Keep dropping the damn bike!
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
Likes: 7
From: Corning, Ohio
Have you ever stopped on an uphill incline, grabbed the front brake to hold you there, both feet down only to find that the front brake only will NOT hold you where you want to be.....sliding backwards in the gravel or even sliding backwards leaving a black mark on the pavement. Been there done that and let me tell you that it sems like it taakes forever to get the right foot back up on the brake. Just after it happens, you will want to cough really hard to get the $h*t out of your neck. Especially if you're surrounded by other bikes that you would fall into.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: Rockys
Your bike weighs 900 lbs, you est. 200 lbs, wife est. 150 lbs (add your own weights here for better accuracy), junk in the tour-pack and saddle bags, 50 lbs, fuel in the tank, 36 lbs.
This all adds up to : 1,336 lbs
If you don't stop while youare loaded down like this with your handle-bars perfectly straight and you hit the front brakes, you are going down. If you stop perfectly streight, you can hit the front brakes as hard as you can to stop. Infact, start and stop quickly, to eliminate that slow speed wobble.
You can try to remove the tourpack (its top heavy) and go and practice, solo, in a parking lot for a while to get your stopping and turns down, before you load up the bike and wife.
This all adds up to : 1,336 lbs
If you don't stop while youare loaded down like this with your handle-bars perfectly straight and you hit the front brakes, you are going down. If you stop perfectly streight, you can hit the front brakes as hard as you can to stop. Infact, start and stop quickly, to eliminate that slow speed wobble.
You can try to remove the tourpack (its top heavy) and go and practice, solo, in a parking lot for a while to get your stopping and turns down, before you load up the bike and wife.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 306
Likes: 2
The answer is Both Brakes, All the Time. If you keep your head and eyes up the machine stays stable.
Proof, you ask?
I posted this video to make a point about ABS, but it illustrates this point too. I'm riding the motor closer to the camera.
I go from 40 MPH to a stop in 48 feet. There's so much braking force that I'm being lifted up off the seat, but since my head and eyes are up and out, it's no problem to control the machine. I can assure you this stop involved full use of the front brake until the motorcycle was completely stopped (you can see when the forks decompress then). You may find it easier to see the details if you click the link above the video, and then watch it in full screen.
Relaxing pressure prior to coming to a full stop - if anything - increases instability, since the weight transfer stops, and the dynamics of the machine change, just at the point your speed has decreased.
Lets please keep this thread about braking. If you're interested int he ABS discussion, that thread is here:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ing-skill.html
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Last edited by motorlessons; Sep 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Could always try going to an Advanced course and having the instructor point out what you are doing wrong. I personally use the handlebars straight, legs down feet slightly off the ground as I am just about to come to a complete stop and I always use my front brake. Maybe not using your front brake and foot using the rear you are throwing off your balance. All I do know is every so often I am made to take an advanced riders course and it always seems as if I learn something new. One last thing, it was mentioned above is to make sure you are aware of the ground for slopes. Try planting your feet flat footed as well as some people stop on their toes.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 8,039
Likes: 1,305
From: Jayhawk Country
I always seem to do better using less front and more rear brake when finishing the stop. Especially when riding 2 up coming to a slow stop. The 40 mph video is good but for slow stops it doesn't work for me. He is on the brakes hard in that video and the ABS does it's job very well, glad I have it.
1st Gear
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Arnott makes a nice air suspension system that will lower the bike, but gives you the option of raising the bike as your headed down the highway....kits are about $1,200. REALBIKERGEAR.COM HAS THEM FOR LESS.....
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Joe Kucinski
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,086
Likes: 154
From: Buffalo, NY
Your bike weighs 900 lbs, you est. 200 lbs, wife est. 150 lbs (add your own weights here for better accuracy), junk in the tour-pack and saddle bags, 50 lbs, fuel in the tank, 36 lbs.
This all adds up to : 1,336 lbs
If you don't stop while youare loaded down like this with your handle-bars perfectly straight and you hit the front brakes, you are going down. If you stop perfectly streight, you can hit the front brakes as hard as you can to stop. Infact, start and stop quickly, to eliminate that slow speed wobble..
This all adds up to : 1,336 lbs
If you don't stop while youare loaded down like this with your handle-bars perfectly straight and you hit the front brakes, you are going down. If you stop perfectly streight, you can hit the front brakes as hard as you can to stop. Infact, start and stop quickly, to eliminate that slow speed wobble..
I found too when hard handle bar braking, I would be slightly pulling that side of the bar to me. So when I stopped, the bike would lean right and had to catch it a bit. So now I would just push it a little left to compensate for that, or at least be sure the bar is straight. Really only feel this though when 2-up
