Motorcycle Stopping Techniques and Mistakes [Video Guide]

Whenever you are riding a motorcycle, always have in your mind that there might be an unexpected occurrence or danger. However, learning the best skills of how to escape when the unexpected happens is a great deal. The important aspect to be focused on in this article is to learn the survival skill by learning to stop the motorcycle quickly. These tricks of learning how to stop the motorcycle guarantee safety.

How Do You Stop a Motorcycle Quickly?

To stop the motorcycle quickly, first make sure that the handlebars are straight. After that, you can now apply an increase to the rear as well as the front brake. To achieve that, you need to do it in a gradual motion. Do not just stab at the brake. Make it smooth. Now, let’s go through the in-depth things you should know about learning how to stop motorcycles quickly. The moment your handlebars are straight and the motorcycle is fully upright, use both the brakes.

This helps to decrease the distance and makes stopping easier. When riding a motorcycle on a flat surface, it has a graciously distributed weight between the back and the front wheels, which are 50/50. However, the moment you start to apply the brakes, the weight will shift forward to the front forks. Therefore, the suspension would be compressed. When this is done, the tire at the front contact patch will be increased, and it helps to increase the motorcycle’s stopping power.

In the same vein, it means that the wheel at the back no longer has the same weight, and by implication, there is a chance for it to hook and therefore result in a skid. To prevent this from happening, you need to regulate the rear brake to release more pressure if you discover that it might skid or you feel it starting to skid. In case of any emergency braking situation, you do not want the front or the rear wheel to skid. When the tire begins to skid, you no longer have the control of or the traction, which helps to increase the distance at which you should stop.

Therefore, learning to avoid a skid is always a suitable thing. To learn how to prevent this, it is best to make sure that your weight is kept off the handlebars and shift it towards the back of your seat. Doing this helps to keep a bit more weight you have over the rear tire. It helps to reduce the point at which the rear tire would lock up and skid.

Another thing that could be done is gripping and squeezing the tank with both legs. This will keep it from sliding forward. This is because handlebars are meant only for providing inputs to the motorcycle. It is not meant for hanging on.

Furthermore, you should learn how to keep your head and eyes up. Ensure that you focus on the horizon. Do not focus on your controls by looking down. When your attention is fixed up, it helps to keep balance as well as helps to keep your stability.

How to Practice It for Perfection?

To start practicing it, it is important to look for a lonely place with many pavements. Ensure that your stopping zone is a clean and clear place without any speck of dirt or debris. After that, set a marker where you will start your brake application. However, ensure that enough space remains beyond the marked place. That will help you to complete your braking. This should normally be 2-3 times more spacious than whatever space you might think you need.

Then start to build up little by little at 30 mph. You can start to increase your speed based on how comfortable you feel with it. Make sure that you measure your distance to know how skillful you are becoming in your practice. However, it is not good to practice alone. Get someone to be with you just in case any unforeseen event occurs.

As a rider, always make sure you practice constantly to become an expert. When it is done from time to time, you will overcome any form of fear that might haunt you from becoming a professional at it. This is important because the more you know it, the safer you are. The only thing you should always put to work is your mental skills. It helps a lot and can easily help you fish out the appropriate time to stop and reduce the stopping distance.

The Common Mistakes Beginner Riders Make

Often riders make the mistake of getting addicted to using only the front brake to stop. This is not the appropriate way to do it. It is just 70% of the front brake’s stopping power. It is better to apply both the rear and the front brake because they help to stop quickly during any emergency.

On some occasions, some riders argue that using only the front brake is enough since it provides the major stopping power. This is not so because the rear brake does not only contribute to slowing down. It also helps in regulating the weight balance of the motorcycle. By so doing, the front tire will not be overburdened when you are trying to stop quickly.

Moreover, never try to reach for a fistful of the front brake. Some riders do this, and it causes the front end to lock up. It is a very dangerous way to go about it because it results in a crash. All you need is to be smooth on the controls. This can be prevented by using just two fingers to operate the front brake.

In addition to this, never lay your motorcycle down to avoid any crash. This is not advisable because you have crashed already the moment you lay it down. This is just a training process, and you can always perform better.

Conclusion

Stopping quickly on a motorcycle is a skill that needs a lot of time and attention to master better. You only need a good enough space to practice and become a professional.