stopping
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From:
The key is having a smooth stop, which means you have good control over your braking. Also, its important to look forward while stopping; not down, not looking at the handlebars or to the side - just straight forward. When I get slow enough, I typically remove the pressure from the front brake and only use the rear brake, which helps slow speed control a bit. Just practice and you'll do fine! Best of luck!
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 344
Likes: 0
Practice all this in an empty parking lot. Learning your bikes center of gravity and its personal quirks and stuff is the main thing. A bike is a bike is a bike, but they all have their own center of gravity, stopping balance, ect.
Sometimes my bike will pull to the left when I crank on the front brake, so knowing this, I add a little right pressure to the bars when I crank a hard stop.
Its just time in the saddle learning your bike and how to counteract it.
Sometimes my bike will pull to the left when I crank on the front brake, so knowing this, I add a little right pressure to the bars when I crank a hard stop.
Its just time in the saddle learning your bike and how to counteract it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
I use both brakes, until the last so many feet, then just the front brake. When I come to a complete stop I put both feet on the ground. I've read all the posts that state use only rear brake, right before coming to a complete stop and keep your right foot on the brake with just your left foot down.
It would make sense if I could only plant one foot down at a stop or have to use tip toes, but since my bike sits so low, I have no problem. I also don't have to lean my bike, while it is stopped, so I know I can get both feet up and be underway quicker then if I was leaned to the left with just one foot down.
Tom
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 629
Likes: 3
From: Mission, Texas
Riding two up I usually start off by making sure quick stops so as to make sure I won't wobble. As release the front brake just before stopping. After being on the bike for a while I'm more "at ease" and just make sure that the front wheel stays steady and usually let my front brake free at slow speeds.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,493
From: Decatur, Alabama
Practice will make stopping more natural.
Think balance. Both feet up and both feet down at the same time. Don't put your feet down before the bike comes to a complete stop! Don't look down. Look up. Higher. Your balance will be better. I can come to a complete stop and remain motionless without putting my feet down. Not for long but this is what you want to strive for. Think it can't be done? Look at what the trials riders can do. These guys are incredible. I have watched them ride a bike up the side of a car.
Do everything smoothly. Take off gradually. Stop in the same way. Use your front brake. You can use it 100% of the time if you want. You shouldn't use rear brakes when at low speeds anyway. It's easier to put your right foot down when it isn't on the brake pedal.
It might not be practical but you can become a great rider if you get a dirt bike and ride in the woods, trails, motocross, etc.
Think balance. Both feet up and both feet down at the same time. Don't put your feet down before the bike comes to a complete stop! Don't look down. Look up. Higher. Your balance will be better. I can come to a complete stop and remain motionless without putting my feet down. Not for long but this is what you want to strive for. Think it can't be done? Look at what the trials riders can do. These guys are incredible. I have watched them ride a bike up the side of a car.
Do everything smoothly. Take off gradually. Stop in the same way. Use your front brake. You can use it 100% of the time if you want. You shouldn't use rear brakes when at low speeds anyway. It's easier to put your right foot down when it isn't on the brake pedal.
It might not be practical but you can become a great rider if you get a dirt bike and ride in the woods, trails, motocross, etc.
Three things to remember...just my .02
No matter how you do it...front only, rear only, both...do it smoothly. No grabbing and no quick releasing of the lever/peddal. Apply pareasure smoothly and progressively. Smoothly let off at the end. You want the forward weight transfer to be smooth and even all the way to the stop. if not, the forward weight transfer will toss you around and make your stop herky jerky.
Head and eyes up and straight....look straight, go straight...look down, go down...
Practice...practice...practice...when you think you have practiced enough, go riding and practice some more.
Couple things that helped me a lot was the Ride Like a Pro DVD and learning how to drag my rear brake while feathering my clutch engagement to keep the rear of the bike sitting on its suspension and moving straight. This helps you learn balance on the bike a "walking' speeds and will also help you learn balance when coming to a stop.
