Using your brakes

[NEWHD74FAN]

As the others have commented, most of the braking is in the front, but using the proper amount of rear braking levels and settles the chassis when riding up to 8/10's of your riding "pace". When approaching the end of the braking spectum...the rear of the bike is so unweighted, it offers only a tiny bit of braking, but buy then your front is already at max braking. Just do not GRAB that front brake lever as Iceman said...bad results CAN occur!!! There are places where you NEVER apply the front brake and use rear only...if your front wheel is tilted 45 degs at low speed...too much front brake will high side you quicker than you can say any four letter colorful metaphor, as well as any time you are in sandy/poor traction conditions. Use your front brake for a majority of the braking along with the rear, proper braking is as important as good throttle and clutch control.

 

[Jonas]

Could the Forum please shed some light on how you are supposed to think when distributing break power between your front and back breaks! I have heard all sorts of comments and percentages...
I personally try to use only the front break unless I really have to come to a quick stop.
Comments?

Teddy

My thoughts

Go to a parking lot set up some markers for distance. Get up to about 30 MPH and practice stopping in a straight line. You will find out that a heavy front brake(release on lockup)pull again, with just your foot resting on the rear brake (I'm talking RoadKing without anti lock brakes)) will give the shortest stopping distance. FYI I use all fingers on front brake always. It is a good Habit.

Try it with rear brake alone and hangon.


Braking in corners is not a good idea. Counter steer and ride through, you can make it through alot tighter corner then you think.
If you have to stop in a corner you need to straighten the bike as much as possible, then brake.

Below 10 mph only back brake. Slow in sand/gravel only back brake.

When I am at a stop sign or at a stop light. I never take my foot off the back brake and I keep the bike in gear ready to. Two reason brakelights for the cell phone user behind me, in gear and ready to go, for the same reason. Use rearview mirror and do not trap yourself.

EMERGENCY STOP do not be shy with the front brake. Its hard to do but could save you.

 

[BUBBIE]

Braking in corners is not a good idea. Counter steer and ride through, you can make it through alot tighter corner then you think.
I keep the bike in gear ready to. Use rearview mirror and do not trap yourself..

I find these good suggestions and methods fit me!

One ADDED suggestion if I may..

I Always Look Thru the corner,

Looking thru "Where You Want to Travel" Not Where you "Don't want to travel"..

By Keeping eyes in the direction you want to go, you will be surprised it Will go..

signed....BUBBIE

 

[Porter]

One ADDED suggestion if I may..

I Always Look Thru the corner,

Looking thru "Where You Want to Travel" Not Where you "Don't want to travel"..

By Keeping eyes in the direction you want to go, you will be surprised it Will go..

signed....BUBBIE

Right on Bubbie! Espcially when you need an evasive manuver. Lots of new riders (and some old) have been injured/killed by "target fixation"...like when you see a pot hole but instead of avoiding it you drive right to it...just cuz you keep staring at it.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Very good info here and I would like to add I am always looking for escape routes when I am in heavy traffic, you never know when some one will cut you off or slam on there brakes for no good reason

 

[rmarino14]

I use mainly my rear brake....... using the front break too much can be a bad habit.... like around cornors going slow, in gravel or dirt, you could end up droping the bike or worse.

 

[Jonas]

I use mainly my rear brake....... using the front break too much can be a bad habit.... like around cornors going slow, in gravel or dirt, you could end up droping the bike or worse.

If you are going through back brake pads faster then your front pads. You are not using the front brake enough. Only my opinion.

But it is simple physics the front brake will stop the bike alot faster and in a shorter distance then the rear brake. The shorter distance can be a real big plus.

 

[fin_676]

Mainly i use the back brake in normal riding to slow and steady the bike if however i was in a flap situation id be using a full fist on the front and all my weight on the back
as my riding is done mainly on rural roads most of the breaking is pre planned and the bike is brought down to the required speed in a deliberate fashion
as Ive previously ridden shaft drive motorcycles where there is no give in the drive train all braking is done prior to a bend and power is applied through the bend till mid point then full power to pull bike through and upright at the same time

Brian

 

[BUBBIE]

If you are going through back brake pads faster then your front pads. You are not using the front brake enough. Only my opinion.

But it is simple physics the front brake will stop the bike alot faster and in a shorter distance then the rear brake. The shorter distance can be a real big plus.

I Harped at a friend of mine to no avail.

One day he call to tell me he rear-ended a car on the narrows bridge. He was looking at the boats and water then turned his head back just in time to see the rig in front of him Dynamite the brakes. He could not believe that he could not stop quicker than he did on the NEW Roadking.

He uses Back Breaks Only!!! 1500$$ to repair his bent bike and Now claims to uses Front and Rear 60/40 and adjust from there with a little more on the front...

I Never Said to him, "I Told You So".. But he knew I was thinking it...


Just like the signs along the road in Sturgis....... THINK!

signed....BUBBIE

 

[Jonas]

I Harped at a friend of mine to no avail.

One day he call to tell me he rear-ended a car on the narrows bridge. He was looking at the boats and water then turned his head back just in time to see the rig in front of him Dynamite the brakes. He could not believe that he could not stop quicker than he did on the NEW Roadking.

He uses Back Breaks Only!!! 1500$$ to repair his bent bike and Now claims to uses Front and Rear 60/40 and adjust from there with a little more on the front...

I Never Said to him, "I Told You So".. But he knew I was thinking it...


Just like the signs along the road in Sturgis....... THINK!

signed....BUBBIE

I have some friends the same way. Some that have been riding forever, tuff to try to sway them.

I do have a back brake in a turn story. In 2007 One of my best friends and I were coming home from a day of riding. Poke Run, etc, etc. He had a brand new three month old Ultra Classic. It was dark, I was leading. We were on back roads. I was more familiar with them him. One of the roads had some pretty good curves. Nothing crazy. I went through them at a pretty good clip.

I was checking my mirror to make sure my friend was with me., The I saw the Crazy Headlight Dance, Up Down, Sides, then gone(no more headlight). Talk about a feeling that cannot be forgotten. I turned around and went back to find him. Fearing the worst. I had to make a few passes before I saw his bike. The lights were all out. He was laying sprawled out on the ground. Bike was crumbled in the ditch.

I walk up to him. He was groaning. I said "Hey ______ you know who I am".

It was a little funny. He reply was "Yea Jonas, but what are you doing here" He thought he was home in bed. Anyway he was fine besides some road rash, torn up ears, from his novelty helment getting pulled off. Straps grabbed his ears, and a broken collar bone. The new Bike was not so good. 11k of damage. I went and got another friend that lived near by. We push the bike out of the ditch and to farmers house, that had came out to help us.

This is what i think happened, based on talkiing to him and looking at the skid marks. He did not think he could make the corner, back braked it, locked it up. You could see were he tried to get off it then back on the brake. Lost control and hit the ditch. He should have pushed through the corner. (Hind Site right?)

It is one of the scariest moments of my life, seeing his light disappear then turning around and trying to find him.

He is a very experienced rider, one of the best I know. Before he had the Ultra and he still has it. His bike was and is a 1979 SuperGlide (140MPH Shovelhead). It weighs less then 350 Pound, bore stroked, Open Belt Primary, Belt Secondary. One Bad Bike. But a little different then a 800 Pound UC. I have followed him on SuperGlide at night and have seen a light show from him dragging it in corners.

This might be the most I have every typed.