The saffas know how to be safe

[haydes55]

120km/h>0 in 30m. The south African government said so. Sounds pretty safe speed to me if you can stop in 30 meters. Doesn't the nz government claim we need like 50m to stop at 60km/h?

[sidecar bob]

Our figures are based on a retard with a gn250 that has been riding for 6 months, not Andrew Stroud on a superbike.

[haydes55]

Our figures are based on a retard with a gn250 that has been riding for 6 months, not Andrew Stroud on a superbike.

Andrew stroud has nothing on me! (When it comes to the ins and outs of ventilation systems).

In south Africa their brakes must be better.

[haydes55]

here's NZs answer

[F5 Dave]

You can stop in much shorter distance.


It might just hurt a bit.

[rastuscat]

You can stop in much shorter distance.


It might just hurt a bit.

Another rule: the hurt is proportional to the speed of the stop.

Ya wanna stop quickly, but not instantly. Normally only a large fixed object stops one instantly.

[FJRider]

Another rule: the hurt is proportional to the speed of the stop.

Ya wanna stop quickly, but not instantly. Normally only a large fixed object stops one instantly.

The bike may stop quickly ... but usually the rider continues on for a bit ... Been there .. done that. It does hurt.

[Ulsterkiwi]

here's NZs answer

I know that was for illustrative purposes but reaction time is a significant contributor to braking distance.

Rastus comment makes sense if you think about braking effectively. If tyres were to stop instantly they would lose stickiness, its called lock up isn't it?

[Grashopper]

I know that was for illustrative purposes but reaction time is a significant contributor to braking distance.

Very true


I find it very worrying that this "Motorcycle safety institute" published that. At 120 km/h a reaction time of 1 sec would already result in having travelled 33 m before you even go into the brakes . The reaction time of an alert "driver", who is expecting something, is supposedly 0.7 s; "unexpected" response time is about 1.25 sec; and "surprised" anything up from 1.5 sec... (http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/reactiontime.html)

[rastuscat]

I know that was for illustrative purposes but reaction time is a significant contributor to braking distance.

Rastus comment makes sense if you think about braking effectively. If tyres were to stop instantly they would lose stickiness, its called lock up isn't it?

Braking effectiveness relates to growing your contact patch prior to applying the maximum braking. Load the weight forward, grow the front contact patch, and you'll have far less chance of a frontal lockup.

It's called progressive braking, and leads to more effective braking and less motorcycle breaking.

[george formby]

Braking effectiveness relates to growing your contact patch prior to applying the maximum braking. Load the weight forward, grow the front contact patch, and you'll have far less chance of a frontal lockup.

It's called progressive braking, and leads to more effective braking and less motorcycle breaking.

I was lucky enough to be shown exactly this due to someone being a bit "look at me" on a training course. The guy locked up his front on gravelly tar seal just prior to stopping. The instructor took the time to show us the size of the contact patch / scuff on the front tire. It was far bigger than I would have thought, not the palm of one hand, but three. Then he got the bloke to do the same with the back brake. Much smaller contact patch.

Puts into context the braking at the end of the main straight at Paeroa. I love watching the front tire flatten out when they hit the anchors. Epic.

[F5 Dave]

Been a long time since instructing but the vast improvement of the students after practicing a few runs was astounding.

Racing always kept me sharp. But I'll have to redo those practice runs from now on.

[dipshit]

Note they give a shorter stopping distance when using both front and rear brakes as opposed to just using the front by itself.

I once got pounced on by several members here after sharing my experience that using both is a quicker way to stop than just the front, as a track day instructor was trying to teach.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1129349696

[F5 Dave]

Most people are incapable of braking to the limit (see my post before) therefore the rear brake will make a difference, but it might not to a racer.