A lot can be said about throttle control and how crucial it is in riding and cornering.  As riders we have the ability to make it easier, harder, smoother or scarier based on how we control our throttle.  I learned from an instructor in an MSF class that you should treat your throttle like “Barry White” (SMOOTH) and you won’t be surprised by a choppy and unpredictable ride.  This also rolls into rider input, the fact that if we do not relax our hands and arms, it can lead to disastrous results.  Today’s machines are so perfectly balanced that if you let go and just rode, the bike would right itself, we are the cause that things go wrong when we ride.  Try it and see, don’t death grip your bike, gently roll on and off (the bike immediately responds), push on the bars (gently) and see how easily it turns?  You have so much more control and it required way less effort.  The trick is being confident in your abilities and to relax, but to relax we need to have confidence in our abilities, yeah it is always a catch 22 isn’t it?

When coming off a stop I personally like to be in that friction zone, that place where you can pull in the clutch a bit to roll back and if you twist on a bit of throttle you will roll forward, either way it keeps you from stalling your engine.  This is so important when you are stopped on an incline, so mastering that technique is important.  Then there is the turning the key hand position so as not to fatigue your hand.  If you hold your hand as if you are turning a key in a door your hand doesn’t get tired and cause you to reposition it often and have an unpredictable position on your control that requires adjusting often.  Your hands should have a firm, but gentle grip on the throttle (relaxed) and it should be easy to engage and release the throttle with little to no effort.  This will allow you to ride for lengthy periods of time without your hands going numb or tired, it is all about a light touch.

Cornering is where throttle control can cause you to either panic and have that “Oh Shit” moment or that feeling of absolute exhilaration as you hit that throttle and nail that corner.  Cornering is something we all want to be confident in and be able to take confidently at speed, but many of us can be intimidated by it.  Just seeing that turn up ahead can cause us to tense up and then give the bike way too much input.  Just relax and loosen your grip on the bike and know that you can do this, practice, practice, practice.  Taking a class with a racetrack school where everyone is learning how to corner and corner well is a safe place to learn how to corner precisely and gain that confidence you will need for the street.

I distinctly remember an “aha” moment at a school I was attending where the individual who was reviewing my video of my laps asked why I wasn’t cracking on my throttle earlier?  I remember thinking, “I don’t know, I think I may run wide?”  He was quick to say that I would run wide only if I didn’t crack my throttle on early enough.  He made it very basic for me, he said upon entering a turn you brake, that breaking creates instability for your bike which you need to get it into position to turn. Once you have gotten into the lean position (which should have started before you entered the turn) and are in the trajectory you intend to go, you hit the throttle to stabilize your bike to complete that turn.  In every corner crack on the throttle as soon as possible (not too early though as it will cause you to run wide) and keep a light acceleration through the middle of the turn with the most aggressive turn on at the end to exit.  It was at that moment, I realized that my own fear was keeping me from initiating and completing that turn smoothly and precisely.  It was all about throttle control, when and where to apply it and how much.  Once you get throttle control mastered or at least partially mastered, you can ride knowing that you have the skills necessary to take on any situation and that is powerful.

Throttle control is the key to enjoying your ride, so master it and you will find out how much more enjoyable your riding experience will be.  For some reading during the off season, try Twist of the Wrist and Twist of the Wrist II from Keith Code or get the DVD’s and brush up on your techniques before the season starts again.  Please check out the forums under riding techniques where I will be posting some subjects to discuss.