Photo by Mitchell Nijman
Most riders treat onboard footage like a highlight reel. Something to post. Something to send to friends. Something to replay because the track day was memorable.
But here’s what most riders overlook:
Your onboard footage is one of the most powerful coaching tools you already own.
And here’s why:
- Even the best coaches can only see parts of your lap at a time.
- But your camera sees every corner.
- Every lap.
- And it never forgets.
Used correctly, your footage reveals:
- when your eyes move
- when your brake release begins
- how many steering inputs you use
- your apex timing
- your body position habits
- your line consistency
- your confidence (or tension) patterns
This guide shows you how to use it with purpose.
TrackDNA Safety Note
Riding motorcycles on track is inherently risky and can result in serious injury or death. The ideas in this article are shared for general information only — they’re not formal coaching, professional instruction, or a guarantee of safety or performance.
Always ride within your limits, use proper safety gear, and practice only in a controlled, closed-course environment that follows all rules and regulations. Before trying any new technique, talk with a qualified coach or instructor and use your own judgment about what’s right for your skill level, your bike, and your body.
The best place to explore and apply these ideas is with a qualified coach or at a dedicated motorcycle or racing school. Treat what you read here as background context and conversation fuel for your own training — not as a step-by-step guide or a substitute for in-person instruction.
By choosing to ride, you accept the risks that come with it.
1. Choose the Right Camera Mount (and Follow Track Rules)
A good camera angle tells the truth.
A bad angle lies.
The most useful mounts are:
Chin Mount (Helmet)
Best for seeing:
- vision timing
- apex timing
- line of sight
- upper-body cues
Important: Some tracks—including COTA—do not allow chin-mounted cameras. Always check your track-day organization’s rules before mounting anything to your helmet or bike.
Chest Mount
Shows:
- head movement
- upper-body rotation
- shoulder tension
- consistency in body position
Tail or Rear-Facing Mount
Shows:
- lean angle visually
- rider stability
- line consistency
- mid-corner corrections
Fairing / Handlebar Mount
Shows:
- brake lever timing
- throttle timing
- steering inputs
This angle is extremely useful once you’re ready for deeper analysis.
A quick safety side note
Many organizations require safety wiring or tethering for any camera mounted to the bike or helmet.
This prevents the unit from becoming debris on track.
Always confirm your track rules — safety wires, tethers, or secondary retention straps are often mandatory.
2. Keep Your Recordings Short and Reviewable
Three-hour clips are useless.
The sweet spot is:
4–8 laps at a time.
Short clips let you:
- compare laps accurately
- spot repeat mistakes
- review without getting overwhelmed
- focus on learning instead of scrubbing footage
Quality > quantity.
3. What to Look for First (No Data Overlay Needed)
Before you add IMU/GPS overlays, look at the fundamentals.
A. Vision Timing
When we talk about “eye movement,” we are not referring to specialized eye-tracking devices.
We’re looking at:
- visible head movement
- when your visor turns toward the apex
- when your head leaves the apex and looks toward exit
If your head freezes, your vision is late.
B. Steering Inputs
Are you steering once?
Or adding lean mid-corner?
“Adding lean mid-corner” means:
You had to increase lean after the bike was already committed — usually due to:
- turning too early
- turning shallow
- hesitation
- late vision
- wide entry line
- rushed brake release
Your camera shows if this happens in the same spot every lap.
C. Body Tension
Video exposes:
- stiff shoulders
- locked arms
- unsupported core
- poor lower-body anchor
These often correlate with mid-corner instability.
D. Line Consistency
Are your lines repeatable?
Or does every lap look different?
Inconsistency reveals more than you think.
4. How to Self-Coach Without Overwhelm
Break your analysis down into single topics.
Example patterns to look for:
- “My eyes are late in T3, T4, T5.”
- “I steer twice on entry.”
- “I never get the bike fully stood up on exits.”
Onboard footage only works when you focus on one correction at a time.
A personal note for riders
I once asked a coach to film an entire 20-minute session while following me — and it became one of the most valuable tools I’ve ever used.
If you have a coach, a friend, or a riding buddy willing to film from behind or in front, that footage becomes a true educational resource.
Seeing your riding from another perspective exposes habits your own camera angle won’t always reveal.
Trade laps.
Trade cameras.
Use your network — it accelerates progress more than people realize.
5. What Onboard Footage Is NOT For
Avoid using your footage to:
- compare yourself to faster riders
- judge lean angle competitively
- critique your “style”
- obsess about aesthetics
The camera is for truth, not ego.
6. When Basic Footage Is Enough (and When You Need Data)
Basic footage shows:
- vision timing
- steering timing
- line choice
- posture
- tension patterns
- confidence patterns
Data overlays show:
- speed
- throttle timing
- brake application
- estimated lean angle
- acceleration zones
Most riders should start with basic footage first.
Once timing is consistent, data becomes meaningful.
7. How to Analyze Brake Timing
Footage shows:
A. When your lever begins to move
Late = rushed entry.
Early = wasted distance.
B. How you release the brake
Frame-by-frame comparison reveals:
- full brake
- brake taper
- release timing
- lean initiation
You want release leading into lean, not before it.
C. Smooth vs abrupt release
Abrupt release → front end unloads.
Smooth release → stable chassis.
8. How to Identify Steering Errors
Your footage shows:
- hesitation
- double steering
- shallow entry lines
- add-on lean corrections
Break down:
A. The moment your head leads
Head should rotate early.
Late head movement = late turn.
B. The number of steering inputs
One input = predictability.
Two or three = instability.
C. Your exit stand-up timing
Your footage shows exactly when you begin picking up the bike.
9. Reading Body Position From Footage
Look for:
Head Lead
Head should enter the corner before the torso.
Upper-Body Rotation
If your shoulders stay square, you increase lean demand.
Lower-Body Anchoring
If your knee, thigh, and outside leg aren’t stable, your arms compensate.
Tension Patterns
Shoulders, wrists, elbows — the camera doesn’t lie.
10. The Professional Analysis Method
This workflow is used by pro coaches and racers:
- Pick one corner
- Watch your most recent lap
- Watch your fastest lap
- Compare them side-by-side
- Look for differences in:
- vision
- brake release
- steering
- body position
- line
- Apply correction
- Re-record
- Verify the change
Professionals never guess — they measure.
11. How This Connects to Lean Angle
Your footage becomes the “mirror” for your lean-angle development.
It reveals:
- when the tire loads
- how smooth the brake release is
- whether steering is decisive
- how body position affects lean demand
- when the eyes leave the apex
- when roll-on begins
This is the practical, real-world application of the lean-angle framework you just learned.
12. The TrackDNA Footage Checklist
The 10 questions to ask of every corner:
- When do my eyes move?
- When do I begin braking?
- When does my brake release begin?
- Is the release smooth or abrupt?
- How many steering inputs did I use?
- Did my head lead the turn?
- Was my lower body stable?
- When did I begin rolling on?
- Is my line consistent?
- What changes between my slowest and fastest laps?
Closing — Your Camera Is Your First Coach
Onboard footage isn’t about showing off.
It’s about showing yourself the truth.
Used intentionally:
- your vision improves
- your lines stabilize
- your timing becomes predictable
- your lean angle becomes consistent
- your confidence grows
Your next lap begins with the last lap you reviewed.
