What should you do if your rear brake locks on a straightaway?

In a situation where the rear brake locks while riding on a straightaway, the correct response is to release the brake immediately. When a rear brake locks, it can cause the motorcycle to skid, and maintaining braking pressure can result in a loss of control.

Releasing the rear brake allows the rear wheel to regain traction, which is essential for maintaining stability and steering control. Once the rear wheel is free to rotate again, the rider can carefully apply the rear brake again to slow down without skidding.

Continuing to brake until the motorcycle stops can worsen the situation; it increases the risk of a skid and potential loss of control, endangering the rider. Additionally, accelerating would only worsen the skidding condition, and shifting to a lower gear does not address the immediate traction loss. Therefore, releasing the rear brake is the safest and most effective way to regain control of the motorcycle in this scenario.