Guys.....practice emergency stops!!!

[johnmark101]

Guys......take some time out of your day to practice your braking technique and emergency stops!! I did today, but should have done this much sooner.

Some doofus did a left turn across the lanes right in front of me. He had plenty of opportunity to see me, but turned right across my path. I squeezed the brakes hard, tires chirping in protest, and managed to just barely save my bacon, but something told me I did not get it right.

I immediately found a large empty parking lot......and guess what?? Although I think I did a pretty good job of getting the bike stopped, I found I could have stopped shorter. It took a close call to make me do this......shame on me!!!

Braking skills are definately the most important skill to have. Every little bit helps. Being able to stop just a foot shorter could save your hide one day!!

[Rice]

Good thing that you managed to save it.

I've found that there's nothing like a side of Suburban to help scrub off the speed quick.:fing02:

[Guest]

AMEN to practice - remember, perfect practice makes perfect. Anything else just reinforces bad habits! As to the guy who had plenty of time to see you......... Car drivers can look you right in the eye and still not see you. ALWAYS assume you are invisible and be surprised when you are not. Much safer that way. Glad to hear you got out without a scrape.

[jasonsmith]

Thank you, that is the best advice I've heard all day.

[Monk]

Did you figure out what it was that you could do diff/better to shorten your distance?

For example, I had a close one years ago(late 70's), I could have stopped a lot shorter had I rotated the throttle off, instead of holding it in place while squeezing the hand brake. So now I modulate the T/B as a natural all the time motion..... lesson learned........

[Snafu]

You can never go wrong with too much practice. Glad to hear everything turned out ok!

[achfly]

I was on a lonely county road way out in the country two months ago and decided to do practice stops. On the third one I locked the front tire for a split second and about lost it. Scared the crap out of me.

Now you might say, 'well now you know where the threshold is'. Nope. Happens too fast. I simply grabbed too hard and quick instead of smooth and steady.

On a related note: my 1999 mercedes C230 Kompressor has a panic brake assist. It senses a panic stop and applies full brakes because studies had found that most people under brake during an emergency. Now, keep in mind that back when ABS was still young a lot of cars could stop faster on dry pavement with out the ABS engaged than with. I'm thinking that newer technology might be better but I haven't studied up on it. ON MOTORCYCLES, HOWEVER, its been proven by professional riders doing stop after stop on wet and dry that bikes with ABS will stop shorter than same model bike with out ABS. SOOOOOOO.... if you got ABS get on those clamps and give 'em hell!

Hopefully one day I'll upgrade to an ABS VFR.

[VFRMike]

Yes, practice, practice, practice. I used to practice emergency braking about once every 2-4 weeks when I was a new rider. Then it changed to about once every 2-4 months, then to maybe once every year (or so). Yours is a reminder that I need to start this up again. Had some fun getting my rear tire up about 8" or so- but it felt like it was MUCH higher.

Thanks for the reminder.

VFRMike.

[enzed_viffer]

... studies had found that most people under brake during an emergency.

Especially with ABS, because they tend to think it's a super-dooper braking system that will do the braking for them. They also don't tend to realise that they should still be able to manoeuvre the vehicle while they're braking so miss out on a fundamental advantage the ABS gives them.

I recentlyish had a not-so-near call on the VFR (got distracted for a moment and actually stopped about 5cm too short - luckily the car in front had a flexible plastic rear bumper, but the VFR's front fender wasn't as flexible and cracked). Afterwards, I practised emergency braking, and was rather shocked to find out how scary it is - it's not quite violent, but not far off. Must do some more...

[IntAceptor]

For example, I had a close one years ago(late 70's), I could have stopped a lot shorter had I rotated the throttle off, instead of holding it in place while squeezing the hand brake.

I like to "cover" the front brake with two fingers while riding. It is not always the most comfortable on the hand and wrist but it certainly is the fastest way to get on the brakes.

The problem in that it it easy to roll off the throttle while pulling the brake with the fingers. Almost a double edge sword going there.

I figure with the rear wheel still pushing the bike forward and you trying to stop it with the front brake, you are actually reducing the overall braking power of the front wheel and may even negate the extra response time gained by having the brake covered if you can't get the throttle off before applying the binder.

[Ryanme17]

I find I can't really practice full on stops. It's for the same reason I can't do wheelies, my brain says "too much" and my body just doesn't brake hard enough.

[Tightwad]

I find I can't really practice full on stops. It's for the same reason I can't do wheelies, my brain says "too much" and my body just doesn't brake hard enough.

I am the same...hopefully this doesn't bite me some day! I will still try to practice of course.

[Guest]

How about stopping two-up? I find that's one of the scariest things about having a passenger. I know I can't stop nearly as fast. With all that weight on my back/arms, I am not able to give it full braking. Not sure what I would do in an emergency.

[Guest]

How about stopping two-up? I find that's one of the scariest things about having a passenger. I know I can't stop nearly as fast. With all that weight on my back/arms, I am not able to give it full braking. Not sure what I would do in an emergency.

