Light feeling in the front end when braking...

[Aaron]

...applying the front brake slightly heavily.

I'm not sure why this is or if I'm simply interpreting another sensation incorrectly, (if that makes sense).

Let me explain, coming up behind some traffic at the lights I brake from 60 down to 0 using a combination of front brake and engine braking. The problem is once the weight has shifted to the front wheel (before I start engine braking) it feels like the wheel is 'on ice', or light in the front, almost like it wants to slip out from under me. I know this is probably not the case and if anything I'm in danger of locking up the wheel, (however I don't think so), or doing an unintentional stoppie (but don't know how to do these so dunno).

Has my inane babbling made sense to anyone who can perhaps describe the sensation I'm experiencing and what the consequences might be if I don't relax the brake when it occurs?

I tried this a lot on the way home this evening and it didn't really seem to happen, maybe it's the road surface or I'm imagining things

Thank you, Aaron.

[dveus]

The standard rim protectors on the GSX are vague at best, putting new feet on it will make a world of difference. I no longer feel the slipping but instead regularly bottom out the forks, should really get that sorted out at some stage.

[Aaron]

Thanks, I'll look into that.

[F5 Dave]

Find a carpark & practise from a slow speed, say 30, then work your way up. This is the only way you will know if you are on the limit of tyre slipping. You should be able to modulate the front brake until the tyre is chirping. As long as you keep lambasting yourself to look at the horizon (rather than down which is a strong instinct) then you won’t fall off.

I’ve done a couple of experiments some while back pushing it a little further than I was comfortable braking downhill to see if I could stop any faster if I needed to (what if someone pulled out?). The front locked so I had to let go & reapply. Taught me I was going too fast for that surface (on that bike & that tyre). But once my feeling for the limit was honed I always knew what it felt like.

I’ve taught braking a few times & it surprises me that people are confident to do 100 on the motorway but when you get them to line up at a racetrack & brake to 0 they get scared. Some supposedly experienced riders get substantially better after just a few practises.

Pretend someone is shouting in your head “Keep your eyes up!!”

[jrandom]

*Betcha* it's the front tyre. Get some Sport Demons on that GSX right away, you won't recognise it afterwards.

And, of course, wot everyone else said about braking practise.

[Aaron]

Cheers folks, advice taken onboard and I'll do more braking practice and continue to investigate the tyre subject.

Aaron.

[duckman]

Just a thought here ... Have you checked your tyre pressures ???

This can have a significant influence on the way the front "feels".

Good luck.

[scroter]

tyres first. but are the forks bottoming out this will increase the chance of locking it up. corse there is always what you already said, could it all be in your head, i find that quite a lot.

[F5 Dave]

You find a lot in your head?

Really?, -I'm stunned.


Sorry, but I crack me up

[Aaron]

Tyre pressure seems ok and the bike is only 2 months old so I hope there's not a problem with the forks bottoming out this early in the piece.

It's probably in my head, I just popped down to the AA and went pretty heavy on the front brakes, no engine braking, seemed fine and the light feeling didn't present itself. Probably imaging the whole thing.

[TwoSeven]

It sounds like a mix of things. Normally its tire pressure. It wont be the forks bottoming (never understood why people think that). Its most likely that your front wheel is pushing and tire pressure is the most common thing, followed by having too high a compression on the front fork.

Many people get round it by deflating their tire so that it flexes and does the job of the forks, but then it feels washy when the bike is going round corners.

I'd also suspect that if you tried to go down a hill, you'd also have problems turning it into corners.