BikersPost.com
Watch Out For Bikers
The Hidden Danger of locking up you rear tire in an emergency stop
There are several hidden dangers that exist when locking up your rear tire, understand what they are can help with making the best choice in an emergency. But first we need to review and agree on a few things. Motorcycles at speed needs very little change to steer or turn, by pushing or pressing the same side of the bar you wish to turn, this is forcing the bike to use the smaller circumference of the tire to make the bike turn. However for all this to work we need a few other things, momentum, wheels in alignment and equal traction.
Have you ever had to make a quick stop and locked up your rear brake, and the back of the bike start to slide out, realizing this you let off the brake, and the bike then violently wiggles. If this has happened to you then you've almost caused your bike to Highside, potentially making a bad situation even worst. Highsiding is getting hurled over and in front of your bike, violently slamming into the ground, and then your bike usually hits you.
So you need to stop quickly and have applied to much brake locking up the back tire, and now only have one tire with traction, nor is the traction equal. Since the rear tire no longer has traction, it is now subject to momentum, and starts to slide out to the side, dramatically changing your wheel alignment fast. the dilemma is once you let off the brake the rear wheel will now have traction and start pushing the bike in the direction its facing, and it is not in the same direction as the front or in alignment.
Unfortunately in the worst case scenario the remedy is far from desirable (Lowside). In order to stop a motorcycle to its maximum potential you need to be upright, wheels in alignment and equal pressure applied to both front and rear brakes. In a emergency stop, space and time are our greatest enemies. The problem is once you've locked up you rear wheel, and after you've let off the brake, your bike will still need time to get back into alignment, before you can reapply the brakes, probably too late.
Lowsiding is laying a bike down which usually slides the bike ahead of you, as momentum offsets much of the effect of gravity the fall is minimal in many cases. If one is wearing riding gear, injury can be limited, and at lower speeds Lowsiding can be less damaging to your bike, excluding any impending impact. Sometimes it's better to take the Lowside, especially if you've gone past the point of no return. The natural result of our example is to lowside, the rear tire swings right, the bike and you falls to the left, placing the bike ahead you.
Still there's a few things we can do, now that you know the mechanics, respond immediately, and don't let it happen, practice braking, also you can lock up your bike in a controlled environment, see how your bike will react, remember don't allow it to skid for long just get the feel.
Other conditions can exacerbate this effect, over weighted or unbalanced bike, curves, loose road debris. Carrying a passenger or cargo will add weight and will require a greater distance to stop, Tire pressure and the condition of your tires are just as important. In fact there several thing that can cause the rear end to slide out, besides locking up the rear brake, decelerating to quickly on slick roads surfaces like rain, ice, snow or oil and locking up you front tire, and even an evasive maneuver.
Have you ever had to Lowside?
Tags: Breaking, Highside, Lowside
Miles: 2706
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Edgewalker54 on -
Excellent post Steve! I wrote about an accident I had several years ago. It is posted on this site and I called it "Evil Trolls and Front Tires". When my front tire blew out at freeway speed, with cages all around us, I really didn't want to go down on the freeway. So I stomped my rear brake and as the rear tire locked up, it slewed around to the left. As soon as I was pointed at the shoulder I gassed it and released the brake. I shot forward and hit the shoulder.
I was off the freeway but still doing 70 or so. Ran head on into a big patch of sand... I landed several yards away, on my head I think. Prob what saved me as that's the hardest part of my body.... Dislocated collar bone, bad sprained neck & right wrist, torn right knee and it felt like my entire body had been beaten by evil trolls with large sticks...
Thanx for the post, everyone should do some parking lot practice with locking up both front and rear just to get a feeling of what it is like.
EdgeWalker
-
ModeratorPermalink Reply by Jay2TheRescue (Moderator) on -
I've come real close a couple times, but I was braking in a straight line, so I was able to release & reapply the rear brake without being thrown. The absolute scariest was when I locked the front brake. That happened once when a ***** didn't look and tried to take my lane. I feel if it wasn't for my air horn, she would have kept on coming over. Glad I had it.
