90 % mental 10 % physical

When riding a motorcycle, have you ever noticed the anxiety that can creep in when you need to slow the bike way down—whether it’s coming to a stop or negotiating a tight turn?

Part of that reaction comes from basic human instinct. From the time we are young, when we feel like we are going to fall, we instinctively throw our hands out to protect ourselves and our vital areas. That same instinct carries over onto a motorcycle. When the bike slows and starts to feel unstable, our brain thinks we’re about to fall. Our instinctive reaction is to put our feet down and pull in the clutch.

The problem is, that reaction can actually be counterintuitive.

A motorcycle with sufficient power going to the rear wheel is very stable. If we learn how to properly use the friction zone of the clutch, along with slightly elevated RPMs, the bike becomes far more controlled at slow speeds. The key is maintaining enough power to the rear wheel while managing that power through the clutch.

Here’s a simple way to learn where your friction zone is:

Start on your bike with both feet flat on the ground. Slowly release the clutch until the bike just begins to pull forward. As it starts to move, roll up onto the balls of your feet. Then pull the clutch back in and roll back onto your heels. Repeat this exercise several times until you clearly understand exactly where that friction zone is.

During the entire exercise, keep your head and eyes up, looking toward the horizon.

Once you’re comfortable with that, move to a parking lot. Line up with the parking space lines and look well down range. Enter the friction zone, keep your head and eyes up, and ride slowly across three parking lanes. Keep the revs slightly elevated and come to a smooth, controlled stop. Repeat this over and over until it becomes instinctive.

The better we become at slow-speed control, the more confident and capable we become at higher speeds as well.

Until next time—practice, practice, practice.