Using brakes.. How do you stop?

[Tomahawk]

Hi everybody, I'm new here. And new to biking, been riding my 125 learner bike for a few weeks. I'm coming here with the dumbest question ever, so here we go:

What is the proper procedure for stopping?

Yeah, I know, hit the brakes. I know the official textbook safety statements:
1. 75% front brake, 25% rear brake, unless it's raining in which 50-50
2. Don't brake on a turn
3. Don't lock the wheels

Here are my problems with these:
1. How on earth can you measure percentages? It's anyone's guess. Silly question I know, but what I mean is, why not just slam both brakes? If the intent is to use the front brake "more", that still doesn't make sense because how do you compare your hand force to your foot force?
2. No braking while turning... But what do you do when you need to brake on a turn? Say you're going around a bend and someone steps into the road? Or you're going around a roundabout and the light turns red?
3. How can you possibly know if you're going to lock the wheels or not? Once you lock the front wheel you go flying, right? But how do you know it's about to lock? It's like blindfolding someone at the top of a cliff and saying don't walk over the edge.. Perfectly sound advice but how do you know where the edge is?

My motivation for asking this is that I fell off my bike yesterday when stopping at a red light because my front wheel skidded. I don't know how to prevent this from happening again!

[recman]

Road experience. You have none so you're gonna make mistakes.
The reason why your front wheel skidded at that red light was because you were probably travelling too fast for the circumstances and probably braked too hard too late.

Concentrate more on anticipation and less on braking.

Actually, part of me can't help wondering if there may be a taxi involved here somewhere.

[mentalboy]

Not sure if srs, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

A lot of folks on here will tell you that the rear is only for holding at traffic lights etc but I like to just apply a little rear most times that I brake - I'm not going to give you a percentage because it's daft comparing a twin six pot front on a hand lever to a single two pot rear on a foot pedal!!

Braking on bends/turns - lots more rear than front. When you progress to larger machines if you haven't been doing it this way then you'll find out the first time you overcook a bend that using the front heavily will increase you turning circle (and most likely dump you into whatever it is you are trying to avoid!!)

Front wheel lock up - easy. Slow down and anticipate lights changing. Ideally you want to be anticipating obstacles/problems in your progress early enough that you don't have to slam on the brakes.
There will be times that this is unavoidable, coincidentally these will be the times that you'll be kissing the tarmac!
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Make mine a Corona.

[grr666]

Yoga is very good for improving balance.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Tomahawk]

So basically you guys are saying that if you want to stop as fast as possible, you will inevitably drop the bike?

[Pigeon]

[Tomahawk]

[mentalboy]

[Tomahawk]

[mentalboy]

No, I'm not saying that.
A rear wheel lock up is reasonably easy to cope with, a front not quite so. With practice you shouldn't need to use your brakes so heavily that you'll lock them up.
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Make mine a Corona.

[Mysteriass]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d5o8d1kitM

[pinkyfloyd]

The chances are the reason you fell off is because you grabbed the brakes. The method for braking should have been explained in detail on your CBT. If it was not then allow me to go into instructor mode and what we tell the students. (of course made shorter and simpler)

[pinkyfloyd]

[Mysteriass]

[XBIKER]

We have probably all been there with the new bike, tanking into the ever decreasing bend then grabbing all the brakes with the inevitable result that the bike sits up throwing you off through someone's fence (if you're lucky )
Were you too heavy on the brakes or were the conditions not suitable for a quick stop. That's where experience kicks in as there are many dangers out there well capable of dumping you in the gutter and you'll either learn to spot them or you'll learn by falling off.

Wet roads, wet leaves on road, muddy roads, white lines, drains, manholes, potholes, diesel, road surface removed, newly resurfaced roads, rain, snow, ice, black ice (you won't even know)

Just slow down gradually until you get the feel of the bike and it's brakes in all conditions. There's no point in fleeing up to a potential red light.

[Rogerborg]

[andyscooter]

[wr6133]

Find an empty car park and practice braking progressively harder, you should be able to find the limits without dropping it.

[Taught2BCauti...]

[Musketeer]

If you cannot grasp the concept of progressive braking then get yourself a bike with ABS.

I use for braking mostly front brakes - then engine - rear brake the least. They are all useful depending on circumstances.
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Current Bike: Yamaha XSR900 Previous bikes: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, Aprilia RS125 2-stroke

[Nexus Icon]

I like to stamp on the rear brake and do a broadie as I reach the lights, just like I used to on my BMX.

Seriously though, squeeeeeeeeze the front brake and, unless it's wet or icy, it shouldn't lock. I actually find it harder not to lock the rear when I have to pull an emergency stop but that's not quite as pants-staining as locking the front anyway.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[Monkeypony]

Practice on a pushbike. The principle of progressively pulling a lever to slow down is exactly the same.

If you still can't get the hang of it, sell both.
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Current bike - 2018 H2-SX, 2004 SV1000s, 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF, 2017 Sherco SERF 300, 2003 Suzuki DRZ400 (stolen - AY53 JUU)

[The Disapproving Brit]

[Northern Monkey]

[mentalboy]