Stopping the Motorcycle

Stopping the Motorcycle

by Sue L
(Illinois)

I just can't get the hang of stopping my motorcycle smoothly. I seem to do it so abruptly. I try to slow down enough, but when I go really slowly, I feel so shaky before stopping. I want to put my feet down too soon. I have practice and practiced, but still have trouble.

I stop with both brakes, but try to just use my rear brake when I start slowing to 5 mph, otherwise I have a tendency to use the front one and I jerk forward (very unstable position).

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I also have been having trouble with my friction zone. My bike wasn't running just right and they had to send the ECM (Electronic Control Module maybe) back to Harley and have it remapped - whatever all that means. I guess it was running too lean for emission standards, so they changed it. Now it seems to want to go too fast for me in 1st gear, Makes it a lot harder to handle when I need to do slow maneuvers and when using friction zone.

Anyway, I practice a lot, but I feel so depressed that I have so much trouble. I feel like I will never get it right. People want to go for rides and I just don't feel like I am ready. I ride a 2009 1200 Low Sportster and it still feel like it is so heavy for me. I learned and practiced on a little 200cc Kawasaki. When my bike was in the shop - I rode the little bike around and wow - it was a blast. Seemed so easy to ride after riding my bigger one for the last month. Why can't mine seem easier for me by now???

HELP ME if you can!!

Sue

Comments for
Stopping the Motorcycle

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Sep 07, 2011

Braking
by: Turbosteeve

75 front 25 rear, anonymous if hitting your front brake is causing your bike to lift up, you have a bike that brakes the laws of physics. Actually try your 75 rear and 25 front technique In a emergency situation and the bike will slide right out from under you.

Oct 30, 2010

Stopping
by: Anonymous

I am a lady rider as well, but one thing I always remember when riding and stopping is to relax and don't tense up. Also squeeze your brakes or you may tend to want to brake too hard. Using both brakes to stop. Down shifting prior to braking or when slowing.

Mar 05, 2010

Thanks
by: Anonymous

Since I posted last May, I have come a long way. Passed the BRC on May 31st and never looked back. I put over 3,000 miles on my Suzuki S-40, and in September I bought a Dyna Low Rider. Slightly intimidating at first, but a few trips up and down my long driveway and practice with slow turns in the parking lot and I was on my way. Had a blast and logged about 700 miles on it before the snow hit. I absolutely CANNOT wait until spring so I can ride again. I remember my first few trips on a road in June, I actually lost track of where we were because I was concentrating so hard in riding perfectly and watching traffic. I am an expert by no means but I can definitely get out there and hold my own! Shifting and braking as well as acceleration have to be second nature. I remember the second and last time I dropped my Suzuki last year, I did so because I was trying to pull out so smoothly that I "forgot" to turn the throttle! I learned a lot on the Suzuki, and haven't had any issues with the Harley......it is a lot bigger and a lot heavier, but so far so good!

Mar 04, 2010

Remove Front Brake
by: EZ

Take your front brake junk off. Learn to use your rear brake and gears to slow down and stop and you will rule the world!

May 16, 2009

New Rider Comments
by: Katie

I am a VERY new rider. I have ridden on the back of a bike with my husband for 34 years. I don't know what hit me, but now at the age of 50, I want to ride my own bike. I am taking the BRC at the end of the month. In the meantime, I borrowed my nephews dirt bike and rode around in the yard for a couple of weeks. Then, three weeks ago, I bought a used Suzuki S-40 and have been practicing in a parking lot near my house nearly every day. I've never been out of second gear. I practice starting out - feeling that friction zone, and I practice stopping using both brakes. I painted a white line in several areas of the parking lot and practice stopping at the white line. I practice slow turns using clutch and back brake. I also pretend I am at a stop sign, then start out practicing both left and right hand turns from a stop. I do walk around turns getting the feel of handling the bike. I do figure 8's, training myself to look through the turn. The first time I rode it, after about an hour, I dropped it because I used too much front brake with the wheel slightly turned. Broke off my rear view mirror and turn signal.

