How to Save a Front Tire Slide

[Ken C]

Is it possible to save a front tire skid or slide? Maybe. Both of my recent track crashes were the result of front tire slides. But, I've had several other slides that I managd to save. A bit of skill and a lot of luck. Maybe this can help some of you turn an imminent crash into a close call. Maybe. How to save a front tire slide

[RandyO]

Front wheel slides are routine when you ride on snow & ice, have not crashed my bike yet though, I attribute the ability to save it on the superior traction of the Darkside and good engine braking, even more common than wheel slides is the front wheel rolling slower than you are moving

pretty sure that I don't wanna try sliding the front tire on pavement, I don't think recovery would be as easy as it is when the slides are at much lower speeds

[nhbubba]

I have 'saved' a front slide or two on the street.. and now I have not saved a one on the track.

I am completely stunned at how fast (and easily) the front end can 'go' on a sport(ish) bike on pavement. It was like the bike suddenly just wasn't there anymore!

[Falko]

I low sided my friend's son's mini bike a few weeks ago. I should have known better the feed back from that big bubble tire on the wet grass was really limited and I almost saved it but a chicken ran in front of me and has to lay it down.

Randy, do you run dark side on the front??

[RandyO]

I low sided my friend's son's mini bike a few weeks ago. I should have known better the feed back from that big bubble tire on the wet grass was really limited and I almost saved it but a chicken ran in front of me and has to lay it down.

Randy, do you run dark side on the front??

No, only on the rear, going double darkside would require conversion to 17" front wheel, because in some respects while riding in snow, slop, ice, the front wheel acts as a forward "rudder", the 19" front wheel works better

[TheIglu]

I've slid the front on the track (oil once and too much braking a few other times) and on the street. It can be done, just gotta remember to let the bike do what it wants.

[nhbubba]

I did it just this fall on some wet leaves just 20' from my driveway. Wakes you right up!

[dontpanic]

I haven't saved a front-tire slide. However, many years ago, Motorcyclist magazine suggested practicing hard braking in a parking lot, to the point of locking up the front wheel (at low, low speeds, of course), so I spent some time doing just that. That was probably 1988, but 25 years later when a van did a left turn in front of me, I knew exactly what was going on when the front locked up. I eased up on the front brake, stayed up, and gave the shocked driver a little wave. The best part was staying calm through the whole thing.

[golden chicken]

I've saved one while vertical and one while leaned over. Both were when the front went over a manhole cover and I was asking too much of it. Both recovered as soon as I got back to pavement. The vertical recovery was much less violent than the leaned-over recovery.

[travisb]

I have not saved a front tire slide on pavement, but started riding in the dirt in February 2013 to develop better road racing skills. You lose the front (and slide the rear) constantly in the dirt and eventually this becomes routine and expected. It happens even more frequently in winter with spiked tires on snow and ice. I think the frequent sliding is why many road racers practice/train in the dirt. One of the drills taught at Shane Watts' school is the front brake slide where the wheel is intentionally (but gradually)locked on grass or dirt. This encourages the development of the correct reflexes to deal with the situation when it occurs naturally.

Ben