Generally
one thinks of braking a motorcycle with the brakes - not so. Braking is achieved
by a mix of the following, starting with the most important.
Watch the brake light of the smart rider in traffic or when touring - it seldom
comes on as the he/she regulates the bikes speed and position long before angry
braking is needed.
Watch the brake light of the smart rider in traffic or when touring - it seldom
comes on as the he/she regulates the bikes speed and position long before angry
braking is needed.
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Safe
Braking
| Braking
Action By |
This
Action Affects |
| Defensive Riding.
Looking far ahead, anticipating problems and choosing the best line through traffic
and |
Your position
relative to the problem area. |
| The front brake |
The front wheel
and front/back weight distribution |
| The rear brake |
The rear wheel |
| Snapping off the
throttle |
The rear wheel |
| Changing to a
lower gear |
The rear wheel |
|
| |
One
is tempted to over look the last two in the table above but both of them are quite
able to lock up the rear wheel just long enough to cause the back to slide out
when the bike is leaning over into a corner. Therefore safe, confident braking
on a motorbike is not a simple skill but requires practice and training as the
condition of the road surface plays a vital role. Generally here are some rules
of thumb
1) Use
the front brake!! This is the one that does most of the work. Braking confidently,
progressively and hard on the front wheel is a critical skill and should be practised
on a regular basis and under safe conditions. Do this on your own and with a passenger
as the extra weight affects your stopping distance. As you brake do not stiffen
your arms - instead grip the bike with your legs leaving your arms free and relaxed.
2) Hard, heavy braking is always done when the motorcycle is upright and
travelling in a straight line
3) Generally do not lock up the wheels!
If you lock up the front wheel for more than a short distance when travelling
in a straight line, the wheel will eventually wash out and you will hit the tar.
If you lock up the front while turning the motorbike you will hit the tar immediately
but you should escape with only a few bruises. |
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If you lock up the rear when travelling in a straight line you will be OK as long
as you "LOOK UP. LOOK AHEAD" and keep the bike in a perfectly straight line (not
that easy).
If you lock up the rear wheel while turning you are in trouble. The rear will
begin to slide out from under you. If you release the rear wheel (your first survival
instinct) you could ’high side’ with possible fatal consequences (See Lingo page)
You need to keep the wheel locked and let the bike slide out and away from you.
4) Never grab the front brake as this may cause it to lock up. Instead
apply the initial pressure smoothly for the first second. This allows the front
of the bike to dip onto its front suspension as the weight of the bike moves forward
onto the front wheel. This added downward pressure means that you can now brake
harder and harder on the front brake with little chance of it locking up (on a
good surface). Note: As the bike dips down onto its front suspension do not stiffen
your arms and prop your body up using the handle bars. Instead grip the bike harder
with your legs and keep your arms loose and relaxed.
5) Throughout
the braking process keep your eyes up and look ahead!! Watch the road surface
like a hawk. Keep the front tyre on a hard, clean, dry surface avoiding strange
colour changes in road surface . If you cannot, ease back on the front brake and
apply more pressure to the back. Change to a lower gear to slow you down but let
the clutch out gradually. Jumping the clutch out suddenly can momentary lock up
the rear wheel causing a rear wheel slide out. Diesel oil spills on the road surface
from passing trucks are a common cause of bikers loosing control. The good news
is that you will smell it roughly two seconds before you see it as a dark patch
on the road surface!
6) In city traffic keep two fingers on the front brake lever. This is necessary
because other slow moving vehicles may be as close as one meter away from you
and you don’t have time to fumble with the front brake. Do not do this on the
open road or when riding on the dirt. You cannot afford to have the handlebars
ripped out of your grasp for whatever reason. |
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7) If an emergency stop is required on a very loose surface - maybe you
should try to take the gap rather than stop. Alternatively locking up the back
wheel, sliding and dropping the bike onto the road is an alternative that has
saved many a life but sure as hell I hope I never have to try it!
8) When going down a steep dirt road with loose stones, use a combination
of the back brake and a low gear ratio to prevent the bike from picking up too
much speed. Keep as much weight over the rear tyre as possible. You can lightly
finger the front brake when the surface offers sufficient traction
9) If you spend most of your time travelling on your own you will get used
to your brakes performing to a certain level. When you add a passenger however
that performance level deteriorates. Therefore ease yourself into the new conditions
by braking a lot earlier
10) Leaning into a corner too fast and snapping off the throttle is the
same as jabbing the rear brake. It is enough for the rear wheel to loose traction
and cause a slide out.
11) Do not brake in the corner itself. (See point 2) Braking is something
you do before the corner.
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