That taught me a valuable lesson. Stop straight - start straight, and THEN turn. Another important thing is positioning the bike for the turn before you come to the stop. I am feeling like I am getting the hang of things, but I will not venture on the road much until I can do all of this almost automatically. My husband would ride us over to the parking lot, then I would ride in the lot. Yesterday, I road down my long driveway and to the parking lot myself while he followed on his bike. It's not far, but what an accomplishment - right turn out of the driveway, down the road about 300 yards, then left turn, ride 100 yards, then another left turn into the parking lot. I anxiously await the day I can just get on and ride anywhere I want, but for now these baby steps are building my skills and my confidence.

May 15, 2009

Stopping and Braking
by: Sue

Anonymous, I know what you mean. I too have quickly pulled on the front brake, because it is easier to access in a panicked situation. It jerked me forward and I almost dropped the bike.
I am working on using both brakes when I stop. I only use the rear brake if doing slow maneuvers.
Sure is a lot to remember isn't there??

I just have to remember that Rome wasn't built in a day and I won't learn everything on my new bike in less than a month's time.

May 15, 2009

Stopping
by: Sue

Thank you everyone!

I took the MSF Course a few years ago. I had a Buell Blast then. I didn't really like it so I didn't ride for quite a long time. Last fall, a friend loaned me the 200 Kawasaki and I rode it any day that was 50 degrees or above. Then I started to ride it again this winter/spring when it was 50+. I bought the Sportster on Good Friday. I started riding it every day that it wasn't raining or too windy. But I had the problem with it coughing and running poorly. They took the fuel pump apart and checked everything out and it was fine. They couldn't figure it out. Then I had to take it back again and they sent the ECM to Harley for remapping. The ECM is a small computer that determines the correct ignition timing and, on fuel injected motorcycles, the timing and duration of the injection of fuel into the engine. It is the "brain" of the bike. It was running too lean. I guess the bike is still in its break in period, too. Suppose to run more smoothly once it is broken in.

So, today I took her out and practiced for an hour on stopping. I understand now that when you are going under 10mph you lose your momentum and the bike feels shaky. Yep, I should just determine when to stop and do it. I will definitely try the 2 fingers on the front brake so I won't be so heavy on it. It is just getting that confidence and practicing. I did much better today and I worked at getting used the feel of both brakes.

You are right about the front brake having most of the stopping power. Some say 70%, but it probably can be up to 85 or 90%. I can smoothly start to brake using both brakes in unison and down shifting. It is just at the end where I have the problem. If you are in a stop and go situation, you have to be able to ride and control you bike from 0 to 10 mph. I am getting better with the friction zone. If maneuvering in slow situations, you use the friction zone, a little throttle and the rear brake. Feathering the rear brake when in the friction zone, makes the bike think it is going faster than it is and it stands up and is more stable. Trust me, I practice circles, figure eights and u-turns a lot. It is so easy now on the little 200. Now with the bigger bike, it is a bit more difficult. I just need to continue practicing. Once I feel I am getting more control, my confidence builds and I can do more. I also need to remember to look where I want to go. Even with stopping, I shouldn't look down and in turning, head and eyes go together looking to where you plan on going. That is another one to really work on. I did do a u-turn though today on a bit wider street. Didn't even have to put my feet down.

Well, again thanks for your help and confidence building. I don't think the bike is really too big for me. I just need to figure out the right rhythm for me and I will get it.

I will practice the 2 fingers and see if that helps.

Happy and Safe riding to all of you!!

May 15, 2009

Braking
by: Anonymous

Then we will have to disagree - what the courses say to do are one thing - what is good in reality is another.

No where did I say that I use only the rear brake either - I use the front cautiously since I have dumped the bike using the front one too hard in a panic situation.

May 15, 2009

Braking
by: Jacee

I beg to differ with Anonymous. If you have taken the Motorcycle Safety Course, it states: "The front brake provides around 70% of the stopping power for your motorcycle. To stop, the hands and feet work together in a coordinated and smooth fashion. Squeeze the clutch and the front brake lever while pressing on the rear brake pedal and downshifting to first gear."

I had your problem when I first got my GSXR - that shaky stopping issue. Your particular bike has disc brakes just like mine. That means that they are powerful and you should probably only use one or two fingers and pull the brake in smoothly. Never grab the lever with all 4 fingers and pull hard, which is what Anonymous is talking about when he/she says, "Hitting the front brake will cause the bike to lift up and go down in a heartbeat." Or, more accurately stated, you will do a "stoppie". If your front wheel is turned even slightly when you pull hard on the brakes, the bike will throw you up in the air as it slides out from under you.

