Some said that stoppies were dangerous, both for the rider and for the brakes. Toprak Razgatlioglu has demonstrated the fallacy of this theory.

If Toprak Razgatlioglu didn’t exist, we’d have to invent him. The Turkish rider puts on a spectacular show on the track, during the races, but also when he has to stop, whether it’s returning to the pits or heading to the parc fermé after one of his incredible feats.

 

He first made a name for himself by participating in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup during the 2013-2014 period. In 2015, he dominated the European Superstock 600 Championship, with 5 wins and 2 third-place finishes in the 7 races he competed in. After moving away from the 600cc class, he switched to 1000cc machines, starting in Superstock, where he raced until the end of 2017.

In 2018, he entered the Superbike World Championship with the Puccetti team, and in less than two years, he secured his first two wins (Race 1 and Superpole Race in France) riding a Kawasaki. His performances caught the attention of the official Yamaha team, which signed him in 2020.

His first season with Yamaha served to get a feel for the R1, although he managed to win 3 races and finished the year in fifth place. After understanding the limits of the bike, in 2021, the rider from Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK took off: 13 wins, 9 second places, and 7 third-place finishes in 37 races, which interrupted Jonathan Rea's reign of six consecutive world titles.

 

These results piqued the interest of some MotoGP teams, especially after Maverick Viñales’ departure from Yamaha, which caused a domino effect. Some speculated that Razgatlioglu would move to the MotoGP, but those rumors quieted when the official Yamaha Superbike team offered him a two-year contract extension.

 

In the last two seasons with the R1, despite not winning the title, Toprak secured 21 wins and 62 podiums in 72 races, finishing both seasons in second place. These incredible results convinced BMW’s top brass to offer him a lavish contract to bring the German manufacturer back to the top, a position it had been missing for some time.

Many speculated that the Turkish rider would earn a lot of money, thus dampening the disappointment of not achieving better results. Instead, thanks to his undeniable talent, it took him just four races to achieve his first victory, ending BMW's 902-day drought.

 

That victory wasn’t a fluke, as he followed it up with another win in the next race. In Race 2 at Assen, he began a streak of 13 consecutive wins, essentially securing the 2024 world title before going on to win at Jerez, despite missing 6 races due to injury.

 

From the outset in Superbike, Toprak has celebrated his feats with a stoppie, a sort of reverse wheelie. Unlike a traditional wheelie, where the rear wheel is lifted, in a stoppie, the front wheel is the one that comes off the ground—something that is relatively easier when riding racing motorcycles with light components.

His control of the bike is undoubtedly exceptional, as demonstrated by the numerous stoppies in which he manages to rotate the bike 90 degrees on its front wheel. Typically, his process involves entering the pit lane at 80 km/h in second gear, then applying 12-14 bars of pressure on the front brake.

 

When the rear wheel lifts off, Razgatlioglu reduces the pressure to 2-3 bars, maintaining his balance. He then shifts into first gear and finally uses the rear brake to regain contact with the ground.

 

Toprak’s father was also a stuntman, the famous Arif Razgatlioglu, nicknamed "Tek Terek Arif" (One-Wheel Arif) for his skill in riding with the front tire off the ground.

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Stoppies are made possible by the lightweight Brembo brake components and Marchesini wheels. A pair of forged magnesium 17-inch wheels weighs only 6 kg, while a set of monoblock, 4-piston calipers weighs just 1.5 kg, being machined from a single block of aluminum.

 

As evident, performing a stoppie requires decisive action on the front brake, while ignoring the rear brake. The rider's body position is also crucial, with elbows kept relaxed and knees nearly hugging the fuel tank.

 

As the seconds pass, the pressure on the front brake is gradually reduced to avoid tipping forward. During this phase, the rear wheel is off the ground, and only when it begins to descend does the rear brake come into play.

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Applying the rear brake too early during a stoppie would lock the rear wheel, disrupting the balance between the rider and the bike. Leaning the torso too far forward is also a mistake, as it would throw off the overall center of gravity.

 

In Superbike, riders apply a force of around 7.2 kg or 6.5 kg on the brake lever, depending on the diameter of the pump used, compared to the 5.4 kg of pressure needed for the hardest braking zones in the championship.

 

As you might expect, a stoppie doesn’t require intense energy, as braking occurs at relatively low speeds. What’s more important is a good braking torque, which is directly proportional to the effective radius of the disc, the coefficient of friction, and the clamping force (the force exerted by the caliper).

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Naturally, an efficient brake pump is essential for responsive and modulated braking. Thanks to Brembo’s experience in designing hydraulic, kinematic, and ergonomic components, its brake pumps are known for their linearity between the applied force and the braking response.

 

In any case, performing a stoppie is not particularly harmful to a track bike’s braking system, as it is usually done in the pit lane. The relatively low speed during the return to the pits ensures that brake pads and fluid don’t heat up excessively, thus preventing thermal stress on the system.

 

However, these stunts are not always well received by some team managers. Not so much because of the risk of damaging mechanical components—though there are concerns about oil shifting inside the engine—but due to the potential for a rider to crash, sustain a foolish injury, break some parts of the bike, or even make a fool of themselves on live television.

It’s no coincidence that among all the possible stunts with motorcycles, the stoppie is considered one of the most dangerous, as the rider cannot visually track its progress. For this reason, Brembo strongly advises against attempting to emulate or replicate this stunt, whether on public roads or on the racetrack.