Things You'll Need:
- Motorcycle
- Relatively empty parking lot
- Dry road surface
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Step 1
Ride to the parking lot and give your motorcycle enough time to completely warm its engine. A cold or poorly maintained engine may cut out during evasive maneuvers thus increasing the risk of hazard.
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Step 2
Accelerate from a stop to 10 to 15 miles per hour in the parking lot. When you’re mentally prepared, roll off the throttle, engage the clutch and hit the front and rear brakes. This process is known as an emergency stop. Practice stopping the motorcycle in this manner and at that speed until you become comfortable with the procedure.
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Step 3
Mark an area in the parking lot with an object such as a can or by selecting a specific parking spot line. This point represents the imaginary vehicle in your path. Accelerate to a higher speed, say 20 to 25 miles per hour, and execute an emergency stop that will successfully prevent you from colliding with that invisible car or truck. During this process, your objective is not only stopping your motorcycle but also learning how much space is required to come to a complete stop from a given speed.
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Step 4
Experiment with different techniques for rolling off your throttle, pulling in the clutch and hitting the brakes. Above all else, make engaging your clutch an automatic action. As all competent motorcycle safety instructors drill into their students, you must learn to cut the power you’re fighting.
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Step 5
Know that the ability to perform an emergency stop on a motorcycle is a critical, possibly lifesaving skill. In doing so effectively, you must conquer your fear of engaging your brakes. Remember, under emergency conditions, about 70 percent of your motorcycle’s stopping power is in the front brakes. At the same time, every motorcyclist knows—or should know—that putting a death grip on the front brake lever is a sure way to flip your bike end over end. The skill you must learn is to apply heavier pressure to the front brakes but balance it by applying sufficient pressure on the rear brake pedal. Don’t allow either brake to lock up since, if you do, you’ll lose that pitifully small traction patch that is all too important to your motorcycle—and you.
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Step 6
Practice this skill periodically periodically. You may go years without needing to employ the technique in an actual emergency, but you must test yourself regularly to ensure that skill hasn’t become rusty.
