Should You Pull the Clutch When Braking on a Motorcycle?
2 Answers
When braking to come to a complete stop, you should pull the clutch, shift into neutral with your foot after braking, and release the clutch once the bike is fully stopped. For deceleration braking—such as when encountering pedestrians, other vehicles, or obstacles requiring a brief slowdown—there is no need to pull the clutch. In practice, the clutch should only be engaged if the engine feels like it's about to stall due to insufficient power during braking, at which point you should either stop or downshift. Below are some additional tips for braking on a motorcycle: 1. Generally, reduce throttle first, then apply the rear brake gently followed by the front brake. 2. Avoid pulling the clutch while braking simultaneously, as this is dangerous; reduce speed first before using the clutch. 3. In emergencies, quickly apply both foot and hand brakes in a controlled manner for smooth and rapid deceleration. 4. Never rely solely on the front hand brake when the speed exceeds 5 km/h, especially during downhill rides or turns—this is strictly prohibited.
I remember when I first started learning to ride a motorcycle, the instructor repeatedly emphasized not to pull the clutch immediately when braking. In emergency situations, just apply the front and rear brakes directly—engine braking can help you gain extra deceleration space. If you pull the clutch, it's like cutting off the rear wheel's power buffer, making the bike more prone to skidding. Especially at high speeds, the force from the right-hand brake accounts for 70% of the deceleration effect. However, you need to pull the clutch just before coming to a complete stop, or else the engine might stall, which would be embarrassing. After developing the habit of braking first and then pulling the clutch, navigating curves in the rain became much more stable.
