Two Brakes are Much Better than One
August 27, 2009
There are bikers riding custom sport bikes and choppers who have lots of great riding experience. Often, those bikers can give confusing, bad, or just plain wrong advice on motorcycle riding techniques. An issue that frequently comes up with experienced bikers is the use of the front brake. Older, experienced riders will tell other bikers that only the rear brake is needed to safely stop a motorcycle. Some will even remove their front brakes because they don’t use them.
They are dead wrong.
Whether on a sport bike or cruiser, the front brake provides the majority of the stopping power. In particular, sport bikes get even more braking power from front brakes because more weight is distributed at the front than on cruisers. Rear brakes are great for stability but as the front brakes are engaged and the rider’s weight transfers forward, rear brakes become less effective.
As a general rule, make sure to engage both brakes together for safest and most effective braking. Also, make sure to never lock up the front brake in an emergency situation. Locking the front brake almost always results in a crash.
Posted Under: Motorcycle Safety Tags: bikers, choppers, cruisers, experienced riders, Motorcycle rider, motorcycle riding techniques, sport bikes
