Locked up twice! PANIC

Was pulled out in front of TWICE! on my way back to work, within half a mile of each other, both cagers seemed quite happy about it to! I panicked and put back brake on too hard locking up and fishtailing. Left me shaking aft so stopped for a couple of mins.

Made me think I need to keep up my practicing of emergency stops, concentrate and get to know limits of my front brake - TIPS anyone?? was a wet road otherwise I would have been more aggresive on front brake.

just practice progressively using the front brake and keeping the back constantly lightly pressed. I can brake pretty damn fast sometimes but needs to be very smoothly and progressive on the front instead of slamming it down. Its amazing what a difference it makes when u do it properly
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Practice, practice, practice till your body auto does it and dont use a heavy car foot on the back brake

[dyzio]

Practise is a good idea.
Forward observation would be another one, sometimes you'll anticipate that someone might pull out on you.

Curvy's rear brake was easy to lock up, so practise using it as well (or get used to the rear locking up )

Tight streets don't allow much sideways viewing, these people both speedily stopped in the road before they looked.
As a car driver too this is probably the issue with pedal. I don't use the front brake much at all, find engine braking excessive enough. I will get on some roads that I know I can have to myself tonight and become a tad safer.
Funny thing is I had most trouble of all with the emergency stop manouver in my training for DAS, had to do it a load of times.

[yorkie_chris]

It's worth learning to do well.

The rear brake will result in something mental like 10x the stopping distance vs properly using the front. As you say there is plenty engine braking, so leave the rear brake alone and get used to using the front progressively.

Yea so did i to start with. the thing is when you panic. you auto use the heavy car foot and slam which locks, and u tend to do the same with front till you learn to spread the force of braking on the front and keep the back lightly pressed.
In fast or emergency stops the engine braking isnt enough because the force of fast braking pushes the weight of the bike onto the front and lifts the backwheel off the floor giving it less grip. DSA say you use 75% front, 25% back and to keep the back brake the same pressure all time while progressively working the front to ease the weight of braking on the front wheel

[yorkie_chris]

IMO you only have so much attention to go around.

In a true full braking force stop the rear contributes 0%, in reasonably grippy conditions. I would estimate in a full braking force stop in wet conditions it's about 10%.

Use your attention to get maximum braking power down through the front wheel, if you do this right the rear wheel will be dancing anyway and unable to slow you down, don't waste attention and possibly fall off by locking it up.
You may note that suzuki tend to use 2 chunky discs and big meaty calipers on the front, and little weedy ones on the back, there is good reason for this.

Only so much att to go around. I like that.
Once you have had to react quickly your concentration is knackered after anyway as you are consumed thinking about that.

I know what I need to do that's why I was so suprised that I made a mess of it, just panic messed it all up.
Proves that even if you know what you are doing - Practice and Experience RULE. Keep trying it.

As suggested to me in a similar thread, maybe try lowering your rear brake pedal so your input isn't so instant.
And for front braking, do it progressively as people suggest. Rather than on-off, it should be on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-off, if I can describe it that way! 9 months into riding a bike and I'm much happier with my braking but there is still room to improve.
Also make sure you have good rubber and well maintained brakes.
Ride safe.

Originally Posted by manicjazz

As a car driver too this is probably the issue with pedal. I don't use the front brake much at all, find engine braking excessive enough. I will get on some roads that I know I can have to myself tonight and become a tad safer.
Funny thing is I had most trouble of all with the emergency stop manouver in my training for DAS, had to do it a load of times.

I don't drive which probably is to my advantage but I only ever use the rear brake in junctions and at the very end when coming to a stop. I fishtailed when doing my mod1 first time, too much rear in the wet, I refrained from using it at all ever since. Like you I rely heavily on engine braking, it promotes good planning in my opinion to not rely on your braking reflexes. In the right circumstances it is fine to do so...such as when making progress

I actually locked my front wheel today for the first time on the SV (did it on my 125 but didn't amount to much).
I did it in a slight moment of panic, it was 3 in the afternoon and I'd eaten nothing since 8am > feeling weak and a bit shaky > lack of concentration > knocked bike into neutral when on a slope to a junction, relying on engine braking > very much a case of eep junction have to slow down! > PANIC MOMENT! > grab front brake for a second > CSHHHHH crap front locking release front brake > QUICK REAPPLY need to stop!! Phew still upright

I was surprised that in that short space of time I'd locked and reapplied the front brake gradually, and I did it instinctively. Actually reassured me a bit that my reflexes are better than I thought.

Fortunately I hadn't far to home but I really shouldn't ride when not eaten much