No matter how you do it...front only, rear only, both...do it smoothly. No grabbing and no quick releasing of the lever/peddal. Apply pareasure smoothly and progressively. Smoothly let off at the end. You want the forward weight transfer to be smooth and even all the way to the stop. if not, the forward weight transfer will toss you around and make your stop herky jerky.
Head and eyes up and straight....look straight, go straight...look down, go down...
Practice...practice...practice...when you think you have practiced enough, go riding and practice some more.
Couple things that helped me a lot was the Ride Like a Pro DVD and learning how to drag my rear brake while feathering my clutch engagement to keep the rear of the bike sitting on its suspension and moving straight. This helps you learn balance on the bike a "walking' speeds and will also help you learn balance when coming to a stop.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,750
Likes: 2
From: Bucks County PA
Great Post IMO
Three things to remember...just my .02
No matter how you do it...front only, rear only, both...do it smoothly. No grabbing and no quick releasing of the lever/peddal. Apply pareasure smoothly and progressively. Smoothly let off at the end. You want the forward weight transfer to be smooth and even all the way to the stop. if not, the forward weight transfer will toss you around and make your stop herky jerky.
Head and eyes up and straight....look straight, go straight...look down, go down...
Practice...practice...practice...when you think you have practiced enough, go riding and practice some more.
Couple things that helped me a lot was the Ride Like a Pro DVD and learning how to drag my rear brake while feathering my clutch engagement to keep the rear of the bike sitting on its suspension and moving straight. This helps you learn balance on the bike a "walking' speeds and will also help you learn balance when coming to a stop.
No matter how you do it...front only, rear only, both...do it smoothly. No grabbing and no quick releasing of the lever/peddal. Apply pareasure smoothly and progressively. Smoothly let off at the end. You want the forward weight transfer to be smooth and even all the way to the stop. if not, the forward weight transfer will toss you around and make your stop herky jerky.
Head and eyes up and straight....look straight, go straight...look down, go down...
Practice...practice...practice...when you think you have practiced enough, go riding and practice some more.
Couple things that helped me a lot was the Ride Like a Pro DVD and learning how to drag my rear brake while feathering my clutch engagement to keep the rear of the bike sitting on its suspension and moving straight. This helps you learn balance on the bike a "walking' speeds and will also help you learn balance when coming to a stop.
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Thank you. Just a note to the OP, he is not alone in his difficulty with this in the touring family. These are a lot of bike. When I went from my Super Glide to my Road Glide, in my daily commuting, this was the biggest learning curve aspect for me to deal with. I am short and had a lot of the same wably stopping experiences. If I can get better, ANYONE can get better. Lowering my bike 1" also helped me with this.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,500
Likes: 332
From: Blue Grass (KY)
Been riding for 30+years and what works for me....
apply both front brake, then rear brake...almost at same time but front first....then last 10 feet front only...last few feet feet off boards and down, front brake until stopped, smoothly on the brakes....
important***** KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, EYES LOOKING FORWARD****
keeping your eyes and head up will make you a smooth stopper and rider, period....want to go through the corners smooth??? eyes where you want to go, head up....look where you want the bike to go....look down? guess what,, yep go down, look through the corner????smooth through the corner.....don't get fixed on any target....white line for the stop or lines on the corner...
Head up, look through the corner....head up/eyes up...smooth stop..
And yeah, pratice, pratice....on everything....
apply both front brake, then rear brake...almost at same time but front first....then last 10 feet front only...last few feet feet off boards and down, front brake until stopped, smoothly on the brakes....
important***** KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, EYES LOOKING FORWARD****
keeping your eyes and head up will make you a smooth stopper and rider, period....want to go through the corners smooth??? eyes where you want to go, head up....look where you want the bike to go....look down? guess what,, yep go down, look through the corner????smooth through the corner.....don't get fixed on any target....white line for the stop or lines on the corner...
Head up, look through the corner....head up/eyes up...smooth stop..
And yeah, pratice, pratice....on everything....