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motorcycle, super steep downhill grade, slight turn, stoplight ahead

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OILFIELDTRASH said:
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Go look at the stats, specifically look at the top five best stopping bikes, all cruisers. Rather than blindly accepting what "everyone knows", I went and looked for real test results.
Your post is still correct though, "The motorcycle stupidity that exists in this forum boggles the mind". Only problem is that you were the stupid one.
 
Guess you learn something everyday. From what I read they tested a cbr924 and a Honda goldwing and the goldwing was only 7 inches behind. Much closer than I would of expected.
 
Greenman said:
Go look at the stats, specifically look at the top five best stopping bikes, all cruisers. Rather than blindly accepting what "everyone knows", I went and looked for real test results.
Your post is still correct though, "The motorcycle stupidity that exists in this forum boggles the mind". Only problem is that you were the stupid one.
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please do provide links.
 
holden j caufield said:
I honestly do want to use my fronts but it's an 08 cbr600 if I bought an 09 ABS would have been an option. And damn the front brakes are so fking strong I'm weary of squeezing it just a tad to much. On level or uphill I'd have no problem squeezing it more but going downhill my first thought was don't high side it (but I guess I'm overestimating that?). My friend was damn your back tire is smoking, lol. In a way it was strangely pretty fun but not something I'd like to repeat on the street. whew glad I didn't panic and rode it out.
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Wait, wat??

You won't highside it with the front brakes, the front will wash out and you will lowside.

Unless you're really doing something wrong... really really really really really really really really wrong...

Also sliding the back tyre like that will get expensive fast. Learn to brake properly.

And if I could find a private road that I could go 60 and practice an emergency stop I would but it's not an option where I live.
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A really good idea is to try a

T
R
A
C
K

to test the handling of your bike in safety, or find an advanced course in your area.

Also if you are worried about accidental "stoppies", you can play about on a push bike and experience the feeling of the back end coming up... and see the effect of easing the front brake slightly. It will also show you what "snatching" the front brake will do (hint: you fall over). All without damage to expensive plastics...

^ Obviously do it somewhere safe and take precautions/wear safety gear.
 
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OILFIELDTRASH said:
Guess you learn something everyday. From what I read they tested a cbr924 and a Honda goldwing and the goldwing was only 7 inches behind. Much closer than I would of expected.
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Well damn, further research shows I was wrong. The sporty's have caught up. You were right OFT, I retract my statement, I'm the stupid one. The chart I was reading was from 02. Here is the latest list I could find, it's from Motorcycle Consumer News 07/08.

TEN BEST 60–0 STOPS
1) 2006 Triumph Speed Triple 104.8'
2) 1999 Triumph Speed Triple 106.7'
3) 1997 F6 Valkyrie 107.4'
4) 1997 Suzuki Marauder 800 107.6'
5) 1998 Honda VFR800FI Interceptor 107.9'
6) 1997 Yamaha YZF600R 108.2'
7) 1999 Suzuki SV650 108.8'
8) 1998 Ducati 750 Monster 109.1'
9) 1997 Suzuki TL1000S 109.4'
10) 2002 Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod 109.5

That number 10 spot for the V-Rod breaks my heart. I wonder if the newer models with Brembo brakes and a bit more front end rake would do any better?
 
holden j caufield said:
it's a learning process, I swear nobody on AT has ever made a mistake. Should I have been going slower, absolutely yes. Stupid me. I've even taken the MSF and another safety course and though it's ok, they don't teach much in terms of real world situations. Don't think we broke 30mph at the MSF. And I'm sure because of liability reasons lots of places won't have you going 60 to 0 in a few hundred feet.
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Great that you took the course, but the tone of the paragraph really makes it sound as though you're more interested in making excuses than anything else right now. You asked what you did wrong and people told you. If you didn't want to hear what you did wrong, you ought not have asked.

holden j caufield said:
And if I could find a private road that I could go 60 and practice an emergency stop I would but it's not an option where I live. Or I haven't found that road yet.
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Really? You've never been coming up to a red light and had no-one behind you? Ever?

Braking from 60 is just like braking from 30. If you stab at the brakes instead of getting on them progressively, you'll lock 'em up and you get the best results by progressively applying the brakes and using more front brake than rear brake. Just practice braking hard at lights in your normal driving when there's no-one behind you. Start where you'd normally start braking (so you can't over-shoot) and bring your speed down well before the light.

Probably the main reason you're getting brusque responses is because, historically, you've ignored the advice you've been given.

ZV
 
nah it might sound like excuses but I'm not the excuses type guy I made a stupid mistake and some bad assumptions. My knowledge is limited thus I'll make mistakes. Thanks for those with some useful info and not the high and mighty comments.
 
holden j caufield said:
nah it might sound like excuses but I'm not the excuses type guy I made a stupid mistake and some bad assumptions. My knowledge is limited thus I'll make mistakes.[B/] Thanks for those with some useful info and not the high and mighty comments.
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really? cause i'm pretty sure we told you how a 600cc race bike was a bad idea, especially with such ridiculously grabby brakes that apparently, you're afraid to really use.
 
pACE-976717dt.jpg
 
I've gotten to the point now that when I'm riding aggressively I use my front brake primarily and just two fingers rather than my whole hand. I've found that this helps me ensure that I don't grab a handful of brake and lock up the brake while also controlling the throttle. I also tend to ride in lower gears when going around the twisties, so when I close the throttle the bike slows down quickly. I'll run around at 70 in 3rd at around 9-10k. If I let go of the throttle, the engine braking combined with the wheel brakes stops me in a jiffy.

Like you said, you're still learning and it takes a while, but it would have been smarter to start on a smaller bike. It does sound like you are trying to make excuses for yourself. I'd try and find a group of riders whos skill level is more evenly distributed that way you are riding your ride instead of trying (and probably failing) to ride their ride.
 
I've never even ridden a motorcycle, but I can tell you're clueless. You don't even know the difference between a highside and a good old fashioned "getting thrown over the handlebars". Highside and lowside = two less-than-ideal ways to come out of a sideways skid. Hence the "side" part of the term. What you are talking about is a "stoppie", an "endo" or a "reverse wheelie" -- when it's intentional.

I would suggest you buy a mountain bike (pedal powered = without a motor) and ride it for an hour a day for a few weeks. Nothing aggressive, although some mild up/downhill areas on loose ground (gravel or loose dirt) would be good for learning. You learn a lot about brake application on two wheels with two independent brakes applied by gripping the fingers (just like a motorcycle, only without the hydraulics). Like that you need to brake with the front most of the time and supplement with the rear; that the front will provide the major stopping power and will be much slower to lock up than the rear, due to weight transfer (this applies to 4-wheel cars too: why do you think the front brakes are always bigger/better than the rears?); that engaging the brake progressively yet firmly will slow you down very fast without locking up and skidding the tire, while jerking it will lock you up pretty quickly. You also learn to shift your weight front and back to handle uphill and downhill spots under both braking, acceleration, and cruising. On loose downhill areas it is easy to learn how to brake firmly with the front brake to control your speed, while keeping the rear in line, once it has locked up. (I would expect that this is fairly common on motorcycles -- locking up the rear while still stopping with the front. The rear gets "squirrely" and tries to slide out from under you. Controlling this is vital. On a MTB it just takes balance -- and you can always put your foot down to help control a sideways slide if it gets to that point. Not sure what is needed on a motorcycle.)

Find a smooth, empty parking lot somewhere, get going at 5 miles an hour, apply your front brake hard and see where it takes you. At that slow speed, there is no way that you will throw yourself over, although you may lift the rear tire a bit. Then go up to 7 mph or 10mph. Each time you speed up a bit, go on a run with several different methods of applying the brakes. Do it smoothly at first, then harder and jerkier until you lock up the front. You have to learn where the line is so that you do not go past it in an emergency situation. You will be able to feel when the wheel is about to lock up and learn the line where maximum brake power without lockup occurs. (It's the same way with cars, although there's less nuance in a car since it's one pedal controlling 4 wheels, while on a bike you have a control for each wheel). You will learn what it feels like when the rear tire lifts up, and how you can distribute your weight to keep it from happening, or to encourage it to happen if you want to stunt. The only way you can do this is practice.
 
Fenixgoon said:
definitely snake oil. many MFR's now have traction control systems. but i'm guessing they add more than $80 to the bike's value.
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Read a little deeper into that site. The name is misleading, the device they sell does nothing more than add a small air bubble to your brake caliper, the idea being that it will smooth out pressure spikes.
Snake oil.
But there are real reviews from legitimate motorcycle magazines that do show reduced stopping distance.
 
Greenman said:
I don't think they make good second or third bikes, but I'm a Harley i love you, so my opinion on the matter doesn't really count.
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*imitates harley noises*

God, that episode had me rolling in laughter. But back to the OP, dumb squids be dumb squids.
 
south park

Greenman said:
I don't think they make good second or third bikes, but I'm a Harley i love you, so my opinion on the matter doesn't really count.
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well atleast you are honest!

I met a harley salesman I can actually talk to today, he has an 1125r and does trackdays on it......
 
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Zargon said:
south park




well atleast you are honest!

I met a harley salesman I can actually talk to today, he has an 1125r and does trackdays on it......
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I know (through a V-Rod forum) a whole bunch of guy's that own Harleys, sport bikes, and everything in between.
The V-Rod is the red headed bastard step child of the Harley world, and as such tends to attract people that wouldn't generally be interested in a Harley. A lot of them come from liter bikes, guys that are getting a little to long of tooth to be tearing up the streets, but aren't quite ready to get on a geezer glide.
 
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