Who would've thought when I clicked on a thumbnail of a guy in a suit and a description saying he's a trial lawyer would result in me seeing one of the most informative, simple and accurate descriptions of motorcycle emergency braking that I've seen on RU-vid?! Well done sir!
Thanks for your kind words. I have learned a lot more about motorcycle crashes due to working with great experts who help my prove who is at fault in a lot of motorcycle crashes. However, riding often and practicing is the best way to instill good riding habits. Thanks again, and safe riding.
First time see your video. I like the fact that you don't simply have a commercial for your firm, but take the time to give instructional videos to ride safe, and comment to your users showing interest with your subscribers. Getting on our level and conversing instead of posting a commercial and walking away. Much respect brother. This is the way to earn business. Good customer service
I came into a close situation the other day with car pulling in front of me. I've only been riding for almost a year, but even then, I *always* use both brakes, regardless of situation. This was the first time I ever had to do an emergency stop, and I ended up locking the rear, even with a tiny bit of brake. This caused my back end to slide a good 20° from the direction of travel. When the rear finally regained traction, it almost kicked me off the bike. Moral of the story is to be careful using the rear brake, as it's very prone to locking during an emergency stop (unless you have ABS)
Practice emergency braking in an empty parking lot every few months. Emergency Threshold Braking: I think to practice emergency braking should be mentioned and practiced. Note: Every time you stop you put both feet down at the same time when the motorcycle has stopped. That keeps you upright and balanced instead of leaning and having to hold the motorcycle. And think… if you have to ride away quickly you don't waste a precious second getting the motorcycle vertical before riding away. So …..Start at a reasonable speed like 40 to 50 mph in a big open empty parking lot. Find a marker on the road as a measurement point. Do 3 emergency stops from that marker and note where you finally stop and mark that point with something like an old glove. Next. Practice rear brake only first - apply it slow and evenly over and over until you are able to brake right at the threshold of skidding but don't go that far. Next is front brake only - and ditto the same practice applies as the rear. Now the same speed and use both brakes right to their threshold skidding point. Practice that a good number of times. Now go back and recheck yourself at the first location that you marked with the glove. Do another emergency braking. You will see that you have stopped much shorter than your first time. Do this exercise maybe 3 or 4 times a year to keep your skills sharp. Yes I know about ABS and linked brakes. You can still skid an ABS equipped motorcycle. The tires skid and release numerous times quickly. Try to get to that point without reaching it for maximum braking efficiency. Eventually you will discover that the front brakes have more stopping 'power' and therefore you will apply maybe 60% of the braking to the front and 40% to the rear. Of course you can't do it that precise but it is a good target value. In emergency braking you hardly have time to downshift. You can just pull in the clutch and use your left foot to get you down into first gear and ready to ride off based on what happens behind you when you stop fast.
I learned a lot from this. I just bought a 2001 Yamaha R6 yesterday but have had my license since the summer. I drove my bike home (a 45 minute drive with 20 minutes on the highway) and had no issues, and it was the first time i rode a motorcycle on the street AND the highway. Emergency braking is something I am worried about the most. Come March/April when the season starts, i'm definitely going to master this technique. Thanks for the information.
Congratulations on your new R6! The more you practice, the safer you will be on the road. Confidence is a key part of safe riding, but over confidence is a recipe for disaster. Thanks for watching and ride safe.
Emergency Threshold Braking: I think to practice emergency braking should be mentioned and practiced. Note: Every time you stop you put both feet down at the same time when the motorcycle has stopped. That keeps you upright and balanced instead of leaning and having to hold the motorcycle. And think… if you have to ride away quickly you don't waste a precious second getting the motorcycle vertical before riding away. So …..Start at a reasonable speed like 40 to 50 mph in a big open empty parking lot. Find a marker on the road as a measurement point. Do 3 emergency stops from that marker and note where you finally stop and mark that point with something like an old glove. Next. Practice rear brake only first - apply it slow and evenly over and over until you are able to brake right at the threshold of skidding but don't go that far. Next is front brake only - and ditto the same practice applies as the rear. Now the same speed and use both brakes right to their threshold skidding point. Practice that a good number of times. Now go back and recheck yourself at the first location that you marked with the glove. Do another emergency braking. You will see that you have stopped much shorter than your first time. Do this exercise maybe 3 or 4 times a year to keep your skills sharp. Yes I know about ABS and linked brakes. You can still skid an ABS equipped motorcycle. The tires skid and release numerous times quickly. Try to get to that point without reaching it for maximum braking efficiency. Eventually you will discover that the front brakes have more stopping 'power' and therefore you will apply maybe 60% of the braking to the front and 40% to the rear. Of course you can't do it that precise but it is a good target value. In emergency braking you hardly have time to downshift. You can just pull in the clutch and use your left foot to get you down into first gear and ready to ride off based on what happens behind you when you stop fast.
