Glad you made it through your encounter.

Don't mean to be a deer know-it-all, and I am not. But I have hunted them for 40 years and here is what I have learned...

A full moon will entice a deer to feed more aggressively than normal. These are nocturnal beasts, so a lot of their feeding and other activities occur at night and a few hours just before dusk and just after dawn. Deer also like to travel from bedding to feeding spots at dusk and at dawn. They are heading to their bedding areas in the early hours of the morning, and to their feeding areas at dusk. So lots of deer movement during these two periods.

If we can avoid riding during these times, we reduce chances of a deer encounter. If we can avoid riding at night, we can also reduce the chance of a deer encounter.

Sometimes, we just gotta ride and I get that. But remember when you see one deer crossing the road, there is a good chance there is one right behind...especially if a doe crossed the road in front of you. Bucks usually travel alone during the breeding season which normally occurs, depending on your region of the country, between Oct and late November.

 

You can stop faster by standing the bike upright and hard breaking than you can by trying to brake with the bike in the turn. This should always be a consideration in the event of an emergency while cornering. This is another reason I preach taking an MSF course. It is the best place to learn the technique. From there you can practice in a parking lot on your own.

 

ABS prevents locking the rear wheel but it is not advisable to brake hard in a turn, ABS on not. (ABS will still work in a turn, it's just a very bad idea.)
Straighten the bike up and brake to threshhold if you are able to. Use your best swerving skills once you reduce as much speed as possible but still can't avoid impact that way.
Once rear wheel locks up the experts say you are generally better off skidding to a stop than releasing the rear brake. The latter results in your experience of wobbling when traction is regained.
Any situation you encounter and get out of unscathed is a tribute to your reaction and skill and a lesson that you can always do better.
You are to be commended for analyzing the experience, taking responsibility for it, and looking for ways to do better next time. Ride safe.

 

First let me say, I'm not going to try to persuade anyone about the pros or cons of ABS. When used properly, both on a bike or in a car, it can be (IMHO) a valuable tool in your arsenal. More so than ABS, this time, possibly a background and knowledge of off road riding would have been just as valuable. A controlled skidding rear tire is not always a bad thing. I would say that most likely at the time both front and rear brakes were probably applied proportionately (give yourself that much credit) resulting in a safe outcome.

Learning and practicing is a good thing. You'd be amazed at what can be learned from off road riding. It's a whole nuther world of techniques, some completely foreign to most of us!

 

Sounds like you handled it well. I'd feel pretty good about your skills if I were you. That could have been very bad.

 

I think you handled it pretty good - you survived!
Also - since you were only a "little squirely" you prob did apply the front brake.
Otherwise you prob would have stepped out the rear completely, and/or highsided it.
FWIW - I do a lot of dirtbiking to help sharpen my skills. Seems to help in the panic situations. If you have the means I highly suggest it.

 

ABS still does what it's supposed to in turns - stops braking from causing a locked wheel. What you don't want to do on a motorcycle is try to use the "stomp and steer" technique that is taught for cars (Trying to take evasive action while using ABS braking).

In a car, "stomp and steer" works because as weight shifts and one wheel lightens up (has less braking power), another gains; so overall braking effectiveness is retained.

When you turn on a motorcycle, some of the available traction is used for turning. the ABS system detects the reduced traction available, and braking effectiveness is lessened overall.

On a motorcycle, emergency braking and turning/steering should be separated. However, even in a turn, ABS will prevent wheel lock-up (such as that experienced by the OP). The correct technique is still to get the machine straightened up before engaging maximum braking, but ABS allows for this braking error, as it does for many others.

Harris
Denver, CO

www.youtube.com/conedown

 

It sounds like what you needed to know! Was exactly what you did! Nice Work!

 

Okay, so two posts made this similar comment and I'm struggling to understand. While engaged in a sweeping turn, how do you manage to "get the machine straigtened up" without either going off the road, over the mountain or into it? I'm not gettin' somethin'. Could someone please explain?

 

You kept the bike upright in a tough situation, sounds like you did just fine. I always learn something on this forum, makes sense the deer are active dusk and dawn and where there is one there certainly are more. Glad you are OK.