APRILIA RS 50 - 1999 Manual page 52

 
WARNING
Avoid opening and closing the throttle
repeatedly and continuously. Failure to
head this warning can cause you to ac-
cidentally lose control of your motorcy-
cle.
When you have to brake, close the
throttle and apply both brakes simulta-
neously in order to obtain the best
brake performance.
By applying only the front brake or only
the rear brake, you reduce the braking
performance considerably and run the
risk of locking up one wheel which can
cause an upset and subsequent serious
injury or even death.
If you stop on an uphill, use brakes only
to slow the motorcycle and to keep it in
place. Slipping the clutch to keep the
motorcycle in one place on an uphill
grade will very quickly ruin the clutch
and overheat the engine.
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52 use and maintenance RS 50
 
WARNING
Before entering a turn, slow down, us-
ing the brakes and the engine, to a con-
stant speed and then accelerate slightly
through the turn. Avoid braking at the
last moment. This can cause you to
lose control of your motorcycle.
If the brakes are operated continuously
on downhill grades, the discs and pads
will overheat, reducing the braking effi-
ciency. Use engine compression and
downshift to retard your motorcycle
while going downhill. Use the brakes as
little as possible to maintain a safe
speed.
Never coast downhill with the engine off
and/or the clutch disengaged or the
transmission in neutral.
On roads that are wet or covered with
snow, ice or mud, ride very slowly,
avoiding braking or accelerating or ma-
neuvering quickly. Hold the handlebars
firmly.
Failure to heed these warnings can
cause an upset with subsequent seri-
ous injury or death.
 
WARNING
Pay very close attention to any obsta-
cles or variations of the road surface.
Uneven roads, rails, manhole covers,
painted traffic stripes, traffic dots all be-
come slippery when wet. Avoid particu-
larly steel plates which are sometimes
used during road maintenance. They
become more slippery than ice once
they are wet by rain. If you must ride on
such surfaces, decrease your speed
and operate the throttle, brakes and
steering very gently.
Always use the turn signals any time
you intend to change lanes or change
direction, and avoid sudden or abrupt
turning.
Switch off the direction indicators as
soon as you have changed direction.
Overtake and pass only with care, espe-
cially in rainy weather when a water
cloud created by larger motorcycles re-
duces visibility and the slip stream
could cause you to lose control of your
motorcycle.