Having trouble coming to a smooth stop
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Reverse your strategy, and let off the front brake right before final stop, and finish the stop with the rear brake, always ready to lean slightly to the left to put your left foot down.
If you need both feet down, after your stop, reapply the front brake to keep from rolling, and put your right foot down.
If you need both feet down, after your stop, reapply the front brake to keep from rolling, and put your right foot down.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Prince Frederick, Md
Me too!
Thank God I'm not the only one. I've had the same problem. I've practiced and the thought I had it, but then get on the street and not stop smoothly. I'll try the rear brake under 20 mph and see if that helps. Thanks.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 5
Dang I thought it was just me! Alone I'm not too bad, but with the wife on back I've been struggling all summer to figure out the cause of the problem. She told me she thinks the bike is too big for me, but I'm not going to give up my Ultra!! Sometimes I stop good, but other times I get the wobbles and feel like I'm about to loose it....have never had this problem on other bikes. For me I think part of the problem is the seat....I'm going to send it into Mean City Cycles for a rebuild over the winter, but its so wide its hard to get my feet down under me, and even then unless I slide forward I'm on my toes. I have noticed that if I come to a stop a little quicker its easier to handle rather than floating up to a light a 1 mph. I use my rear brake only when the bike is at a real slow speed, but haven't tried feathering the clutch yet...I'll have to give that a try.
Thanks for all the great advice.
Thanks for all the great advice.
Last edited by Windup08; Sep 29, 2008 at 09:51 AM.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 8
From: south
Guys...Thank you for a great thread and some good advise.
By reading these 34 post it is obvious that there are several that are having the same problem.
But, with the advise of fellow forum members you may have stopped someone from dumping their bike someday by just using a different technique to stop.
Man, I have a warm fuzzy feeling (lol).
By reading these 34 post it is obvious that there are several that are having the same problem.
But, with the advise of fellow forum members you may have stopped someone from dumping their bike someday by just using a different technique to stop.
Man, I have a warm fuzzy feeling (lol).
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Palm Harbor,FL
You can use either methods. personally i use both front and rear until i get to 5 mph then i let off the rear and finish with the front. most common mistake is looking down when coming to a stop. if you look down you go down. focus on something 4 to 6 ft off the ground and use your peripheral vision to see where you need to stop at. remember be smooth with the front brake and never squeeze the front brake with the bars turned or it will pull you to the ground like a magnet. hope that helps.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Guys...Thank you for a great thread and some good advise.
By reading these 34 post it is obvious that there are several that are having the same problem.
But, with the advise of fellow forum members you may have stopped someone from dumping their bike someday by just using a different technique to stop.
Man, I have a warm fuzzy feeling (lol).
By reading these 34 post it is obvious that there are several that are having the same problem.
But, with the advise of fellow forum members you may have stopped someone from dumping their bike someday by just using a different technique to stop.
Man, I have a warm fuzzy feeling (lol).
I have noticed that I have the most trouble stopping strait when I'm tense. I have also found that I can steady the bike when I'm at the last couple mph if I load up the rear wheel by applying a little power while applying brake. That also works well when you start from a full stop as well. Just feather out the clutch with power while holding the brake and you can almost hold the bike upright as your starting to move. Works great in slow heavy stop and go traffic.
Good discussion. I don't feel quite so stupid now that I among friends.
Beary
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From:
Thank goodness I thought it was me! Ive been riding for years and have the same problem. I switched to the rear brake school thinking its' like a tractor trailer wanted to jacknife because of the rolling weight. I also came up with the 'stopping too slow" theory. So, Im working on it. hhg
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 9
From: la grange, il (near chicago)
ultra 07
had a lot of trouble also, now i am good to go (or stop)
have a little bit of trouble with another rider depending on weight
couple points (other than those mentioned above)
even though i had cruise control, i bought one of those things you can put on your throttle so you can let your wrist rest on it instead of holding the throttle tight. it was fine when i was crusing, but when i tried to stop, it got in the way. i moved it to a different location and that helped.
another issue - make sure your tires are at correct pressure. a front tire at 20lbs won't look low, but will really screw up stopping.
i find that i use both brakes almost to a stop, but i do let up on the front once we get to lower speeds.
if i do screw up at this point, it is usually braking while the bike is still in gear and then pulling in the clutch which will kinda nose dive the bike, the brakes really grab at that point.
i also put my left foot down first and then almost immediately my right. they do not go down together as i am still using my right for braking.
but i still use the front for most of my braking power. unless (as mentioned above) in a turn or something like that.
had a lot of trouble also, now i am good to go (or stop)
have a little bit of trouble with another rider depending on weight
couple points (other than those mentioned above)
even though i had cruise control, i bought one of those things you can put on your throttle so you can let your wrist rest on it instead of holding the throttle tight. it was fine when i was crusing, but when i tried to stop, it got in the way. i moved it to a different location and that helped.
another issue - make sure your tires are at correct pressure. a front tire at 20lbs won't look low, but will really screw up stopping.
i find that i use both brakes almost to a stop, but i do let up on the front once we get to lower speeds.
if i do screw up at this point, it is usually braking while the bike is still in gear and then pulling in the clutch which will kinda nose dive the bike, the brakes really grab at that point.
i also put my left foot down first and then almost immediately my right. they do not go down together as i am still using my right for braking.
but i still use the front for most of my braking power. unless (as mentioned above) in a turn or something like that.