Braking while in air

[679]

This is something I've never really felt like I've needed to do before, but i recently started hitting this step down triple where the landing is much steeper than the takeoff, and I always feel like I' about to loop over on the landing. So I think if I can tap the bike, It'll bring the nose down some, just the opposite of revving the bike while in air, right? Is there any certain technique to braking in air? I'm afraid I'll stall the bike or something.

[03SVT]

if you pull in the clutch before you tap the brake you will not stall.

[679]

Thats what I was thinking, but it seems like a lot to do while in air. Do you have experience with that?

[crfjoe816]

If ur afraid of forgetting to pull in clutch then try using ur front brake first, it'll bring the nose down also, not quite as effective as rear brake, but it does work, just beware it may try to turn your bars a little and don't forget to let go when you land!

[679]

If ur afraid of forgetting to pull in clutch then try using ur front brake first, it'll bring the nose down also, not quite as effective as rear brake, but it does work, just beware it may try to turn your bars a little and don't forget to let go when you land!

Alright. I was just unclear on how easy it would be to stall the bike in air. Thanks for the good info

[lilrider100]

im affraid of not needed how much angle its going to give me and endo....about how much does it move the bike???

[679]

im affraid of not needed how much angle its going to give me and endo....about how much does it move the bike???

It would depend how long your in the air. I know revving the bike can send you into a full air wheelie off of a moderately angled 60 ft jump I can't imagine braking sending over the handlebars or anything.

[crfjoe816]

Definitely won't throw you over the bars or anything, try tapping either brake over jumps you are comfortable on before you try it over jumps you need it on, even if u don't need to, just tap it to get the feel of it

[Johnny_On_The_Spot]

Dont pull the front brake- use the clutch and the rear.

[lilrider100]

when should i tap it?? at take off or mid air or close to the landing?? when is it most efeective?? ?

[03SVT]

yea def dont hit the front brake. thats asking for trouble. i have quite a bit of experience with the rear brake tap from when i raced 125s in high school. alot of us used to intentionally jump the table top in front of the grandstands nose high just to show off our sweet brake tapping skills lol. you have to really time the tap depending on when you want the front to come down. i wouldnt do it immediately on take off. i wait till im mid air and spot my landing and adjust accordingly.

[RomanianRacer]

if your bike does stall in mid-air, wouldn't it just start right back up, once you land? It would be like trying to roll start a bike, right?

[03SVT]

if your bike does stall in mid-air, wouldn't it just start right back up, once you land? It would be like trying to roll start a bike, right?

it would but you risk going over the bars if you stall mid air.

[dmm698]

Like everybody else already said, do it on a jump your comfortable on. Practice pulling the clutch in other jumps, and once your comfortable with that start tapping the break. I find that if I completely lift my left foot of the peg, pull the clutch and actually stomp the rear brake it will help to drop the nose even more so then if you are standing on the pegs and just tap it. As soon as you let the clutch back out the tire will start to spin again because theres no resistance. Deffinitely dont go pulling the front brake. If you stall just land on the throttle and it'll bump start.

[humpness]

if it stalls and you dont clutch on the landing it doesnt feel very good. i stall sometimes when i try to get back on the gas before the landing. just going to take some more practice for me. it seems i gotta do a little clutch play as i get back on it.

[Tha Breeze]

I always just lift up the back of my bike with my right foot by hooking it on the number plate. I find it's much smoother and you are in more control when you do it this way. But you need to have the correct body positioning or else you won't have the leverage to do it. Basically make sure you are over the front of the bike and have your chest/head over the handlebars. I'm saving the brake tap for emergencies when I'm all out of shape and air wheeling.

[Steel Panther]

tapping the brake alone doesn't do much, its the combination of brake with correct body movement. Brake tapping kinda just gives you that little push to get your body weight forwards, it needs to be a fluid movement and that takes a little practice of course.

[Woody R]

I found that if you just tighten your legs and pull by the frame you can get the front down or the rear up whatever u call it, kinda the same as Tha Breeze mentioned

[JPbigbore]

make adjustments mid air, and if you don't need your front to come down very much then try even just pulling the clutch in and muscleing your front end down.

[jtm392]

Exactly what I do. I just grip real tight with my ankles and lean forward.

I found that if you just tighten your legs and pull by the frame you can get the front down or the rear up whatever u call it, kinda the same as Tha Breeze mentioned