how to proper turn a corner
now, taking a corner proper consists of focusing on two parts: entry speed and angle of entry.
motorcycling gives you a different outlook on entry speed because you have a good chance of losing control if you brake during a turn. you can definitely brake during a turn in a car, but unless you’re racing, why not brake before the turn, which almost guarantees you traction? brake before the turn, then as you enter, constantly apply throttle so when you come out, you are either at the same speed (boring) or faster (fun!). speeding up just a little adds stability to your vehicle during the turn because it adds grip. there’s complicated physics that i don’t understand, like loading the front end and torque and blah blah, but trust me, it adds grip.
having the proper angle of entry (following the racing line) doesn’t just make you faster, it also ensures a smooth turn and maximum traction. the simplest way to think about it is to take the straightest line possible around a bend. since most cars come built with pretty sophisticated brains, it’s hard to notice the benefits, but objects are amazingly unstable when not going in a straight line. you have forces pushing out and away and so it’s incredible that cars stay upright at all.
oh, and once you really understand grip, it’s okay to ignore these two facts, because you actually may want to brake to take off some of the weight from the rear end and the racing line isn’t always the straightest line.
