The Truth about Lean Angle, Risk, and the Simple Trick That Can Reduce Both
CanyonChasers Podcast // The Braking ZoneShow Notes
MotoGP winter testing delivered more questions than answers, and in this episode we break down everything that actually matters. From Yamaha’s ongoing struggles to Ducati’s quiet course-correction to Aprilia’s wild aero experiments, we dig into what the 2027 rule changes and the move to Pirelli tires might mean for the future of racing. We also look at why silly season could explode once the new regulations arrive. Then we explore one of the most fascinating storylines in the paddock: Maverick Viñales partnering with Jorge Lorenzo to rebuild consistency and mental resilience. Could this unlock the best version of Maverick we’ve ever seen? A viewer question takes us into a deeper conversation about riding on the street, dragging knees, lean angle, posture, and real-world risk management. We share coaching insights, stories, and the one technique most riders overlook. Whether you ride track, street, or both, this part of the discussion might change how you think about riding forever.
More from CanyonChasers Podcast // The Braking Zone
Enter to win the Moto Guzzi V85TT: https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers - Ducati’s factory team just ran away with the most dominant World Superbike season ever, and we think it exposes a bigger problem. When the Panigale V4 R is basically a GP bike you can buy for $50k, why would Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda spend millions to show up and lose? We dig into the tech that makes the Ducati so good (twin pulse firing order, counter-rotating crank, electronics that add rear brake mid-corner), why fuel flow limits haven’t slowed it down, and what we’d do with the series if it were up to us. Spoiler: more power, fewer rider aids, worse tires.
Enter to win the Moto Guzzi V85 TT at https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers - Dave spent the week at Barber Vintage Motorcycle Days riding Honda's new CB1000F alongside Freddie Spencer, the only rider to win the 250 and 500 world championships in the same season. We get into how Honda deliberately tuned character into this engine (mismatched velocity stacks for a two-tone intake note, offset cam timing, carburetor-style fueling), why Dave came away liking it more than expected after his long-term time on the Hornet SP, and what it actually takes to keep pace at a press launch on a bike and road you've never seen.
There's a new bike in the garage: a 2021 Ducati Panigale V2, bought to replace an Aprilia RSV4 Factory as a club race bike. We talk about the first track days on a completely bone stock V2 (slicks only), what the Showa Big Piston Fork does well on the brakes and where it falls apart mid-corner, and why racers ditch BPF internals for cartridges.
Motegi wasn't an exciting weekend, but it was a fascinating one. A brand new track surface, a Michelin rear tire that came apart in the sprint, and a hard-carcass "safety tire" that not one rider mounted until Sunday warm up, which turned out to be the tire they should have been on all weekend.
Royal Enfield might be the heritage motorcycle Harley buyers think they're getting, and after 800 miles of Route 66 on a Classic 650, Dave has thoughts. The CanyonChasers Podcast is back.