Some interesting stuff

[need4speed]

Usefull information for all riders.

http://www.msgroup.org/DISCUSS.asp

[RACYA]

thats a whole mess of good advise ...thanks

[Kham]

anyone care to comment on the braking method? do you use the rear brake often and at lower speed like he said? how do you use your brake? how could you tell whether it's 75%/25% or 85/15%?

[ShredHed]

I use rear in slippery conditions(gravel, sand, etc...). It's easier to control rear slide than a front slide. I also finish off braking to a stop with rear brake. Sometime's I'll play around with it at speed, but basically I live by the front. Other times I'll tap the rear a bit to take the cobwebs off and make sure it's still there.
I haven't explored limits of traction long enough to be comfortable with taking any [traction] away from tires with trail braking techniques, I still finish all braking before the turn. But if it helps to carry speed while maintaining smooth suspension transistions, I'm open to play with it. The Duc's Twin has enough engine braking that I rarely need to brake for corners on the street anyway, it's all throttle.

[legalspeed]

Originally posted by zombie
Most of the braking techniques were devoloped on old clunkers in the 60,s and 70,s and don,t apply to modern brakes on new bikes.

Yo Zombie!! Right on man.

'Cept I use those OLD techniques still. The back pads are always wearing out before the fronts.
It is a bad habit of mine to use the backs, all the time, works though.

The fronts are more than enough for street. Both in unison is the best control for me.

[RandyO]

I live by the throttle, if I want to slow down, I roll back on the throttle, but not every bike has the engine braking of the SV.

when it comes to use of brakes, I use both front & rear depending on where I'm riding and that is just as likely to be on gravel as it is on pavement. I actually prefer drum brakes on the rear, much easier to modulate than a disc in back.

[Kham]

MSF teaches to use both at all time, 100% braking, so you can get use to it in case of emergency. This hardly applies to at least braking before cornering techniqe according to pro racing.

[SEVENSGT]

I use the rear for trail braking, other than that mostly the front. The first emergency stop I did turned into a wicked stoppie...

[PinHead]

I use both brakes most of the time but there are times when I will just use one or the other. Some sqiudly use from just the rear brake can be fun as well. We have a local here on the boards that does some pretty scarry stoppies too

[TLRMan]

Originally posted by Kham
anyone care to comment on the braking method? do you use the rear brake often and at lower speed like he said? how do you use your brake? how could you tell whether it's 75%/25% or 85/15%?

doesn't matter if its 75/85 front 25/15 rear...

If you ass end locks up and skids, then you have used all of your effective braking on the rear, what is left is the front.
I'll add that when you do apply the front, you are taking the weight off the rear wheel which will make the ass end skid easier.
So what you need is a Biased braking technique, one in which you use just enough to both ends to get the job done, and modulate the braking force, to keep control.
I call it experience, and practice...As for trail braking, I've been doing it for years????

[Kham]

in other words, avoid rear brake?

[TLRMan]

Originally posted by Kham
in other words, avoid rear brake?

No..use both, but learn to modulate (adjust between the front and rear)... It's a learned thing, never will you come across the same braking scenerio (sp)? while you are out riding.

Just remember, your front brakes along with the traction of your front tire will effectively toss you into a wicked stoppie at speeds below say 35 mph. above that, you can cause the front wheel to skid too... It's all about how much you squeeze, and that means practice. get out in an empty parking lot, and practice stopping you bike as quickly as possible, and still keep control.
put up a couple of cones, and have a buddy there to mark where you stopped. Keep trying it, and see how short a distance you can get before you start lifting the ass end in the air....Once you get the ass end in the air, modulate the front to carry the ass end, before you know it, you will be stoppie King!

[benVFR]

No, just take your time and learn when and how to use the rear and when not to use it. Read everything you can get your hands on and then practice on your own to figure out which technique works best for you on your bike.

