so i am jetting down to the local kawi/zuki dealer to poke around and i am feelin a little out of it since i have a little bit of a cold and some jet lag and a lack of sleep (and i lost my game last nite) so i am not 100% there...i get to the dealer and blow right past the 1st entrance. so i decide that i am on a motorcycle and i can scrub enough speed to make the 2nd entrance. i pull the clutch in and ease in the front brake and push on the rear. the rear locks up....mind you i am slow today so i am like uh somethings not right. so i decide in a split second to abort this maneuver and just get things back together

so i get off the brakes...well i thought i got off the rear, but i was pretty much standing on it. man i am really out of it today. i locked her up good and rode it dirtbike style keeping the shiny side up as i scrubbed off speed and my rear tire. i ended up making the turn and checking my trousers for stains.

i didnt even enjoy poking around the shop cause i was a little jittery from my amateur stupidness. as i left i went out the 1st entrance and inspected the nice patch of rubber i donated to the road surface. i wasnt conscious of it but i actually started turning in to the parking lot as i was dirtbiking it. very stupid. oh well i guess those years on a bmx bike as a kid in the sand helped out.

i practiced my emergency braking on my way back to work (after making sure no one behind me). i got my stopping distances down considerably after convincing myself its ok to grab the front brake pretty much as hard as i can and modulate the rear brake, keeping it on the edge of traction (lifting slightly when it starts to lock up). i got to the point where the nose was takinga serious dive and the fork was trying to fold left or right from the forces. it was kind fun to practice it.

i need to get some dirtbiking experience...that looks like fun...

 

Two tips:

1- when the tire starts "chirping" slightly, you are about to loose traction
2- By balancing front/rear you should be able to avoid major dives of the front. Major dive = not enough rear brake

 

glad you are ok and you kept the sticky side down

 

i dont even use my rear brake most of the time... yea it gets used, but not nearly as much as the front... the front break is your friend!!!

 

I did that last night accidentally. I was following my friend when he braked hard because he missed a turn. I hit both the brakes hard, and the back started drifting to the side. I corrected real quick and recovered.

 

good advice. you know what you're right...my shortest distances from 40-50mph the front didnt dive as nearly as much and didnt give me that feeling like the front tire was trying to wrestle its way out from under the bike...twisting to the sides and all.

 

"my shortest distances from 40-50mph the front didnt dive as nearly as much and didnt give me that feeling like the front tire was trying to wrestle its way out from under the bike...twisting to the sides and all."

When you brake in a straight line, if you do not apply enough rear you get the feeling that the front and the rear of the bike have a mind of their own. Rear accounts for 30% of your braking power. As a general rule I use the rear to stabilize the bike. If I have to stop very quickly, I then use more rear and release a bit the front when it starts "chirping".

It is indeed a very good idea to practice your emergency braking (although you may want to make sure there is nobody behind you), it does not take long to get it right (usually I lock the rear when I am out shape).

Have fun!!


[Modified by Dropping_By, 10:25 PM 7/31/2002]

 

trailbraking YUM!

 

not quite what you're thinking... falcons sounded a bit "messier"

 

Yeah I should use my rear brake more. I have to look to find the damn thing because I cant feel it through my monster Alpinestars boots!!! I should probably work on it though.

 

All jokes aside, the lesson here is more than how to use the rear brakes. Its really that bikes are about 15 times more difficult to ride than driving a car and if you are not feeling well, take the car if you can. There are times I almost get on and then change my mind. I learned this by doing the same kind of things Falcon did.

 

i need to understand something....trailbraking is braking while turning in, right? it doesnt mean dragging the rear brake specifically does it?

 

You did well to ride it out...the worst thing you could've done is abruptly release the rear brake when the back of the bike was stepped out ( hello highside!). That could have treated you to a birds-eye view of your bike...definitely no fun!

As for the rear wheel providing 30% of the braking power, that is only under mild braking, at least as far as I've observed. Under full panic stops or perhaps a race situation, the rear wheel is often merely skimming the pavement, if not floating above it. In that case, the tire is not providing enough traction to even consider using the rear brake. Of course, there are many variables in this equation, and I'm just generalizing....but your front brake is your primary brake. Master it and you'll be the better rider for it

 

"As for the rear wheel providing 30% of the braking power, that is only under mild braking, at least as far as I've observed. Under full panic stops or perhaps a race situation, the rear wheel is often merely skimming the pavement, if not floating above it. In that case, the tire is not providing enough traction to even consider using the rear brake. Of course, there are many variables in this equation, and I'm just generalizing....but your front brake is your primary brake. Master it and you'll be the better rider for it."


If you want to be efficient, master the use of both brakes (the front is the primary, yes). If you cannot do an emergency braking with both, practice until you can.

Part of the fun is the practice. Plus, it is going to save your butt.

 

i got to use my improved technique today. 18 wheeler pulled out and jumped the median curb and stopped. i used both brakes agressively and brought her down from 60 to 0mph and just held it for a sec dead stopped before letting the clutch out and rolling forward again. pretty trick

ok ok i am easily entertained. heh.

 

Good job!

 

damn 18 wheelers, keep up the good work its good to practice how fast you can brake at different speeds so when you need to do it you can do it safer