how does high side happen...

R

redlinerush

Well-known member
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... and how best to prevent it?

today riding home on a certain left turn, i saw it was clear, but enter the turn a tad too fast. what happened was follow

going straight while about to enter the corner, i used both front and rear brakes to slow down the bike

start entering the turn, finding a lean angle

regain speed by letting go on the brakes and rolling on throttle.

while recovering my bike gave small a wiggle that didn't feel too nice. I was thinking if i roll the throttle hard or did the whole thing at high speed, i would have high side.


advises? the problem was i was already leaning while still on the brakes, i know i should have done all the braking before going into the corner.
high side happens because rear wheel caught too much sudden traction while leaning, is this correct?
 
In that video it looks more like the guy just leaned too far left and caught something on the ground, you could hear it scrape just before he flipped
 
Try not to slide/skid in the first place. But if you do, make sure the bike is oriented/tracking in the same direction you are sliding, then try to ease out of the slide/skid gradually. Watch the supermotos backing it in in the curves. Try not to make sudden changes.
 
One of the biggest mistakes that turn into highsiding is when the rear loses traction in the corner and the rider completely lets off the throttle, You should ease off the throttle.
Its hard to remember in the split second it happens but most newbs that highside panic and let right off the throttle.
 
stormcat said:
"If you love your bike, set it free. If it comes back to you, you've highsided."
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lol_cat-12926.jpg
 
jeffjones said:
One of the biggest mistakes that turn into highsiding is when the rear loses traction in the corner and the rider completely lets off the throttle, You should ease off the throttle.
Its hard to remember in the split second it happens but most newbs that highside panic and let right off the throttle.
Click to expand...

easing off the throttle will still cause a highside.

If traction is lost, maintaining constant throttle, or increasing throttle slightly while standing the bike up onto the taller part of the tire will prevent the highside.
 
A high side starts when a rider is traveling at speed with the front and rear tires not in the same line of travel. The rear tire, which had previously been sliding, suddenly finds traction, and due to forward momentum, it suddenly and violently wants to follow the same path as the front wheel. This sudden movement flicks the rider off like a well picked and flicked booger.

High sides do not look all that terrible. It's the landing that looks painful. Not that I know from personal experience.
 
Johnny5 said:
In that video it looks more like the guy just leaned too far left and caught something on the ground, you could hear it scrape just before he flipped
Click to expand...

You can see (and hear) him chop the throttle and that's what tosses him.
 
reciprocity said:
easing off the throttle will still cause a highside.

If traction is lost, maintaining constant throttle, or increasing throttle slightly while standing the bike up onto the taller part of the tire will prevent the highside.
Click to expand...

+1- as Keith Code says "constant, smooth throttle control" even in a slide. Your bike will find it's balance.
 
Didn't realize it was that easy to high side.... I've slid the back end a couple times (too much rear entering a turn... hey, I'm still learning), but I've caught it just in time without too much incident. I was always under the impression that too much front brakes in a turn would cause a high side (hence why I'm heavier on the rear brakes).
 
EngineerJoe said:
Didn't realize it was that easy to high side.... I've slid the back end a couple times (too much rear entering a turn... hey, I'm still learning), but I've caught it just in time without too much incident. I was always under the impression that too much front brakes in a turn would cause a high side (hence why I'm heavier on the rear brakes).
Click to expand...


you've got it backwards.
 
reciprocity said:
easing off the throttle will still cause a highside.

If traction is lost, maintaining constant throttle, or increasing throttle slightly.
Click to expand...

So if your going around a corner and your rear tire kicks out, it is better to increase throttle?

That doesn't sound right to me. Wouldn't it just make the tire slide out even more?

Maybe I still have my car rally racing mentality in my head, I have only lost traction once on my bike in the rain and I eased just slightly off the throttle and it came back nice and smooth?
 
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jeffjones said:
reciprocity said:
easing off the throttle will still cause a highside.

If traction is lost, maintaining constant throttle, or increasing throttle slightly.[/QUOTE]

So if your going around a corner and your rear tire kicks out, it is better to increase throttle?

That doesn't sound right to me. Wouldn't it just make the tire slide out even more?

Maybe I still have my car rally racing mentality in my head, I have only lost traction once on my bike in the rain and I eased just slightly off the throttle and it came back nice and smooth?
Click to expand...

You can control the slide, or in the worst case fall over and lowside. Both are very much preferable to being launched to the moon.
Click to expand...
 
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