Braking

[pritch]

However, if I have to brake while cornering (like if the car I am following slows down, I tend to use rear more, as the front could lose grip.

Good luck with that.

[The Wop]

Good luck with that.

I'm intrigued.

I was under the impression (based on MTB experience) that hard front braking while in a big lean would unsettle the front tyre. It used to happen to me often but admittedly that was on offroad tracks which are less than flat and consistent (and I have the scars to prove it!!). When I used more back brakes, the small slide that sometimes happened used to help me to get the bike going in the intended direction and also, a rear-end slide is far easier to control than a front wheel slide.

So help me out here. Is front braking while in a lean more effective and more stable than rear braking?

[Coldrider]

I'm intrigued.

I was under the impression (based on MTB experience) that hard front braking while in a big lean would unsettle the front tyre. It used to happen to me often but admittedly that was on offroad tracks which are less than flat and consistent (and I have the scars to prove it!!). When I used more back brakes, the small slide that sometimes happened used to help me to get the bike going in the intended direction and also, a rear-end slide is far easier to control than a front wheel slide.

So help me out here. Is front braking while in a lean more effective and more stable than rear braking?

You need to complete a rider coaching trackday and actually do it, not post about it, you cant beat experience & confidence.

[MisterD]

So help me out here. Is front braking while in a lean more effective and more stable than rear braking?

Braking and cornering don't mix well, that goes for four wheels as well as two...if you can, get yourself upright first. I don't do more than drag the rear a bit to slow gently in a corner.

[pritch]

I'm intrigued.

Any braking while the bike/scooter is leaned over has to be done carefully.

Your tyres can only give you 100% traction. This can be used for braking, for cornering, or for both. But you can't have more than 100%. (Regardless of the crap you read about sports players giving 110%.)

If you are using 80% of the available traction leaned over in a corner and you grab the brakes to the extent of say 40%, you will likely end up on yer arse. There are no free lunches.

To be fair I should say that I do practice trail braking on the bike, always with the front brake. On the scooter I sometimes use the rear brake.
There is no on/off though, it is a continual more/less process.

As I write, however, it seems like this isn't something you can learn by reading. You need to get out there and do it. Gently!

There are courses and books that may help smooth the way. Details of both may be found on KB.

[LBD]

And give the front suspension time to compress, before getting too hard on the front brake, that minimises the likelyhood of an uncontrolable stoppie....

[smoky]

A newbie question but still an important one.
Front brakes and back breaks. Which ones to use and when? At the moment I just squeeze both but I'm sure there is more technique available than that.

You need to complete a rider coaching trackday and actually do it, not post about it, you cant beat experience & confidence.

I strongly urge you to give Andrew & Lynne a call at www.roadsafe.co.nz & book yourself onto a training course!!!

Will be the best investment you can make when it comes to riding bikes!!!

I'm with you MyGSXF
two people I know have died this year, from getting it wrong - but not from being unable to brake, but from panicking and locking up the brakes mid corner, standing the bike up and heading across the other side of the road into oncoming traffic.

Braking has so many elements to it; it's different on different bikes, its different in different circumstances. You can use the brake to compress the suspension not just for slowing down, coming off the brakes at the right time is just as important as getting on them. My bike has a whole heap of torque so braking on the rear wheel is different to depending on what gear I'm in.

emergency stopping is a different story again.

I wouldn't bother trying to learn off KB, you could get your self confused reading everyones comments here - get some real advice and practical experience, then practice.

[Dave Lobster]

And give the front suspension time to compress, before getting too hard on the front brake, that minimises the likelyhood of an uncontrolable stoppie....

And also helps a controlled one.

[LBD]

And also helps a controlled one.

Never had the pleasure of a controlled stoppie....had the sh*& scared out of me with an un expected one...

[Coldrider]

When ABS is forced upon you, you will just have to close your eyes, hit all the picks and sail away as if nothing happened.

[The Wop]

Any braking while the bike/scooter is leaned over has to be done carefully.

Your tyres can only give you 100% traction. This can be used for braking, for cornering, or for both. But you can't have more than 100%. (Regardless of the crap you read about sports players giving 110%.)

If you are using 80% of the available traction leaned over in a corner and you grab the brakes to the extent of say 40%, you will likely end up on yer arse. There are no free lunches.

That is a great description! It also explains all the crashes on the MTB!

[cowboyz]

theres a rear brake?

[Coldrider]

theres a rear brake?

Fred Merkel taught me never to use mine, so I don't.

[DougB]

Years ago I was visited by a friendly couple who were touring on bikes - the male had only one leg. He managed quite well using his front brake only.
He may still be around, he was then a member of the Ullyses club.
I suspect that coming to a stop and always leaning towards the good leg would be the main technique to master.

The more I think about it now the more respect I have for him.

[Elysium]

theres a rear brake?

Yep. I was trying to figure our what the extra foot rest on the right side of my bike was and realised it was the rear brake And sure enough the brake didn't slow my bike down at all.

But seriously fact remains front brakes give your bike 75% of your stopping power, the rear is really used to help smooth out the stop. The rear brakes on my VTR are completely useless so use the front mostly.