Freewheeling into,or around corners....is this a bad habit?
should you be engaged at all times when cornering?
are there some solid rules regarding when/when not to freewheel?

T.I.A.
awol.

 

Try it yourself both ways and you'll have your answer.

Maintenance throttle (cracked open just a little) steadies the bike and keeps the suspension from compressing, so you have more clearance for leaning.

You should do all your braking while upright, reach your desired turn entrance speed, and crack the throttle open as soon as you fall into the turn. Experienced riders, though, will often keep the brakes lightly applied even after they're in the turn, and while they're already starting to apply throttle. This is trail braking, since you're trailing off of the brakes incrementally, rather than releasing all at once. Simultaneous smooth release of the brakes and smooth rolling on the throttle will keep the bike as steady as possible, but it's not easy since you're asking your right hand to do a lot at once.

 

Munson has it right. With the engine disengaged, you'll start to shed speed in the corner. Your bike will naturally begin to fall further into the corner as the gyroscopic forces maintaining the lean angle lessen. Eventually you'll exceed the traction limits and have the bike slide out. Or you'll be forced to open the throttle, which will have a destabilizing effect.

Can you do it? Sure. You can wheelie in front of the police station too.

 

Makes a lot of sense...thank you both.

(now for some cop-shop wheelies... )

awol

 

Good explanation. Though in trailbraking you're doing the hardest braking upright, and tapering off as your reach the apex (front or rear brake). You're using maintenance throttle after the bike rolls into position and only rolling power once you've stopped breaking altogether. You don't get on the power while breaking at all. There might be an minute overlap of maintenance throttle for a second at best for the sake of being smooth.

 

Heh guys... Trailbraking is Riding 308. Meaning it's an advanced topic not meant for riders still learning basic cornering.

And really not meant for learning on the street.

 

Indeed. Wrong spot.

 

I found it easiest to go into a turn at a comfortable speed, then slowly open the throttle threw the turn. You bike will always have more traction while accelorating threw a turn.