Emergency braking

[Icemaestro]

Hi this is a combination question - I've only been riding for a short while, had to brake in a hurry a couple of times as people pull out in front - and have to transfer my grip from the throttle to the brake lever - I've read some places to keep the 3rd and 4th fingers sitting on the lever, but when I do this I don't have any control over the throttle? Therefore do I need to perhaps adjust the free play of my brake lever so that it sits closer to the grip?

Replies much appreciated, cheers :-)

[roy.nz]

Hi this is a combination question - I've only been riding for a short while, had to brake in a hurry a couple of times as people pull out in front - and have to transfer my grip from the throttle to the brake lever - I've read some places to keep the 3rd and 4th fingers sitting on the lever, but when I do this I don't have any control over the throttle? Therefore do I need to perhaps adjust the free play of my brake lever so that it sits closer to the grip?

Replies much appreciated, cheers :-)

Have you tried adjusting the front brake lever closer to your hand? Personally i hang my index finger on the lever all the time when in traffic and cover the rear brake with my foot. Hope it helps

[MyGSXF:Me]

Keep all your fingers around the throttle!! & when braking, use all 4 fingers on the lever! check out this post below..


http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...21&postcount=7

The lever should be in such a position, so that you move it with the first joints on your fingers (not a "hand movement", fingers only!) & it should be a straight line down your arm & down your fingers, when your hand is on the lever.

Always keep your eyes UP & looking way ahead, not down in front of you!! You need to be constantly scanning the road ahead of you, to be ready to take action against any possible threat.. ie: cars pulling out in front of you.

Here is a list of your AK mentors.. get in touch with 1 of them & book in to spend some quality time!!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/mentors.php?do=list

[The Stranger:Me]

Have you tried adjusting the front brake lever closer to your hand? Personally i hang my index finger on the lever all the time when in traffic and cover the rear brake with my foot. Hope it helps

In an emergency you will do what you have been conditioned to do.
One finger braking and rear brake are not the most effective way to stop.
Particularly when we see so often that people who cover the brake, in an emergency often fail to drop the throttle - really doesn't help stopping distances.

Front brake, 4 fingers or nothing.
Better feel and dexterity and on a bike such as a GSXR when you have the most effective brake working at it's most effective you will have 100 to nothing on the front anyway, so the back is useless.

Speaking to a bike cop the other day and he notes an increase in the incidence of motorcycle deaths attributable to the use of the rear brake (and hill crests).

[Ocean1]

Speaking to a bike cop the other day and he notes an increase in the incidence of motorcycle deaths attributable to the use of the rear brake (and hill crests).

Can you elaborate? Did he mean using the rear only? Or is there somat else going on there?

[Ixion]

It's called covering the brake. Some folk think it a good idea. I am not of their number. Mainly because it reinforces the learners instinctive instinct (if already a cager , anyway) that the answer to a dangerous situation is to brake.

Mostly, it is not. Bikes are not very good at braking , that stability thing. We are much better at dodging. But once committed to an emergeny brake session it is hard to let go and swerve.

[98tls]

Personally i wont cover the rear brake in case of the unexpected,rear brakes in my experiance are shite to begin with and a stomp under panic will produce nothing but an outta control bike which will only add to your woes,i get along at good pace and have done for many many years and never have i ridden with fingers at the ready on front brake either,you will work out pretty quickly if thats for you or not ie a personal thing far more important is to keep your head at the ready.Fwiw

[BMWST?]

Bikes are not very good at braking , that stability thing. We are much better at dodging. But once committed to an emergeny brake session it is hard to let go and swerve.

bikes are not very manouverable at higher speeds ...and once commited to a stop a car driver is just as unlkely to change.We can fit through small gaps if we dont have to move much

[98tls]

WTF

[The Stranger:Me]

Can you elaborate? Did he mean using the rear only? Or is there somat else going on there?

No.
I "assume" rear only as in see a problem and stomp the foot.
Pass.

[Icemaestro]

Keep all your fingers around the throttle!! & when braking, use all 4 fingers on the lever! check out this post below..

Thanks, that's what I was going for :-) that's what I've been doing. I've got a mentor - he's away at the moment lol. if you're braking slowly while changing down (aka engine braking also) do you still blip the throttle to stop the bike doing a jerk as the clutch is released?

[MyGSXF:Me]

I've got a mentor

Xlnt!!

if you're braking slowly while changing down.. do you still blip the throttle

I'm not up there on being able to impart the "technical stuff" of what's going on in an engine, when said blipping is happening.. but I can however tell you, that the answer is.. Yes, you do!

edit: go out for a ride & try both ways.. blipping & not blipping.. & see the difference it makes.

[AlBundy]

Any time you change down through the box, the 'blip' helps to increase the engine rpm to help match the next lower gear (since the rpm is higher due to lower ratio). This makes for smoother down-changes.

As for braking. As far as I'm concerned, learn to use both.
Yes, when riding at 'track' pace, rear brakes aren't worth much. How many people brake that hard on the road? As stated above, many people panic brake and stomp on the rear, which locks up and spits them off. So, either don't use it, or learn to use it... The motard has definately been a good tool for learning rear brake control... And I'm still learning...
Regarding front brake... Be smooth and progressive. Whether you decide to cover the brake or not, it's up to you. Many people cover the front with one, sometimes two fingers (INDEX AND MIDDLE). As Strangedude said above, there's definately more feel and control with more... The key... SQUEEZE, don't grab. When one squeezes, the weight is progressively put on the front contact patch, it also loads the suspension slowly. By doing it this way, you can litterally do a stoppie without concern for locking the front... If however, you GRAB, you stand a 50/50 chance of either doing a stoppie, or locking the front wheel...

PS: Watch some GP racing... Stoner uses his middle finger only for front brakes, while Rossi uses four fingers... Just shows that EVERYONE has a different idea of what works for them...

Sorry for the waffle-on... Hope some of it makes sense...

[MyGSXF:Me]

Any time you change down through the box, the 'blip' helps to increase the engine rpm to help match the next lower gear (since the rpm is higher due to lower ratio). This makes for smoother down-changes.

Makes perfect sense!!

[MyGSXF:Me]

Many people cover the front with one, sometimes two fingers (INDEX AND MIDDLE). Stoner uses his middle finger only for front brakes, while Rossi uses four fingers... Just shows that EVERYONE has a different idea of what works for them

It is important to use all 4 fingers on the front brake.. a couple of reasons for this.. our index & pinky fingers are pairs.. & our middle & ring fingers are pairs.. the index & middle fingers don't have the same strength that "pairs" do.

& also my instructor told us how he watched a fella pull his glove off & shake it.. to get his 2 amputated fingers out of it.. after doing an emergency brake with only 2 fingers on the lever.. the other two got totally squished by the lever being pulled back hard in against the handlebar.. also, the brake cannot be pulled in completely, to bring you to a safe emergency stop, with fingers in the way