I hope you all had a wonderful and safe memorial day weekend. I got stuck teaching a class but hey, its all for the safety. One of my students owns 4 hayabusas. He was taking the class for himself (who never had an endorsement but has been riding for 21 years) and his soon to be wife who never rode a motorcycle before. Great group of people, couldn't have asked for a better group to spend Saturday and Sunday with. Well any ways, to the safety topic of the week. Brakes, its all about brakes.
The stopping power of a motorcycle. Isn't it amazing, if you know how to do it right. A motorcycle can stop in almost half the distance of a car, maybe even less if the rider is well trained. I ask every class I teach about what they have heard about using motorcycle brakes. In every class I always hear the same, "Don't use your front brake, you'll go over the handlebars" Or "There is no need for your back brake". Every time I hear these I just laugh.
So lets debunk these wives tales. Yes, when motorcycles first came out you could go over the handle bars if you braked to hard same holds true for current bicycles, but the invention of the front shocks has done away with this. You will never go over the handle bars unless you were doing something intentionally stupid (Stoppie or Endo). So if you lock up the front wheel what happens? You do something called a low side. If you lock up the front wheel and not let go, your motorcycle will dive to one way or the other and you will fall off to that side creating a low side fall. Locking up the front wheel happens when you don't allow the weight to transfer to the front wheel before you squeeze into the brake (we wont get into to much detail). Sum it up, never Grab the front break just squeeze it. Apply more pressure as you stop.
Never use your rear brake? Huh, where did this one come from? If you know please enlighten me. I think it came from people who were afraid to lock up the rear tire. Probably heavy footed individuals. The rear brake plays an important function on the motorcycle. It allows 100% stopping power when used with the front brake. If you happen to lock up the rear wheel it is recommended to keep it locked until your at a full stop. If you don't there is a chance for a high side fall. A motorcycle is made to do one thing, that is to go straight. When the back wheel locks up on a road with uneven pavement (which is nearly all roads) the back end of the motorcycle will sway side to side. If you let go of the rear brake on a road with good traction and the motorcycle isn't perfectly lined up with the front it will snap back into place, it will not go back nicely but quickly and fierce and you will go off the high side. I have seen very large men get tossed from there rides when this happens. If you are on a road with not so good traction, like a dirt road, it will be easier to keep control if you let go of a rear wheel skid. Is it possible to let go of a rear brake during a rear wheel skid on a road with good traction? Yes it is, but I always say better safe then sorry.
So lets divide the stopping power here. 70% of the stopping power comes from the front wheel so 30% must come from the rear wheel. In order to use 100% stopping power you must use both brakes. As current riders we all know that 100% stopping power is not always needed for regular stops, you might not even need both brakes for regular stops. But its a good idea to create good habits. Use both brakes every time you stop so encase you need to stop quickly your mentally trained to automatically use both brakes. I cant emphasize this enough, you must practice quick stops on your bike. Find a open parking lot and practice, try to decrease your stopping distance each time you stop. Use some kind of marking that tells you when to apply your brakes, then take some distance behind it and take off, when your front tire hits the mark apply both brakes and come to a safe quick stop. Pay attention to your speed and stopping distance. Try to duplicate your speed each time you do a run and try to decrease your stopping distance. Start off slow then work your way up to higher speeds. Create a challenge with friends, who ever gets the longest distance has to pay for gas for the days ride.
What ever the case is, practice is the key. I have heard of so many cases where proper braking could of saved an accident and even lives. If we would all spend just a little time out of our ride to practice some basic skills that we may not use every time we ride, so if needed you will be prepared to use them. Next week we will discuss breaking in turns, I think i've typed enough already for today. There goes my post whoring.
Keep the shiny side up
Dave (Coach)
The stopping power of a motorcycle. Isn't it amazing, if you know how to do it right. A motorcycle can stop in almost half the distance of a car, maybe even less if the rider is well trained. I ask every class I teach about what they have heard about using motorcycle brakes. In every class I always hear the same, "Don't use your front brake, you'll go over the handlebars" Or "There is no need for your back brake". Every time I hear these I just laugh.
So lets debunk these wives tales. Yes, when motorcycles first came out you could go over the handle bars if you braked to hard same holds true for current bicycles, but the invention of the front shocks has done away with this. You will never go over the handle bars unless you were doing something intentionally stupid (Stoppie or Endo). So if you lock up the front wheel what happens? You do something called a low side. If you lock up the front wheel and not let go, your motorcycle will dive to one way or the other and you will fall off to that side creating a low side fall. Locking up the front wheel happens when you don't allow the weight to transfer to the front wheel before you squeeze into the brake (we wont get into to much detail). Sum it up, never Grab the front break just squeeze it. Apply more pressure as you stop.
Never use your rear brake? Huh, where did this one come from? If you know please enlighten me. I think it came from people who were afraid to lock up the rear tire. Probably heavy footed individuals. The rear brake plays an important function on the motorcycle. It allows 100% stopping power when used with the front brake. If you happen to lock up the rear wheel it is recommended to keep it locked until your at a full stop. If you don't there is a chance for a high side fall. A motorcycle is made to do one thing, that is to go straight. When the back wheel locks up on a road with uneven pavement (which is nearly all roads) the back end of the motorcycle will sway side to side. If you let go of the rear brake on a road with good traction and the motorcycle isn't perfectly lined up with the front it will snap back into place, it will not go back nicely but quickly and fierce and you will go off the high side. I have seen very large men get tossed from there rides when this happens. If you are on a road with not so good traction, like a dirt road, it will be easier to keep control if you let go of a rear wheel skid. Is it possible to let go of a rear brake during a rear wheel skid on a road with good traction? Yes it is, but I always say better safe then sorry.
So lets divide the stopping power here. 70% of the stopping power comes from the front wheel so 30% must come from the rear wheel. In order to use 100% stopping power you must use both brakes. As current riders we all know that 100% stopping power is not always needed for regular stops, you might not even need both brakes for regular stops. But its a good idea to create good habits. Use both brakes every time you stop so encase you need to stop quickly your mentally trained to automatically use both brakes. I cant emphasize this enough, you must practice quick stops on your bike. Find a open parking lot and practice, try to decrease your stopping distance each time you stop. Use some kind of marking that tells you when to apply your brakes, then take some distance behind it and take off, when your front tire hits the mark apply both brakes and come to a safe quick stop. Pay attention to your speed and stopping distance. Try to duplicate your speed each time you do a run and try to decrease your stopping distance. Start off slow then work your way up to higher speeds. Create a challenge with friends, who ever gets the longest distance has to pay for gas for the days ride.
What ever the case is, practice is the key. I have heard of so many cases where proper braking could of saved an accident and even lives. If we would all spend just a little time out of our ride to practice some basic skills that we may not use every time we ride, so if needed you will be prepared to use them. Next week we will discuss breaking in turns, I think i've typed enough already for today. There goes my post whoring.
Keep the shiny side up
Dave (Coach)
to write these great posts!
