Tips to Control a Motorcycle from Skidding

What is Motorcycle Skidding?

A bike skid is a sudden instance when a tyre loses traction with the road surface while turning or slowing down. In simple words, when your bike tyres lose grip of the road it causes the wheels to lock up and slide rather than roll. Your bike can skid due to wet roads, sudden braking, or over-acceleration. Motorcycle skidding is extremely dangerous and can cause severe damage to you and as well as your bike.

Why Does Your Bike Skid?

Some of the most common reasons that cause a bike to skid are mentioned below:

• Wet roads: Slippery, icy, or gravelly roads are one of the most common causes due to which your bike skids. Especially during the monsoon season, wet roads lower the grip level of your bike and its tyres slippery and thus leading to a skid.
• Sudden Brake: Applying a forceful brake also causes the wheels to lock and skid. Emergency braking is a very common factor leading to motorcycle skidding.
• Quick Direction Change: Sudden changes in direction or a sharp turn also causes your motorcycle to lose traction and skid.
• Over Speeding or Leaning: Applying too much power or excessively leaning to make a turn can cause the rear wheel to lose traction and skid.

How to Control a Motorcycle Skid?

Here are some of the reasons that cause your bike to skid and the tips that you can use to control a skid on your motorcycle:

• To control your bike to skid from excessive braking you must release the brake of the motorcycle firmly to allow the wheels to turn again and regain traction. Then, firmly reapply the brakes to avoid the wheels from getting locked again.
• Reduce the throttle to regain traction and steer in the direction where your motorcycle is sliding.
• In case your bike skids due to cornering you need to maintain the balance and keep your feet on the footrests to steer your bike in the direction in which your bike is skidding.
• It is very important that while pressing hard brakes, avoid using the clutch and shift the gear down. You might feel some jerks but your bike’s speed will get reduced.

• Put extra weight on the rear wheel to reduce the skid. And you might lose control completely if you try to slide your bike forward, so avoid doing that.
• Do not get your mind diverted, it is always better to look in the direction of your bike. Do not focus on other vehicles, and be extra careful when turning at the corners. And in case it skids, you can immediately get your bike to find its way with subtle body movements.

In all the accident situations it is recommended to maintain calm and do not panic. Find a solution to move out of the situation without harming yourself. With a relaxed mind, you can react to the situation in a better way. Keep your focus on the road and not anywhere else as in this way you can anticipate danger and come out of it quickly. To further protect yourself and your bike from such damages, you can buy bike insurance online. The right insurance coverage will help you cover damages caused to your motorcycle in case of skidding.