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Coming to work in the rain this morning.....


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Posted

Man, it was pi55ing it down this morning in Manchester (like always), I was riding into work in my R6 like I have been for the last week. Anyway, I gave myself plenty of room and not following the car in front too close, when suddenly the car infront did an emergency stop as some idiot decided to run across the road! I had to do an "In the wet" emergency stop too.......bloody sh!t myself!! I think I slightly locked my back wheel and I skidded out and fish tailed like a ba5tard until it eventually stopped! During that moment, everything seemed really slow but all I can think about was "Oh Sh!t, the back end is all over the place" and the more you sh!t yourself the more brake you want to apply and by the time I realised that I should ease off the brakes, I had already stopped which was a good job!!! :blink: I was only going 30mph too!

Now I know why my instructor told me to not use the back brake so much in the wet as it locks your back wheel and you end up doing what I just did 30 minutes ago! What a moment it was for me, and it's taught me not to load the back too much now when it's wet! :o

After that little moment for me, everytime I approached a traffic light, I just came off the trottle early and applied the brakes (front and a little a t the back) and released the brakes and then re-applied it again, abit like an ABS system. That way felt alot better when stopping and not as harsh.

Motorbikes are great though, you experience something new everyday and you're constantly learning all the time. Let hope we all learn things the easier way like I just have and not the hard way. Ride Safe.

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  • Moderator
Posted

Yes a shitty moment when braking although only lasting a part of a second feels like a long time especially while heading for stationary object, When i was training 3 years ago the instructor Alex bollocked me for cadence braking but it sure as hell is a good way of stopping, yuo just put the brake on til it locks mometarily then release it, You get taught it or used to when HGV training, but do not try this if you have ABS as it does it for you, Oh and thining about wet Andyrose will remeber this i reckon When the RD 400,s were introduced with a rear disc ( the first proddie bike with one i beleive) everyone said there is a delay when wet on the brake as it dries out , which was true only one turn of the disc but after the drum model it felt like a long time, but my were they good brakes when they did work

merv

  • Moderator
Posted

Yep...Braking in the wet can be an Eye-opening experience :blink:

It really just boils down to adjusting your riding style for the conditions @ hand ;)

Posted

Thank you for the reminder of how the years have gone by, Mervin <_<

You are dead right though, I do remember it well. No front disc worked too well in the wet in those days (high proportion of stainless steel in the mix I believe) and I suppose we had all developed a habit of relying upon the rear drum as a bit of a substitute. Then along came the rear disc equipped 400 and hey presto, no brakes at all for what felt like eternity whenever it rained! Then the rear would bite (they always were a bit savage and mine is still more effective than the front brake even now with modern pads and a braided hose on the front!) and it was so easy to lock it up just as the front started to work!

Modern brakes are brilliant by comparison, but they still need a high degree of practice to learn to use them effectively. I read a tip a while ago which you might want to try if you can find somewhere suitable. Ride along at a normal speed, and pick where you wish to stop. Then apply your brakes and aim to stop on that spot. Then do it again, and again and again, each time trying to be more accurate and not having to vary the pressure on the brake lever except to ease off as you stop. Then, once you feel confident enough try increasing your speed slightly, and once you have mastered that increase a bit more etc etc.

Obviously there is a limit to how far you can take this without it ending in disaster, but in theory you will be developing a much better feel for, and confidence in, your bike's brakes as well as your own ability to use them.

If you come unstuck though, don't blame me, it's only a suggestion!

Andy

Posted

I learned VERY quickly not to use the front brake in the snow a few weeks back! Front wheel lock up is NOT nice at all. Still... there's only one way to learn

Posted

Had a massive side ways moment to day on the motorway @ around about 80mph. I was late for work so was undertaking a middle lane crawler ( I know I shouldnt but I was in a hurry). Anyway accelerating in 6th gear, completely upright, the back end just stepped out by a good couple of feet. Boy did it shit me up.

Take care everyone the bad weather is meant to last for another 7 days in the UK

Regards

Posted

Take care everyone the bad weather is meant to last for another 7 days in the UK

I just looked out and guess what - it's pi55ing down again. Still it gives you practise on wet-riding!

My gear just about dries before it's next daily immersion.

I bet Pete is pig-sick he's missing these wonderful opportunities to put his beemer through it's paces on slick, wet, pot-holed roads in the freezing rain. :rolleyes:

Posted

I bet Pete is pig-sick he's missing these wonderful opportunities to put his beemer through it's paces on slick, wet, pot-holed roads in the freezing rain. :rolleyes:

I'm all choked up about it! :lol:

Guest Tomg
Posted

yeah i fishtailed mine ALL over the place once when a bus decided to let someone through and this must only have been about 10mph tops!! in slow moving traffic in preston!

i agree with john r6 the weather up here is bloody awful!!!!!

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