How to Handle Decreasing Radius Corners - Decreasing Radius Turn

If you have any questions about decreasing radius corners, please feel free to ask them below.

In this video, we'll look at how to properly take on decreasing radius corners -- both on the track and on the road. Read the full article on how to handle decreasing radius turns at therideadvice.com/how-to-handle-decreasing-radi…

Nothing gets a rider’s heart jumping into their mouth and their eyes opening out like saucers, then finding themselves in a decreasing radius corner going too fast. It can set off instincts like nothing else on a bike, with riders chopping the throttle and standing the bike up, causing more trouble than it fixes.

A decreasing radius turn is essentially a corner that tightens up. That means that if you take a normal mid apex line into the corner as you might on a constant radius turn, you’re going to find yourself running wide unless you have enough in ‘reserve’ to really lean the bike over. That’s not a good place to be if you have oncoming traffic (or other things to crash into).

So, how can you spot a decreasing radius corner? And what’s the best way to approach them? Well, read on (or watch on) to find out.

Spotting a Decreasing Radius Corner

It should go without saying that if you’re riding on unfamiliar roads, you should be going at 6/10ths of your limits to begin with. That way, if you do find yourself in a tightening corner, you’ll have the ability to keep rolling on the throttle and lean the bike over to exit the corner smoothly.

That said, you can, with some practice learn to spot a decreasing radius corner on the road.

In a decreasing radius turn, you’ll find that the further you go into the corner, the vanishing point will appear to be coming towards you. This effect is quite subtle compared to how a vanishing point moves away in an increasing radius corner, but with enough practice, you’ll begin to spot a tightening turn, allowing you to position the bike correctly for a later apex.

Taking a Decreasing Radius Corner

A decreasing radius turn requires two things – late turn in and late apex.