Been a while since you got that bike. I'm on a CB1000. Here's some tips from my motorcycle class I took decades ago (about 60,000 miles of riding since then mostly on urban roads). 1) Be sure your cold tire pressure is always set properly. 2) Don’t out-drive your abilities with high speed. 3) Keep aware of problems on the road by having 12 seconds of clear sight. This includes seeing around/over the vehicle in front of you. Plus you need to see and avoid road debris (parts of truck tires, bottles, wood; things that have fallen off of trucks) that vehicles can drive over. If you can’t see 12 seconds, add more distance.4) Use both brakes all the time. Learn to modulate the rear (at slow speeds like 10-20 MPH, lock it up; we had to do this in the class at 20 MPH.) 5) Use your mirrors and turn your head when changing lanes. Also add convex mini-mirrors to your normal ones that show what's happening in your blind spot like this one on Amazon www.amazon.com/Ampper-Mirrors-Frameless-Degree-Adjustabe/dp/B06XYN1BJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540268348&sr=8-1&keywords=mini+mirrors+for+cars 6) Learn to do figure-eights in parking lots by getting off of your seat so you can lean the bike. This helps with avoidance of obstacles. Best of luck!
Hi Matt, I teach new riders here in the UK. I have to say that your videos are among the best I have ever seen published online. Congratulations and thank you very much for taking the time to explain such an important topic in a clear and easy to understand detail.
I think that the word you want to use for the front suspension is compress. While it is true that the suspension contracts it only does so do to a force that is exerted upon it, not one that it exerts on its own. Therefore, the proper verb for the action exerted by weight distribution is compress.
I AM AMAZED. riding so many years i am still able to LEARN new stuff. best thing that STAYED w/ me ..... in an emergency you will do what you ALWAYS do. you may have saved my life. i always knew rear to front progressively but ONLY in er's. but in er. i will do what i do all day long. for me it's almost exclusively front brake. THANKS
A few remarks on the video: Firstly weigth shifting is not happening. the position of the centre of gravity (c.g.) is not changing or only a small amount (e.g. the fuel might be forced to the front of the tank). The increased pressure on the front tire is coming from the inertia that the braking is trying to counter. Inertia is pulling the c.g.forward. the c.g. is about 20, 30 inches above the road, so there is a torque or moment creating more down force on the front tire and less on the rear tire. To get the physics correct :-) . Secondly applying rear brake in an emergency can cause the rear wheel to block and to lose traction completely, due to diminished downforce on the rear tire. The blocking of the rear wheel is making it more difficult to stay vertical. So be very easy on the rear brake if any. Time for gearshifting might not be availalble, so let the engine stall if needed. Getting the bike to stop is your only concern.
Good comment. I asked a guy once that raced motorcycles about how to ride in the rain and the rear brake. He said go out and ride when it's wet and at slow speeds, like 20 or less mph, lock up the rear brake. That will tell you a lot about wet pavement. And since we invariably ride in the rain, we're going to do that at some point or another. Regarding what you mentioned on rear tire diminished downforce, I agree that modulating the rear brake in an emergency (an art that needs to be practiced) is necessary not to lock it up. And I always brake with both front and rear knowing that. My CB1000 weighs about 590 lbs with fuel. Assuming 10% of the weight on the rear is left under very hard braking, I still have 59 lbs of downforce pressing on the tire and that is useful.
Without a question you should attempt to use the rear brake as well. However, on most sportbikes your hardest breaking will be done with the rear tire just slightly off the ground. This is when body position becomes extremely important.
It's actually impossible to 'lay down' or 'dump' your bike in an emergency stop, it all happens far too quick, that's why it's an emergency stop, plus the physics just don't allow the bike to go over.
I use my motorcycle's brake with 100% traction at the front tire and 0% at the rear tire. It's called *stoppie*. Btw sir, you look like you came right out of a PS2 world in the video.
