[Slofuze]

you might also want to practice your downshifting... dont always rely soley on your brakes, especially during emergency braking.... braking and downshifting at the same time will bring you to a stop ALOT faster, and alot smoother... just my 2 cents

I agree.......and it goes with my belief that being a rider requires total focus, practice, and co-ordination. I, and probably a lot of others on here, have been down and have learned from our errors.

[allblackkat]

Yeah, you gotta give yourself some outs when out in traffic... Just incase something screwy happens where you won't be able to make that complete stop...

I find myself always looking for ways around potential hazardous oncoming left-turners.... But I've got more reasons than most to keep constantly aware of those cagers who wish to turn out in front of motorcycles...

[JIB]

Good to here that you recovered well. It could have been alot worse. I was on my way to work this morning when a cager pulled right out in front of me. She then decided to go 40mph and brake check me. If you want to pull out in front of me at least get up to the speed limit. I mean she did have a reason to brake check me, I was a lil close to her bumper and gave her the finger. AGGGHHH!!!!! cagers...

I've let the finger fly myself this week when some dude cut me short.

[Tokalosh]

I was going down the freeway, 65 mph and I start to hit morning rush hour traffic. I thought I was far enough back from the car in front of me. He slams on his breaks, so I do a quick stop. The back tire starts sliding all over the place. Fortunately I recovered, and I said a quick prayer of thanks.

That told me a few things...
1. I need to practice my quick stops.
2. Maybe I don't need to apply my breaks as hard and as quick.
3. Even though I thought I was following the "four second" rule, an extra second wouldn't hurt.

Kinda scared the stuff outta me!

Sounds to me like you still had the duvet in you head. :mrgreen:

Tok

[Catcha23]

When I see the car in front of me brake lights, I automatically light up my brakes whether they are stopping quick or not!! Just in case the car in front is coming to a quick stop, all I need is a little more pressure to get the Kat to back down. Worse case scenario is that the car behind me gets ****ed a lil for me continually lighting up the brakes, but hey....I'm not trying to get rear ended so the more the merrier to let them know and to keep them alert and off my arse!

[zuma]

I'm s-o-o-o-o-o glad that you're okay. I know the territory. Are there alternate routes that would keep you off the freeway? Of course, I know there are cars poking in and out of side streets all over the place, especially as you get into Old Town. I always try to stay on routes off the freeway like Gibson, Tramway, Central, the street with states names, etc. Be careful, Sassyduck. I-40 and I-25 can both be a real grind.

[sassyduck]

I have learned a lot in the last few weeks. This is the most I have ridden for a long time.

I have also learned that I don't like the big I (where 25 and 40 meet).

Thanks you guys for your words of wisdom.

Zuma, I have though of that. Unfortunately it would take almost double the time to get to school in the mornings if I took street routes. I have to leave at seven as it is...and get my toddler son ready for the day.

[DumbLuck]

Another "trick" is to watch 2, 3, 4, 5 cars ahead for brake lights and stupid that can cascade back you ya. could be some yahoo 4 cars up is tailgating and has to lay into his/her brakes, or someone switches lanes causing one to hit their brakes. next thing ya gnow, it's like dominoes falling back at ya. Dont fixate on the car ahead of ya watching for brake lights, look ahead as best you can up the rows of traffic. ALL the rows of traffic, entrance ramps and interchanges included. I cant count the number of times over the years i've watched someone cut across multiple lanes of traffic at the last second to hit their exit. Starts the dominoes of brakelights cascading back at ya.

[StevieB]

you might also want to practice your downshifting... dont always rely soley on your brakes, especially during emergency braking.... braking and downshifting at the same time will bring you to a stop ALOT faster, and alot smoother... just my 2 cents

You know, I completly disagree with this advise (sorry, AFR49, nothing personal.) The problem with this sort of advise is it is based on FEELINGS and BELIEFS, not on research data.

When panic-breaking, you are, by definition, doing alot in a little bit of time. Use your brain to process info coming at you, not to manipulate MORE stuff. When you brake a bike, you are manipulating/modulating TWO controls. Adding two more- clutch and shift lever- just gives your brain more that it needs to think about.

Brakes stop a vehicle much better than engines/trannies.

The limiting factor in this incident, in fact ALL panic stops, is tire-to-road surface traction. Even bad rear brakes have several times the coefficient of friction between pads/shoes and disc/drum than exist with the stickiest tire/road combination. Adding an unpredicatable factor to that mix (what gear are you in before/after the downshift? What was/is engine rpm? How fast did you engage/disengage the clutch? etc.) is only going to make the bike LESS stable and thus stop in a LONGER distance.

the main reason the back tire skids so much is the weight shift forward under braking. The back tire is already overwhemed- downshifting only makes that worse.

MUCH BETTER ADVISE: Keep in mind, always, that you do from 70% to 90% OR MORE of your braking with your front brakes/tire. Use that well-tested and documented fact to remind you to get on the FRONT brakes hard, not the rear.

And pretend you are riding to Carnegie Hall- and practice, practice, practice!

[flashburn]

wow, well thats practice and something to take with you for the rest of your "longer" life.

[gimmefuel]

The front brake is ALWAYS your friend!!! :mrgreen: Too many riders get the impulse to jump right on that rear brake and of course it locks up. I watched a rider once lock up her rear brake and rode it all the way till she hit the car in front of her. She was okay but if she had went for the front brake instead she would have had a lot more time to stop.

[nelsonind]

I have to agree with StevieB. Your front brake does 70+% of the braking. One time a truck with a camper directly in front of me slammed on its brakes. I was only 1-2 car lengths behind and that was not enough for the panic stop he had planned. I braked really hard, but was unable to stop in time. I was looking to be part of his rear bumper so I let off the brakes at the last second and swerved around him. That was a VERY close call.
As an analogy, I drive a stick shift car and like to downshift when slowing down. However, when I have to stop FAST, I leave the car in gear and hit the brakes. That way I have the engine slowing me down by deceleration and the brakes as well. I would rather replace my brakes than do a clutch job. It stops faster too. If you push in the clutch, it takes longer to stop.
Nelsonind

[BradsKat]

I had a similar 'pucker' moment a week ago. Heavy traffic but moving at highway speeds and my exit was coming up, in the time it took for me to check over my shoulder to see if it was clear to change lanes the guy in front of me stood on his brakes. Stopping wasn't even remotely an option and thankfully the lane next to me was clear so I hauled it over to the other lane and cleared his butt end by at least an inch and a half.

[Jmckib2]

From what I've read and the heard the rear brakes really won't do you much good in a panic stop, although you can apply them a little when you're just starting to slow and the suspension hasn't shifted all the way forward. The engine drag from downshifting is focused on the rear tire, so I wouldn't rely on that either. A smoothly applied full front brake with maybe a little bit of rear will stop you in the shortest distance.

[Fyre]

Same thing happened to me when i had my Ninja 250 only i went down. From then on i learned the front brake is my best friend. I only use my back brake when im going around corners.

Remember:
Front brakes provides 70% stopping power
Rear brakes the Remaining 30%