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bigdom86
Traffic Copper



Joined: 17 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: 00:10 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: first drop Reply with quote
so had my first drop today and in the process bent my clutch lever and pedal (replacing both soon).

still trying to work out what happened.

i was going around 10mph past stationary traffic, a car swerved, i swerved to avoid it and must have grabbed the front brake hard. all i remember is one minute being upright and the next sliding on my head and side, i am guessing i locked the front? this has never happened before even under hard braking, maybe because it was raining a bit harder than normal or maybe i hit diesel?

what is the best way to avoid locking up, i rarely use the back brake but on the way home tried my best to use both and not brake as hard Embarassed
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techathy
Traffic Copper



Joined: 09 Aug 2015
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PostPosted: 00:24 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
By habit of cycling in city traffic I always having my middle finger over the brake leaver. This provides enough power to stop very quickly but not enough to throw me straight over the handle bars if I suddenly grab the front brake. I carried this over to motorbiking and it seems to achieve very similar results.
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Barnoe
Trackday Trickster



Joined: 17 Aug 2014
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PostPosted: 00:27 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Best way is ABS
Combined ABS even better.

There are some that say they dont like ABS on bikes, but if ABS had stopped you dropping your bike.. why not!

Its takes a lot of self control in that split second panic not to pull on your front brake really hard and lock up..... as you have just found out :/
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You know you are old when you're told to slow down by your doctor and not the police.
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Ste
Not Work Safe



Joined: 01 Sep 2002
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PostPosted: 00:31 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Did you slide into the car you were trying to avoid?
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bigdom86
Traffic Copper



Joined: 17 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: 00:34 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: re Reply with quote
nope car zoomed off into distance and left me on the floor. passing binman stopped his truck to see if i was OK but didnt get a plate number.

think when i pass big bike test will go for one with ABS
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Ste
Not Work Safe



Joined: 01 Sep 2002
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PostPosted: 00:38 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
There was no need for anyone to get a plate, you were able to slow down enough when sliding along the road to not hit them, they weren't to blame for you grabbing the front brake and falling off. Wink
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bigdom86
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Joined: 17 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: 00:45 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: re Reply with quote
lesson learnt Laughing although i think your brain goes into autopilot in those situations so would probably happen again same way
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talkToTheHat
World Chat Champion



Joined: 21 Feb 2012
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PostPosted: 02:51 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ste wrote:
There was no need for anyone to get a plate, you were able to slow down enough when sliding along the road to not hit them, they weren't to blame for you grabbing the front brake and falling off. Wink


Not true. My first notable off someone pulled out on me and i think stalled and i lost control of the bike trying not to go through the side of the car. The bike and i both missed the car. Killed a bike and sprained my ankle. Police were more focussed on trying to help me 'recover' the bike but my insurance got there first and screwed them out if their comission fee.

Other party's insurers eventually admitted liability on behalf of their client. Am proper grateful to the gaggle of mums on the school run who prevented the asshole from leaving before several people gave me his numberplate and their details as witnesses.

Not worth the hastle for no injuries and bent levers.

Covering the brake is more likely to casue a panic squeeze if someting startles you. Swerve or brake, dont do both at the same time. Wet. Cold tyres. Could have braked that hard and got away with it upright on a clear road, or made the swerve. But younasked the tyre for both. Or it was just snatching at the brake. Or bad luck and a manhole/diesel.

On a 125? Practice the mod1 swerve test. Not hard, but if you can do it at 30mph neatly with two little countersteer pushes, you'll have a skill to keep you upright.

Pressing the back brake increases weight transfer to the front. Skillful and practiced use of both brakes will see you set, but short wheelbase sportsbikes lift rear wheels. I can lock the rear wheel of my cruiser with it's shitty drum brake by being stampy at 10mph. Practice emergency stops. Keep bike upright and squeeze the brake lever progressively harder then ease off before you lock. Wet roads are slippery. Wet road paint and tar bands - the kind of stuff you are likely riding over when filtering are really slippery.
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Yorkshire Geek
Scooby Slapper



Joined: 02 Jun 2015
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PostPosted: 23:12 - 25 Nov 2015    Post subject: Re: re Reply with quote
bigdom86 wrote:
lesson learnt Laughing although i think your brain goes into autopilot in those situations so would probably happen again same way

Train yourself until it doesn't. I'm in the same place as you where I admit I'd likely do that, but I know it's a bad thing and important to fix.
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talkToTheHat
World Chat Champion



Joined: 21 Feb 2012
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PostPosted: 01:12 - 26 Nov 2015    Post subject: Re: re Reply with quote
Yorkshire Geek wrote:
bigdom86 wrote:
lesson learnt Laughing although i think your brain goes into autopilot

Train yourself until it doesn't.


This. Practice until the trained response is to do the right thing. Until a swerve is quick countersteer push, until a stop is a progressive squeeze. Until swerving and braking are mutually exclusive. Drill it until the desired response becomes automatic.
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The last post was made 10 years, 289 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
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