Watch moto GP.. their rear tyer always in air when they break..its called art of breaking..but dont worry.. there is also a idiot proof system nowadays called abs
not a bad video ... but .... some major points where missed.. simple practising routines when nothing is around would be 1: Cover your brakes at danger points like intersections passing parked cars and coming over blind crests in the road( probably a million other things to take care with, but covering your brakes is essential to being able to stop in an emergency. 2: set up brakes (take initial 1st squeeze to apply down force on front wheel and maximise the fork dive to its fullest) 3: Squeeze (once fork travel is reached and massive extra weight and larger contact patch you can apply a much larger amount of brake lever pull, enabling a j-curve amount of extra brakes to be applied as apposed to just pulling on a shit load of brakes without set up)....set up is, quickly apply the brakes to start the fork dive usually just enough to get the forks to compress, this as you mention places more downward weight on the front wheel, which FLATTENS OUT THE CONTACT PATCH of the tire to the road, greatly allowing more and more traction through the added weight and the larger contact patch of tire on the road and then squeeze the brake on so much harder than you ever could if you simply just grabbed a fist full from the get go .. So always get into the habit when passing intersections and other potential dangers by covering your brake lever in readiness for dead shit drivers who just don't see you..and then apply the set up and squeeze method... I think this is what Matt was trying to say without going into the detail of what is really happening at the front tire's contact patch.
Hi D Murray, and thank you for the excellent points you make, especially about covering your brakes at danger points. And your description of how to brake is perfect. Thank you for adding to this video. Matt
What I actually do is brake on my front with control making sure my rear tire will get traction everytime I shift down and apply brake on my rear tire. What happens usually is I just swerve minimally left and right giving me more distance than braking on a straight line.
To be fully in control, both wheels need to be turning all the time when braked. If it's that you've downshifted that causes the rear tire to skid rather from braking, then don't do that. Just use the rear brake because you can modulate it much better. When skidding, you're not stopping (watch race cars that lock up the brakes and they can't stop). Best of luck.
This lacks the factor that you can lock the wheel and lose control. A car stopped in front of me and I was afraid to use the full force of the front brake so I won't slide. Instead the rear wheel locked and slid for a long distance, I barely made it , the stopping distance was way too much, I still have to find a way to stop better.
Best is to steer your bike Around an obstacle. Hitting your front brakes hard (non ABS) will cause a skid. Always apply Rear brake with front and tap the front ...not grab. I've avoided many a sudden stopped cat using these rules in 50yrs of riding.
Martin Sage you are one lucky Sage to survive for so long practicing a totally dangerous braking technique. Hitting the rear cause a bike to skid, not the front. And never try to steer in a panic when the object is just a fraction of seconds away from you. You will either end up losing balance or if you front brake while steering you will lock up the wheel and go straight for a deadend.
In an emergency, braking to reduce speed is always going to lessen the impact. You want to practice so you maintain control in an emergency. Practice, practice, practice. And ride safe.
I have just come back to this Video to revisit and see if it had been revised , Now I feel I MUST say something to the Emergency Situation which for the purpose of this Video is hypothetical BUT your eyes should be continuously scanning and also have identified avenues of escape but NOT allow yourself to be caught out by things happening around you .
Mozzmann, I agree with your advice, because you must always be scanning around you to find a risk before it becomes a danger. Thanks for watching. Matt
Thanks for the instructional video Mr Powell sir. I have subscribed to your channel. I used to live in Tamba bay and didn't like riding on the highway or surface streets, mostly because of the thought of an E-breaking situation in such busy with traffic state. I live in a very small town in Texas with hardly any traffic lol. Still I learn loads frome watching your videos. I rather avoid hair-raising situations altogether, but I at least now know what to expect and what to do. Keep up the good work sir and thank you! 😉
Remember the danger of using the front brakes while turning. It can be devastating and a lot of people have lost their lives while turning to avoid a crash, resulting in a skid. So in an emergency situation, stay vertical as much as possible and engage both brakes correctly and if you are not able to swerve using reverse steering techniques to negotiate around a crash. Also, remember that a similar situation can happen while down shifting. Here, the use of a slipper clutch can help.
Excellent video thanks for sharing I’ve practiced many of those techniques question for you- why is it important to be in first gear when you come to a stop?