-
Permalink Reply by wideglide on -
dont care what anyone says losing a back tire is at least as dangerous, did it in oklahoma on a cbx rounding a cloverleaf at highway speed, at least when you lose the front you can apply rear brake, what happens when you lose the back, and apply the front, usually disaster, just sayin.....
-
Permalink Reply by Steve on -
Edge, that's one of those "I shouldn't be alive" moments, losing a front tire at 70+ on a freeway, just makes me sick to think about it. All I can say is you must have the reflexes of a cheetah. In a few cases the risk of Highsiding is out weighted by the likelihood of getting run over, and that would be one of them, hell what have you got to lose at that point, right! throttling out was a wise choice since the front tire was flat, reducing the pressure on it removed some of the influence. A lot to think about in instant, but that's what it takes to survive. Thanks Edge, (AKA Cheetah Man).
Edgewalker54 said:Excellent post Steve! I wrote about an accident I had several years ago. It is posted on this site and I called it "Evil Trolls and Front Tires". When my front tire blew out at freeway speed, with cages all around us, I really didn't want to go down on the freeway. So I stomped my rear brake and as the rear tire locked up, it slewed around to the left. As soon as I was pointed at the shoulder I gassed it and released the brake. I shot forward and hit the shoulder.
I was off the freeway but still doing 70 or so. Ran head on into a big patch of sand... I landed several yards away, on my head I think. Prob what saved me as that's the hardest part of my body.... Dislocated collar bone, bad sprained neck & right wrist, torn right knee and it felt like my entire body had been beaten by evil trolls with large sticks...
Thanx for the post, everyone should do some parking lot practice with locking up both front and rear just to get a feeling of what it is like.
EdgeWalker
-
Permalink Reply by Steve on
-
yep Jay, the sooner you get off the brake the better, even if you back end doesn't breaking out, obviously because the bike not slowing down, one and two, since motorcycle tires have softer compound, you can wear a flat spot very quickly. Locking up the front tire can be quite exciting. good move Jay.
Jay2TheRescue said:I've come real close a couple times, but I was braking in a straight line, so I was able to release & reapply the rear brake without being thrown. The absolute scariest was when I locked the front brake. That happened once when a ***** didn't look and tried to take my lane. I feel if it wasn't for my air horn, she would have kept on coming over. Glad I had it.
-
Permalink Reply by Steve on
-
I would have to agree with that wideglide, unless the tire comes off the rim, then all bets are off. Strong curve, highway speeds, blown front tire, well all I can say is, glad to hear you talk about. By the way have you met Edge, LOL.
wideglide said:dont care what anyone says losing a back tire is at least as dangerous, did it in oklahoma on a cbx rounding a cloverleaf at highway speed, at least when you lose the front you can apply rear brake, what happens when you lose the back, and apply the front, usually disaster, just sayin.....
-
Permalink Reply by Steve on
-
Locking up the rear tire is common and can happen to the most experienced. One day my buddy and I were riding when a car made a left turn about 15 feet in front of us, we were traveling at about 45mph. Usually we road side by side, but this time I was about ten feet behind him. He locks up the rear tire, and holds it, taking the lowside, sliding on the ground the bike clips the rear bumper, as he follows sliding behind the bike and hits nothing. His experience saves him a trip to the hospital by taking the lowside, if he had let off the brake, the bike would have violently righted, and he would have slammed into the car out of control. The car took off, to this day I still think I should have chased him down, but I needed to be cretin my friend was OK.
As you can see, there is no single remedy, as in the case of Edgewaker taking the highside out weighted being run over by several cars, cretin death. Understanding the dynamic involved can help in making the best choice in a verity of situations.
-
Permalink Reply by Exahiyan on -
The Basic Rider's Course hammers on this point as most bike accidents could have been prevented or the injuries and or damage minimized if the rider knew how to properly brake. I can't count the number of times that I've gotten stopped before hitting an idiot cage driver that pulled out in front of me because I could get stopped in time. Practicing panic stops on a straight, deserted road frequently is a great way to make it automatic WHEN the time comes, not IF!
