The Oracle
Registered
So, I am kickin' it on 495 (the DC beltway) at about 140 at 11AM the other day. It is beautiful out and I am racing through some thick traffic...
** Disclaimer ** I do not suggest that anyone ride this fast in traffic, or anywhere for that matter
I come up to an extra thick clot of cages and hit the brakes. The rear hooks-up nicely and the front feels weird. I pull a little harder on the squishy feeling lever, and it smushes all of the way to my fingers (I usually front brake and clutch with two fingers). So, panick mode kicks in and my survival reactions start popping out of the woodwork. I immediately downshift, and remove my ring and pinky finger from the grip. Hitting the rear brake a hair harder, I downshift again and crank the front on. This time, they squeeze all of the way to the grip!!!
I downshift once more and don't dare give it anymore rear (she is at her limits). So I am in like third gear doing 100+MPH slowing a bit, but not nearly as quickly as I would prefer. Traffic is stopped many yards in front of me. The next SR kicks in (you know the one where your eyeballs pop out of your skull). I ended out lanesplitting for about 5 or 6 cars before it finally was slowed enough to get comfortable. By then I realized that the warmth in my pants was not from excitement.
Anyway, I got her home CAREFULLY and did a brake checkup. My new Goodridge Kevlars were leaking out of the top seam (seal). Anytime I would apply moderate to hard pressure, brake fluid squirted out and down the line.
AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
So, they are gonna send me new ones... But, that was a bit hairy for a couple of seconds there.
It is really amazing how just 3 seconds can FREAK you completely out at 140MPH.
The moral?? I think it is to ALWAYS be ready for freaky sh!t to happen. Of course others might think a slower speed would be gud too. Sorry, it wasn't that scary baby!
-Rip
** Disclaimer ** I do not suggest that anyone ride this fast in traffic, or anywhere for that matter
I come up to an extra thick clot of cages and hit the brakes. The rear hooks-up nicely and the front feels weird. I pull a little harder on the squishy feeling lever, and it smushes all of the way to my fingers (I usually front brake and clutch with two fingers). So, panick mode kicks in and my survival reactions start popping out of the woodwork. I immediately downshift, and remove my ring and pinky finger from the grip. Hitting the rear brake a hair harder, I downshift again and crank the front on. This time, they squeeze all of the way to the grip!!!
I downshift once more and don't dare give it anymore rear (she is at her limits). So I am in like third gear doing 100+MPH slowing a bit, but not nearly as quickly as I would prefer. Traffic is stopped many yards in front of me. The next SR kicks in (you know the one where your eyeballs pop out of your skull). I ended out lanesplitting for about 5 or 6 cars before it finally was slowed enough to get comfortable. By then I realized that the warmth in my pants was not from excitement.
Anyway, I got her home CAREFULLY and did a brake checkup. My new Goodridge Kevlars were leaking out of the top seam (seal). Anytime I would apply moderate to hard pressure, brake fluid squirted out and down the line.
AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
So, they are gonna send me new ones... But, that was a bit hairy for a couple of seconds there.
It is really amazing how just 3 seconds can FREAK you completely out at 140MPH.
The moral?? I think it is to ALWAYS be ready for freaky sh!t to happen. Of course others might think a slower speed would be gud too. Sorry, it wasn't that scary baby!
-Rip