After emergency braking, you want to be prepared to move quickly in case another vehicle or threat may hit you. So, by being in first gear you make it easier to get out of the way of another danger. Ride safe. Matt
Good explanation of the physics involved. (Uhhh, the suite is a little out of place for a bike video, but well done) I don't think he rides a bike because when he gestured about applying the brakes, he used his LEFT hand... (Us bikers have to be observant) Helpful video. Thanks
Hi Jeep Liberty, Thank you for watching the video. Yes, I agree, wearing a suit is a little out of place, but that is sort of the lawyer uniform. Enjoy riding safely. Matt
Braking is progressive so percentages are mute. As for going down gear in an emergency - Why...? You're asking the rider to concentrate on two tasks at the same time, concentrate on the emergency braking, pull in clutch to prevent a stall but who really cares if you stall at least you've survived the accident or avoided one... Otherwise agree with pretty much everything else...
How about explaining how to downshift in an emergency stop. I can't imagine downshifting that fast in some extreme situations when hitting the break hard because the stoppage would be too abrupt so what do you do?
Downshifting for a stop is a good practice point. But in an emergency, there is not enough time to use the engine to help slow your bike, and you might shift too hard and skid, or too light and not stop as efficiently.
That really depends on the bike and your weight etc... it's better to practise on quiet roads to find the optimum pressure front and rear. I also think it's a bad idea to pull the clutch while emergency braking... or during any braking, for that matter.
Emergency Threshold Braking: I think to practice emergency braking should be mentioned and practiced. Note: Every time you stop you put both feet down at the same time when the motorcycle has stopped. That keeps you upright and balanced instead of leaning and having to hold the motorcycle. And think… if you have to ride away quickly you don't waste a precious second getting the motorcycle vertical before riding away. So …..Start at a reasonable speed like 40 to 50 mph in a big open empty parking lot. Find a marker on the road as a measurement point. Do 3 emergency stops from that marker and note where you finally stop and mark that point with something like an old glove. Next. Practice rear brake only first - apply it slow and evenly over and over until you are able to brake right at the threshold of skidding but don't go that far. Next is front brake only - and ditto the same practice applies as the rear. Now the same speed and use both brakes right to their threshold skidding point. Practice that a good number of times. Now go back and recheck yourself at the first location that you marked with the glove. Do another emergency braking. You will see that you have stopped much shorter than your first time. Do this exercise maybe 3 or 4 times a year to keep your skills sharp. Yes I know about ABS and linked brakes. You can still skid an ABS equipped motorcycle. The tires skid and release numerous times quickly. Try to get to that point without reaching it for maximum braking efficiency. Eventually you will discover that the front brakes have more stopping 'power' and therefore you will apply maybe 60% of the braking to the front and 40% to the rear. Of course you can't do it that precise but it is a good target value. In emergency braking you hardly have time to downshift. You can just pull in the clutch and use your left foot to get you down into first gear and ready to ride off based on what happens behind you when you stop fast.
Thanks for watching my video. I hope that I can help riders avoid a fall or crash by explaining the physics of braking in an emergency. Ride safe! Matt
please don't stop making video about traffic info. and tips.i am ur 1st viewer and subscribe ur channel in this video ur previous videos titles r great too i will watch them also and share ur videos to my friends and family etc. take care of yourself..! :-) Great appreciation from Pakistan!! :-)
Sounds like you came out of the wreck okay. No matter how careful we are, some drivers are idiots and will put you in a dangerous situation that all happen sin just a few seconds. But practicing how to handle your bike in an emergency will give you the best chance of avoiding a wreck. Ride safe and have fun. Matt
You cannot be ‘cut off’ if you maintain a 2 second follow distance which is very easy to maintain in good weather on a motorcycle. More seconds in bad weather like rain, fog etc. For vans Rv's the distance is 3 seconds, school buses etc is 4 seconds, tractor trailer combos is 5 seconds. So now the lesson: If you are traveling at 60mph and a vehicle moves into your following space just relax your throttle a tiny bit to bring you to maybe 58 mph. In a very short time you will be 2 seconds behind the vehicle that moved over. So now you can increase to 60 mph again and keep going 2 seconds behind that car. The change in speed on your part will delay you from your destination maybe 5 or 10 seconds. The number of cars that may move into your following distance is few. And remember you are on a small motorcycle compared to other traffic. Motorcycles have only one function which is fun. If it is not fun don't own one. They serve no other purpose. They are not practical, many get worse mileage than modern cars, they have insurance costs. They take longer to get to a destination 15 miles away than a car. Why? Go to the garage, unlock the motorcycle, pre-start inspection, put on all your protective clothing, jacket, boots, gloves, helmet etc. when all that time is gone you could have driven 5 miles in a car. So my original statement stands and is true. Two seconds following distance is considered safe at all safety schools and with all safety instructors and is written into government handbooks.
