Do you always use both brakes?
- Thread starter Mrs.Rubber2Burn
- Start date
+1000
I adjust the rear pedal to avoid lockup and use both brakes. A light rear stabilizes and adds a little to the stopping power of the fronts. But the front does 80% of the stopping.
Stay off the front brake at slow speeds and where oil, antifreeze etc in known to be.
At speed stay off the rear. Tuffbusa's post was right on.
Over use the rear brake and it will hurt you.
"Practice braking" should be a priority before you go fast... very few riders practice braking to learn their ability and limits. Always assess the surface you are riding on. Know there are many different friction coefficients depending on the road you are on at any given time and place.
Tire temp is also very important.
Warm tires stick better then cold tires.
In the summer my tires are at 90 - 100+ degrees, this weekend 64 degrees was all they reached. No hard cornering for me at that tire temp.
At speed stay off the rear. Tuffbusa's post was right on.
Over use the rear brake and it will hurt you.
"Practice braking" should be a priority before you go fast... very few riders practice braking to learn their ability and limits. Always assess the surface you are riding on. Know there are many different friction coefficients depending on the road you are on at any given time and place.
Tire temp is also very important.
Warm tires stick better then cold tires.
In the summer my tires are at 90 - 100+ degrees, this weekend 64 degrees was all they reached. No hard cornering for me at that tire temp.
In wheel school you're taught to use both brakes. when turning tight you don't want to use the front brake.
Results of my haphazard experiences!
Thanks Tuf, good info.
You'll have to read my posts more thoroughly next time. I clearly state there is a place for rear brake use. My point on this thread is when NOT to use the rear brake. The faster you are going the more dangerous ill use of the rear brake becomes.
I thought I was far to well schooled to be bitten by the rear brake but in 2003 I totally distroyed a brand new busa simply by going to sleep at the helm. At that time I rode with my right foot covering the brake. I no longer do that unless I'm up on one wheel.
What happened to me was: I was cruising about 80 knots on a favorite backroad, come into a tight right hand corner, got on the brakes (front only) hard about 100 ft prior to reaching the corner and touched the rear brake ever so slightly. Bad idea! That beast stepped out, grabbed traction and put my arse in orbit so quick I never had time to say "Oh Sh!t" before I was doing the superman imitation about ten feet off the ground and that brand new busa was doing cartwheels down the middle of the road before slaming into a bank on the outside of the turn.
I not only got the holy crap kicked out of me, the new bike was a total loss. No broken bones but I certainly would not have been in any worse shape if I had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. I was wearing full gear but boy howdy did I ever take an arse kickin. Took me six weeks to get back to normal.
Bike was totally distroyed. I hauled it home in boxes. Broke the frame at the neck, twisted the forks up like pretzels and scattered plastic all over hell.
From that crash forward, I never rode with my foot covering the rear brake again. I now must make a thought out effort to move my foot into position to use the brake.
I've crashed many times and I can honestly say "Crashin Sucks"!
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RACER_X
Registered
so was the bike leaned over?
I think we are talking about two different perspectives here. Normal, day-to-day street riding, vs. Aggressive street/track riding. Perfect dry weather on perfect asphalt vs. imperfect conditions. The original poster is a new rider, and I suspect her initial questioning centers around day-to-day street riding, where we are not testing the limits of braking power on track conditions.
For normal commute riding, I do use both. For the track and aggressive street riding, I stay off the back - Tuf is right, on my first trackday I went for the back brake too hard and the rear end got loosy goosy and scared the crap out of me - I learned and haven't touched it since. I could see how, in an emergency situation on the street, I might make a mistake and use rear brake - gotta think about that. A good thread nonetheless.
For normal commute riding, I do use both. For the track and aggressive street riding, I stay off the back - Tuf is right, on my first trackday I went for the back brake too hard and the rear end got loosy goosy and scared the crap out of me - I learned and haven't touched it since. I could see how, in an emergency situation on the street, I might make a mistake and use rear brake - gotta think about that. A good thread nonetheless.
RACER_X
Registered
"touched the rear brake ever so slightly. Bad idea! That beast stepped out,"
if the bike was in a straight vertical path, and you locked the rear wheel up it would stay in that same straight path, unless your starting squirming the bike around.
we've all done this as a kid on our bicycles.........locked the rear, fishtailed the rear around......no diff. really on a big bike
prob. was, was releasing the rear allowing it to catch and causing your highside. vs riding the rear brake into the ground into a lowside.
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Laylas_Mom
Registered
+ 10I've been thinking of doing an advanced rider corse, it doesn't hurt to try and better your skills
[/QUOTE]How many miles should someone have under their belt before doing the advanced rider course??
RACER_X
Registered
i recommend a good riding season, 4-5000mi
its really not gonna teach you alot more then basic class did, it'll show you the bad habits you've developed over your riding time.
also w/ this kinda mileage consider a trackday, it'll improve your riding ALOT even over the advanced course.
You should find something with four wheels, your life is in danger. Stop riding before it is too late.
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