Brake Properly on a Motorcycle
When learning to ride a motorcycle, one of the most important skills to master is how to brake properly. Being confident in your stopping ability will help you maneuver in daily driving and handle emergency situations more skillfully and with less incident. There are several things you can do to brake safely and successfully.
Steps
- Evaluate your surroundings and conditions.
- Look ahead at the conditions of the road. Are there any obstacles in your way? Is the road hot? Is there any water on the road? Is there gravel on the road? Consider the age and tread of your tires. Are they at full tread and optimum stopping capability or do they show some age? All of these conditions alter your stopping length and your bike's braking reaction.
- Brake carefully under slippery conditions. The technique for braking in wet or slippery conditions is the same; however, the distance needed to make the stop increases.
- Practice braking regularly and in various weather conditions and scenarios.
- Become a master at controlling your motorcycle. The more often you brake, the more comfortable you will become with the action and the better you will be able to carry out the process successfully in any given situation. You will be more capable of controlling your bike. Practicing motorcycle braking techniques will enable you to be more confident handling your bike in emergency situations.
- Set up braking drills. To become better accustomed to the braking needs of various conditions and how the bike maneuvers during harder and harder stops, take time periodically to do braking drills. Find a secluded parking lot or empty street to practice on. This will help you become better acquainted with difficult situations like braking while cornering.
- Use traditional motorcycle braking instructions to stop under normal conditions. The distance required to stop is lengthened as your speed increases.
- Place gradual pressure on both the front and back brake simultaneously. Most of the stopping power is in the front brake so more pressure should be put on it compared to the back one. A majority of the weight on the bike is now transferred to the front. This happens because the shocks compress, increasing the traction on the front tire.
- Release the pressure off the rear brake, and increase the pressure on the front brake. As the motorcycle slows down, the weight will lift off the front of the bike, bringing the suspension back up. If you do not release the brakes, you will be in danger of locking up your tires.
- Let off the front brake slowly and compensate by applying slight pressure to the rear brake and releasing them together.
- Recover from a wheel lock when braking while driving.
- Keep the brake held in position during a rear wheel lock. Steer the motorcycle straight until the motorcycle comes to a stop.
- Let off the brake gradually if the front wheel locks. Do this until the wheel releases and the bike comes to a stop.
