Do I need to upgrade my brakes?

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

The laws of physics would also say that if the front of the bike dives like mad there will be a delay between applying the brakes and the front tyre being loaded by braking force, giving a bike spike in tyre forces as the suspension bottoms out. Reducing effective grip and making a sudden lock more likely. And, a reduction of the bikes moment of inertia as the CoG effectively raises up, making a stoppie more likely.

Most important laws of physics, gravity always wins, and tarmac rash hurts

Ruth, make sure you develop the muscle memory to grip the bike with your legs hard and not weight the bars under braking. Weighting the bars like this makes it feel like you are braking much harder than you are. Your arms should be relaxed. This also improves feel of the front end by a huge margin.
This is something which can only be learnt by practice. Again, find a car park and find out for yourself how much braking power you really have.

Even excellent brakes can feel naff with bad technique.

Ok for a start you guys have lost me!

I don't remember leaning over the bars, I actually thinking I was pulling back, in like a last ditched effort to pull the bike away from the car, stupid as that sounds! Grip the tank with me legs, thats another good tip! Defo gonna try the car park thing, worth knowing what my brakes can do and what they feel like!

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Ruthja2801

Can't answer that 100% as it happened all too quickly. But yes I think i did pull it in!

I did think in hindsight I should have changed down and used the engine braking!

What would i have done took it straight down to second or down just one gear?

I don't recall any diving on the front forks, just remember thinking **** don't lock the back wheel!

Ultimately engine braking is a nice controlled way of slowing down. In an emergency situation the front & rear brakes are doing the work. An "Emergancy engine braking manouver" isn't really a useful way to slow down. Partly because you are only using the rear tyre to stop with the engine, leaving the front rolling.

With experiance, you can deal with gears while performing a hard stop but to start with I'd concerntrate on just usung both front & rear together (front's worth about 80% of your stopping force in the dry). The clutch should be pulled in just before you stop.

From the sounds of it, experiance and practice are your best courses of action rather than altering the bike.

Jambo

[yorkie_chris]

Sorry to confuse, it was a response to viney invoking the laws of physics

If you could pull back you were not braking very hard!

Grip hard, you will feel your inertia pushing you forward, don't let this force push you onto the bars. You should be able to flap your arms like a chicken. When you are relaxed enough you will feel the front tyre getting squidged into the road.

Upright, on an SV in the dry, with almost any tyres that aren't totally stone cold, you will be able to lift the rear wheel way before it slides. There is plenty grip if you have the confidence to use it.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Sorry to confuse, it was a response to viney invoking the laws of physics

If you could pull back you were not braking very hard!

Grip hard, you will feel your inertia pushing you forward, don't let this force push you onto the bars. You should be able to flap your arms like a chicken. When you are relaxed enough you will feel the front tyre getting squidged into the road.

Upright, on an SV in the dry, with almost any tyres that aren't totally stone cold, you will be able to lift the rear wheel way before it slides. There is plenty grip if you have the confidence to use it.

Nooo it wasn't you that confused me it was the whole laws of physics convo! lol
It felt like I couldn't get the levers down anymore..... as for the tyre getting squidged onto the road, it just felt like there were sliding along!

I would rather not be lifting the back wheel off the floor!

Ok I have a week of from thursday so practice, practice, practice! Just hope it don't rain!

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Ruthja2801

Can't answer that 100% as it happened all too quickly. But yes I think i did pull it in!

I did think in hindsight I should have changed down and used the engine braking!

What would i have done took it straight down to second or down just one gear?

I don't recall any diving on the front forks, just remember thinking **** don't lock the back wheel!

NEVER change down a gear for emergency braking
It will take far too long and give minimal benefit compared with using your front & back brakes correctly. No harm in making sure the clutch is out for as long as possible before you stall (or even let it stall) though.

Don't even change down along side using your brakes? I would of thought the amount of engine braking would help?

[ophic]

Originally Posted by Ruthja2801

Don't even change down along side using your brakes? I would of thought the amount of engine braking would help?

Emergency stopping, there's no time to think - just haul on the anchors. Forget everything but braking. Don't even worry about the clutch - just let it stall if you have to. This is why its a good idea to practise a few times so it comes naturally when you need it. If you've got time to change down, it aint an emergency.

[yorkie_chris]

This is why it's important to practise before you really need to. Then it comes fairly instinctively when you are approaching the side of a car at 40mph.

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by Ruthja2801

Hhmm thanks Dizzy, I've got on the most girly setting don't know what number, whichever one brought it closer the the throttle. So would turning it the other way give me more feel?
Lone wolf, further training already sorted doing Roadcraft on Thursday!

Nice to see you're going for extra training .

I've been riding, on and off, for over 30 years, and i'm doing a few refreshers - call it a rider mot. Instructors tell me i'm decent but they've spotted a few bad habits (keep it clean Bri ), e.g. two finger braking, poor lane discipline thro' roundabouts.

good luck.

[yorkie_chris]

Two finger braking a bad habit? Not this grandad s*** again...

Try use 4 fingers on the brakes on mine, and when you've had the top yoke surgically removed from your nose you can tell us about it