Trail braking

Gaining a little confidence w/ my bike and my skills.
Had to make a trip to my local clinic this morning, since it was around 65℉ and the route takes me through some of my favorite cut through roads, so of course I took the bike.
Knowing the roads fairly well (bumps, potholes, gravely spots) helps. This morning, the roads were completely empty and I came up on a familiar curve a bit hotter than I intended only to find that it was shaded, damp and slick. I was really having trouble getting speed shaved off and turned in for the curve. Knowing the front wheel was quite close to the limit and as that metallic (adrenaline?) taste came up on the back of my tongue I added some more rear brake. Got a little loose, but it helped shave off speed and get the front pointed in allowing me to complete the curve safely and in control ,rather than slipping and sliding through juggling front vs. rear wheel slip and/or going wide over a 20foot bank.
I am gonna take a semi-educated guess and say this is what trail braking does/feels like?

Very thankful that I was not already pushing when I ran upon that wet curve. Only one of the many hazards that can catch us off guard even when there aren't any other vehicles on the road. Also a classic example of how the only safe place to push the limits is on the track.
On public roads unstable conditions, obstacles (some living), and general unpredictability can turn even the most leisurely ride into a risky situation.

 

Sounds like a bit of panic don't worry we have all done it as well. If you didn't have the pegs scraping then you still had loads more grip.

Adrenaline is brown and runs down your trouser leg.

A bit of forward vision and planning will have helped, as in lift your vision so you are looking futprther up the road and able to alter course/ speed as required.

Yes a trailed rear brake can help but far better on the power.

 

Better you stepped on the rear and not grabbed from the front....thats not a trail break that 1/2 a high-side, glad your unscathed

 

Well done, hows your shorts? LOL all though not funny, to a certain degree, most here have had this come up,, I bet more than once. You did ok.. Like Fink said, if you weren't hearing metal or feeling it then you had more room than you thought. still quite the learning curve huh? http://www.ridinginthezone.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-trailbraking/

 

Great link there RVFR.

 

Absolutely quite the learning curve, guess what was going on was only trail braking in the fact I was still on the front as I leaned in.
Wasn't too freaky or really all that out of control. But the fact the curve and entry were wet combined with the front tire wanting to not lock but skid a bit when braking certainly c caused a bit of panic. I added rear to the point of looseness but not locked (as evidenced by not low siding.
Read some of the link , at work now so will read more later. At nearly 40 I am not as brave as I used to be, hard to trust bias tires , an old shock, even the steadiness of my hands at times.

 

A dab on the rear brake will tighten a turn instantly. Ignore the "if your not dragging the footpegs" comment, that guy was not paying attention to the issue being a slick corner. This is one of the reasons I delinked my 5th gen brakes, you can't rear brake on a 5/6th gen due to the front being linked to the rear. I have to ride on damp grass sometimes at a bike meet I go to & no way would I use the front on wet grass !

 

Ive gotten a little crossed up, from time to time. Never once had the time to think about how the back of my mouth tasted.

 

Depends on what you class as slick? If you can get away with trail braking you can drag a peg. Yes I whole heartedly agree with your dab on the rear brake to tighten things up which in turn loads the front as well. Would do that before trail braking.

 

Dude needs new rubber.

 

Front tire 120/80/16 is a generic Shinko, never had any problem out of it nearly 4K miles and no cupping or abnormal wear , I obviously don't push too hard as lots of roads in the immediate area are full of gravel and oil at times, still the front had yet to lock, or wash out , and has always handled predictably. I have managed to get some chirping under heavy braking, and maybe a little slippage in the wet, although my farthest comfortable lean angle will only caused my boot to scuff when going from the top to bottom of shifter.
The rear tire a Kenda Cruiser however is slippery when wet and squared off by 2K miles. Being my first tire on my first bike probabably didn't help. But still grip has often been weak and seems to drop traction at moderate lean angle with only a little throttle. Also had some issues at speed (felt like the tire was side loading and unloading)
This could have to do with the tread being somewhat square or maybe running a 140/70 on a 3X18 wheel (3.5 min recommended) a 140/80 would have been a better match. I plan to get a 17X3.50 vf1K wheel since it will work without mods and let me go with a 150/80 and later once I get an adjustable shock 150/70.
Those two mods should help along with a good dual compound possibly radiator tire and a radial front (Avon) when the time comes.
And of course practice practice, study practice......i'lol get there

 

Dude definitely needs new rubber.

 

I'm with BB - you have crappy tires.

change these & make your life a little less interesting - unless you want it to be.

 

There's a certain charm to bias ply tires, though. I mean, they stick but the whole back end will sort of wiggle underneath you. Makes you remember what it was to be a manly man and ride a bike in the days when rubber was an afterthought.

Then, again, charm is likely overrated. An old friend used to say that character, in a motorcycle, always seems to describe handling problems or maintenance problems.

Get a modern wheel and a modern piece of rubber.

 

Ever been shot at? You'd know.

 

DeeBee, don't even think about dragging pegs where you live on damp slick roads. I ride in your area from time to time so I know what I'm talking about. Watch a MotoGP race sometime and notice what you see different when the riders go through the corners.

 

Only once guy plinking at me and a buddy riding ATV's. Doesn't really count though as we are talking well over a hundred yards with 22 magnum.

Odd thing usually an adrenaline rush just gives me a big smile , maybe the shakes when I stop after a serious high speed run in the zone. If your shitting your pants chances are your not gonna make the right move to lessen or prevent a crash.
It was weird tho' soon as the possibility of washing out and going over the bank went through my head. I got a really strong metallic taste on the back of my tongue. It's nothing I have ever noticed before, but It hit hand and hand with the decision to use the Max possible rear brake as I was trying to get turned in.

My first true addiction was adrenaline bmx bikes and downhill runs from 5years old, Honda 300 4X4 at 12 years old ,on tight technical woods courses (could keep up with nearly anything in the woods, as well as throw around that 4X4 when I weighed only 85lbs. Then came cages and lots of tickets until I learned if you stay in the triple digits they won't chase you.

Now it's bikes probably after getting radials and a new rear shock , I will end up getting another bike 2nd-5th gen and maybe redoing the vf's motor with a 750 donor motor, cams cdi and such or possibly drop in a 1000f motor.

 

Dude still needs new rubber.

 

Yeah, and to learn not to use the specter of impending death as his brake marker.

But we all make do with what we have and learn as we go.