the proper way to come to a complete stop.. help

[venmichaels]

Lately ive been have trouble coming to a complete stop on my bike..
Am i supposed to apply both front and rear brake until i come to a dead stop?? When do I put my feet down?? I took the MSF course, but the instructor really didnt go into all that much detail..

Everytime i come to a completely stop i feel like im gonna tip over...
Any tips from veteran riders would be appreciated..

[setasai]

Try going to a parking lot and doing some super super slow clutch riding and see how slow you can go while keeping your balance. I try to keep my feet up until the last possible second when I know i'll be stopped. After a while, you can go super slow and still stay balanced.

The rear brake has alot of discussion on when to use it but if you find it hard to use without feeling like you're tipping, then use the front brake for that last few feet before you come to a complete stop.

[YORCHI]

Originally Posted by venmichaels

Lately ive been have trouble coming to a complete stop on my bike..
Am i supposed to apply both front and rear brake until i come to a dead stop?? When do I put my feet down?? I took the MSF course, but the instructor really didnt go into all that much detail..

Everytime i come to a completely stop i feel like im gonna tip over...
Any tips from veteran riders would be appreciated..

This was my worst part of the MSF course. The instructor kept telling me to use all of my front brake and everytime I did the bike would tip to the right really fast and I would drop it.

From what the MSF course taught me, yes you should use both your brakes but your front brake is actually doing most of the work. Squeeze the front brake evenly and you should end up putting your left foot down first when you come to a complete stop. I was able to stop fine but the quick stop is what killed me. I'm actually scared to practice that now because I don't want to drop my Ninja like I dropped their practice bikes. Oh and make sure you downshift as you slow down and you should stop in 1st gear in case you need to move forward with a quickness...

If you can, practice starting and stopping on your street...I'm doing that today at my "Newb Track" and I want to practice quick stops as well and turning right and left from a stop.

[Mr.E]

^^ That (both brakes and both feet down) is what they taught in my MSF. Also as you stop they made it a point to stay in first gear and have the clutch in.

[alex.s]

i usually use front brakes only- until i get below about 5 or 10mph... then i switch from front brakes only, to mostly rear brakes with only a tiny bit of front. when i come to a full stop i leave on only rear brakes for convenience ... when going slower, rear brakes are easier to control because they don't effect the suspension of the bike as much. make sure whichever brakes you're using you make transitions from on and off be as smooth as possible. usually if you're using only front brakes to stop, if you keep the same amount of brakes on you get a pogostick effect like a car when you finally get to a stop which if you aren't careful can throw you off ballance. so if you plan on using only front brakes, make sure you plan a smooth decrease in braking force when you're about to stop so you don't get an abbrupt stop and pogo. rear brakes aren't encouraged because of how easy it is to lock them up when you're trying to stop (the weight transfers to the front wheel when you stop, taking away traction from your rear wheel, making it easier to skid)

as to the foot... i will begin to let my left foot (your right foot might be busy) down around 3-5 mph... maybe a second or two before i come to a complete stop.

btw i'm not a veteran or expert in any sense of the word but i ride for every trip i need to take (hell my car hasn't been in a functional state in over 4 months now... i should get to fixing that at some point...)

p.s. to the rear ending. i've been saved 3 times now from some idiot not paying attention, not seeing me or the red light, and trying to plow through me and the light. stay in first and keep checking your mirrors. it will save your life one day.

[Azhyen]

Originally Posted by venmichaels

Everytime i come to a completely stop i feel like im gonna tip over...
Any tips from veteran riders would be appreciated..

Do you mean tip over to one side, or tip forward? If it's tipping to the side, you need to practice balancing a little more when coming to a stop until you become comfortable. If it's tipping forward, you're applying too much front brake. Ease on the front brakes a little.

[YORCHI]

sorry if it's too much off topic but does anyone know what the target quick stop distance is from the MSF course?

I'm gonna measure it out today and see how I do after I practice a bit

[ally99]

Originally Posted by setasai

Try going to a parking lot and doing some super super slow clutch riding and see how slow you can go while keeping your balance. I try to keep my feet up until the last possible second when I know i'll be stopped. After a while, you can go super slow and still stay balanced.

+1

When I started learning to ride, hubby and I had bike races in the parking lot. We were actually "racing" to see who could travel the slowest. It was a lot of fun and really helped me learn how to modulate my clutch and use my brake to stay slow. Plus it's a great exercise for balance. You can even practice your balance on a bicycle which is a little less intimidating than a Ninja.
Honestly, the first year that I rode, I never used the rear brake at all. It wasn't until I got my taller Ninja 650 and had to learn to one-foot stops that I started using the rear. For me, it really helped smooth out my stops.
You'll have a lot of different answers to your questions because we all have different riding styles. In many cases, there is no one "right" answer for every skill level and situation (though some will believe theirs to be the only right way). The best advice is to find a parking lot and practice, practice, practice. Practice using only your front brake. Then practice basic stops and add a little rear too. Practice putting your feet down at different times during your stop. See what works best for you as you grow more comfortable as a rider. You actually want to get familiar enough with your brakes so that you know how much power will cause a stoppie on the front or will slide the rear. But start slow and build up to that.
To answer your questions based on how I ride, I use only front brake at anything high speed (I guess 30mph or higher...and that includes panic stops. The rear brake is of very little use to use at high speeds.), and as I continue to slow and get nearer to my stop, I apply a little rear brake to smooth it out a bit. I don't put my feet down until just as I'm stopping the bike and it needs my help. Our bikes don't need our feet to help them, even if they're only puttering along at a couple of MPH...just like a bicycle. Don't put them down until you stop. I hope this helps. Good luck practicing!

[PHL]

Took the MSF course and passed it to get my license this past May so I've not a lot of real world experience. IIRC we were told to put the left foot down first (and it's the first one up when taking off as well). During the quick stop exercise, we were drilled on clutch and brake in, rear brake applied, downshift into first, and left foot down.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by PHL

Took the MSF course and passed it to get my license this past May so I've not a lot of real world experience. IIRC we were told to put the left foot down first (and it's the first one up when taking off as well). During the quick stop exercise, we were drilled on clutch and brake in, rear brake applied, downshift into first, and left foot down.

Yep, same for me.

All four... front break, rear break, clutch in, down a gear (we did the estop in 2nd gear). Left foot down first.

I got up to 25mph and was called for going to fast , but still stopped in the middle of the cones without lockups.

[KwackAttack]

From what I was thought in Ireland you are not meant to put both feet down. You are only supposed to put your left foot down, keep your right foot on the back brake and keep it in first. The idea being that you can get away quickly if a car is going to hit you. It also allows me to flash the brake when cars are coming behind me at lights. I never put both feet down unless the lights are taking a long time and im a bit back in line. At roundabouts or any time im just sitting behind a car in traffic i make sure to keep my right foot on the peg. I find its more comfortable and provides better stability to put my left foot down and keep my right up.

I always use my front brake first. If I want to just take a bit of speed off I just use the front brake, if I want to take I nice bit off or want to come to a complete stop I use the front and back. I was watching a guy on youtube before and he was saying to use the front first and then the back but if you want you can use the back first, bad bad advice.

[Ichiro]

"Everytime i come to a completely stop i feel like im gonna tip over... "
It's because you have a hold of the front brake at very low speeds as you stop.Although I do most of my slowing down from speed using the front brake, I release the front brake and use the rear brake when almost stopped. If you use the front brake when you are going super slow and stop,the front end will flop over to the side unless your front wheel is straight.Try it and see if this solves your problem.

[blink]

Remember to take it easy on the front brake, the quicker you stop the more likely you are to tip (if you have little experience) now one said you have to stop quickly while learning in a controlled environment; don't get me wrong now, you have to practice quick stops before you hit the road too, but slow comes first =]

[Clearlynotstefan]

"Moved to Rider Skills"


...wait, I can't do that.

[YORCHI]

Originally Posted by blink

Remember to take it easy on the front brake, the quicker you stop the more likely you are to tip (if you have little experience) now one said you have to stop quickly while learning in a controlled environment; don't get me wrong now, you have to practice quick stops before you hit the road too, but slow comes first =]

preach on!

[blink]

Originally Posted by Clearlynotstefan

"Moved to Rider Skills"


...wait, I can't do that.

HAHHAHAHAHAHHAH I choked on my cookie reading this.

[blink]

Originally Posted by YORCHI

preach on!

If no sarcasm involved, thank you I will hahah

[YORCHI]

Originally Posted by blink

If no sarcasm involved, thank you I will hahah

no I was serious...it's harder to do a quick stop and a quick start than it is to stop slowly and controlled and to start from a stop slowly and controlled...

so learning to stop and start slowly with proper technique should be first and then you can practice doing it faster in case of emergencies...

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Clearlynotstefan

"Moved to Rider Skills"


...wait, I can't do that.

[Clearlynotstefan]

Originally Posted by Alex

Thought you'd like that one!

[shiroganeshinobi]

Originally Posted by Ichiro

"Everytime i come to a completely stop i feel like im gonna tip over... "
If you use the front brake when you are going super slow and stop,the front end will flop over to the side unless your front wheel is straight.Try it and see if this solves your problem.

This. If you keep the bike centered when stopping, you'll have a moment to put the foot down. If you stop while not centered, then you'll feel the tipping effect and you will lay the bke down.

[Xoulrath]

Originally Posted by ally99

You'll have a lot of different answers to your questions because we all have different riding styles. In many cases, there is no one "right" answer for every skill level and situation (though some will believe theirs to be the only right way). The best advice is to find a parking lot and practice, practice, practice. See what works best for you as you grow more comfortable as a rider. Good luck practicing!

What Ally says applies to all of riding. You can see that different instructors have different methods and styles. It doesn't make any of them right or wrong.

The best thing you can do is get expert-level advice, even if it is just from a book or video, and practice what lessons are there. Find what works best for you as Ally said and then continue to practice that.

Just remember, even experts practice all the time and are constantly getting feedback from other experts. Riding, if you stick with it, should be a lifelong learning process with refinements made as they are necessary. It should also be remembered that often we all have small variations in our riding "style" based on any number of variables. The single most important rule should always be safety.

[wtfh4xx]

MSF instructions are:
From your cruising speed -> Depress clutch -> Downshift in preparation -> Apply both brakes -> (My own step) Transfer braking power to rear in last few feet (Stops bike from lurching forward at the stop) -> Put foot down

[alex.s]

my steps: WOT until the last second, at the same time as letting off the gas begin front brake until forks dive, once they're compressed apply more front brake to lift rear, make sure you look to the side and flip off whoever is visible, set the bike back down, wait for the green while revving it up and then drop the clutch while flipping the person off you flipped off before.

[neldy]

Originally Posted by venmichaels

Lately ive been have trouble coming to a complete stop on my bike..
Am i supposed to apply both front and rear brake until i come to a dead stop?? When do I put my feet down?? I took the MSF course, but the instructor really didnt go into all that much detail..

Everytime i come to a completely stop i feel like im gonna tip over...
Any tips from veteran riders would be appreciated..

I would add my 2c's as something that hasn't yet been mentioned yet.

Don't forget the basic principle which is that the bike will go where your head is pointing (or where your looking).
When slowing down, using which ever method it is, ensure you keep your vision up and look ahead. Do not look at the ground or where you want to put your foot.

Doing this at slow speeds too will help keep the 'wobbles' away.

The best way I've had the rear brake described to me is as "think of it (the rear brake) as a rope tied to the back of your bike. When you apply it, it pulls all the wobbles out and adds stability to the bike."

Personally my breaking sequence is like so:

Look up - Clutch in - Rear Brake - Front Brake - Downshift - Left foot down

[ally99]

Originally Posted by neldy

I
Don't forget the basic principle which is that the bike will go where your head is pointing (or where your looking).
When slowing down, using which ever method it is, ensure you keep your vision up and look ahead. Do not look at the ground or where you want to put your foot.

+1 Great reminder! When I was learning and had some pretty rough stops, I realized late that I was always looking down or somewhere other than up and straight ahead. That tiny little changed transformed my stops. GREAT suggestion to remember!

[Honko]

Originally Posted by alex.s

my steps: WOT until the last second, at the same time as letting off the gas begin front brake until forks dive, once they're compressed apply more front brake to lift rear, make sure you look to the side and flip off whoever is visible, set the bike back down, wait for the green while revving it up and then drop the clutch while flipping the person off you flipped off before.

Hahaha, baller status.

[blink]

Originally Posted by alex.s

my steps: WOT until the last second, at the same time as letting off the gas begin front brake until forks dive, once they're compressed apply more front brake to lift rear, make sure you look to the side and flip off whoever is visible, set the bike back down, wait for the green while revving it up and then drop the clutch while flipping the person off you flipped off before.

Couldn't have said it better my self.
Our instructors were anal about this method!