All Wisconsin Motorcyclists Ought To Know How To Brake In A Panic Situation

Braking is one of the most difficult skills for inexperienced bikers to master. Motorcycles have two separate brake systems; one controlled with the right hand to operate the front wheel, and the other controlling the rear wheel with the right foot. Knowing how to use them is crucial to reduce the odds of a serious motorcycle crash.

You can’t bring a motorcycle to a stop efficiently if you do not apply the right force to both systems. When the front brake is applied, the bike’s weight moves forward to the front wheel. Braking hard on the back wheel is useless, because the back wheel doesn’t have as much grip on the pavement, and will lock and skid. While inexperienced motorcyclists tend to over-brake the rear, they also under-brake the front. All bikers instinctively know that if the front wheel locks and starts sliding, they are doomed. The fall is inevitable.

Rider training courses are a great way to understand the way a motorcycle reacts in emergency braking, and to develop the skills to apply maximum pressure on both wheels without skidding or crashing. Teaching how to do this is not easy, because the consequence of locking the front wheel is usually a fall. This is why repeated and progressive training sessions are crucial.

Motorcyclists who feel uncomfortable with braking, and operate their brakes at a fraction of their potential, have two choices. One is to ride slowly, which leaves them unhappy and stranded by the group, and the other is to consider a motorcycle fitted with an antilock brake system (ABS).

If you have been injured in a Wisconsin or Illinois car, truck or motorcycle accident, contact the attorneys of Hupy & Abraham, S.C. today at 800-800-5676 (toll-free) or 414-223-4800 (local) for a free evaluation of your case, or send us an e-mail with your questions. Hupy & Abraham has lawyer offices in Milwaukee, Madison, and Appleton in Wisconsin, and Gurnee and Bloomington in Illinois.