Yeah, engine braking. I believe there's less change of locking the rear when you brake with the gear in. Engine is like an antilocking device somewhat.
In pakistan 70-125 cc are super common And when I started learning how to ride (I have the 70) everyone told me to never use the front break never always use the rare break , if you use the front you will flip over only use it in emergency This is the complete opposite to what they teach in the west like idk which rule to follow now I asked about breaking from like 15 different people (in pk) and they all said the exact same thing (never ever use the front ) Maybe its caz of the lower cc bike (Every tutorials in the west is on a 300cc+ bike )
+Your worse enemy Doesn't make any sense at all; on every single vehicle the weight shifts forward when braking - even cars. Thus, some cars have disc brakes up front and drums in the rear. It's much more of an issue on motorcycles though, because the weight shift so much more. Anyway... you could try it. Full stop with rear brake only, and then full stop with front brake only. You'll see how much longer it takes to stop with the rear brake... I've been riding motorcycles for about 34 years now, and I've never heard of or seen anybody "flip over", because they used the front brake.
Emergency Threshold Braking: I think to practice emergency braking should be mentioned and practiced. Note: Every time you stop you put both feet down at the same time when the motorcycle has stopped. That keeps you upright and balanced instead of leaning and having to hold the motorcycle. And think… if you have to ride away quickly you don't waste a precious second getting the motorcycle vertical before riding away. So …..Start at a reasonable speed like 40 to 50 mph in a big open empty parking lot. Find a marker on the road as a measurement point. Do 3 emergency stops from that marker and note where you finally stop and mark that point with something like an old glove. Next. Practice rear brake only first - apply it slow and evenly over and over until you are able to brake right at the threshold of skidding but don't go that far. Next is front brake only - and ditto the same practice applies as the rear. Now the same speed and use both brakes right to their threshold skidding point. Practice that a good number of times. Now go back and recheck yourself at the first location that you marked with the glove. Do another emergency braking. You will see that you have stopped much shorter than your first time. Do this exercise maybe 3 or 4 times a year to keep your skills sharp. Yes I know about ABS and linked brakes. You can still skid an ABS equipped motorcycle. The tires skid and release numerous times quickly. Try to get to that point without reaching it for maximum braking efficiency. Eventually you will discover that the front brakes have more stopping 'power' and therefore you will apply maybe 60% of the braking to the front and 40% to the rear. Of course you can't do it that precise but it is a good target value. In emergency braking you hardly have time to downshift. You can just pull in the clutch and use your left foot to get you down into first gear and ready to ride off based on what happens behind you when you stop fast.
Yeah but the problem is, bicycles have the front brake on the left and motorcycles have it on the right. So you grab a handful of clutch having stepped up from a bike to a cycle. Lawsuit? I hammer on the front brake, done right you won't flip, the rear brake is for controlling wheelies.
You think like me, the best training is to use the front brakes exclusively. Practice rear wheel off the ground stops. Practice front brakes only in turns. Practice front brakes only in turns with sand and/or water on the road. In my opinion, the rear brakes are for emergency backup in case you have some kind of front brake failure. Rear brakes can be good for sideways riding practice. A dirt bike, riding on dirt or sand will give you the best training you can get for keeping your bike under control. But after you spend some time riding a dirt bike, on and off road, you may never want to ride a street bike again. As far as I'm concerned, street bikes are just ego boosting toys that will get you killed. Try riding over a curb on a street bike at any speed over 10 mph. Any bike that doesn't position your feet directly under your butt is dangerous, period.
Jim, you are right on the money about riding dirt bikes. They are a ton of fun and great for sharpening riding skills. I like the ability to stand up on my bike if and when I need to quickly. Having your feet too far in front of you makes that very hard to do. Thanks for your suggestions.
