How to Master Tight 180-Degree Corners on a Dirt Bike
Cornering is one of the hardest things to get right in dirt biking — especially those tight 180-degree turns. In this session, I worked with Nathan to improve his technique on both a bermed and a flat corner. Here’s what we learned.
The Most Common Mistake: Sitting Too Early
The first thing I noticed was that Nathan was sitting way too early before the corner. When you sit before the braking bumps, you lose balance and stability — and that means you can’t set yourself up properly for the turn.
The goal is to stay standing as you approach the corner. Only sit down at the apex — the midpoint of the turn. To help Nathan visualise it, I placed a cone at the apex so he had a reference for when to sit.
Timing Your Sit and Acceleration
When you reach the apex, sit down and gently roll on the throttle at the same time. This timing is key. Sitting loads the suspension, which helps the bike turn more sharply.
If you’re too early with either movement, the bike will push wide. But when you get the timing right, the suspension compresses and the bike hooks up beautifully around the corner.
On a bermed corner, you can be a bit more aggressive — the bank holds the bike and gives extra grip, allowing you to lean the bike over further.
Braking, Coasting, and Throttle Control
One of Nathan’s questions was: “Do I accelerate as I hit the apex, or coast through?”
Here’s the breakdown:
Finish braking before entering the turn.
From the start of the corner to the apex, coast smoothly — no sudden throttle changes.
At the apex, sit down and start rolling on the power.
As you exit, that’s when you can accelerate harder to drive out.
Trying to brake and accelerate at the same time will unsettle the bike — so keep each stage clean and deliberate.
Leaning the Bike the Right Way
Another key point: how you lean.
In road racing, riders lean their bodies more than their bikes because they have full traction on tarmac. But in off-road riding, we do the opposite — lean the bike more than your body.
Stay more upright while pressing into the footpegs. This keeps traction on loose surfaces like clay and sand. The faster you go, the more you’ll need to lean the bike — but always stay balanced and relaxed through your core.
Foot Position and Balance
As Nathan improved, one habit we noticed was dabbing his foot to regain balance mid-corner. While that’s fine in tricky moments, relying on it can slow your flow.
If you need to keep your leg out, keep it higher up and pointed in the direction you want to go — this helps balance and gives better control through the turn.
Taking It to a Flatter, Slipperier Corner
We then took the same technique to a flat, sandy corner — much harder to master. With less of a berm to hold the bike, everything had to be perfect: body position, braking, throttle control, and balance.
Nathan noticed the difference immediately. It was trickier, but the same fundamentals applied — stay standing longer, sit and accelerate together, and lean the bike with confidence.
Even for me, the coach, it was a reminder that terrain awareness is everything. Pushing too hard on loose or wet ground can easily break traction. Staying smooth and controlled is what separates a good corner from a crash.
Final Thoughts
Tight corners are all about timing, balance, and confidence.
Stand longer, sit later, and roll on the throttle as you load the suspension. Whether you’re riding a berm or a flat turn, these small changes make a huge difference.
If you found this helpful, book a lesson with us: book now!
