[takirb]

Actually there is 3, you forgot the one that aims for deer so he can get some free meat

wow, i thought my state (SC) was the only one with those

[takirb]

i had a somewhat of a similar experience today...

i'm curious if there's any way to adjust the braking system so the rear tire doesn't lock up so easily? seeing as if i can point out 4 seperate skid marks through town left by my rear tire locking down in an emergency brake (within the passed month or so i might add), i'm sure it's driver error on my part. but i figure anything to lighten the reaction to pedal pressure will help. i almost went down this afternoon and it was the worst one yet. i was coming up on traffic, and it had just started going in my lane, but the lane beside me looked clear. i glanced behind me to see if anyone was coming before the lane change, looked straight again and everyone had stopped. i aimed towards the median as to avoid the car in front, pulled the clutch, front brake, and rear braked all at once. i went into a fishtail and eased off the brakes. this time i had actually come off the seat and had one leg in the air before i regained balance. sure did suck with everyone looking at me afterwards, but at least i didn't go down and managed to steer clear of traffic. i've never ridden another bike for comparison, but are the stock brakes on a kat really that harsh? i'm just amazed how easily the rear tire locks up....

[WildKat]

how new are your brakes on the rear ? Locking up the rear is a pretty easy feat to accomplish in a crisis situation when you have to brake in a big way to avoid a collision w/ another vehicle.

The best way is steady even pressure on the break, applying more at a time instead of just stomping down the brake pedal. Sometimes, its just unavoidable though.

[harrye]

i can point out 4 seperate skid marks through town left by my rear tire locking down in an emergency brake (within the passed month or so i might add), i'm sure it's driver error on my part. but i figure anything to lighten the reaction to pedal pressure will help...

Sounds like you are overdriving (driving too fast). Take it easier. If you mess with the rear brake, then you will always have to put extra pressure on it, even for routine stops. You'll develope a feel for the touchyness of your brakes.

[BobKat2002]

Yup.

Moj: Very little offense taken In my original post, I did admit what I did was squidly, so don't think that I'm assuming I'm invincible. But really, one can only encounter stuff like that out on the road (versus parking lots). There will be nothing that can simulate what happened if I'm in a lot. Primarily, if you're practicing emergency braking, you're planning on the event happening, and so you prepare for it. It's the un-rehearsed realtime events such as this one that really builds experience. Emergency braking in a parking lot is one thing, but actually doing it in an un-planned realtime scenario is another. But, I see what you mean

But, one must agree that there are (at least) 2 types of squids - one like myself (which is more of an "inexperienced" issue), and one like the other guy (who does stupid sh*t intentionally).

Yup.

[takirb]

my rear pads are pretty new, just changed a few months ago and only have about 1K miles on them. i'm thinking of repositioning the pedal a bit 'cause it seems a bit high. my front brakes however are great, i can stop with one finger on most occasions...

[BlakKat]

my rear pads are pretty new, just changed a few months ago and only have about 1K miles on them. i'm thinking of repositioning the pedal a bit 'cause it seems a bit high. my front brakes however are great, i can stop with one finger on most occasions...

ever hear of a "stoppie"?.... sportbikes have a high center of gravity and very little "rake" on the front suspension....this tends to actually pull the rear of the bike *off* the ground in an emergency stop....so basically you have to develop the feel of "threshold" braking on the rear...you will use more at the first moment of braking and less as you use more and more front...the front brake is the masta, the rear is basically useless in a hard braking situation...

[DreKat]

you are a lucky guy re the deer. now the other ass he is the type that give us bikes a bad rep.

[md86]

my rear pads are pretty new, just changed a few months ago and only have about 1K miles on them. i'm thinking of repositioning the pedal a bit 'cause it seems a bit high. my front brakes however are great, i can stop with one finger on most occasions...

I repositioned my brake pedal down a bit so that it would take near full extension of my ankle to even activate it , and ALOT of extension to lock it up . I liked it . Until I followed someone into a corner a little hot and scraped it . Food for thought .

[SoloScott]

My rear brake is WEAK! I think the previous owner messed with it. I have never locked up the rear.