Thank you, I'd also add that on most street bikes the brakes require far too little effort to lock the wheel(s). Sometimes this can be adjusted by changing to a master cylinder with a much larger piston bore. Having to exert 25 or 30 lbs. of force, instead of 3 to 5 lbs. means that in an emergency maneuver you will be far more likely to acuratly apply the appropriate amount of braking force, and not lock either wheel and lay the bike down inadvertently...... Also, the riding posture on a dirt bike is called "the attack position" for a reason, you must always be ready to make evasise/emergency maneuvers when you least expect it.... As for peg position, forward pegs, or heaven forbid, footboards, combined with very limited rear suspension travel, is a recipe for having you butt launched into orbit if you hit a pothole, curb or other foreign object on the road, pegs under your butt allow you to stand and absorb the impact with your legs, they also allow you to push the bike away from you if you lay it down. It's no fun to have a motorcycle flip its self on top of you while your sliding your butt on the pavement.
I ride a motard, lol, if that wasn't obvious regarding my comment about the rear brake being for controlling wheelies. Stopies are a great skill builder, even on pedal power. I forget why I commented the way I did exactly. It was probably due to something presented, a couple of beers and the fact this fella is a lawyer. Nevertheless, the only time I found foot forward riding to be advantageous was on a snowmobile. I can hook my boots in the foot wells and the combination of push and pull, while leaning into the turn, will yank the sled around a corner. Once, while riding like an idiot, I came into a turn way too fast on my sled. I could imagine 2 scenarios, the first flying through rows jack pines, the second actually hooking the turn. I pulled hard on the bars, leaned and pushed with my outside leg and pulled with my inside. The sled railed the turn, I needed to change my shorts.
I don't want anything to know I just want to know tat it's rev matching is good for bike?and people says it would damage the engine and clutch plate and gear box if we use tat continuously
Revving your engine causes wear to the parts that are moving, creating heat and friction. To extend the life of your motorcycle, keep your revving to a minimum.
probably the first thing to hit the car is u cause by braking so hard and with the weight going on to the front most likely the bike is going to flip and ending up in the hospital
Agreed, you have to keep your back wheel on the road to avoid flipping. But anything you can do to reduce your speed will improve the outcome of the collision.
Emergency Threshold Braking: I think to practice emergency braking should be mentioned and practiced. Note: Every time you stop you put both feet down at the same time when the motorcycle has stopped. That keeps you upright and balanced instead of leaning and having to hold the motorcycle. And think… if you have to ride away quickly you don't waste a precious second getting the motorcycle vertical before riding away. So …..Start at a reasonable speed like 40 to 50 mph in a big open empty parking lot. Find a marker on the road as a measurement point. Do 3 emergency stops from that marker and note where you finally stop and mark that point with something like an old glove. Next. Practice rear brake only first - apply it slow and evenly over and over until you are able to brake right at the threshold of skidding but don't go that far. Next is front brake only - and ditto the same practice applies as the rear. Now the same speed and use both brakes right to their threshold skidding point. Practice that a good number of times. Now go back and recheck yourself at the first location that you marked with the glove. Do another emergency braking. You will see that you have stopped much shorter than your first time. Do this exercise maybe 3 or 4 times a year to keep your skills sharp. Yes I know about ABS and linked brakes. You can still skid an ABS equipped motorcycle. The tires skid and release numerous times quickly. Try to get to that point without reaching it for maximum braking efficiency. Eventually you will discover that the front brakes have more stopping 'power' and therefore you will apply maybe 60% of the braking to the front and 40% to the rear. Of course you can't do it that precise but it is a good target value. In emergency braking you hardly have time to downshift. You can just pull in the clutch and use your left foot to get you down into first gear and ready to ride off based on what happens behind you when you stop fast.
"Yes Sure" very good comments. Reminds me of my motorcycle training courses and how we had to ride into second gear and then lock our rear brake so we'd know how to do it (and pass the course). I do have a different technique when stopping, however. Lets say in an urban environment, I bring the bike to a stop and only put my left foot down (bike is already in first gear). That way I use the right foot for low speed braking if I have to move ahead a bit in slow (5 mph) traffic as there is more control than grabbing the front brake. Also, it's easier to maintain balance by having three points (both hands and right foot) in contact with the bike when starting off and then only having to raise the left foot. If both feet are down, that is more difficult to pull then up and maintaining full braking capability.
