Our object in a Type I corner is to maximize exit speed. To do that we must take a line which lets us roll on the throttle early and keep rolling on.
Remember the traction circle? To accelerate hard, you can't be turning hard. So we do most of the turning right away in the corner so we can concentrate on accelerating out. We turn in late, trail braking into the first part of the turn, and switching to acceleration well before we get to the apex.
This is a Late Apex line, as the apex is further around the corner than the classic line. We also brake later than the classic line, since we turn much later. And since we unwind our corner as we come out of it, we can accelerate much sooner than the classic line, and so come out of the corner much faster.
Other benefits of the late apex
The late apex line is also the safest to use on the street, in that most of the turning is already done well before you reach the apex. That means if there's a hazard around the corner, or the corner tightens up unexpectedly, or there's gravel on the exit, or any other of the things that can go wrong on the street, you can take avoiding action just by not rolling on the throttle so hard. That puts you back nearer the center of the traction circle, and from there you have traction reserve in every direction.
The late turn-in on the street also gives you a better view through the corner before you turn in, and so you have a better sight line and can adjust for unexpected hazards. This is another reason why the late apex line is in practice faster on the street -- you can see further around the corner, and so can ride harder while still remaining within your sight lines.
The Sleazeball line
But a late apex line is not what most riders do. In their eagerness to get into the corner, they turn in way too early and too little, also braking too little, taking a very early apex and carrying way too much speed into the middle of the corner.
Even in a predictable turn, this is a disaster. The rider ends up aimed for the edge of the road, heading into the woods. If the rider is going fast enough, this is where they'll panic, fixate on a tree or something, and slide into the woods, probably with the rear brake locked. Even if the rider looks in the right place, since they've left all the turning until the end, there are zero avoidance options left. There's no room to brake and no traction reserve for extra turning.
Most single-vehicle motorcycle accidents are the result of an early apex. The mistake that leads to this is so far back -- way back when the rider started the turn-in -- that the rider doesn't associate it with the wreck. They blame it on the bike -- it wouldn't handle, or it didn't have enough brakes, or it stood up under braking. They blame it on the road situation, and say there was nothing they could do.
A frightening number of riders, including most of those who ride sportbikes, take corners like this. Many of them bought a sportbike just so they could take this line better and have more reserve at the panic spot.
We have a word for the early apexers. They are Early Apex Sleazeballs, and what they do is called sleazeballing the corners. As you'll see, it's a term I'm fond of, and one I'll all too happily apply to you if you take a corner like this.
From TrackDoD Novice Group Orientation
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