What would you do to avoid a skid?

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May 8, 2011 | 11:11 PM

#21

vheflin

Road Captain

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 521

Likes: 3

From: Virginia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Blade

Last week had a bad experience with my "riding skills". I had to do an emergency stop on my softail deluxe and the bike's rear end skidded to my left. I ended up turning into the skid (right) and the bike stood up but what I want to know is...how do YOU brake during an emergency stop? I know I hit the rear brakes too heavy but what do you do? How do you control your skills when facing an emergency stop situation? I was so scared. Wish I had ABS but don't want to trade my bike in for a 2011. I really love the bike. Thought about taking a special course of some type but really...I know what I did wrong but I am so scared that when another emergency stop happens I won't be as lucky as I was last week. I would love to hear from you.

I've had to do panic stops several times and it's no different than a normal stop for me. In any type of stop I always use both brakes. I always apply more pressure to the front brake as it accounts for some 70% of your braking. I never grab the brakes. Just apply steady and increasing pressure until I stop or begin to skid. Had the front lock up once but immediately let off to get the wheel rolling again. The rear has locked up a few times and when this happens I keep it locked until stopped. These are the techniques you learn in any MSF course. Glad I took the course as it has saved my hide a few times.

May 8, 2011 | 11:36 PM

#22

billsantos

Cruiser

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 167

Likes: 0

From: Nevada

My 2011 ST Deluxe's rear break locks up way to easy for my tastes and in a true panic my foot gets to the brake faster than my hand..I practice high speed breaking when i'm on back roads with no traffic so i got a good distance idea to a full stop... Highway 50 in Nevada has more road side memorials per mile than i've ever seen.. Cross streets enter at 90 degrees to 65 MPH 4 lane highways.. Last week it was center punch their door at 60 or swerve around the front into a gap in oncoming, I remember looking down and seeing their bumper miss my rear tire by inches.. Shook me up bad for a day, not the first time, but you get back on the horse..

May 9, 2011 | 02:31 AM

#23

poppavein

Road Master

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 932

Likes: 2

From: Pacific NorthWest Territory

Dirt bike experience helps too. I hit some antifreeze or something as I passed an accident, and my rear tried to swap ends. Sometimes you just have to ride it out ...

May 9, 2011 | 07:50 AM

#24

jkelley

Tourer

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 436

Likes: 0

From: Arden N.C.

Good thread and many great comments, and suggestions for the OP.

Tired of hearing "I had to lay it down" Usually when someone say's they had to lay it down they should be saying I screwed up, did not analyse the situation or I don't have the skills I should to be riding a 900 pound bike.

Kudo's to you, and practice, practice, practice until stopping becomes second nature.

Ride safe.

May 9, 2011 | 08:43 AM

#25

user 908203920

Banned

Joined: May 2011

Posts: 11

Likes: 0

From: NY

Every spring I take my bike to a service road near here that is vacant on the weekends and I spend about a half hour going back and forth, practicing emergency stops at different speeds. I go back there a couple times during the riding season.

I've been lucky that I've never had to do a true pucker stop, but I've had a few 'quicker than normal' stops and these techniques help to give you the confidence to know how your bike will respond.

May 9, 2011 | 08:48 AM

#26

cromagnon

Grand HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 4,067

Likes: 60

From: Chesterfield, VA

Use more front brake than rear brake ....

May 9, 2011 | 09:43 AM

#27

beakerztoyz

Tourer

Joined: Dec 2010

Posts: 333

Likes: 0

From: southern Alberta Canada

all those guys are right, the front brake is your friend, practice braking. The one thing I wanted to add is that even if you have years of experience, every different bike stops differently just like they handle differently, a 700 pound harley might take longer to stop than a 700 pound honda, a sporty might stop faster than a dresser, or maybe the dresser will stop faster cuz it has dual disc's on the front.

Practice on every bike you ride, if you buy a different bike practice on it before you play in busy traffic, A lot of people around here seem to make it sound like riding is easy, and it is but the thing is its all about skills, I don't want to just ride the bike I want to know how it handles in any curcumstance I might be in so that if it happens I will be prepared, its much easyier to practice hard braking in a parking lot than when somebody makes a left in front of you. Have fun Ride safe!

May 9, 2011 | 09:59 AM

#28

moog5050

Tourer

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 294

Likes: 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by j1mmy

if your in a skid let off the brakes then reapply them..keep doing it (jabbing the brakes) till you stop skidding or come to a stop,that is what anti-lock brakes do when they activate..

This is generally correct for front braking, but you should not release the rear, as it will then grab causing you to highside if you are not completely straight.