Rear brakes with the GSXR 17x5.5 wheel mod

[FJ_Hooligan]

Finally, way to go Bubba Stewart!  Third win in a row!!!

Thanks.   

Oops, my apologies sir.  I'll refrain from being a spoiler in the future.

[Dazza57]

Wow! I should have guessed starting a thread on brakes, that it would start up a vigorous discussion.

I guess firstly, I don't use the back brake a lot, but when I do, I want it to be effective. When I was first learning to ride in NZ on the dirt, my mates and I used to practice laying the bike down, just for the hell of it and to learn. But at the same time we learnt how to use the front brakes on all sorts of different surfaces.

Another thing we used to practice on our road bikes was to lock the front wheel on wet asphalt and see how far you could go before you had to let go the brakes.

Once I progressed to road bikes, getting bigger and faster by turns, this became valuable experience, although I have only ever had to use that skill once, and that was on a wet muddy dirt road, but I do use the back brake to "steady the ship" mid corner if things start to get a bit out of shape.

I have never sat down and pondered how I brake both normally or in emergency situations, I believe riding in the dirt was the greatest teacher and it has all become instinctive.

Yes I test my braking in "pretend" emergencies from time to time, and I enjoy getting the back to hang out on the seal both under braking and under acceleration, but I have never caught myself trying to analyze exactly what I am doing to make it all work. Having said that, I would love to get to a riding school/trackday to learn more. I have no doubt it would be an eye opener.

Along with the GSXR rear wheel and sundry brakes, I have upgraded to braided lines throughout, blue spots on the front, Penske shock (purchased alas before Randy built his) and the gold spot emulators and constant rate springs up front. I think the suspension and the GSXR wheel were the things that really transformed the handling of the bike. Having that lovely big 5.5" rim and 180/55 tyre planted on the road just generates so much confidence after the poor old 3.5" rim and tyre.

I have found a 3.5" front rim which I have yet to fit. Still working out a paint scheme for the rest of the bike, so will powder coat it once I have decided on that, then fit it.

After rebuilding the carbs and before my trip down south in November, I took the ol girl for a quick blat out to an indicated 240kph, rock steady and felt like she could cruise at that speed all day! Love the Kookaloo She does have 18-38 sprockets.

Anyway, thanks for all the comments and "food for thought", I reckon I'll probably start checking out how I brake now, to see what I am actually doing. BTW, I have never hit a car or vice versa, the only accidents I have ever had have been self generated (touch wood). My motto has always been "see and be seen", seems to work for me.

Stay rubber side down, and as always, thanks for all the great help and advice from the members on this site. Truely an amazing group to be a part of.

Please let me know when a decision is made on the next Australian rally, as I need plenty of time to plan something from where I live.

[X-Ray]

Yep, lots of dirt bike riding involving sliding under brakes etc certainly does help on the road. Although rear wheel locked up drifts through corners are a lot easier/safer on the dirt than on the FJ 

Also, unless things change, the 2015 rally has been marked for Kyogle, Nthn NSW. 

[Bminder]

Re braking, I mainly brake first with the rear in everyday riding, followed by the front which seems to give a better balance to the bike by not throwing the bike forward as much as when front brake is applied first.

Obviously when hard braking is required its full on front coupled with feeding in the back brake to increase braking efficiency.

I don't know, but it seems to work for me, and is just one reason why I like biking as opposed to cars, because there is more to think about..makes it fun (aside from the acceleration / speed / freedom / fresh air / noise etc etc..!). 

I'm a newbie compared to most of you here, but last summer I took the Motorcycle Safety Course that Wyoming requires for a license, and the instructor ground it into our heads to always use the front brake and rear brake, and he also ground it into our heads that you can never grab enough front brake in an emergency.  He had us practice panic stops squeezing the front brake as hard as we possibly could.

Also, I have to disagree with braking one way (using rear brakes first) in normal driving, but grabbing some front brake in panic stops.
I played BB all through school and college, and if you practice something one way, but then in the heat of a game try to do it another way, you won't be very successful.
The old adage is only partially true: "Practice makes Perfect."
It's more accurate to say, "Perfect Practice makes Perfect."
Your braking needs to be instinctive, and that takes practicing it correctly over and over again, not do it one way under 'normal braking' and another under emergency braking.

Just a newbie's thoughts.

[andyb]

The old adage is only partially true: "Practice makes Perfect."
It's more accurate to say, "Perfect Practice makes Perfect."

I think it was Reg Pridmore who said it as "Practice makes Permanent", which made the most sense to me.

ut grabbing some front brake in panic stops.

Probably safe enough on a typical harley.  Not safe on something that actually does what you tell it to do.

[ribbert]

I'm a newbie compared to most of you here............and he also ground it into our heads that you can never grab enough front brake in an emergency.  He had us practice panic stops squeezing the front brake as hard as we possibly could.

Just a newbie's thoughts.

Err, you may be a newbie but if you want to become an oldie you might have to modify that. It works with ABS (or drum brakes), but that technique on the FJ will see the front lock up instantly.
What sort of bikes were you riding?

Noel

[Bminder]

Noel, we rode little 200 and 250 cc bikes the state provided.
The instructor was in his 50's, a lifetime rider, rides 40-50,000 miles a year in all weather in Wyoming. He said the only time he's not on his bike is if there is ice on the road.
He said most riders don't use enough front brake and thus crash into things they could have avoided.

[ribbert]

Noel, we rode little 200 and 250 cc bikes the state provided.
The instructor was in his 50's, a lifetime rider, rides 40-50,000 miles a year in all weather in Wyoming. He said the only time he's not on his bike is if there is ice on the road.
He said most riders don't use enough front brake and thus crash into things they could have avoided.

I couldn't agree more about not using enough front brake but virtually any modern bike without ABS is going to lock the front with two fingers, at the very least without much effort with four fingers.
If you were squeezing as hard as you could and not locking the front wheel I can only assume they had terrible brakes. DO NOT try that on the FJ.

Noel

[ribbert]

Well Mike, I guess dragging the conversation into the gutter by getting personal is one way to end it. If you have to resort to playing the man and not the ball, you're on you own.


You seemed determined to raise the subject of clutches. You mentioned it both times - Proper clutch use in high speed stops, slipper clutches, why they are used and for what reason they were introduced and what bikes need them etc. 

Under the circumstances, I can't take your criticism seriously and bear no grudge and to show I can rise above this petty slanging match, make this conciliatory gesture - I'm happy to explain it all to you any time you like.

Noel