buckeye4990

Last week, my better half and I took a jaunt out to Pennsylvania. Beautiful country, but lots of deer. In fact, one evening about 6:30, we were cruising along about 50 mph when a deer came out of the woods and stood in our lane, less than 100 feet ahead. I came down on both brakes. The weight of the bike and two bodies did a serious shift forward, which caused the rear tire to skid. I felt the back end drifting about a foot to the left. At this point, my concern shifted from hitting Bambi to fear of losing the bike in a skid. I let off of all brakes. The Vol snapped back into a straight line, and the deer took off into the woods again. No harm done, outside of a creating a little more laundry to do.

Since this all happened in less than two seconds, I didn't do any real thinking about the situation, I was only reacting. Question 1: what should I have done on the initial braking to prevent a rear-wheel lockup? It seems, wiht the severe weight shift, that any rear brake application at all would have locked up the wheel.

Question 2: Since I was already in a slide, was it the wisest course of action to let off of the brakes at that point? It snapped back so quickly that it almost seems that I could have also dropped the bike at that time.

Thanks for any advice.

jimKo

No expert here...

Two up has to be a lot different than single.

From what I've been taught and now have a small amount of experience with is;
When the rear locks up (in a straight line) keep it locked...if the front locks, immeadiately release the front and reapply firmly, but smoothly.

Practicing panic stops helps a lot...

HellBent

Apply the front brake first but squeeze the brake, don't jerk it. The front end will dip as the weight tranfer begins. Keep squeezing the front brake and gently apply rear brake as the bike settles back onto the rear suspension. It requires practice to find the points at which both brakes will lock up. If you lock the front wheel, release the brake slightly. If you lock the rear, keep it locked. Releasing the rear wheel from a skid is one of the causes of a "high-side". You felt it when the bike "snapped" back into line.

Few of us practice emergency braking techniques as often as we should. Just take the bike out and play with it. It takes a lot of practice for most of us before we get a feel for how hard we can brake in any situation.

Curt

buckeye4990

Thanks for the info, Jim and Curt.

One further question ... If I had done as you said and stayed on the rear brake during the slide, should I have let up on the front brake to keep the front ahead of the back (hope that makes sense)?

astrocycle45

Just some thing I picked up riding dirt back in my youth was to shift my weight at the hips into the direction the rear wheel is sliding. This seemed to push it back into a straight line. Of coarse back in those days the fun was to get it to swing back and forth coming to a stop. I ride 2up most of the time and I haven't had the back lock up.

jimKo

In normal stopping I try to apply front while gearing down with rear braking. That seems to really shorten the stopping distances.

Strange how in practice a "contolled panic stop" feels so easy.

Real world panic stops are way different...
I know when it happened to me I had to make the decision bang into the car in front or pull my head out and muster some survival action.

I think a rule of thumb is never lock the front, use it to control a straight stop.

Riding a motorcycle is a lot work, ain't it?

Disclaimer
Be careful about what my experience has been.
There's nothing better than professional training or good advice from a professional rider\coach.

Duffy

I usually set the rear brake (applies to mechanical linkage brakes only) "soft" or "loose" however you want to call it so that when you mash it in a panic stop you don't get as much "application". Does that make any sense???? It helps me and I haven't locked up a back brake in quite a while.

__________________
Lead, or follow, but just stay out of my way.
Heaven is a warm, cozy place to sleep.





Wescalero Charter Member

funbikerchick

No! Once you lock up the rear brake you need to keep it locked until you come to a stop, or at least, until the bike is under control... When you let off the brake once it is locked, you are in real danger of highsiding right off the bike... Pretty much like you almost experienced.

__________________
Why sit and steer when you can lean and soar?!
>
Semper Fi

Use of the word parsimonious is anything but!

big ed

I'd like to say that it looks like you must have done the right thing... you didn't hit the deer and you didn't lay 'er down. Not bad for 2 seconds worth of work.

You can even get better by adding counter-steering to your emergency avoidance instincts. Practice that one, hurry, more deer where that came from!

Buzz7

Buy David Hough's book "Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide To Riding Well". You can get it from Amazon for $16.47 + shipping. It will be the best under $20 investment you can make in your bike!

He answers all your questions- he has a number of pages devoted to deer.

__________________
An artist.......you always have realize that your
constantly in a state of becoming, you know.
As long you can stay in that realm, you’ll,
sort of be all right.

Bob Dylan