11-30-2016, 11:52 AM
Like many of us older riders, I learned to ride "the hard way", without benefit of formal training. My first five years of riding were peppered with two wheeled mishaps that resulted in a lot of scraped metal and skin. All of those mishaps were avoidable and primarily the result of a lack of experience/knowledge.
Eventually, I realized that much of the carnage involved improper braking technique (i.e. "panic braking"). Locking up the wheels when danger loomed seemed to be the natural response, but it became clear that I usually ended up much worse off.
This was right about the time I'd started racing at the track and learning a lot about how ride near the limits of a bike's performance. I learned all about covering the brake when things looked dicey as well as how to apply maximum brake, without locking the wheels. That, plus learning to quickly change the direction of the bike at speed, made all the difference.
Ironically, the only time I've scraped motorcycle metal in the last 28 yrs. was thanks to a deer. I didn't see it until it was a few feet away, though I was still able to brake enough to hit the deer (and the ground) at a relatively low speed. In my book, anticipating the need to brake (covering), then being able to apply maximum brake should be at the top of anyone's motorcycle survival skill list.
Eventually, I realized that much of the carnage involved improper braking technique (i.e. "panic braking"). Locking up the wheels when danger loomed seemed to be the natural response, but it became clear that I usually ended up much worse off.
This was right about the time I'd started racing at the track and learning a lot about how ride near the limits of a bike's performance. I learned all about covering the brake when things looked dicey as well as how to apply maximum brake, without locking the wheels. That, plus learning to quickly change the direction of the bike at speed, made all the difference.
Ironically, the only time I've scraped motorcycle metal in the last 28 yrs. was thanks to a deer. I didn't see it until it was a few feet away, though I was still able to brake enough to hit the deer (and the ground) at a relatively low speed. In my book, anticipating the need to brake (covering), then being able to apply maximum brake should be at the top of anyone's motorcycle survival skill list.