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Lesson 3 - Stopping
Before you start, you should know how to stop. A friend of mine ran a stop sign
on his first day because he hadn't figured this out. (Fortunately, it was a
rural road with no traffic)
- The killswitch - recent bikes probably have a killswitch on the handlebars
which will stop the engine by interrupting electric power to the ignition.
Older bikes may not - you need to use the keyswitch. Don't use this while
you are moving.
- Emergency stop - this is quite simple, but needs practice nonetheless.
Pull the clutch all the way in, and pull hard and smoothly on the front brake.
On my bike, I am able to squeeze the front brake right to the grips
without skidding on a dry road. If possible, stop in a straight line - a skid
will be easier to control.
Ideally, you should simultaneously apply the rear brake with your foot.
This is hard to get right - as the bike decelerates, the weight moves
forward towards the front wheel, so you must apply less pressure to
the rear brake or risk a rear-wheel skid. New high-end bikes may have
ABS which makes it easier
You should practice this braking action a few times before ever starting the
engine. You should be able to get a good grip on the levers and move them
smoothly, whether wearing gloves or not. The two-handed grab should become
an instinctive action for stopping in a hurry.
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