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Question:

Riding a motorcycle- Can you brake to slow without using the clutch?

I am still a new rider so I am getting use to all the techniques. Lets say I am on the highway and need to slow a little as there is traffic coming up. I know that I would downshift to engine brake. Lets say im entering a turn and need to slow but not stop.just slow down. They taught me in my MSF traning to use both brakes( but dont hold in the clutch) when entering a turn and then roll on the throttle. Is this right? So to slow in any instance, esp a turn I would use both brakes or maybe just the rear ( i heard its better than using the front) to just slow down? If lets say I am in first or 2nd gear already?

Answer:

It depends on how much you have to slow down. If you're just slowing a little, yes you can just brake without using the clutch. But you need to slow down into a turn and accelerate out of it, and if you slow down enough, you'll be too slow for the same gear, so you'll have to shift down. It's best not to shift down in a curve. The idea is that you want to go through a curve smoothly. You're aware than when the bike is leaned over in a curve, anything abrupt can cause you to lose traction,either braking or shifting or even really hard acceleration. So you get 'set up' before you go into the curve, and this includes slowing down, picking your line, and shifting down if you need to. This way you can use the engine braking of the lower gear to slow you down into the curve, and the lower gear to accelerate out of it. Then, once out of the curve, as you speed back up to your original speed, you shift back up.
You can most definitely use the brake without using the clutch. Just be sure to keep an eye on your engine RPM so it dies not go too low. You do not necessarily need to keep your eyes fixated on the tachometer. Your eyes should be on the road, not the tachometer. Listen to your engine and it will tell you what to do. If the engine sounds like it is lugging and vibrating because it is going too slow then use your clutch and maybe a lower gear depending on the situation. My bike is a Cruiser style bike. Many Cruiser style bikes will not have a tachometer. You learn to listen to the engine. One last thing. Be cautious when changing gears in a turn. If the difference between engine speed and wheel speed is too great it can cause the rear tire to lose traction. You were taught correctly, you use both brakes and no clutch.
You can slow down without pulling in the clutch. The idea is to be in the proper gear when you enter the curve and at a speed you feel confident with. You can either hold steady on the throttle or gently roll on during the curve. Then you roll on harder when you start to straighten up. If you so it right, you should be in the right gear for nice smooth acceleration when you exit. Try to remember that the rider's skill and confidence is usually the limiting factor in the ability to take a curve. If you find yourself going faster than you intended, try to ride it through. Any time you panic in a curve, you have really high odds of ending up on the ground. The rear becomes unweighted during braking and tends to slide. The front brake gives you most of your slowing power. A balance of both brakes is almost always your best bet. Some people avoid the front brake in wet or slippery conditions. This is where a 50/50 ratio is most important.

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