A couple of things to note here: (tho each of them are nice to say in theory and I struggle to put them into practice)

1. A classic side-effect of emergency braking is the transfer of weight thru the arms onto the bars. There is plenty of discussion about how weight on the bars hinders manouvering ability - not a good thing when trying to avoid an incident. Much of this discussion is usually around cornering technique, but its very topical under heavy breaking. I try to practice the whole "grip the tank with your legs"-routine while breaking hard. I find it very hard to get your brain to adopt this as a natural reflex, rather than bracing the arms. Every time I do achieve this, I'm amazed at the improved manouverability.
   
2. Train your pillion passenger to keep their weight off you. I know, not as cosey, but safer. Same deal with the clamping of the legs, but add the grip rails.
   
3. Train your riding boo to not just sit there as a sack of potatoes, but have the attention with you on the ride. That way they manouver with you, including under emergency conditions.
   
4. Few people realise you can add some extra breaking effort to the rear brake, because of the extra weight over the rear wl
   
5. lastly, I find i ride better when I'm in strong physical shape. Strength does help for those enevitable times you do end up having to brace the arms and your passenger
   slams into your neck. If you're not strong enough to hold you plus them up under emergency conditions, perhaps you shouldn't go two up.
   

I ride regularly with my lady Tee, and realised just how big an impact the difference in experience matters in a passenger when I had someone else on the back, especially during hard breaking.

So anyway, hope thats not too off topic

[creggur]

Not at all OT, as a matter of fact practicing two-up is just as important, if not more, than practicing maneuvers solo. Your passenger needs to know what to expect if you are faced with a situation that requires an emergency response.

I hadn't really thought of this, but I think the next time the wife's on board we'll be in a parking lot practicing. Thanks for bringing it up!!

[V4 Rosso]

Practice makes perfect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OljI_6H7828

[JHKolb]

I do practice on occasion as well. I also find that my bike riding days gave me some in-sight into braking with the motorcycle. I've been riding for awhile but decided to take the MSF course 2 years ago and while in that class realised how BAD some riders really are! It seemed most of the riders were incredibly afraid to use any front brake at all, I on the other hand use my front brake way more than the rear combined with some engine braking.

In a panic stop my subconscious seems to take over and this is what seems to happen;

• left hand pull clutch (left thumb on horn)|right hand off throttle - this helps take away forward momentum under power

• right hand (two finger generally on brake lever already) pulling brake - most braking power comes from front

• feet from toe to arch on pegs|right foot on rear brake - to help shift weight and control right foot on brake to NOT lockup rear wheel

• body shift weight back of lower - in hard braking gets weight on rear wheel which helps to brake harder and keep rear wheel from locking up due to forward weight shift from hard front braking

• arms semi-stiff armed - to keep body from rolling up on the bars and to keep control to steer out of danger

(all of this happens in the blink of an eye of course but if you visualize and think about the motions alot of stuff is going on)

Mind you I have no idea if I am doing any of this 'By the Book' but it seems to work for me. I also seem to be mentally calm during the few times an emergency situation arose, but afterward the shakes tend to set in and I need to pull off and catch my breath - LOL.

Practicing unusual maneuvers on the Bike is important, I also spend time doing the same in the cage, especially when I get a new car, so I can know how the vehicle will perform in a panic maneuver (body roll, weight transfer, etc.). Got caught by a local LEO 1 time while I was doing some drifting, donuts, etc. in a snow covered (and empty) parking lot, once I explained myself he was very understanding but requested that I stop anyway

[Knife]

...I also seem to be mentally calm during the few times an emergency situation arose, but afterward the shakes tend to set in and I need to pull off and catch my breath - LOL...

I'm calm also, and even afterwards. I put it out of my mind. It's when I go to bed at night that I start thinking about it and cringing.

[creggur]

I don't know if I'm 'by the book' either, but this is the sequence that I've practiced, and it seemed to happen naturally the thankfully few times 'real' situations have arisen.

1) Off throttle to allow engine braking and begin braking with the two fingers I'm typically covering the brake with.

2) Simuteaniously shift weight back and down, grip tank with knees; reposition right foot and apply rear brake.

3) Look for an escape route and try not to fixate on the target.

All of this happens so fast it's hard to really put the motions in sequence because it's all kind of happening at the same time. And oddly enough the last time I had to do this for real, I vividly remember checking my mirrors for danger from behind. Afterward, I remember thinking, 'how did I have time to think to do that?' In reality it just happened, ya know how everything slows down when the addrenaline comes on... That was it.

[V4 Rosso]

And some need to practice some more on just the very basics of operating the brakes (and the thottle).

[ron_al]

Whether or not you have ABS, and whether or not your VFR has linked brakes (LBS in the US) or combined brakes (CBS overseas), it's important to practice good braking technique.

To quote Nick Ienatsch:

...get in the habit of squeezing the front brake lever, not grabbing it. ...

... By squeezing the front brake lever to begin the braking process, you allow the motorcycle's weight to transfer smoothly to the front end, compressing the fork slightly and loading the tire. After this initial smooth squeeze, the brakes can be applied with vigor. Without the initial squeeze, the forward weight shift can be too violent. In fact, grab the brake too aggressively and the front tire can lock before the bike's weight has a chance to shift forward.

Ienatsch, N. (2003).

Sport Riding Techniques.

Phoenix, AZ: David Bull Publishing. p. 59

Ron

[landlover]

Glad your o.k! Yes, we all need to practice emergency stops and it is the most important part of motorcycling. So many accidents could be avoided if people learned how to use the brakes correctly! Thanks for the reminder!