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Lowside on Highway one

M

Malfi

New member
Joined
Sep 13, 2008
Location
Half Moon Bay
Moto(s)
2004 Victory Vegas
So as for getting back on the bike a lot of people said to post here and let you guys see what you think went wrong and compare it to what I think.

So I had just finished filling the bike with gas and I was heading north on Highway one I was going 25-30 mph and I saw a car that looked like it was going to pull out so I slowed down(15-20 mph) to let it go in front of me, well the car didn't pull out so I kept on going but when I started to get close to the car it decided to go, I would of hit it if I had kept up my speed, so I pull my front brake and push down on my back brake, when I pushed down on my back brake I locked up the rear tire and it slid to the left and I dropped her, and I rolled, The bike didn't hit any cars thankfully.

Damage to the Bike: broke screw on the handle bars, road rash on the pipes, and a dent on the tank.

Damage to me: Road rash on both arms and a hairline fracture in my shoulder
 
Should have wore gear, but that aside. If you were going 15mph you might have been able to stop without hitting the car. Even if you thing you were to close to save it, next time practice panic braking in a empty parking lot, it could save your bike and you next time.
 
Malfi said:
So as for getting back on the bike a lot of people said to post here and let you guys see what you think went wrong and compare it to what I think.

So I had just finished filling the bike with gas and I was heading north on Highway one I was going 25-30 mph and I saw a car that looked like it was going to pull out so I slowed down(15-20 mph) to let it go in front of me, well the car didn't pull out so I kept on going but when I started to get close to the car it decided to go, I would of hit it if I had kept up my speed, so I pull my front brake and push down on my back brake, when I pushed down on my back brake I locked up the rear tire and it slid to the left and I dropped her, and I rolled, The bike didn't hit any cars thankfully.

Damage to the Bike: broke screw on the handle bars, road rash on the pipes, and a dent on the tank.

Damage to me: Road rash on both arms and a hairline fracture in my shoulder
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From your description, it sounds like you used too much rear brake and the rear tire locked and slid to the side. It has been my experience that riders that frequently lock the rear tire (due to over-braking), are also under-braking the front tire. In other words, not using enough front brake. Even on your motorcycle, the front brake is the most powerful brake, and it provides most of the stopping power.

When first saw the car and slowed down, did you take any other actions to communicate to the car? Did you honk or flash your head light? Were you able to move away from the car, towards the left or right of your lane, just in case they pulled out?
 
Don't use the rear brake. Ever. Unless of course your goal is to put you and your bike on the ground. Forget you have a rear brake and just use your front brake.

Enchanter, please feel free to cut and paste your response from the last time we had this little tet-a-tet. It's beginning to seem like old times. :teeth
 
Archimedes said:
Don't use the rear brake. Ever. Unless of course your goal is to put you and your bike on the ground. Forget you have a rear brake and just use your front brake.
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Or you could just learn how to use the rear brake properly.

Enchanter, please feel free to cut and paste your response from the last time we had this little tet-a-tet. It's beginning to seem like old times. :teeth
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His profile indicates that he rides a Victory motorcycle. Does your advice still stand?
 
Enchanter said:
Or you could just learn how to use the rear brake properly.


His profile indicates that he rides a Victory motorcycle. Does your advice still stand?
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Well, given the fact that he crashed, yes, I believe I'll stick with my answer. I've used it for the last ten people who've posted on here about locking their rear brakes and gone down; not gonna change it now.

And I'm not gonna be suckered into the very true, but practically unrealistic, 'learn to use it properly' argument again. No siree. I know your position, you know mine, and the OP doesn't care.
 
Enchanter said:
From your description, it sounds like you used too much rear brake and the rear tire locked and slid to the side. It has been my experience that riders that frequently lock the rear tire (due to over-braking), are also under-braking the front tire. In other words, not using enough front brake. Even on your motorcycle, the front brake is the most powerful brake, and it provides most of the stopping power.

When first saw the car and slowed down, did you take any other actions to communicate to the car? Did you honk or flash your head light? Were you able to move away from the car, towards the left or right of your lane, just in case they pulled out?
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Quoted for emphasis. Making eye contact with the driver is sometimes not enough. They can be looking through you, rather than at you. Do whatever you can to catch their attention. My experience is that flashing lights, honking the horn, and changing lane position are the most effective attention grabbers.

