slamming on brakes

[onizthegnome]

im amazed that im alive right now. i was going about 55mph about three car lengths away from the car in front of me. the driver in front decided to slam on the brakes coming to a complete stop and so i pressed on my front and back brakes real hard. im pretty sure i locked up the wheels because i started to skid and i felt the seat go left and right as i skidded towards the car infront. luckily i ended up coming to a stop right next to the car that slammed its brakes. so i rode home and i dont think the bike felt right the rest of the way home. it felt a little wobbly. any idea if or what i might have messed up on the bike?

[Cab305]

Your nerves!

[Snake]

When you locked up the tires you likely flat spotted them. It will take some time for the tires wear even again.

[almost40]

Originally Posted by Snake

When you locked up the tires you likely flat spotted them. It will take some time for the tires wear even again.

+1 you flat spotted the rear. Doubt you locked the front, or you would be knee deep in gause pads for your road rash.

[addy126]

Originally Posted by Snake

When you locked up the tires you likely flat spotted them. It will take some time for the tires wear even again.

Ditto, did that to mine in the summer. Some nitwit did the same thing. Only a small flat patch, its okay now and rides like it did before.

[TenaciousD]

I know it's easy for me to second-guess you after the fact over the internet, but three car lengths at 55 mph means you were following FAR too close. Give yourself more room from now on and you'll have fewer moments like that.

[JMcDonald]

Yeah, three car lengths is like 50 feet, and 55mph is like 80fps, so you had like 2/3 of a second ahead of you!

[edbro]

Sounds like you need to practice emergency braking... find an empty road and try braking hard from 55-60-70 whatever without locking up the brakes. Practice makes perfect, you can't afford to not have this skill, this time you got away safely.

[onizthegnome]

thanks guys. i looked up a few articles on proper emergency braking and im going to practice tomorrow. gonna try to even out the flat spot while im at it

[bhalv]

great time to work on preventing skids as well

[Misti]

Originally Posted by edbro

Sounds like you need to practice emergency braking... find an empty road and try braking hard from 55-60-70 whatever without locking up the brakes. Practice makes perfect, you can't afford to not have this skill, this time you got away safely.

Excellent point! I was going to suggest practicing emergency braking WITHOUT locking up the tires as well. You have less control of the bike when the wheels begin to skid and a lot of chance of going down so the best way to practice emergency braking is to work up to being able to brake hard and fast (while still being very smooth and relaxed with the controls) and bringing the bike right to the point of locking up the tires in order to stop as quickly as possible.

What should you do if you feel the tires begin to skid and slide all over the place (besides pray and hope you stop in time?)

Also onizthegnome mentioned that the seat felt like it was sliding from left to right. What do riders tend to do when emergency braking that makes the bike wobble or slide from side to side???

Originally Posted by onizthegnome

thanks guys. i looked up a few articles on proper emergency braking and im going to practice tomorrow. gonna try to even out the flat spot while im at it

Good for you. Important to take a look at how you reacted and make a plan to improve. Glad you were OK and all the best in improving your stopping skills!!

What were some of the best tips you took away from the emergency braking articles you read?

Misti

[nakedhunter]

I just had a similar incident myself this morning just not with a car.
There is a notorious traffic light that cycles through yellow very fast.
Luckily I was alone on the road this morning but parked at the light was the police, they park where it sets off the light rotation quite often as it tries to let the side traffic (police car) go. Needless to say I was going 45 (speed limit) when I saw the police and the light changed - had to slam on the brakes because he was just waiting for me and everyone else who tries to make it through the 2-3 second yellow. I guess I need to practice quick stops too... I killed the bike engine as I was concentrating on braking and not the clutch. I stopped right at the line, looked over at the car and he was just smiling. I had to restart the bike made it through the light but saw it change again in my rear view mirror - next vehicle... I guess I learned to try to remember clutch, front brake and rear brake for a quick stop.

[GeorgiaHooligan]

If you lock the rear ride it out until you stop. If the rear wheel regains traction you will likely highside. If you lock the front, let off of it asap.

[GeorgiaHooligan]

dont forget to practice emergency swerves. In some cases , no amount of braking is going to save you and you will have to swerve.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by nakedhunter

I just had a similar incident myself this morning just not with a car.
There is a notorious traffic light that cycles through yellow very fast.
Luckily I was alone on the road this morning but parked at the light was the police, they park where it sets off the light rotation quite often as it tries to let the side traffic (police car) go. Needless to say I was going 45 (speed limit) when I saw the police and the light changed - had to slam on the brakes because he was just waiting for me and everyone else who tries to make it through the 2-3 second yellow. I guess I need to practice quick stops too... I killed the bike engine as I was concentrating on braking and not the clutch. I stopped right at the line, looked over at the car and he was just smiling. I had to restart the bike made it through the light but saw it change again in my rear view mirror - next vehicle... I guess I learned to try to remember clutch, front brake and rear brake for a quick stop.

have you taken the MSF course? if not, you should. if you have, they should have taught you how to handle the situation already and sounds like all you need to do is get into a big parking lot and practice, practice, practice.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaHooligan

If you lock the rear ride it out until you stop. If the rear wheel regains traction you will likely highside. If you lock the front, let off of it asap.