Yes, a moped or a large motorcycle, the physics is still the same, so practice emergency braking so that when a real emergency develops, you instinctively brake safely. Ride safe. Matt
Hi Lei, downhill braking is similar to level braking, but you have the added speed associated with going down a hill. So, when you brake, the effect of a hill is to make your bike seem faster or heavier and as a result you need more distance, more time to stop. But the act of braking is essentially the same.
In addition to what Matt stated, keep 12 seconds of clear sight between you and what's ahead. You need to see if there's a wreck, oil on the road, road debris like wood, bottles that must be avoided, or water. So when in the mountains and going downhill, the bike seems to weigh more - keep a good distance. And lastly, you always use the front brake except if driving like in a parking lot at very slow speeds doing turns. You have more control when slowing then using the front brake because it will tend to throw you toward the outside handlebar as the suspension is depressed.
I did write down the information before making the video. I use a teleprompter to help me stay on point and not leave important things out of the video. Thanks for watching. Matt
Great video. When you talking about putting on the front brake you are squeezing with left hand. The brake lever is on the right side. So that body language throughout is incorrect. Just an interesting thing I noticed. Makes me think you dont actually ride. But the rest is great info.
First 16 seconds. "What happens when a biker applies his brakes." Thats your left hand. Clutch is the left on bikes brake is right hand side except on automatic scooters.... I checked too. Its not biggy.
Starts well, but this rubbish about pulling the clutch in and making sure a rider is in first is a joke. The limited research this is based on is flawed and with have years of practical research and experience in the UK that clearly shows differently. Under heavy braking, leaving the clutch engaged means we can use the engine braking to assist the deceleration, while also using the fact the rear wheel is still under power to aid us not loosing traction. This stupid idea that it is important to be in first gear when doing an emergency stop is a joke. 1st - what is more important? Being in the right gear, or not running over or hitting the person or thing that has caused you the issue? Then 2nd - Stopping in an emergency from an average highway speed takes a few seconds at most. Motorcycle gear boxes do not work well when block changed. They prefer to be changed down in succession, ideally with the clutch reengaged between shifts. Trying to block change will often lead to a false neutral, or the bike not making it to first so a rider who does not check risks trying to pull away in the wrong gear. Avoid the emergency fist! Then once stopped, we can worry about whats behind us and take remedial action accordingly. This is not just my opinion. Pulling in the clutch early is a test fail in the UK as it is deemed a loss of control. For over fifty years Instructors all over the UK have practiced E-stops with their trainees on a daily bases. The thinking has found to work best across a range of conditions, and from basic entry level, to advanced.
Thanks for watching the video. Maybe I was not clear. My point is to be in first gear when you are at a full stop, so in case some car is coming up from behind too fast, you have the ability to get out of the way. I agree, you should not be in first gear during an emergency braking situation. You should focus on braking, steering and not on changing gears at all.
Thanks for the reply Matt, but no you were clear in the first place and we disagree. What I find amazing is that people obviously have not really practiced what they preach when suggesting first gear should be selected on stopping. The approach is seriously flawed as motorcycle gearboxes do not work in that manner. Motorcycles have sequential gear boxes, they do not work correctly if the clutch is pulled in and block changed down. They will rarely be in first gear, often getting stuck in a false neutral position between gears. Meaning a rider who has attempted this from speed will not be in first and will not be able to pull away correctly. We know this as it has been part of the UK test for over fifty years, we have searched for best practice to teach novices the best way to stop. Thousands of E-stops when training people across the board, Novice to Advanced, it has been found that leaving the clutch engaged is far better than disengaging it as the continued use of the slowing engine helps avoid the rear wheel locking. Just the act of disengaging the clutch on an emergency stop in the UK is a test fail as it is considered a loss of control. What is the most important consideration when forced to have to stop from speed. Stopping short of the obstruction, or worrying about what to do after you have stopped?
I think we are still talking about two different things. I suggest that after coming to a full stop, then you should put your bike into first gear, so you are ready to go in an emergency. First gear has nothing to do with making an emergency stop.
When you have completed your emergency braking and come to a full stop..... you want to be sitting with both feet down and in first gear....because the car behind you could be a problem....so be ready to pull ahead etc.
Also, when approaching a full stop, stay to one side of your lane and point your motorcycle at an angle away from the vehicle ahead of you so if you are rear-ended, you're bike won't be crushed between you and the vehicle immediately ahead of you. It will go either to the line separating lanes, or to the curb and you'll survive better.
