11
Colorado Motorcycle Operator’s Handbook
der brake the front tire and over brake the rear tire and
swerve at the same time.
10.1 QUICK STOPS:
To stop quickly, apply both brakes
at the same time. Don’t be shy about using the front
brake, but don’t ‘grab’ at it, either. Squeeze the brake le-
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as you can without locking the front wheel. At the same
time, apply the rear brake hard, without locking it.
If you are on a straight-away, even with a locked
rear wheel, keep it locked until you have completely
stopped. Even with a locked rear wheel, you can
control a 3-wheel motorcycle on a straightaway
if it is
going in a straight line.
Hard braking in a straight line is
less likely to result in a tipover. If you must stop quickly
while turning or riding in a curve, conditions may not
always permit you to straighten up the motorcycle and
then stop. Apply the brakes and start slowing the mo-
torcycle. As you slow down, you can reduce your lean
angle and apply more brake pressure until the motorcycle
is straight and maximum brake pressure is possible. If
you straighten the handlebar in the last few feet of stop-
ping, you know the motorcycle will be straight up and
in balance.
10.2 SWERVING OR TURNING QUICKLY
: Some-
times, you may not have enough room to stop, even if
you use both brakes properly. An object might appear
suddenly in your path or the car ahead might suddenly
stop. The only way to avoid a collision would be to turn
quickly, swerve, or ride over the obstacle.
A swerve is any sudden change in direction. It can be
two quick turns, or a rapid shift to the side. Apply a
small amount of hand pressure to the handgrip in your
intended direction of escape. This will cause the motor-
cycle to lean quickly. The sharper the turn(s), the more
the bike must lean.
Keep your knees against the tank and your feet solidly
on the pegs. Let the bike move underneath you. Make
your escape route the target of your vision. Press on the
opposite handgrip, once you clear the obstacle to return
to your original direction of travel. To swerve to the left,
press left, then right to recover. To swerve to the right,
press right, then left.
Try to stay in your own lane. Change lanes only if you
have enough time to make sure there are no vehicles in
the other lane. You should be able to squeeze by most
obstacles without leaving your lane.
If braking is required, separate it from swerving. Brake
before or after, never while swerving. On a 3-wheel mo-
torcycle, you should be leaning your body into corners
normally; this may help to avoid a rollover when swerv-
ing with an empty sidecar.
10.3 RIDING A CURVE
: A primary cause of single-
vehicle collisions is motorcyclists running wide in a curve
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Every curve is different. Be alert to whether a curve re-
mains constant, gradually widens, gets tighter, or involves
multiple turns.
Ride within your skill level and posted speed limits.
Your best path may not always follow the curve of the
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are up to it, you may choose to start at the outside of a
curve to increase your line of sight and the effective radius
of the turn. As you turn, move toward the inside of the
curve, and as you pass the center, move to the outside to
exit. For 3-wheel motorcycles, following the center of the
lane may produce the greatest tipover forces.
Another alternative is to move to the center of your lane
before entering a curve, and stay there until you exit. This
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line, or debris blocking part of your lane.
10.4 CORNERING
: Cornering with a 3-wheel
motorcycle has unique characteristics that must be
considered. You must keep in mind that a 3-wheel
motorcycle can tip over if it is turned too sharply
when going too fast for the corner. It is essential that
the operator slow before entering a corner to avoid
this. When operating a sidecar-equipped motorcycle,
