TARMAGO

Technique • Motorcycles on track

Lines and the apex

A good entry prepares what happens after the corner.

Understanding the technique

Your line is the path you choose on track. The apex is the point on that path closest to the inside edge of the corner. It is therefore not necessarily the geometric middle of the turn. Its location is chosen along with the line, considering the entry and what follows the exit.[4]

Reading a corner, without a universal recipeConceptual diagram of a right-hand corner: a line connects the entry, the point closest to the inside edge and the exit. It does not show a real circuit or a line to copy.EntryApexExit
Not to scale. The apex belongs to the chosen line; it is not necessarily the geometric middle of the corner. The next corner may require a different line. [4]

Why it matters on track

Outside–inside–outside can illustrate a simple corner, but does not solve every sequence. A long or multiple-apex turn needs a different reading. Always chasing a late apex can therefore be as restrictive as turning in early everywhere.[4][7]

Mistakes to avoid

Aiming at a kerb as if you had to touch it; copying a faster rider’s line without understanding the entry; applying the same drawing to every corner. Avoid abruptly correcting your line to reach a point you missed. The planned line remains secondary to traffic, flags and trackday instructions.[1][4]

Building it progressively

Before the session, sketch a corner where you feel comfortable and the following section. Identify an entry, apex area and exit, leaving margin from the edges. In your group, work on repetition at a controlled pace without also moving your braking marker. Afterwards, identify where the difference began: at entry, or only at exit? Progress gradually without forcing the line or treating the diagram as a universal instruction.

What you can check with Tarmago

Save your mental sketch in the circuit notes, corner by corner. In our telemetry tools, the GPS-speed-coloured trace helps locate the sector, but cannot certify a precise distance from a kerb. A best split highlighted in red reports a time, not a safer line. Interpret the difference in light of traffic, conditions and your observations.

In our telemetry tools, lap analysis shows lap-by-lap times, gaps, splits with the best highlighted in red and a GPS-speed-coloured trace. Add your observations to the circuit notes, corner by corner. Review this information in the paddock, never as a distraction on track. GPS measurements do not show your gaze, brake-lever pressure or throttle opening.

Detailed analysis in our telemetry tools (speed curve, ideal lap and lap comparison) is part of the paid Tarmago+ plan.

Frequently asked questions

Is the apex always halfway through the corner?

No. It is where your line is closest to the inside edge. Its position depends on the chosen line and corner sequence; the geometric middle is not a riding rule.

Should I use a late apex everywhere?

No. The corner shape and what comes before or after it change line choice. Observe references in a familiar corner and keep a margin rather than applying a universal recipe.

Technical references

These references support principles, not universal instructions for your motorcycle. The practice suggestions and textbook position are Tarmago editorial guidance, separate from the sourced passages. Adapt them to your situation, progressing at a pace that preserves your margin. Your organiser’s rules take precedence over those of the schools cited.