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How & why delayed apexes work for cornering

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Jorge

I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll mention it again. Delayed apexes people. Seems too many riders are oblivious of this.

The only part I disagree with is his comments about MotoGP. Those guys don’t do delayed apexes unless it’s a decreasing radius corner, etc.
 
I like this guys videos In general. I think I do this most of the time. I’ll have to pay attention next time I’m out.
 
The only part I disagree with is his comments about MotoGP. Those guys don’t do delayed apexes unless it’s a decreasing radius corner, etc.

On the track, there is generally a racing "line" that is the fastest way around the track. There are defensive lines, and then there are the fast lines. Defensive lines will often preclude delayed apexing because doing so gives your opponent room to slide up the inside and do a block pass. The defensive line is typically not the fastest way around the track for either rider, but it hopefully keeps the chasing rider behind the leading rider.

That said, sometimes a delayed apex can be used to pass a defending rider. Dovi has used this on Marquez on the final corner of several races to great effect! Marquez made last ditch effort dives up the inside but carried to much speed, making him go deep and wide. Dovi stayed to the outside and then cut back under Marquez as he went wide, taking the win because he was able to carry more speed through the corners.

If you watch a rider that has pulled clear of the bikes following him, he will start using delayed apexes to carry more speed through the corners. However, he still has to stay on the basic racing line, which is not truly a line but more of a path with some width to it. That path is usually clean pavement. Get to wide outside that path and you start getting into bits of rubber, dirt, dust, etc... This can easily cause a rider to crash or to at least have to slow dramatically to keep from crashing. So they delay apex within the width of the racing path, kind of like a street rider staying in the width of their lane.

On the track, visibility all the way through the corner isn't always an issue like it may be on the street. A big reason for delayed apexing on the street is to have more time to better see through the corner in case there is something you need to react to.
 
I learned to late apex back in college when I started competitive driving with the sports car club. Over 10 years of autocrossing made late apexing just second nature. There are instances when a neutral apex works (combinations of corners) and a long apex works (flat out turn), but generally speaking, late apexing turns is the quickest way around a race track.
As explained, on the street, late apexing works for the visibility and allows a rider to 'reserve' some road for that occasional surprise decreasing radius turn.
 
Appreciate the video.
Recently going to the slightly bigger bike and moving faster, I've had to clean up my lines a lot. Riding the 125 has allowed me to get lazy.

Being off a street bike I've lost some skills that I need to put some practice to again.
 
I can't understate the importance of this technique to avoid "surprises". I was oblivious to this until a guy I rode with commented on my lines to me. It took a lot of practice to keep me from turning in too early, but I'm so thankful he brought that to my attention. Great video - thanks for posting.
Dave.
 
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