Braking when roads are wet

[sapstar]

I went on my first commute after buying a Kawasaki ER6N and when I had to brake a bit hard twice today during my commute, the rear wheel skid. Luckily I didn't fall.

I was riding small bikes in India (125cc to 250cc) for many years and am used to using rear brakes most of the time. Would using the front brake more reduce the skidding? Can someone explain what's the ideal way to brake in wet weather?

The front tyre is new and the rear tyre is a bit flat in the centre, but there is still tread on it. Would I need a rear tyre too?

[ThunderGuts]

Most of your braking effort should be through the front wheel - the weight on the rear, especially when braking, is low and therefore braking capacity is limited at best. Progressive braking and unless the surface is oily or particularly slick, you should be able to haul up pretty hard.
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TG.

[winz]

Use your front brake when you're upright. Don't snatch it just be progressive. I only really use back brake for slow manoeuvres and to scrub off a bit of speed if I'm going going round a corner a little too quickly.

If you're squaring off the rear make sure you have the correct tyre pressures. Get a new one.

Oh and poor obvs for braking hard twice.
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Current Bikes: BMW K1200S
Previous: Honda CBR929RR, Honda CBR1100XX, Honda CB600F

[Riejufixing]

[sapstar]

Thanks very much everyone for the tips provided. I will try and learn using front brake more. I agree on the poor observations. Need to be more attentive. I will also get Motorcycle Roadcraft for some Christmas holiday reading .

[iooi]

[MarJay]

[sapstar]

Getting the hang of it now. Much better ride yesterday evening and this morning . Thanks for all the tips.
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First/Current Bike - Kawasaki ER-6N

[Riejufixing]

[The Artist]

Isn't the rule of thumb 75% front and 25% rear in the dry and then 50/50 in the wet?

[ThunderGuts]

[Ste]

[sapstar]

[Easy-X]

You know how annoying it is when someone's pressed the button on the pelican crossing for a larf and walked off? If there's no one behind you take that as an opportunity leave it a bit late and test your brakes. No big deal if you overshoot a touch with no one on the crossing
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Undinist]

When you use the front brake the first thing that happens is you compress the forks. The second thing that happens is you squash the tyre against the road. If you're running out of room, you want to squash the tyre as hard as you can without it skidding. As you squash the tyre, the contact patch gets bigger, and it will put up with more and more braking force before skidding. That's why you brake progressively. If you just grab the brake as hard as you can straight away, the tyre will skid sooner. These stages are happening in the blink of an eye and you can't get the progressiveness right unless you practice. Lots and lots of practice. I promise you it pays off. Hardly anyone does it. If you put the time in and read your book, you can quite quickly become better at panic braking than an awful lot of more experienced riders. Then you can do track days and be the last of the late breakers, which is quite a rush. Another way to learn is by having real life genuine panics. This is very instructive but can be painful and expensive.

Off road on a dirt bike is the best way to start your practicing. If that's not an option, tarmac will have to do. Sometimes an industrial estate on a Sunday gives you perfect conditions. Start slow, build up gradually, get to the point where the tyre is chirping, which means it's about to slide. Then try it in the rain, but not on painted bits or shiny smooth tarmac. You can provoke a short skid at quite a low speed in the rain. It's very good for your confidence.

[Easy-X]

My bike instructor demonstrated with a football. "Thump this..." boing! "Now just press on it slowly... see, that's how tyres work!"
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[kawakid]

Could be shxt tyres.

I have an ER6N and had from new.

The stock tyres where crxp absolutely no grip and lost it in rain.

I binned them after less than 1000 miles and switched to BT23s I think. I didn't even bother listing the stock tyres on ebay as I judged them too much of a risk.

Think they were Mitchelin or some other shxte.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[kramdra]

Practise. Its worth knowing how hard you can pull before it locks the front. Practise that, in the wet on a clear piece of road.

Service your brakes. More feel and less pressure required to overcome seal friction.

Tyres. Swap to pr4's - they seem to defy physics with thw amount of grip under braking, nothing else is quite as good for the current weather.

[seeyalater]

I tend to use back alot too and engine braking, but if needing to stop quick use some front and back, doesnt your bike have ABS? if so your braking really hard on the rear, leave clutch out so use engine and as said above get used to a little front if you slow down last minute.
Ive got PR4s and do like them in the wet. im new too so cant expand on that much