That being said, after that happened to me, I was way TOO cautious pulling in the brake, therefore stopping became an unstable and shaky experience every time. My husband instructed me to just slow down smoothly, and when ready to stop - just STOP. The way I practiced it (in a parking lot) was to decide ahead of time exactly where I was going to stop (some line or mark). Keep your eyes on the chosen line, pull in the FRONT brake slowly, stepping on the rear brake gently, and when you get within a foot or so of the line - just finish it - pull in the brake lever and stop - not hard or rough - just pull it in all the way.

Keep in mind that any bike going under about 10 mph is going to be unstable - it loses that gyroscopic effect that allows the bike to balance at higher speeds (a bicycle is the same). So slow down to about 9 mph and then just stop.

If Anonymous only uses the rear brake, chances are his/her bike has drum brakes or the old Harley brakes (a wire thingy going to the brakes (?)). Do not listen to that advice. I believe that the MSF people have ridden ALL kinds of bikes and they teach the most effective and safest way to stop any motorcycle. The rear brake, being less powerful, will take more distance to stop, than using just the front brake. Using both brakes takes the least distance and, therefore, is the safest.

Don't be discouraged or depressed. All you need is to keep practicing your skills until you have mastered them and you can do them in your sleep. Of course a little 200cc is fun and easy to ride. Your Sportster is a whole different bike and needs different skills. If you want to keep that bike, just know that all you need is more practice. It took me about a year to truly master my bike (went from a 800cc cruiser to a 1000cc sportbike) and about 2 years to feel really comfortable riding it. I'm in my 3rd year with my GSXR and it feels really easy to ride and I wonder why I used to think it was hard . . . :D

May 15, 2009

Braking
by: Anonymous

What? Braking should NOT be done on the front brake sorry. All of my friends that I hang out with and ride with have all been riding for 20 plus years and they ALL say "STAY OFF THE FRONT BRAKE!" It should be 75 percent back and 25 percent front.

Hitting the front brake will cause the bike to lift up and go down in a heartbeat. I should know, I have done it twice now.

But yes the bike does sound like its far too big to go from a 250 or whatever it was to this one.

May 15, 2009

Sue
by: Brycie

Sue,

First you are like me on my first and second bike I went from a 425 to a 1500. Big change in handling and I had to re-learn everything. The weight difference was a scary thing for me also. It took a several months of riding to start to feel comfortable with the heavier bike.

Friction Zones are different for every bike and just takes a lot of practice and patience to learn the ?zone? on the new bike. I have two bikes right now and I have to re-learn every time I change the bike that I am riding for that day.

I did not see anything about how long you have been riding your HD Sporty. Be patient with yourself.

Brycie

May 15, 2009

Braking
by: Tracy in NC

I had to overcome some braking issues when I first started riding. I have found that when coming to a stop I just keep the clutch lever pulled in and let up on the throttle and go ahead and start gearing down then slowly pull in on the brake lever. From what I have read and learned on my own, most of your braking should be done with the front brake. You just have to remember to squeeze slowly on the lever! I am not sure of your size but the 1200 sounds like a heavy bike. I have a Vulcan 500 and I can keep up with the big boys just fine!

Good Luck to you!

May 15, 2009

Stopping
by: Anonymous

I gotta wonder why you would go right from a 200 to a 1200 sporty? For the power or the weight. I went from a 400 automatic and got on my new 750 yesterday and never touching a clutch in my life I got on and rode then came back home and went riding with a guy friend last nite - and today I rode 65 miles. Other than a few times of killing it since I forgot to pull the clutch in, (automatics dont use those to have to shift lol) I had no problems.

I personally I wouldn't keep a bike that I can't get the hang of within a short time. It's not only dangerous to yourself but also to others that you might ride with.

If you won't get rid of the bike and go smaller, then go to a parking lot and practice a lot.

But I would also take the bike back to the dealer since it sounds like a simple adjustment to make it idle slower in first. I don't see how the idle would be effected by the emissions things.

Possibly the dealer that put the whatever it was back on the bike didn't adjust it.

I have known some gals that went too large from a small bike and finally had to admit it was too much bike for them for the time being and went and got a middle of the road.

My 750 is perfect and I was scared to death trying the clutch and riding and stopping but I have shocked myself by riding this much or this well after less then 2 days.

Good luck!

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