-
Permalink Reply by DataHawk on
-
The Basic Rider Course also hammers in to STAY ON THE REAR BRAKE, that as long as the front is pointed up right and straight the rear will come back around. Of course if you are breaking in a curve you will probably low side, that is why the Rider Course teaches to NOT break in a curve, slow before the curve. Never does it teach you how to crash (low side or high side). Always brake in a straight line!
You are right Exhivan, the one that says "I had to lay it down" is the one that didn't know how to brake properly. If he had the time to decide to lay it down, he most likely had time to brake properly.
Exahiyan said:The Basic Rider's Course hammers on this point as most bike accidents could have been prevented or the injuries and or damage minimized if the rider knew how to properly brake. I can't count the number of times that I've gotten stopped before hitting an idiot cage driver that pulled out in front of me because I could get stopped in time. Practicing panic stops on a straight, deserted road frequently is a great way to make it automatic WHEN the time comes, not IF!
-
Permalink Reply by Steve on
-
DataHawk I have to disagree with you on two points, the first is, I don't see where Exahiyan made such a statement. The second is the "Basic" Rider course is just that Basic, it's impossible for anyone to teach someone all there is to know in such a short time. With all do respect, Lowsiding is absolutely an option in our defensive arsenal. Truthfully the newer rider needs to have some practical experience first, to make sense of it all. To state, " the one that says "I had to lay it down" is the one that didn't know how to brake properly" I don't think that statement is necessarily true, but that's just my opinion. Without question proper braking is paramount, sadly not always enough.
Thanks and Ride Safe.
DataHawk said:The Basic Rider Course also hammers in to STAY ON THE REAR BRAKE, that as long as the front is pointed up right and straight the rear will come back around. Of course if you are breaking in a curve you will probably low side, that is why the Rider Course teaches to NOT break in a curve, slow before the curve. Never does it teach you how to crash (low side or high side). Always brake in a straight line!
You are right Exhivan, the one that says "I had to lay it down" is the one that didn't know how to brake properly. If he had the time to decide to lay it down, he most likely had time to brake properly.
Exahiyan said:The Basic Rider's Course hammers on this point as most bike accidents could have been prevented or the injuries and or damage minimized if the rider knew how to properly brake. I can't count the number of times that I've gotten stopped before hitting an idiot cage driver that pulled out in front of me because I could get stopped in time. Practicing panic stops on a straight, deserted road frequently is a great way to make it automatic WHEN the time comes, not IF!
-
Permalink Reply by Boone Ralph on -
Years ago I had a Honda 750 Cafe Bike. I was going to work one morning and I passed a SEMI at 80 mph when I got over in my lane the bike felt like it was on Ice. the tire had gone flat and the Tube came out and wrapped around the Chain stopping the Rear wheel. I don't think I had touched the front brake I was too busy keeping the bike up as the rear wheel swapped from side to side. almost going down but not. The semi driver watched my back as he knew I was in big trouble. The bike finally came to a stop.. It was 6:00 am and I was not awake yet but somehow managed to Come to a safe stop shaking in my Boots.
On this same bike I had a new rear tire but on. months after the other scare.. while riding about 60 with my GF on the back the mechanic did not tighten the brake arm and it move around locking the rear brake again I did not touch anything and we hung on for dear life.. coming to a safe stop after the bike did the side to side wiggle.. My GF was shaken but relieved we were unhurt. as we proceeded to the shop with the tire going thump, thump from the Flat spot almost to the cord.. I really don't ever want to do this again.. And I don't know why I did all the right things.. I guess riding for 25 years had taught me a few skills I didn't know I had.. I did learn to never allow a tire to wear to the point it could be Unsafe.. Road Hazards I can't do nothing about....
Announcements
This weeks Top 10 Create a Caption Finalists have been chosen. Click Here to Vote!
Getting too many emails? Click Here
What's Hot
© 2012 BikersPost.com Powered by Motorcycle Enthusiast
