Linked Brakes - stopping in a bend

If you have to brake in a bend, use the front brake, using the rear you cant control the pressure totally and counter steer. Don't snatch the front brake or you will go down

 

Absolutely. I know it's a tired statement but here it goes, "slow is smooth and smooth is fast"

 

Yup!

I was quite sure I was going to dislike linked brakes but they are right up there with sliced bread.:biggrin:

 

To expand a little have a look at the motorcycles that Honda added Linked brakes to cbr1000xx, VFR, ST1300 etc they added the Linked brakes to allow you to be a little lazy while still braking safely over longer distances therefore less fatigued.

Also the VFRs stopping distances as tested by the mcnews.com site which show the '98 VFR800Fi had a shorter 60-0 stopping distance at 107.9ft than the 'Blades 113.8fr, R1's 113.9ft and Gixers 114.4ft.


Below comments re the VFR800 are from the Specifications Data link underneath:

" A staff favorite, the VFR800 provides a suitable platform for sport riding or with accessories sport-touring. Its linked brakes are outstanding as is its V-4 growl. " :thumbsup:

Specs Linky:
http://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/TestBike-Index1-2001.pdf

 

Fair enough. I'll take your word for it guys. I just know it works well and I like it.

 

Just throwing in my $0.02.

1) The MSF DOES NOT teach using the rear brake in a corner. I have both sets of my range cards right here in front of me & can't find any reference to using the rear brake in a curve.

2) Using the rear brake in a curve can be tricky. If you know how to trail brake, it's a wonderful thing. LBS equipped bikes do not trail brake very well. If you don't know how to trail brake, keep reading, things get worse before they get better.

3) If you use too much rear brake in a curve, a very bad thing can happen. When braking, weight & CG will shift forward. This makes the rear contact patch smaller. Now throw excessive rear braking into the mix & there is a very large chance you can overwhelm the now much smaller rear contact patch & the rear will lock & you will either hi or lo side. Both suck.

4) If you need to brake in a curve, it is a very difficult thing to master. First, you need to decided if you REALLY need to brake in the corner at all. Then, you need to start with extremely light front brake. Next, after the weight transfer starts, apply more brake & start standing the bike up as you slow. Then, as the bike is starting to reach vertical, start applying rear brake. After the bike is full up & down, & ONLY after the bike is full upright, you can then apply full emergency braking. This IS NOT, repeat IS NOT an easy thing to pratice or master. Trying it because of an emergency is not an ideal time or place to have your introduction to stopping in a curve.

5) If you get into a bind in a curve, you are much better served switching your weight off the bike & trying to successfully negotiate the curve instead of stopping in it. Just like #4, body positioning is something that needs to be mastered before trying it on the street.

6) You are much, much better served by doing what the MSF DOES teach: complete all braking before the turn, pick an outside-inside-outside path of travel, look thru the turn & apply the throttle as you reach the apex. For the non-believers, you will be amazed what rolling onto the gas will do for you in a turn.

7) To piggy-back on #6, rolling OFF the gas is about the worst thing you can do. Snapping of the throttle is usually followed immediately by panic braking. This would be the cause of over 50% of single bike mishaps. You have a front contact patch the size of the bottom of a coke can. This supports 1/2 of a 500lb bike plus the rider. Now, roll of the gas & throw in some braking & you now have the same size contact patch supporting 75% of the bike/rider AAANNNDDD needs to steer at the same time. This friends is not good. Re-read #5.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

^^^ :thumbsup: That's what I said, only said much better! Thanks KC-10FE