Emergency braking
Emergency braking starts quickly, but lever pressure builds gradually as the front wheel loads.
Start quickly, build pressure smoothly
Start braking quickly, but don't grab the lever abruptly. As load transfers forward, the front suspension compresses, and the front tire presses harder against the road and can transmit more braking force.
Both brakes
During hard deceleration, the front brake usually does most of the work because load transfers forward. The rear brake helps too, especially at the start of braking and when the rear is carrying extra load.
If the brakes are linked
Learn how the system works on your motorcycle. The front lever or rear pedal may apply both brakes, but the force distribution depends on the model. Check the manual for which controls the manufacturer recommends using during hard braking.
Pull in the clutch immediately
On a motorcycle with a manual clutch, pull it fully in as you begin emergency braking and hold it until you stop. This removes additional engine-braking torque from the unloaded rear wheel. The engine will not stall as your speed drops, and accidentally opening the throttle will not produce drive.
Motorcycle position
If conditions allow, brake hard with less lean. Support your body with your legs so you do not put all your weight on the handlebars or tense your arms.
What to practice
Practice the entire sequence: close the throttle, start braking and pull in the clutch at the same time, then increase front-brake pressure quickly but smoothly. Feel the suspension compress. Repeat until this order of actions becomes familiar.
If you need to stop completely
If you need to stop, maintain the braking force you have built up. Releasing the lever without a reason reduces deceleration and unloads the front wheel. With ABS, continue braking hard to a stop even if you feel pulsation. Without ABS, if the front wheel locks, quickly ease off the brake until it starts rotating again, then smoothly build pressure again.
Don't intentionally lay the motorcycle down
Intentionally dropping the motorcycle before an obstacle is a poor way to brake. As long as it stays on its wheels, you can still brake and change direction. After a fall, the motorcycle mostly slides: deceleration is usually worse, and controlling its line is nearly impossible.
Sources · 1
- Motorcycle Operator Manual
Basic Vehicle Control, pp. 10–13
Used for: Building force, loading the wheels, and features of combined braking systems.
Open source
With ABS
- if the motorcycle has a manual clutch, pull it fully in as you begin braking and hold it in until you stop
- build pressure quickly
- maintain hard braking
- let ABS regulate brake pressure
- look where you are going and hold your line
Don't pump the lever manually
When a lockup threatens, ABS reduces and then increases brake pressure on its own. Keep pressing the lever instead of manually alternating between squeezing and releasing it.
When ABS is working
When ABS activates, you may feel the lever or pedal pulsate. If hard deceleration is still needed, continue braking and hold your direction.
Practice
Practice hard braking on a level, familiar surface so you get used to ABS pulsation in advance.
Sources · 1
- Тормоза и антиблокировочная система ABS
Принцип работы ABS; рекомендации по использованию системы.
Used for: Pressure regulation by ABS and keeping the brake applied while it operates.
Open source
Pull in the clutch immediately
If the motorcycle has a manual clutch, pull it fully in as you begin braking and hold it in until you stop. Without ABS, this matters especially for the rear wheel: hard braking unloads it, so additional engine-braking torque increases the risk of lockup.
Threshold braking
Without ABS, gradually learn to approach the front tire's grip limit while keeping the ability to quickly ease off the brake if it locks.
If the front wheel locks
Quickly ease off the front brake enough for the wheel to start rotating again, then smoothly build pressure again.
How to practice threshold braking
Start on a level, familiar surface and increase pressure gradually. You need to learn to feel the grip limit; you do not need to deliberately lock the front wheel on every attempt.
Rear wheel
A rear-wheel lockup feels and develops differently, especially if the rear has already stepped out. Do not automatically use the same response as for a front-wheel lockup.
Sources · 1
- Motorcycle Operator Manual
Crash Avoidance, pp. 26–28
Used for: Restoring rotation to a locked front wheel and the risk of the rear wheel regaining grip abruptly.
Open source