How to brake correctly with the motorcycle

Know your motorcycle

It is important to know the braking behaviour of your bike and to practise various braking manoeuvres. Regular training helps you to react quickly and correctly in case of a full or emergency stop. Driver safety training is extremely helpful to learn to assess yourself and your motorcycle better.

The emergency brake

During emergency braking, enormous forces act on the driver. It is therefore important to build up tension in the body. It also helps to press your knees against the fuel tank, position your upper body as upright as possible, and not extend your arms completely.

Correct braking

Motorcycles generally have two brakes, the front and rear brakes. When braking, the weight of the rider and the motorcycle is greatly shifted to the front. Therefore, it is important to know the correct wheel load distribution. Due to the dynamic axle load shifting to the front, a high level of braking energy can be generated with the front brake. In plain language, this means that the front brakes must be applied much more strongly than the rear brakes.

The braking distance

Besides the correct wheel load distribution, it is also important to know how the braking distance changes. There is also a rule of thumb here: Double speed equals four times the length. This means that the braking distance at 100 km/h is four times as long as at a speed of 50 km/h. Of course, ground conditions and weather conditions such as wetness also play a major role. Braking on slippery surfaces such as road markings and manhole covers should always be avoided.

ABS – how does it work?

Modern motorcycles would be unthinkable without it: the anti-lock braking system, or ABS for short. Whether during emergency braking or when overbraking on smooth and slippery surfaces, the system prevents the wheels from locking and thus reduces the risk of falling.

ABS enables safe braking on slippery and/or wet surfaces. If additional ABS for curves is available, this also provides safety when leaning. There is hardly any noticeable difference between machines with and without ABS during most common braking manoeuvres. Only when a wheel has reached the locking limit does the ABS come into the control range and become noticeable to the driver. Anti-lock braking systems prevent the wheels from locking and can thus prevent the front wheel from collapsing and the rear wheel from breaking away.

Keeping an eye on everything

The correct braking behaviour can be vital. For this reason, first check the motorcycle and the existing braking systems. Then nothing more stands in the way of a relaxed biking season.