Motorcycle Braking Techniques
Do You Make These Mistakes When Braking?

************* Article About Motorcycle Braking Techniques

Stop the Machine!
by Robert Vaughan

Screeeeeeeeech!

Beeeeeeeeeeeep!

"Did you see that car? He came from behind that 18-wheeler
and ran the red. I almost hit him."

Has this ever happened to you? Ever wonder just how fast you
can stop your bike?

With a few good techniques and a little practice the answer
is a lot faster than you think. The two main techniques are
squeezing the front brake rapidly instead of grabbing it,
and taking advantage of the weight shift to use even more
front brake. The practice takes just a few minutes in a
parking lot about three times a year.

As you start braking, about half your weight is on each
wheel. If you apply both brakes hard without grabbing the
front brake, your weight will shift forward and you can
squeeze the front brake even harder, while you let up a
little on the rear. It takes only about half a second for
your weight to shift so you can add more front brake. It is
because of this weight change that about 70% of your braking
power is on the front. When all the extra weight shifts
forward, the front tire gets harder to lock, while the rear
gets easier to lock.

If you ever lock the front tire, release the front brake and
come right back down on it. This is exactly the opposite of
what you want to do with the rear if it locks. You can
release a locked rear if you're perfectly straight, but if
you've turned sideways and you unlock the rear wheel, you
can do a highside--not something you do for fun!

A parking lot is the perfect place to practice-an empty
parking lot that is. No need to terrorize the populace while
they're trying to use the lot. Start out at 10-15 miles per
hour. The techniques are the same for any speed, but you
don't need as much room to practice in if your speed is
lower.

When you go back to the streets, you need to add only one
more technique--looking out for the other guy. If you're
braking hard, this means checking your mirrors before you
start to make sure you're not being tailgated. If you're in
a situation where you might have to brake suddenly, cover
both brakes to cut your reaction time to about half. This
shaves a few feet off what by now is your already-
impressive stopping distance.

Rain can affect your stopping distance more than it affects
your technique. You can't stop as quickly in the rain.
Because you can't brake as hard, not as much of your weight
shifts forward. That means braking less hard overall and
using a smaller percentage of front brake. Otherwise,
techniques are the same.

Having some jerk with the brains of a carburetor pull out in
front of you while you're turning around in a parking lot
adds another factor--stopping in a curve. When this happens,
straighten the handlebars and the bike. Then stop. Don't try
to mix the two.

These few techniques and a little practice should get your
stopping off to a good start.

Copyright © 1996 by Robert Vaughan.
http://www.wheels-in-motion.com

**************** End of Article About Motorcycle Braking Techniques

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