WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

It is hard to miss those ubiquitous disclaimers that precede every TV show or film these days and in addition to sex, drugs & Rock & Roll, strobes, and possibly actual humor one mentioned “product placement.” 

As if I should be fearful that strategically placed can of Coca-Cola, that bottle of Heineken, or that very pretty Ducati or Triumph would cause irreputable harm to my fair psyche.

Oh, and why is every scene with motorcycles these days almost always ridden by evil henchmen with Uzis?

Yes, I could go on about how motorcycles are portrayed in the media… but that’ll be for another time.

I do wish to talk about Product Placement of another type.

The ‘product’ being your motorcycle, and the ‘placement’… where it should be placed as you are riding along the backroads.

I have heard it said that there is only one line through a turn - the right one. But, different situations, traffic and conditions can make your planned trajectory problematic and, sometimes, in need of immediate correction.

Our friend and riding instructor extraordinaire Ken Condon is a firm believer in the “Late Apex.” In January we sat in on one of Ken’s wonderfully beneficial Wednesday Night Zoom Meetings, brought to us by the New England Riders - a riding club truly dedicated to the ride and fine ambassadors for the sport. Each week covered a different topic, but this particular night was about Cornering Lines, and Ken spoke at length about becoming proficient in using the Late Apex on a consistent basis.

Our friend Reg Pridmore also speaks of the Late Apex as being the cleaner line and clearly the way to lower lap times on the track, and making sure you arrive alive on the street.

The main advantage of a late apex line through a corner is that it allows you to begin accelerating earlier. And the earlier you begin accelerating, the faster you're likely to be down the following straightaway.

Power-wise think “Slow in. Fast out.”

If you come in too tight, and hit the apex way too early, you will go wide. In left-handed curves that means heading off the road. In right-handed curves the even worse possibility of running into oncoming traffic.

Both are bad form and can have bad outcomes.

Picking a later apex will also give you a better view of what is coming your way… that oncoming F-150, that deer on the road, or simply the next turn and the lay of the roadway up ahead.

I have been behind many riders, especially newer riders, that go “pencing” through turns. The term come from our British counterparts that describe when a rider constantly tilts and leans back and forth in tiny increments, never committing to a smooth arc through the turn.

It is a shaky approach and a habit that screams of a lack of confidence.

If you could see up close the amount of inputs a professional racer is executing to set themselves up as they approach and initiate a turn and the amount that even experienced riders apply, you might be shocked at how little the elite riders need to execute compared to the average street riders. Beginners and those lacking refinement and skill have way too much going on.

It is all about smooth.

By working on utilizing ‘Late Apexes’ you will find you will begin to naturally calm down and your confidence will rise.

But how do you know you are getting it right?

A few years back writer Dan Bisbee wrote about finding the apex and stated… “Find the exit first, and the apex becomes readily apparent.”

Then look where you want to go – always!

These are words you can live by.

There was a tee-shirt I saw once that simply said, “Look, Lean, Believe!

You do have to have faith in yourself and your machine.

Constant practice on your riding skills can only make you a better and more confident rider and add so much more to your riding enjoyment.