There is no clean, concise answer that you can learn online. Every bike is different, every situation is different, every rider is different. And your methods and opinions will change with time and experience. Just make sure to make mental notes of what you're doing, what works, and what doesn't work. If you read something like Twist of the Wrist you'll notice that 75% of the book seems to be filled with mumbo-jumbo that doesn't seem like it's riding advice. It's all about learning how to observe everything that's going on and make decisions and actions rather than reactions. Self-Evaluation and criticism.

My question is whether or not being in a stoppie is an indication that you're slowing down as fast as possible.

Ben

[ShredHed]

Yeah, after my post I thought about it for a bit and realized I use the rear brake more than I think. Like the above posts, it comes down to using either one or the other or both when appropriate.
After a while it'll be reactive.

[beet]

bouth feet

[Stoneman]

Rear brakes??? These new bikes have those?

I'm not a fan of rear brakes at all. I only use 'em on gravel or slippery conditions. Like ShredHed said, it's easier to control rear skids than fronts skids on slippery surfaces. I'd hafta guesstimate that I use my fronts exclusively probably 90% of the time...

Case in point: I had over 40,000 miles on my 900 when I wadded it. At that point I had only changed the rear pads ONCE, and that was just because at 30,000 miles or so it just seemed like the thing to do. They didn't 'need' replacing, it was just a precautionary thing...

[Kham]

what happen to your icon zombie?

[beet]

Originally posted by Kham
what happen to your icon zombie?

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by Kham
what happen to your icon zombie?

He got tired of people asking him how he he got a motor and wheels mounted onto a picket fence! (BIG fuckin' ---->)

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by zombie
I tried to just use my rear brake on my icon and wiped out

Ha ha ha!!!

[Kham]

Originally posted by benSV
No, just take your time and learn when and how to use the rear and when not to use it. Read everything you can get your hands on and then practice on your own to figure out which technique works best for you on your bike.

There is no clean, concise answer that you can learn online. Every bike is different, every situation is different, every rider is different. And your methods and opinions will change with time and experience. Just make sure to make mental notes of what you're doing, what works, and what doesn't work. If you read something like Twist of the Wrist you'll notice that 75% of the book seems to be filled with mumbo-jumbo that doesn't seem like it's riding advice. It's all about learning how to observe everything that's going on and make decisions and actions rather than reactions. Self-Evaluation and criticism.

My question is whether or not being in a stoppie is an indication that you're slowing down as fast as possible.

Ben

so is this what they tell you in the racing course? basically it sounds like "don't ask me stupid question?"

[benVFR]

I don't know but that's what ToTW sounded like to me when I read it. It assumed you knew the basics.

So now you know everyone wants you to be careful on the rear brake and practice with the front. Once you know that it's up to you to figure the rest out.

Ben

[bemused]

Originally posted by Kham
so is this what they tell you in the racing course? basically it sounds like "don't ask me stupid question?"

jeez, Kham... how is it that-- despite repeated reassurances-- you always find a way to be offended by at least one answer to each of your questions?

noone (that I've noticed) has EVER responded to any question of yours w/ anything like "don't ask me stupid question". on the contrary, we've continued to encourage you to ask them... take whatever wisdom may be in the answers... and apply it as you see fit.

FWIW, I think you've kinda got to be LOOKING for that reaction if you're seeing it in the replies on this board. 'cuz I've not seen it towards you or anyone else on this board...

please DO keep asking questions-- but try to accept the answers in the spirit they're given in...

just my .02 drachmas worth...

[Kham]

didn't mean anything by that.

Also please keep in mind that it's a double thing, whatever you call it, going on here too about being offended. Really Im not offended. Sometimes I have to be critical of some of the answers if it's OK w/ everyone.

If you say something like " well it's up to you to experiment" then I kinda have to be critical about it, not the same as being offended, maybe. So please dont get me wrong either.

I'll remember to put a happy face in next time.

[Kham]

you can put your thumb down now.