More braking pratice needed

[pixc]

Bf and I decided to take a nice ride from Te Puke to Waihi Beach via Kaimai-Matamata-Te Aroha-Paeroa. For the most part it was a good wee ride. I was coming up to the Welcome Bay roundabout, and I assumed all was gonna be clear as no one was indicating. First mistake was to assume. Car was going around with no idicator. I hit the brakes both of them. Back wheel locked and into a skit I went. I immediately released and applied again, again I went into a skit. Third time was a charm...THANK GOD! No harm was done and I managed to come to a hault in time with outgiving anyone a fright except myself. The seal was very smooth and wondered if this contributed because I dont think I jumped on the brakes all that aggressively.

I found the road from Waharoa to Te Aroha (back road) to be very very boring and straight. Looking in the mirrors I saw BF was bored as well because he was weaving in and out of the cats eyes. We saw a young farm dog on the road and for a moment I wasnt sure if he wsa gonna run out. The karangahaki gorge was a nice change and we managed to get through with out catching up to any cars.

We decided when we got home that the road from Mt Maunganui to Te Puke has to be the worst peice of shitty ass road in the whole of highway 2. Full of pot holes. Lots of road repairs and uneven spots.

Time to practice stopping ...again

[blackkatana]

More practise pixc, then go and do some more. Never rely on any vehicle doing or not doing what they are indicating. Leave yourself an escape route always.

[redr1]

Smooth seal typically is better for traction in the dry as you get more surface contact with rubber. Different story in the wet though when water pools more on smooth surfaces. Recommend checking tyre pressures, if you are locking wheels relatively easily pressure may be on the low side. This aside, maybe invest in better tyres.

[pixc]

I make it a habit to check air pressure before I venture out now and Im running on Pirelli Sport Demon tyres that have done maybe 2-3000ks. I still have trouble with speed persception. It feels like im going way slower than I actually am. I came up to the rounda-about too fast.

[redr1]

Thats a very useful habit. I don't have any experience with Pirelli Sport Demons but maybe someone else can comment. Its safer to approach an intersection at a slower pace and prepare for the unexpected. I'll be sure to use this practice after I got rear ended by a car last Fri when I braked for a roundabout. As for judging speed, maybe try to use stationery objects on the side and compare the rate you travel past but don't focus on them or you'll end up hitting them. As they all say, when riding a bike we have to be aware of everything thats happening around us, not just in front.

[kevfromcoro]

think there is some very usefull imfo in this thread..ie.b aware of evrthing thats around u...... allways look for an escape route....couldnt agree more.. slow down when approaching a roundabout.....somone just said to..why dont u answer your cell phone..i said i cant on a bike..well get yourself..a handsfree headset.....well that would work..yeah right....imagine having an arguement with someone..on the fone..and riding hard out......not a good idea.....take it easy.....starting to rain..watch your braking......ride safe ..KEV

[quickbuck]

Just a small point from me on this one:

If you are hauling on the front (well progressively applying to the limit of front brake performance) then the weight of your foot (or less ,ie. almost none) is all that is required on the rear brake.
Any more and you will lock the rear wheel.

Also when braking make sure you keep your head up and looking off into the distance. This way, when you lock a wheel you stay straight (and upright).

You did the right thing by releasing your rear brake when it locked, well done, but personally I wouldn't have bothered touching it again (or for me I wouldn't have used it in the first place to be honest).

When you are out practicing braking, see if you can brake so hard as to get the rear ever so slightly off the ground. This is the maximum force you should use.
Don't set this as your goal on the first application, but work up to it.

Okay, a few more than one point there, I got carried away...

Anyway, happy stopping.

[Korea]

More practise pixc, then go and do some more. Never rely on any vehicle doing or not doing what they are indicating. Leave yourself an escape route always.:yes:

That's the ticket, BK. Aim for a way out.

I read about stopping distances on KB from time to time to the tune of "at xyz kmph your braking distance is a million, trillion metres."
I admit that you don't always have the luxury of an escape route but be prepared to evade the danger; use an escape route and look where you want to go. Once you're skidding you tend to keep going straight into the oncoming danger.

BTW: Great slide handling Pix.

[Wenier]

Gotta go with quickbucks reason for ya lock up.

Which is hard braking on front brake, brings weight off the rear wheel and makes it very easy to lock up.

Simple really. Road surface would be fine.

[quickbuck]

Gotta go with quickbucks reason for ya lock up.

Which is hard braking on front brake, brings weight off the rear wheel and makes it very easy to lock up.

Simple really. Road surface would be fine.

Biker cop instructor told me the appropriate pressure for rear brake.
Never knew what it was myself, as I only use it for the car parks (and at other speeds below 30).

The cops get taught as if their BMW's don't have ABS. It is amazing how long it takes to haul one of those monsters up too. 18 metres at 70k.

My 600 will haul up a good 3 metres earlier at the same speed (and that was on really had-it tyres).
It was all to do with the extra weight really.
This didn't take into account distance covered during reaction time.

Another great exercise was to brake at 50k initially on the tarmac, and then finish off on the grass.
If you think this sounds stupid, think again.
Where are you heading when you run out of road???
Again, don't try this as part of your first lesson. You must be confident to do it, but well worth the practice.

[pixc]

I did at one point take the wee fxr150 to the paddock just to get the slippery slidy feeling happening. Was good fun really..didnt drop it. Tried it on the gravel as well as the tar-seal. I learnt how to drive a car in a paddock..then how to fix a fence then we graduated to driving gravel roads. Theory was to know what it felt like to loose traction then to control it. It took the panic factor away.

I dont think you road-grass braking exercise is stupid at all..it makes perfect sense

[RnB Fan]

Pretty much reiterating what the others have said - practice, practice and more practice. Having had to use my emergency braking skills on more than one occasion I was grateful for all the practice I had done.

Be safe.

[quickbuck]

I did at one point take the wee fxr150 to the paddock just to get the slippery slidy feeling happening. Was good fun really..didnt drop it. Tried it on the gravel as well as the tar-seal. I learnt how to drive a car in a paddock..then how to fix a fence then we graduated to driving gravel roads. Theory was to know what it felt like to loose traction then to control it. It took the panic factor away.

I dont think you road-grass braking exercise is stupid at all..it makes perfect sense

Very good.
Somebody else who was taught how to drive/ ride, and not just taught how to pass the test.

Well Done

[redr1]

Just on the subject of using rear brakes, I personally don't touch them unless riding on gravel or very slippery surface. Modern bikes have sufficient stopping power from the front brakes, combined with engine braking at the rear wheel. However I think it is a wise practise to use some rear braking, assuming the rear wheel is still on the road. Its more to kill the engine's drive than provide surface friction on the road i.e. if by applying the front brake so hard that the engine is not able to slow its drive down fast enough, it will actually keep pushing forward therefore acting against the front brake. Applying the rear brake in this instance will slow the engine drive faster.