[adouglas]

So, al... are you saying you close the throttle completely every time you go around a corner? Every time?

Not so, in my long experience. Sometimes you might have to. Often you don't.

To the OP: You've watched some of TOTW2 and maybe read the book too.

The rule is:

Once the throttle is cracked open, it is rolled on continuously and smoothly throughout the remainder of the turn.

Say that ten thousand times. Say it every time you go around a corner. Say it. SAY IT!

That means a very slight, continuous acceleration (vs. a static, steady-state throttle). It also means you do not open the throttle, then close it, then open again.

It's the same thing as the last item in the MSF's slow-look-lean-roll mantra.

Where you crack the throttle open will vary, as Al points out. It might be at the apex. It might be a bit before. If you're scrubbing speed, it might even be after. But once you open it, you shouldn't close it again (emergencies notwithstanding, of course).

Why? Because it upsets the bike and can cause you to foul up your line. When you're accelerating, weight transfers to the rear. When you cut the throttle, it transfers to the front... exactly as if you'd applied the brakes.

"Cracking the throttle open" also does not necessarily mean "from a fully closed throttle." What about those bends where you get out of the gas most (but not all) of the way, then accelerate through? The "crack" is the deliberate decision to begin accelerating.

You may have heard of "maintenance throttle," which is carrying just a little bit of open throttle through the turn. Why? Because when you lean a tire over, the wheel now has a smaller radius -- i.e., it's just like you're riding a bike with 14" wheels instead of 17"wheels.

Why does that matter? Because given the same wheel speed, a smaller wheel won't travel as far as a larger one. In other words, the bike will slow down simply because you've leaned it over.

Maintenance throttle counteracts this... it maintains your speed through the corner, prior to you rolling on (i.e. cracking open) the throttle.

Do you do it all the time? No. Depends on the circumstances. Again, if you're trying to scrub speed, maybe you won't. If you're trying to keep your momentum up and get a good drive out of the corner, you might.

The goal is smoothness. Always.