Front brake, back brake, both brakes..?

[Cone]

The best thing I have ever done to teach me braking is the California superbike school at Silverstone. You spend the first halve of the day going round the circuit not using your brakes. It makes you another and safer and quicker. Improved my riding no ends.

[catcitrus]

Did over 40k on my KTM 640 adventure from new--never changed the pads front or rear and they were only half worn when I sold it (but had to change the rear pad pin twice due to grooving!)---and its been on a track day at Mallory, Romania a couple of times and so on. Anticipation, a big single--and grew up with old Brit bikes where the brakes were a fashion accessory! I did a couple of 5 day courses on the Ring and one of the "asides" was getting to about 20mph on a downhill ramp and then on to a wet, flat surface with the German instructor getting you to brake as hard as it took to lock the front wheel--no ABS of course--It took me about 4 goes to get it to start to lock--the point being that its surprising just how hard you can brake in an upright position before the front locks--takes a bit of nerve! I lightly trail brake into a corner to steady the bike down but always try and have some throttle on as I go round and accelerate out. Hard front braking always unsettles the bike and makes it stand up. The one bike that nearly caught me out was a BMW R1100S with telever--it doesn't dip on braking--and you find yourself braking and banking at the same time as it feels stable--until the front starts to wash out! Try riding (as suggested) without using your brakes--it will teach you a lot about anticipation, correct road speed and so on--and that DOES NOT MEAN SLOW!!.

[ollydog]

The best thing I have ever done to teach me braking is the California superbike school at Silverstone. You spend the first halve of the day going round the circuit not using your brakes. It makes you another and safer and quicker. Improved my riding no ends.

hi cone was that that level one course you did, the book explains it really well

steev

[minkyhead]

if you want to shed meanigful speed say for a sharp bend its best to use both brakes front before rear
there is a lot of misunderstandings about brakes out there

if anyone is unsure about the value of the rear brake do a simple test of your own

find a quiet road and ride at 40mph or a speed of your choice .. choose a brake marker tree telegraph pole will do fine shadows are good for this
then stop the bike to your best ability in the shortest distance possible with the rear brake only then put a marker down where you stop

.repeat the excercise with the front brake only

and finally repeat using the front and then the rear

the more front you use the less rear you use as the weight goes to the main stoppers

just looking at the three markers will slay any misunderstandings anyone may have about the correct order of braking and weather one or both should be used especially in a emengancy situation

its a interesting little execise quite good one i think ..i believe the results will speak for themselves and you may find them quite surprising if you have never tried it (thumbs)

[Cone]

The best thing I have ever done to teach me braking is the California superbike school at Silverstone. You spend the first halve of the day going round the circuit not using your brakes. It makes you another and safer and quicker. Improved my riding no ends.

hi cone was that that level one course you did, the book explains it really well

steev

Yes it was the level 1 it was great, I thought I was quick as I healthily held my own in the top end of the intermediates all the time did level 1 then boom I was up in the Fast group

It made a huge difference to my riding and confidence and wallet at over £300 quid.. if I recall right. If it was cheaper I would have done all four stages.

[Selous]

Im guessingvyour refering to tarmac?
I was taught on Dry front brake first then the rear.
on wet Both same time,
Slow riding control Rear only.