Proper Braking

[PlayfulGod]

Motorcycles have two brakes - the front operated by the right hand, the rear operated by the right foot - and both are needed to stop effectively. Below are some important guidelines for braking safely on a motorcycle.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Steps
1
Step One
Use both brakes each time you slow down or stop. If you use only the rear brake, you may never learn how to use the front brake properly when you need it.
2
Step Two
Squeeze the front brake and press down the rear brake smoothly, gradually increasing pressure as needed. Jerking the front brake or hitting the rear brake hard can cause the brakes to lock up, resulting in skids and control problems.
3
Step Three
Apply both brakes simultaneously. Many riders believe the rear brake should be applied first. On the contrary, the sooner you apply the front brake, the sooner you slow down.
4
Step Four
Complete your braking before entering a turn, when possible. If you need to brake when turning, you can use the front, as well as the rear, brake, as long as the road isn't very slippery and you apply the brakes gently - you've less traction available for braking when you're leaning the bike.
Tips & Warnings

* Remember the front brake provides about three-quarters of your stopping power. It's safe to use in quick stops when you apply it properly.
* Some motorcycles have combined braking, which applies both the front brake and the rear brake when you use the rear brake pedal. Check your owner's manual for a detailed explanation.
* Jamming the front brake hard on a slippery surface can be hazardous. Squeeze the brake lever cautiously on wet or icy roads. And begin applying the brakes sooner than you normally would.

[NeonspeedRT]

4
Step Four
Complete your braking before entering a turn, when possible. If you need to brake when turning, you can use the front, as well as the rear, brake, as long as the road isn't very slippery and you apply the brakes gently - you've less traction available for braking when you're leaning the bike.


NEVER NEVER NEVER use your brakes when leaned over in a corner. The bike will instantly go down. If you have to brake in a corner, straighten first, then brake.

An easy way to simulate this is to find a flat open area of ground. With your bike off and in neutral, stand on the right side of your bike and walk your bike in a circle, with the bike leaned over simulating going through a corner. While walking the bike leaned over, with you holding it, squeeze the front brake lever. You will feel the bike dip and want to fall. Thats basically what happens in a corner.

In the MSF we have a whole exercise devoted to braking in a corner. If you need a refresher or are unsure, please sign up and take a local MSF class.

[Ninjachic]

[QUOTE=NeonspeedRT;9092]NEVER NEVER NEVER use your brakes when leaned over in a corner. The bike will instantly go down. If you have to brake in a corner, straighten first, then brake.

:) Sooo true, and it's not a good feeling. I've done it by accident in my garage. It only took one time of a near drop for me to Believe.:)

[neeonazi]

:) Sooo true, and it's not a good feeling. I've done it by accident in my garage. It only took one time of a near drop for me to Believe.:)

EEK! I'm glad you got to learn it in the safety of your garage rather than on the open road!

[PlayfulGod]

NEVER NEVER NEVER use your brakes when leaned over in a corner. The bike will instantly go down. If you have to brake in a corner, straighten first, then brake.

An easy way to simulate this is to find a flat open area of ground. With your bike off and in neutral, stand on the right side of your bike and walk your bike in a circle, with the bike leaned over simulating going through a corner. While walking the bike leaned over, with you holding it, squeeze the front brake lever. You will feel the bike dip and want to fall. Thats basically what happens in a corner.

In the MSF we have a whole exercise devoted to braking in a corner. If you need a refresher or are unsure, please sign up and take a local MSF class.

Funny at speed I get the opposite reaction, the bike wants to stand up if I touch the brakes in a turn. And of course the bike is gonna wanna go down if you hit the brake while walking it at a lean, you stop 400+lbs at low speed its gonna wanna fall.

[SiC-0]

Typically, if you grab brakes in a turn the bike will stand up. This is taught at all MSF courses. Now a lil trail braking..I do some of that in conjunction with the engine...

[NeonspeedRT]

Typically, if you grab brakes in a turn the bike will stand up. This is taught at all MSF courses. Now a lil trail braking..I do some of that in conjunction with the engine...

Actually if you are leaned over in a good corner, and squeeze the brakes, the bike will go straight down. What takes more effort for the bike? If you have 4 inches down, or 8 inches up to straighten. The bike will take the shortest path every time. Which happens to be down.

Normally a bike wants to stay upright. That is correct. If you are taking a nice, passive corner and leaned over ever so slightly, then sure the bike might stand itself up.

The combined effect of the wheels in motion and and the internals on a motorcycle rotating and moving act as a big gyroscope. The motorcycle wants to stand upright all the time when it's in motion. However, when you pass a certain lean angle, the gyroscope effect can't compensate for the lean angle to straighten up the motorcycle.

[NeonspeedRT]

Typically, if you grab brakes in a turn the bike will stand up. This is taught at all MSF courses. Now a lil trail braking..I do some of that in conjunction with the engine...


Trail braking is a whole different situation. Not something beginner or novice riders need to concern themselves with.

I can however promise you that in no MSF class I know of, we teach that "grabing the brakes in a turn will make the bike stand up".

Exercise 14 in the BRC is stopping quickly in a curve. I can post up a copy of the range cards or the BRC handbook we give students.

No where in the range cards, the video students watch, or the BRC handbook does it mention that grabbing the brakes in a turn will make the bike stand upright. We teach all the students that to stop quickly in a curve, you first must straighten and then brake.

[PlayfulGod]

Trail braking is a whole different situation. Not something beginner or novice riders need to concern themselves with.

I can however promise you that in no MSF class I know of, we teach that "grabing the brakes in a turn will make the bike stand up".

Exercise 14 in the BRC is stopping quickly in a curve. I can post up a copy of the range cards or the BRC handbook we give students.

No where in the range cards, the video students watch, or the BRC handbook does it mention that grabbing the brakes in a turn will make the bike stand upright. We teach all the students that to stop quickly in a curve, you first must straighten and then brake.

Yea, what I was saying tho if you do grab the brakes in a turn it will stand the bike up up tho and if too much resulting a highside. And like you said inexperienced riders need to avoid braking in turns or stand it up b4 applying the brakes. :good:

[Sortarican]

:rtfm:+1 on corner braking standing the bike up.

The only time I've ever lowsided braking in a corner is if I was going fairly slow (under 5mph), or lock the brake causing a lowside(rear locked) or nose down(front locked).
Both usually only happen when emergency braking while in a turn.

Going through a corner too hot and braking will stand you up every time, plus you'll run wide.
The gyroscopic effect once you're moving makes the weight of the bike and gravity an afterthought.
Hence why countersteering works and your bike doesn't just drop to the ground.
(Exception is when you're already dragging peg and the bike is nearly sideways. At this point the gyro force is almost sideway too.)

Great way to get a feel for how intense gyro forces can be try this:
Next time you have a wheel off your bike hold it by the axle and have someone spin it.
Try and turn the wheel sideways, it'll practically break your wrist.
And it's probably spinning at maybe 3 miles an hour at that point.