Braking and stopping on a motorcycle

By the end of this topic you can

• You can use front and rear brakes together, smoothly and progressively.
• You can explain why the front brake does most of the stopping.
• You can keep a safe following gap and increase it in the wet.
• You can carry out a controlled emergency stop with the bike upright.
• You can explain what ABS does and does not do.

What you need to know and understand

• The Highway Code advises braking early and lightly, then more firmly as you begin to stop (rule 117).
• When you brake, weight moves to the front of the bike, so the front tyre can take more braking force than the rear.
• Try to avoid braking so harshly that you lock a wheel (rule 118).
• Leave at least a two-second gap on high-speed roads and in tunnels, at least double it in the wet, and allow up to ten times the distance on ice (rule 126).
• Large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop (rule 126).
• Do not assume ABS will stop you in a shorter distance (rule 120). It helps you keep steering control under hard braking.
• Riding with the clutch pulled in or in neutral (coasting) reduces control (rule 122).

Front, rear and why both matter

For normal stops on a dry, straight road, use both brakes together. Apply the front brake progressively: a light first squeeze to settle the suspension, then firmer pressure. Use the rear brake at the same time, more gently, as the rear wheel lightens and can lock more easily.

On slippery surfaces, use more gentle, even pressure on both. At very low speeds, such as in a U-turn, the rear brake on its own is easier to control.

Your stopping distance is your thinking distance plus your braking distance. In good conditions, the Highway Code's typical stopping distances are 23 metres at 30 mph and 53 metres at 50 mph, and they grow quickly with speed. The car guide to stopping distances and the two-second rule covers the full table.

Emergency stop, step by step

1. Keep the bike upright and in a straight line.
2. Apply the front brake firmly and progressively, not with a sudden grab.
3. Apply the rear brake at the same time with lighter pressure.
4. Pull in the clutch just before you stop so the engine does not stall.
5. If a wheel locks on a bike without ABS, release that brake and reapply it more gently.
6. Once stopped, check behind you before moving off again.

Braking when leaning or on poor surfaces

When the bike is leaned over, tyre grip is being used for cornering, so there is less left for braking. Slow down before a bend while upright. If you must brake in a bend, do it gently, and bring the bike more upright first if it is safe to do so.

Avoid braking hard on painted lines, drain covers, wet leaves, gravel or diesel spills. After riding through deep water, test your brakes at the first safe opportunity and use light pressure to dry them (rule 121).

• Do: plan ahead so you rarely need hard braking.
• Do: brake earlier and more gently in the wet.
• Do not: use only the rear brake at normal road speeds.
• Do not: coast to a stop with the clutch pulled in.

Common mistakes

• Using only the rear brake through fear of the front. This greatly lengthens your stopping distance.
• Grabbing the front brake suddenly. Squeeze it progressively.
• Following too closely in town. Keep a gap that lets you stop safely, and more in the wet.
• Braking hard while leaned over in a bend. Slow down before the bend instead.

Test yourself: Braking and stopping on a motorcycle

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Stopping Distances UK