Moto words

I think I first heard "Panic Rev" in the 80's. It's name is misleading though since the rider is using the motor revs to try and raise the front end in mid-air. In my experience, it's takes some level of skill to be able to control the bike's attitude in the air. Far from the actual panic rev that lesser skilled riders (like myself) do when the front end is about to "go in". Luckily, whether it's done intentionally (semi-planned) or done in pure, wide-eyed panic, it does work.

I'm not sure about brake tap. I bet that term has been used since brakes were invented. "Brake-Stuff" I heard in the late 70's describing how to crash a guy in a corner when he's trying to pass on the inside.

You might want to open your paper up to other descriptive words as well, like "Whiskey Throttle" and "Tank Slapper". I'm sure these guys could come up with some good ones.

Good luck on your paper.

I think that brake tap refers to a technique a lot of guys used for a while in the 80's. By tapping the back brake in mid air it would cause the front of the bike to drop down making for a better or more stylish landing. I think Johnny O'Mara was maybe the first guy to start doing it. Guys like Bailey and Lechien started doing it too and for a while everyone would be doing it over every jump.

A panic rev always makes spectator's heads look towards the track. It's like hearing car tires squeeling before an accident.

Mikem is right about that brake tap dealie. Mid '80s with O'Mara and Bailey was about when it started getting popular- it stayed popular until McGrath's BMX-style "keeping low over jumps" technique took over. Brake tapping looks cool, but you end up jumping higher and staying off the ground longer than you need to if you had just hit the same jump at a higher speed and soaked up the transition.

my buddies and i renamed the panic rev in the late 80s to the "guy cooper"

Brake tap was huge in the 90's until they figured out the rider lost like 1/2 a second each time they did it. Add that up over 10 jumps and 20 laps.

Ohh, yeah that brake tap! I was thinking of something completely different. I guess I should have known, both being ways to control a bike in the air.

Two things I'm not good at: Brake tap = stalled motor for me.