What to do when you lock up the rear tire.

[twotonevert]

We have a lot of new members on the board, and I wanted to through this out there. If you are riding a bike, any bike, are a new rider, take the MSF safety course. You will learn things that will save your life and save your bike. One of the things that new riders sometimes forget is how to control a motorcycle in the event of tire lockup. When the rear tire locks up and the rear of the bike begins to swing around, the first instinct is to release the brake. Bad idea. Why? If the rear tire slides around and the bike is not traveling in a linear direction, releasing the brake will let the tire regain traction, at this time the bike will "snap up" and a high side could result. This will be influenced by how far out of line your rear tire is in relation to the front tire. Instead of releasing the brake, steer into the direction of the swing, meaning, if you the rear end is coming around on the throttle side, steer right and keep the rear brake pressed and ride out the skid.
Unfortunately, motorcycles do not stop as fast as they can accelerate, so be careful, and always wear your gear.

Please, I am not always the best at explaining things, so feel free to add to this.

[Mr Bogus]

Yea but most are pretty much incapable of maintaining the slide either (no dirt bike experience) Any guesses on how many could ride the slide?

Really a bad situation for most... let up, get highsided, dont letup, lowside....

Learning this skill on a busa is a bad bad idea too.... you better have it down pat before hopping on and trying it...(well unless you got lots of $$ for plastic)

[Professor]

Originally Posted by Mr Bogus @ Feb. 28 2008, 3:01 PM

Yea but most are pretty much incapable of maintaining the slide either (no dirt bike experience) Any guesses on how many could ride the slide? Â*

Really a bad situation for most... let up, get highsided, dont letup, lowside.... Â*

Learning this skill on a busa is a bad bad idea too.... you better have it down pat before hopping on and trying it...(well unless you got lots of $$ for plastic)

Compare the two

Low Side. The fall is about 32 inches. The initial impact is on the strongest part of my body, my legs and hips.


High Side. You are lifted slightly and now falling from 50-70 inches in height. There is a higher tendency to land on your head, shoulder, and chest. Ribs and worse"¦neck and head impact are more likely to occur. Once you have it the ground"¦. Look back.. there is a 600lb motorcycle coming at you.

I've had plenty of both racing cross country and motocross. There is no doubt in my mind which one hurts worse. I'll take a low side any day.

Improper braking is the initial cause. The really need to be focused on.


It is actually possible to release the brake. But it can only be done if the wheels are close in alignment. I haven't had a lockup happen on the busa, but I have had the back in hanging out while the back was spinning from a drag race launch gone bad on two occasions. Immediate chopping the throttle can have the same results.

[Mr Bogus]

yea not too many really "wicked" low sides but some of the "pole vaults" on getting highsided? ouch...

I think we had the most fun on dirt bikes but for pure adrenaline? hard to beat speed...

[dadofthree]

You have to push away from the beast on low side too or U still stand a chance of poll vaulting. I've had a number of slides, especially when going into a corner to hard and when the PP 2CTs get worn. They tend to get a little slick when they need to be changed. Anyway, I think I just got off the rear brake ...................

[semi]

Originally Posted by Mr Bogus @ Feb. 28 2008, 3:01 PM

Learning this skill on a busa is a bad bad idea too.... you better have it down pat before hopping on and trying it...(well unless you got lots of $$ for plastic)

this is why so many keep telling new riders to learn on smaller, more controllable bikes...there are a lot of skills that need to be learned before jumping on the Busa and putting ones life and health at risk just my

[Mr Bogus]

Originally Posted by semi @ Feb. 28 2008, 1:21 PM

this is why so many keep telling new riders to learn on smaller, more controllable bikes...there are a lot of skills that need to be learned before jumping on the Busa and putting ones life and health at risk just my

yea but I am mature and "respect" the power!!!

[Charlesbusa]

If the rear locks, keep it locked.

To maintain control of the bike when the rear is locked up;

If you have straight road in front of you, look at the horizon(straight ahead) and keep the handlebars straight. The rear end will fishtail from side to side behind you, but it won't come around.

If you're in a corner and don't have the skills to control it, like everyone else is saying. Lowsiding is much better than high siding.