When they do jump out at you, you might have to brake or swerve. In my opinion, it is better to use swerve as a first reaction as opposed to braking. If you can't swerve, then you brake. The decision can be made in a tenth of a second, and swerving can often buy you time to react even if it doesn't completely take you out of danger. Swerve if you can, then brake. It is easier to brake once you've swerved than it is to swerve once you've started braking.

By the way, what is the speed limit on that part of Highway 1?
 
Archimedes said:
Don't use the rear brake. Ever. Unless of course your goal is to put you and your bike on the ground. Forget you have a rear brake and just use your front brake.
Click to expand...

Normally I would agree with you 100%, if the person was riding a sport bike. I have not used the rear brake in years. But the rider is on a Victory. Skinny front tire, large rear tire, and rear weight bias. That being said I don't think you get a lot of stopping power using the front brake alone.
 
Zx6R Demon said:
Forget you have a rear brake!! thats funny!, who tought you how to ride?
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The first thing they teach at most of the roadracing schools is to not use the rear brake. If you are using the front brake to it's full capacity the rear wheel is barely touching the ground. There is not much use in locking it up is there?
 
Thats cool I was tought in my school to use it, but hey everybody is different, if you do start to slide and you do release the rear yes most likely you will Highside if you don't know how to handle the situation 99% time after you have slid sideways and you look directly infront of you 9 times out of ten your direction of path is clear ...due to sliding the rear, you can hit the throttle hard right as you release the back brake and you will not highside but rather shoot out to what ever direction your front end is pointing, Clear the object and straightin it back up. I don't use my rear brake to slide my bike but I want to use 100% of my braking, if I do slide I do the above.
 
Zx6R Demon said:
Thats cool I was tought in my school to use it, but hey everybody is different, if you do start to slide and you do release the rear yes most likely you will Highside if you don't know how to handle the situation 99% time after you have slid sideways and you look directly infront of you 9 times out of ten your direction of path is clear ...due to sliding the rear, you can hit the throttle hard right as you release the back brake and you will not highside but rather shoot out to what ever direction your front end is pointing, Clear the object and straightin it back up. I don't use my rear brake to slide my bike but I want to use 100% of my braking, if I do slide I do the above.
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Dude, what you said makes sense, but your English teachers would be ashamed of your writing. Learn teh engrish, pls. Kthx. And let's not derail this thread any further into a discussion of the rear brake. :deadhorse
 
Zx6R Demon said:
Thats cool I was tought in my school to use it, but hey everybody is different, if you do start to slide and you do release the rear yes most likely you will Highside if you don't know how to handle the situation 99% time after you have slid sideways and you look directly infront of you 9 times out of ten your direction of path is clear ...due to sliding the rear, you can hit the throttle hard right as you release the back brake and you will not highside but rather shoot out to what ever direction your front end is pointing, Clear the object and straightin it back up. I don't use my rear brake to slide my bike but I want to use 100% of my braking, if I do slide I do the above.
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What school? Are you talking about the MSF or a track school? If its a track school ill be sure not to sign up for it :teeth
 
Zx6R Demon said:
Thats cool I was tought in my school to use it, but hey everybody is different, if you do start to slide and you do release the rear yes most likely you will Highside if you don't know how to handle the situation 99% time after you have slid sideways and you look directly infront of you 9 times out of ten your direction of path is clear ...due to sliding the rear, you can hit the throttle hard right as you release the back brake and you will not highside but rather shoot out to what ever direction your front end is pointing, Clear the object and straightin it back up. I don't use my rear brake to slide my bike but I want to use 100% of my braking, if I do slide I do the above.
Click to expand...

Punctuation aside, the highlighted portion is very poor information.
 
I never use my rear brake on either my track bike or street bike, on either the street or the track (unless I'm on the dirt).

Learn to properly use your front brake in every braking situation. If you must use your rear brake, fine, but as Enchanter pointed out, your front brake is where it's at.
 
Zx6R Demon said:
MSF
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What they teach you at the track and what they teach you in the MSF are not always inline, might want to think about that before you say "who taught you to ride" to a seasoned track rider

Big difference stopping a rebel 250 at 18mph in a parking lot and stopping a sport bike at 140mph at the track

But this is OT, in this case the rear might have had more use, on a large heavy cruiser like the OP rides. However the rear brake takes a lot more practice to modulate than the front and is a lot easier to lock up
 
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