ATTN All Rusty Riders and Newbies - Please practice your emergency stops...

[RVertigo]

Please practice your emergency stops...

1.  Continue to squeeze the front brake, progressively harder.
2.  Don't hit the rear brake as hard as possible, this will most likely lock your rear tire and cause you to slide.
3.  If you do lock your rear tire and slide, releasing the rear brake may cause a high-side, so be warned.

I was about 3 ft from being grill-meat this morning...    I'm going to go practice my emergency stops tonight.

[spc]

Thanks, for sharing!!!  I learned my lesson about locking the brakes about 2 weeks ago     But, I learned from it and everything came out OK for the most part    Glad you didn't make roadkill status!!

[groff22]

It's truly a good tip! But don't just stop there!

A few friends and I, we go on Sunday rides in the summer and I usually make it a point to do 10 minute brush up sessions in the usual meeting spot before everyone else arrives ...  Usually try to see how fast/slow I can do various turns, figure 8s, emergency stops/accelerations, lane changes, etc ...  Despite my best interest in everyone becoming a more solid rider -- I'm the only one out of the bunch who does this. Hopefully Karma protects me against any screw ups related to things practiced

[Wrecent_Wryder]

T5

[RVertigo]

Damn you Pandy!  This isn't an Odd or an End...  It has to do with riding safely.

But don't just stop there!

Good point!!!

[pandy]

Riding safety is an O&E topic! Not once do you mention the GS in your original post (and I'd better quote it so that you don't go change it ). This is definitely a VERY important topic, but it's not GS specific. 

Please practice your emergency stops...

1.  Continue to squeeze the front brake, progressively harder.
2.  Don't hit the rear brake as hard as possible, this will most likely lock your rear tire and cause you to slide.
3.  If you do lock your rear tire and slide, releasing the rear brake may cause a high-side, so be warned.

I was about 3 ft from being grill-meat this morning...    I'm going to go practice my emergency stops tonight.

P.S. And what makes you think *I* moved it? Oh...that's right....you blame me for EVERYTHING!

[natedawg120]

I practice with my tenis ball cones every spring, its fun and it gets the rust off.  One bad experience last spring and I learned real quick to take it slow in the spring to rework the winter kinks out

[werase643]

The harder you brake, the easier it is to lock up the rear.

never have that problem if you don't use the rear brake

high sides hurt real bad by the way......

[baco99]

good rule of thumb is to release the front and slide the back if you're really in a pinch.  much easier to recover from a low-side.  especially on a 400 lb bike.

[RedShift]

• Front Brake = Firm to Firmer.
• Rear Brake = Light to Lighter.

.
The physics of this suggests that a firm squeeze shifts the weight forward, providing more grip potential.  You squeeze harder to use that grip.  Progressive pressure.  That's the ticket.

As this is done, you have less grip on the rear.  That's why you should work on releasing some rear brake pressure as you increase the front.

The fact is that using both brakes will reduce your stopping distance over using the front alone.

___________________________________________________________

Another tip.  Use all four fingers rather than just the Index and Middle fingers.  Yes, you might argue that you can apply enough pressure to stop your bike with just two fingers, but four give you more sensitivity and control, not to mention all the squeeze pressure you have is immediately at your disposal. 

As RVertigo suggests -- practice is never wasted when it comes to stopping quickly.  Great idea.   

[Alphamazing]

Another tip.  Use all four fingers rather than just the Index and Middle fingers.  Yes, you might argue that you can apply enough pressure to stop your bike with just two fingers, but four give you more sensitivity and control, not to mention all the squeeze pressure you have is immediately at your disposal. 

True, however, in panic situations you are usually giving a bit more braking power and you tend to lose fine motor control simply due to panic and adrenaline. You can get PLENTY of braking power from two fingers, and you are less likely to lock up your front wheel by applying too much power (which is rather easy with four fingers).

Something most of you GSers don't have to worry about, and something I miss about having the GS, stoppies were very very difficult on the GS. You apply more and more front brake and you slow down faster and faster. With the DR-Z I have to worry about having the tail end coming up on me if I brake too fast and too hard. Heck, I can get pretty decent braking power with ONE finger and have more than enough braking feel and control to haul it down hard if need be.

[RVertigo]

"Panic Sutuations" is exacty right...  Mine went like this:

"What the [Brake] f%$k [locked rear and started sliding sideways] is that [released front and rear] guy [locked rear again] doing?!? [Released front and rear again]  Oh shaZam!....  [Remembered to continue on the front and be nicer to the rear] Oh please stop [continued braking]...  OH DUDE STOP!!! [He stopped]  THANK f%$king GOD! [I rolled passed him].......   <Sigh>  PHEW!!!"  [waved at him for not killing me].

Only took about 1.5 seconds...  But, it felt like 5 minutes...


He assumed that I was going to slow down for the train tracks that look like this:  /\_/\__/\_/\__/\_/\__/\_/\  But, I just stood up and rolled right over them at speed....  So, he got very confused about what to do and almost ate me...   

[mjn12]

Read "Proficient Motorcycling" !!!

[Stephen072774]

I got to practice mine the other day when Bambi jumped out in front of me...  Seemed like I went from 45 to 0 in about 20 feet... heard the tires chrip slightly so I know I was close to the max threshold.  After my heart came back inside my chest I felt really good about my stop   I guess the deer did too

[RedShift]

Another tip.  Use all four fingers rather than just the Index and Middle fingers.  Yes, you might argue that you can apply enough pressure to stop your bike with just two fingers, but four give you more sensitivity and control, not to mention all the squeeze pressure you have is immediately at your disposal. 

True, however, in panic situations you are usually giving a bit more braking power and you tend to lose fine motor control simply due to panic and adrenaline. You can get PLENTY of braking power from two fingers, and you are less likely to lock up your front wheel by applying too much power (which is rather easy with four fingers).
...

Alpha, we may not agree, but the idea RVertigo is pushing is to practice. I think we both can get behind that.

Whether we use four, two or one finger, we need to get into the habit, build muscle memory, to front brake with progressive firmness, to stop quickly and not use up our braking reserve.  Control is important, be it under panic or calm conditions.   

[Alphamazing]

Alpha, we may not agree, but the idea RVertigo is pushing is to practice. I think we both can get behind that.

Whether we use four, two or one finger, we need to get into the habit, build muscle memory, to front brake with progressive firmness, to stop quickly and not use up our braking reserve.  Control is important, be it under panic or calm conditions.   

Definitely. Brake sensetivity plays a key role as well. I've heard of someone on a Ducati 999R locking their front wheel during normal two finger braking while on dry pavement with warm, sticky tires. They use one finger to brake now.

But yeah, practicing your panic stops are key. I use two fingers so that I can also better modulate the throttle as I downshift and use engine braking as well.

[RVertigo]

I got to practice mine the other day when Bambi jumped out in front of me...

I did that last year...  But, the good thing is, back then I was all practiced on quick stops...  Unlike the other day.   

[Wrecent_Wryder]

[5

[CirclesCenter]

Another tip.  Use all four fingers rather than just the Index and Middle fingers.  Yes, you might argue that you can apply enough pressure to stop your bike with just two fingers, but four give you more sensitivity and control, not to mention all the squeeze pressure you have is immediately at your disposal. 

True, however, in panic situations you are usually giving a bit more braking power and you tend to lose fine motor control simply due to panic and adrenaline. You can get PLENTY of braking power from two fingers, and you are less likely to lock up your front wheel by applying too much power (which is rather easy with four fingers).

I was using two fingers and trust me, it's plenty enough to wash out your front.