.