Riding Skills Series: Throttle Jockey

1. Throttle control is one of the most important aspects of motorcycle riding. Together with shifting and braking, throttle control combines to make the operation of a motorcycle one smooth, cohesive action.

Riders with poor throttle control can be spotted a mile away. Their motorcycles will lurch, their bodies will sway back and forth with each application of throttle, and if a passenger is on board, simply watch for the ceremonial butting of the heads.

Learning proper throttle technique means getting in touch with your right wrist, smoothing your inputs and trying to develop an almost extrasensory connection to both front- and rear-tire traction. Sound like a bit much? Maybe so, but learning to properly control the throttle in every situation takes a lot of skill and even more practice. Ultimately your riding will be smoother and this will give you more confidence.

2. Precise throttle control is necessary in every aspect of riding: accelerating, decelerating, and the transition from throttle off and braking to releasing the brakes and cracking the throttle off idle. The point at which you release the brakes and apply the throttle is crucial because it usually occurs when the bike is beginning to be leaned over. If you're a trail-braker, these actions take place when you're already near maximum lean.

There's a lot going on while you're cornering, so it's difficult to be smooth at the controls too. It's important to remain in a neutral position on the bike; don't put too much pressure on your hands and wrists. The key to being smooth is to make every action damped and controlled. Release the brakes and pick up the throttle with a minute wrist movement. Practice so the transition from brakes to throttle is seamless and imperceptible. As acceleration is added, try to feel what the rear tire is telling you: How much lean angle are you using? How much traction is available?

3. So you've released the brakes and cracked the throttle off idle, and now the bike is at maximum lean angle just waiting to accelerate. This is when throttle control is most important. Even the best roadracers know that any type of aggressive throttle input while at maximum lean is a recipe for a high-side.

Here's how it works. A tire only has a given amount of traction available in relation to the contact patch, and there is always a trade-off between cornering traction and acceleration traction. The contact patch decreases in size as lean angle increases, so during hard cornering the tire's capabilities are being used up merely by having to deal with lean angle. If you ask the tire to then handle acceleration, it can result in a slide or crash.

4. The solution to this dilemma is to have a steady throttle hand and begin standing the bike up before rolling on the throttle. Decreasing lean angle slightly allows you to accelerate on a larger contact patch, affording more traction and better stability. Again, try and feel what the rear tire is doing. Make all of your adjustments with the right hand fluid, controlled and in relatively small increments.

Whether you're on a Sunday ride or commuting in the rain, developing a keen sense of throttle control will give you a better grasp of the motorcycle's capabilities. Smooth action with the right wrist goes hand-in-hand with effective braking, shifting and steering. Successful integration of these skills will increase your riding enjoyment as well as your riding prowess.

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