[hottrodd7]

You guys are absolutely correct. Because a motorcycle is a single track vehicle, the rear tire will always try to follow the same track as the front tire. Consequently when you release the rear brake in a rear tire skid,the rear may "snap" back around to get in alignment with the front. Consequently the high side. On the other hand, if you get into a front tire skid, release the front brake YESTERDAY!!!!! In other words, as soon as possible---they reapply the front brake to stop the bike. Good advise for all regardless of how long we've been riding.

[BusaWhipped]

High siding sux. I spent 9 weeks in a sling with a busted collar bone because of a high side at under 15 mph.

[twotonevert]

Originally Posted by BusaWhipped @ Feb. 28 2008, 1:47 PM

High siding sux. Â*I spent 9 weeks in a sling with a busted collar bone because of a high side at under 15 mph.

Wow Dennis, didnt know that.


I just wanted to give the new riders a good read. I like this section of the board and it sees little activity. I have been riding for 20 years, but I dont always know how to convey what I know to someone else.

[thepushercg]

good info here

[Mr Bogus]

Originally Posted by BusaWhipped @ Feb. 28 2008, 1:47 PM

High siding sux. I spent 9 weeks in a sling with a busted collar bone because of a high side at under 15 mph.

ouch... heard they hurt a lot

[MiwaRob]

What about a seat belt system to keep the rider on the bike in case of a high-side? lol.

In all seriousness though, even a 600 is too big to learn rear slide control. The big four manufactures need to make something like a Mito 125 over here , but with a 250 four stroke for the EPA folks. Only problem is nobody would buy it in America.

A lot of riders would rather chrome their windshield than learn riding skills. I can not tell you how often I see bikes with giant chicken strips on the rear tires, 98% off all bikes. Whats funny is that these guys usually are the same riders that tell me that a 'busa can't handle. I'll get off my soapbox now until I get around to going to a track school and learn A LOT more about riding.

[Nanwags]

Important thing in my humble opinion is to work on your skills. It really doesn't matter how long we have been riding, we should always make the time to refine our skills. Getting off my soap box now.

Good thoughts and tips.

--Nanwags

[Powers739]

What...there is a rear brake on the bike... Ok, many may disagree, but the rear brake will most likely get you into more trouble than out of trouble, unless you are pretty talented. Well, I'm not that talented, so I have conditioned myself not to use the rear brake. Sure there are some instances in which I will use the back brake, but they are not in any type of "situation"...

Just my two cents... now flame away...

[czthaday]

Guys there needs to more on this in other areas of the org. I can speak from experiance two years ago I was going way to fast (if there is such a thing)in an area that should have been moving the same speed I was when a car pulled onto the road I was riding. I did take the training class and it saved my life. I applied both front a year at the same time. Locked up the year tire a skid 110 yards (measured it after I got up (longer than a football field)when I finally ran out of room I low sided before I hit a friend in front of me. When I started skidding my brain went straight to my training class. I don't care what stage of riding you are rookie or vet every one should take the class. It will save more lives than any other device you can by for safety..

ride safe

[TXBusa05LE]

I lock it up all the time...I love to trail brake...

[Fate]

I used to do it on purpose on my Hurricane. Everyone should learn what the bike does in a rear tire skid. MSF course I took had us slide out multiple times to learn how the bike acts. It has saved me knowing how the bike will react many times.

[Trucker Mike]

Hmmm. IIRC, you can only lock up the rear brake, if you use it. I don't.

Now, if the rear tire gets locked up due to mechanical failure, then we are in a yucky position.

Through my driving courses as a truck driver (some pretty cool skid-pad stuff), and as a past auto-x racer, I know that the reason for a spin/slide-out is because the tire that is locked is actually traveling faster than the tire with traction, because of loss-of-friction issues.

Thus far, the only thing I can come up with in terms of what NOT to do is this:

In the event of a rear tire lockup, DO NOT apply the front brakes. Do your best to ride it out. You would think that by pushing yourself to the rear of the bike would slow down the slide factor, because your weight would add friction to the sliding tire, thus slowing it down. But, I don't know if that's necessarily the case.