Advanced riding – braking

Originally Posted by BigApe

I am sure, somewhere in the back of my mind, that tyre wear is increased in wet weather riding.

?

I think perhaps the back of your mind is due a clear out.

Originally Posted by Draper

also on my cbt i was advised that if you are going to brake in corner, use the rear brake, people are saying grabbing the brakes? are these handfuls referring to the front brake? and not rear?

I think we are referring to either/both yes ...

A bit of rear is gonna help for a bit of mid-turn correction, but if you properly need to slow down, you are gonna need some front ...

i tired abit of front the other day

wobbler is the word

Originally Posted by Draper

i tired abit of front the other day

wobbler is the word

What mid turn or running it into the turn? .. the former is quite likely to upset the bike, the latter isn't (unless you are doing something wrong).

no mid turn, i took my eyes of the road for a second, cant really remember what happened, but a rider error anyway

had to give it a little squeeze on the brakes, wobbled abit, stayed upright

pay more attention next time

[21QUEST]

I brake when I want, where I want and how I need....that's advance technique and not the "ooh, never touch the brakes" rubbish........IMHO

Leant over at say a round about and someone pulls out on me, I shut the throttle if need(goal is to have neutral throttle really) and I start braking as I reduce lean angle.

Most people who come off whilst braking leant over, have done so because they have panicked, haven't read the road surface properly and so have applied too much braking for that particular surface or plain can't brake smoothly enough/properly.


Ben

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by 21QUEST

Most people who come off whilst braking leant over, have done so because they have panicked, haven't read the road surface properly and so have applied too much braking for that particular surface

Like when I came off my 125, "oh f###, forgot that speed bump" while on the shiny tar seal stuff... down you go. Lack of experience. Got me a smashed up wrist.

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

I can see some flaws in the method (setting speed before turning in), but I think it probably is the 'safest' ... why?? coz if you have set your seed before every turn, you would have to be going so dog slow at corner entry that the end of the world could be nigh round the bend and you would stop in time!! .. Couples with rule 2 (or whatever) then if it is a blind bend with trees and hedges (like I tend to ride), you have zero forward observation, therefore would only be able to do 10mph anyway ... safe? ... sure ... fun??? ... fast??!!? I can't see that!!!!!

I am not saying that it isn't a well established method, or that MY method is better/the IAM way is wrong, just I personally choose NOT to want to ride that way!

I don't know if it was the official IAM POV, or just what I was taught, but I was always told to set your corner speed to one where you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear. This distance can of course be reduced the more you are capable of braking around bends. So, if you can brake round bends, you can go in faster.

If you're thinking about doing IAM, why not go along on a taster observed ride and make up you're own mind if they can improve your riding at all? I didn't agree with everything they said (and I still don't now), but there was enough that I did learn that was useful that I have retained. You can always discard the "no toes on the pegs, no 2 finger braking" nonsense once you've passed.

I know you're a lot more experienced a rider than me, but I know people who've been riding 20-30 years before doing IAM and still have gotten loads out of it.

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

...

I think that is my problem, although willing to accept there are always things to learn observation etc wise, I am too set in my old ways to change my riding style side of things … coupled with the self belief that I fundamentally don’t think my riding style is detrimental to safety per-say (how is 2 finger braking and riding on toes bad safety wise?) ... so unwilling to change anyway!! To me, what is the point artificially blagging it for a test? – this is suppose to be a way of riding you are sighing up to, not a hoop to get you on the road (or whatever)) - I do the test, I intend to ride like that forever more ... not cherry pick bits ... else it is meaningless!

Ok, so lets face it, we already know I am never going to pass an IAM test as I ride on my toes (at times) I ALWAYS brake 2 fingers (didn't realise they were two more commandments that I was also breaking) ... I tend to brake into corners … and these are just the riding techniques we have identified … there are probably many more riding STYLE commandments I break …

So however good my observation, road positioning etc may or may not turn out to be in their eyes, I’d still fail as I have broken so many of the other commandments!!!

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Ok, so lets face it, we already know I am never going to pass an IAM test as I ride on my toes (at times) I ALWAYS brake 2 fingers (didn't realise they were two more commandments that I was also breaking) ... I tend to brake into corners … and these are just the riding techniques we have identified … there are probably many more riding STYLE commandments I break …

My POV entirely. 2 finger braking and riding on toes are stylistic, not an inherent part of safe riding. Both have + and - points and I don't think there's a "right answer" with regard to which one you should do. I suspect the argument about 4 finger braking is probably a hangover from the days when brakes were less good and you really needed to pull hard on them to get the brakes on hard. If you're ridding modern machinery and need more than 2 fingers, you're either weedy or need to bleed your brakes IMO. Similarly, if the lever comes right back to the bar and traps the other two fingers, you need to bleed your brakes, or you're suffering from brake fade (which IAM style riding, you shouldn't be). Personally, the added safety benefits of being able to maintain throttle control whilst braking outweigh any negative aspects. I don't do 2 finger braking to emulate my racetrack heroes (I don't have any; I don't give 2 hoots about racing), I do it because it improves my machine control.

Similarly, I find riding toes on the pegs more comfortable on the SV when going reasonably briskly, so it reduces fatigue, not to mention the improvements in feedback from the pegs letting you know what the bike is doing. I ride covering the back brake when in 30s, but not out on NSLs. Besides, on the SV throttleing off is enough to commence the shift of weight to the front of the bike before you start braking properly and this takes long enough that I can move my toes a couple of inches.

I passed my IAM test in spite of doing both these (despite trying to change my habits, just till I'd past the test, they are already too deeply ingrained in my riding style and I see little reason to change them, until someone can give me a proper reason to), although he did mention both of them. Now I've passed, I don't make any effort to "undo" what I see as a perfectly safe riding style.