This is usually if you are turning. Basically, restoring rear-wheel traction with the two wheels pointing differen't directions is a bad, bad thing. When going straight, they are usually aligned enough to regain traction and brake properly.

[rockNroll]

im amazed that you're alive right now

[Indy250r]

I don't know where you are at as a rider, so take the following as you need it:

Keep your braking and swerving separate. The harder you are braking the less traction you have for turning, and conversely, the harder you are turning, the less traction you have for braking.

[bdavison]

Contrary to what online will tell you, you can lock up the front wheel, and not go down. Ive locked the front at 70mph on a bike before, ...bike went straight just like normal. I however dont recommend it, because normally...it does dump you and real quick.

And if you lock and release the rear wheel, it doesnt automatically toss you off in a highside. It mostly depends on how far the rear wheel gets out of alignment with the front. If the bike is still upright and level, and the rear wheel hasnt skipped out more than a couple of inches...letting off wont do much. You might get a little bump as it re-centers, but its still better than keeping it locked, because the bike stops faster if its not locked.

However, if you are leaned over or the tire slides out a foot...you might as well hang on to what youve got because you are going to dump it anyway....better lowside than highside.

[Alex]

I bent my front wheel (different bike) weekend before last by hitting a rock. Bent it enough to start leaking air, but was slow enough to get me home. Had it fixed just this past weekend at a local shop, and all is well. Was chatting with a friend about it, and he was riding with someone a few years back who hit a rock so hard, that it bent the front wheel so badly it immediately locked the wheel when it couldn't fit through the brake caliper anymore. This was at highway speeds, and somehow the rider managed to keep the bike upright with a locked front wheel all the way down to zero. All I can imagine is that he is lucky it was a somewhat heavy bike, with less than uber-sticky tires, or I would expect that a stoppie was a distinct possibility.

He was just sitting there in the middle of the road trying to get the bike to move and wondering why it wasn't going an inch, until they got off and looked at the front wheel and saw the problem. Had to be lifted off the road and towed home.

But, to your point, it is possible to lock a front wheel and not immediately crash. It's just not recommended.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Alex

I bent my front wheel (different bike) weekend before last by hitting a rock. Bent it enough to start leaking air, but was slow enough to get me home. Had it fixed just this past weekend at a local shop, and all is well. Was chatting with a friend about it, and he was riding with someone a few years back who hit a rock so hard, that it bent the front wheel so badly it immediately locked the wheel when it couldn't fit through the brake caliper anymore. This was at highway speeds, and somehow the rider managed to keep the bike upright with a locked front wheel all the way down to zero. All I can imagine is that he is lucky it was a somewhat heavy bike, with less than uber-sticky tires, or I would expect that a stoppie was a distinct possibility.

He was just sitting there in the middle of the road trying to get the bike to move and wondering why it wasn't going an inch, until they got off and looked at the front wheel and saw the problem. Had to be lifted off the road and towed home.

But, to your point, it is possible to lock a front wheel and not immediately crash. It's just not recommended.

I'm still hunting for a place in San Diego that can fix motorcycle rims. Any hints on where to check? How did you find a place that would fix yours? All teh rim repair places I can find in SD tell me that they don't do motorcycle tires.

[Alex]

I went to these guys: http://www.wheeltechniques.com/

They were recommended on a local forum.

[Cali619]

While practicing emergency stops in a parking lot it would benefit to also learn fast downshifting with throttle blips. I have found the rev matcing/engine breaking helps me a lot than with the clutch in and f/b brakes only.

[rockNroll]

Originally Posted by Cali619

While practicing emergency stops in a parking lot it would benefit to also learn fast downshifting with throttle blips. I have found the rev matcing/engine breaking helps me a lot than with the clutch in and f/b brakes only.

You don't want to be incorporating engine braking into your emergency stops. You can't stop as quick that way.

[Cali619]

Originally Posted by rockNroll

You don't want to be incorporating engine braking into your emergency stops. You can't stop as quick that way.

Maybe im just to used to hammering down in gears no matter how I break, it just seems to me I have to press harder on the breaks when I am just coasting.