Maybe my definition of "squid" is not the same as some. I would not call you a squid just for being inexperienced. I think a squid could be very experienced at riding, but they do not acknowledge their own safety or the safety of others. It's that lack of respect that makes me label someone a "squid" and you do not show that.


We're glad you made it through safely!!

[theKM]

I remember the first time that I almost lost it...

...coming home after a hard days work, the b!tch hadn't cooked me dinner or washed my clothes!

[rmick15]

MoJoe,

I wouldnt be to hard on him. Even professional riders / auto racers make mistakes when caught by surprise. I'll be the first to admite I locked my brakes up in my car more then once and on my bike a few times. Its just human nature. I also had some close calls were I grabbed a ton of brake on my bike in a emergancy stop when the entire freeway locked up there tires for crap in the road. I executed the stop prefectly, any less braking I would of hit the SUV in front of me and any more I would of locked them up. Was this from experience probably so, but tomorrow I could lock both up in a similar situation. The stopping ability of a bike or car changes due to weather, tire heat and the heat in your brakes. Its impossible to stop everytime in the shortest possible distance with the given variables. The variables will account for your max stopping ability and you cant take all of those in to account in a split second reaction. I think whats more important is to know what to do when a person does lock up there brakes and look for a way out, like splitting the cars.


Mickey

[Mojoe]

MoJoe,

I wouldnt be to hard on him. Even professional riders / auto racers make mistakes when caught by surprise. I'll be the first to admite I locked my brakes up in my car more then once and on my bike a few times. Its just human nature. I also had some close calls were I grabbed a ton of brake on my bike in a emergancy stop when the entire freeway locked up there tires for crap in the road. I executed the stop prefectly, any less braking I would of hit the SUV in front of me and any more I would of locked them up. Was this from experience probably so, but tomorrow I could lock both up in a similar situation. The stopping ability of a bike or car changes due to weather, tire heat and the heat in your brakes. Its impossible to stop everytime in the shortest possible distance with the given variables. The variables will account for your max stopping ability and you cant take all of those in to account in a split second reaction. I think whats more important is to know what to do when a person does lock up there brakes and look for a way out, like splitting the cars.


Mickey

I wasn't trying to be hard on him. Hmm....well, maybe just a little bit. But that is just my nature when I try to get a point across that I consider important. I just feel that with something this important, it might be better to be a little harsh than to answer with something like, "ya...you gotta watch that rear brake. glad you are ok". In fact, I don't even mind being a total ass if a situation pops up and the 1st thing that runs through his head is "that ass mojoe said the best thing to do is....".
I do agree with you that it is more important to find a way out if you do lock up the brakes, but you have to remember....when brakes are locked, the bike will go where it wants to go.....there is no choice of direction until you let up on the brakes....and even then it depends where the bike is pointed when you do. Living in a climate that has harsh winter and ice covered roads are common 6 months of the year, I have seen it many many times......somebody sliding down the road with the brakes locked.....with the steering where turning like crazy, but the vehicle just sliding where it wants to.

Locked up brakes = loss off traction = loss of control.

Also...the best way to get out of a situation is not to get into it in the first place. And the best way to do that is to reduce your speed in areas or conditions that can pose a potential threat. For deer at night, just drop your cruising speed by 10-15 miles. Just cuz the sign says the speed limit is 50mph, it doesn't mean you have to travel 50mph. Dropping to 40 will significantly put the odds in your favor.

[takirb]

I do agree with you that it is more important to find a way out if you do lock up the brakes, but you have to remember....when brakes are locked, the bike will go where it wants to go.....there is no choice of direction until you let up on the brakes....and even then it depends where the bike is pointed when you do.

i second that comment. if i hadn't have steered into the median right before i locked up the brakes, i'd have eaten that honda's trunk with no control whatsoever. even after traffic moved forward, when i let off the brakes, the bike balanced itself and moved where it wanted to, i was just a passenger at that point with a leg already in the air about to abandon bike....

[Teh_K]

Well, it was my front brake that locked causing the tank slapper that freaked me out. I'm thinking because the rear didn't lock, it kept the bike straight so I didn't go off course.

But, since then I've been going nice and slow on the suburban roads at night