embarassing moment

[gennabirman600]

so for some reason i feel like sharing my first but probably not the last embarassing and dangerous moment on the kat. So yes im a noob and i made a really stupid noob mistake with no excuse other than lack of sleep. I rode my bike to work two mornings ago because the weather was great, on the way home from work it seemed like my bike was revving too high at too low of a speed, so as i was riding on the basically empty streets that i take everyday from work i every now and then briefly look down at my tachometer and spedo, i know stupid..anyway so i look down for a second look back up and the light infront of me is yellow, i SHOULD have just spead up through it..but for some reason i thought, "crap i dot know if that JUST turned yellow or did i just not notice it." Im also a pretty good distance from the light still BUT im going about 45-50 mph, so i decide to stop, as soon as i gently apply the front bake and put in the clutch i know crap im going too fast and the light is coming up real soon..so i apply more and i know im in trouble, but im proud of myself because the whole time instead of panicking im thiking.."easy easy take it easy hold control" pretty soon i hear a screetching tire, burnt rubber, and feel my back tire swing left and right underneath my but (horrible feeling!!) anyway i didnt drop it or lay it down or crash or anything..i managed to maintain control just as my front tire touches that white line haha, it was my first experience of the kind.

[soulpatch]

Been there done that. Hard to adjust to being easier on the rear brake when you are new to bikes. I am only three years on the street and I too still apply rear too hard at times. Thoughg then again i would rather low side then high side.

[FASHER]

Way to stay up!

[plupien79]

After riding off road for so long I've found it hard getting used to the rear brakes on the street.

[Shampue]

Though then again i would rather low side then high side.

Aint this the truth!

[whitecl0ver]

good job...remember if you lock the rear keep it locked till you stop....like you said your @$$ end was sliding back and forth or your release that rear break and your not perfectly strait, it was grab hard and possibly throw you off....

[zuma]

"Though then again i would rather low side then high side."

I've been riding for the second phase of my life (stayed away 25 years) for the last three years. I bike alone; live in an isolated area and learn what I can. Can you explain "high side" to me?

[arsenic]

rear brakes, don't use them

[DOCTORNITRO]

"Though then again i would rather low side then high side."

I've been riding for the second phase of my life (stayed away 25 years) for the last three years. I bike alone; live in an isolated area and learn what I can. Can you explain "high side" to me?

Start to "low-side" (bike sliding out in front you), then suddenly the tires grab traction, flippping the bike and you up over the top-----"high-side"

[DreKat]

Well congrat on the save, it has ahppened to almost all of us. Yeah back breaks are for show not for stoping

[GytRDunKat]

Yeah, I used to have that rear brake problem, and it got 10 times worse after the SS brake lines. I ended up moving the pedal out of the way, read down. My foot has to be darn near perpendicular to the ground to get the rear to lock up.

[DumbLuck]

good job keep the skoot upright. believe it or not, that was good practice. It's been preached to practice HARD braking every chance you get, at least once a ride. make darn sure the road is clear, and progessively brake harder till you get to that almost locked up point. teach yourself where it is and how it feels, then it's second nature when you need it. Nick I. preaches multiple passes in an appropriate area practicing at different speeds.

I was offered Sintered brake pads for the rear of my kat, i went with the kevlar on purpose to make locking up the back just a shade more unlikely. putting Sintered on the fronts tho

[JBLUE]

I rarely used my rear brake

[arsenic]

Yeah, I used to have that rear brake problem, and it got 10 times worse after the SS brake lines. I ended up moving the pedal out of the way, read down. My foot has to be darn near perpendicular to the ground to get the rear to lock up.

I did the same thing. I have a wave rotor (cause it's pretty) and HH pads (cause I can) but the pedal is so low you really gotta be a dumbass to lock them up.

[The CyberPoet]

Good that you caught it -- now time to keep practicing so you'll know what you can do safely in the future.

I did the same thing. I have a wave rotor (cause it's pretty) and HH pads (cause I can) but the pedal is so low you really gotta be a dumbass to lock them up.

I ride with EBC HH pads all around normally, and that means the pads are very grabby. The first thing I do after installing the EBC HH rears is reset the adjustment at the rear master cylinder for the rear brake lever height so that the only way to really lock it up is to get my heel off the footpeg (i.e. - so that my normal ankle rotation will only take it to just shy of locking up).

That adjustment is a real PIA to get at (seriously), but worthwhile in every sense of the concept, just like adjusting your handlebar levers to fit your particular ergo's.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet