Properly Executed Emergency Stop VS "Laid It Down"
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 521
Likes: 3
From: Virginia
Some people on here write about how they had to "lay their bike down" to avoid hitting something. I don't get it. Even with Harley's antiquated braking, the brakes have to have a shorter stopping distance than laying it down and skidding next to your bike torwards the obstacle. Some other people (me included) say the crashers only say they laid it down because it sounds better than "I lost control and crashed because I don't know how to properly execute an emergency stop. What say you?
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 686
Likes: 29
From: Niceville
If you have to lay it down, 95% of the time it means you are riding at a speed that exceeds your riding ability.
Now there was that one time I had to purposefully lay it down to crash. Back when I was young and dumb I was riding 90 mph when a tight blind corner came up about 150 feet ahead with a guard rail that separated from road from a very long drop straight down. It was either lay it down to purposefully crash low, or crash in an upright position and fly like a bird over the guard rail.
Now there was that one time I had to purposefully lay it down to crash. Back when I was young and dumb I was riding 90 mph when a tight blind corner came up about 150 feet ahead with a guard rail that separated from road from a very long drop straight down. It was either lay it down to purposefully crash low, or crash in an upright position and fly like a bird over the guard rail.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 35,506
Likes: 27
From: Calgary eh
well, the only time I can think of "layin er down" is if you were unfortunate enough to leave the road and found yourself going highway speed in the ditch. The brakes are not going to stop you skidding on grass and mud. I think I'd skid the rear wheel and get it on it's side and ride it out in a slide. If you're on the wheels you're risking getting airborne if you hit a good dip. Or risking a high side which is way worse.
On the pavement, you keep the rubber side down and work those brakes at all cost.
On the pavement, you keep the rubber side down and work those brakes at all cost.
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Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
From: Australia
Saucemans pic says a thousand words. I was always taught to stay with the bike and keep it upright, react to the changing situation until the bike can be stopped safely. A few things I learnt from days when my son was racing rockets if you enter a corner too fast dont do anything stupid just try to ride through the situation you will either make it or crash. Most people Lay their bikes down because they reacted to their instincts, which, is usually the wrong thing to do on a bike.
