Decided to practice wet emergency stops today

[SirFallalot]

And guess what happened!

I have both the full A tests and a trip soon, coming back from a looong bikeless holiday I thought i should practice slow manoeuvres and the big stop beforehand while it's pissing down as I hadn't riden the 750 in rain...

Was doing it progressively, 20-0, 30-10, 40-20, 60-floor
I actually managed 2 60 to 20, but fell right off on the third lolz

Anyway, was reading some topics on straightening handlebars and whatnot. Saw some used ones on eBay for 25-30, better to get some used ones or do you usually have any luck straightening them?? Not sure if anything else out of whack, also broke the footpeg so was riding funny. At least I didn't break the odo like I always do on the 400, just the headlight. And shame, the exhaust was so shiny.

All in all l'm glad I ride cheap bikes and bought most of my gear on eBay
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Lexmoto Valiant 125; 94 CB400; 96 CB750F2; 81 CB750 (restoring, lol not gonna happen); 2001 ZX9R(It's about to go :c); 2012 R1200R; 2015 R1200RS

[Pete.]

Firstly, don't think of it as 'emergency stop' think of it as 'stopping under control'. All you have to do is come to a quicker than usual stop without skidding - from around 30mph - and if you are doing it in the wet then all you have to do is, well, stop. Practising at 60mph in the wet is a bit daft.

Bars are a piece of cake to bend back into shape so long as they are not kinked or flattened where they bent. Long piece of wood to align the wheels and a tape measure. Have someone hold the steering straight and the bike upright then use the tape to check one side against the other. Measure back from the bar end to somewhere at the back like the rear indicator then measure each side down to the front spindle. Bend the bars by hand and get the measurements the same within about 10mm. If they are only mildly bent then straightening them won't hurt. If you're talking like 30 degrees or more don't attempt it.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I've never had a bike with ABS but I wonder if it'd have prevented that?
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[doggone]

It should stop your wheels locking up, that might not be why he fell off though
I have noticed it working reasonably well even at lowish speed on crappy stuff at the edge of the road for example

[stinkwheel]

Steel bars are less likely to suffer from internal stress fractures having been bent then straightened than alloy ones.

Check your steering lock-stops.

Watch this: https://youtu.be/HiOGAYOXN8U

I'm not so convinced about preloading the levers like he says but it's a very good explanation about the physics of braking and why a progressive squeeze is better than a grab.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[SirFallalot]

Thanks for the tips guys, yes it was definitely daft

It was that progressive braking that I was practicing. Also I'm as sore as the first day at the gym after years
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Lexmoto Valiant 125; 94 CB400; 96 CB750F2; 81 CB750 (restoring, lol not gonna happen); 2001 ZX9R(It's about to go :c); 2012 R1200R; 2015 R1200RS

[Bhud]

Practising emergency braking at all sorts of speeds is a very good idea. It will save your bacon one day.

If your front wheel skids, you've grabbed it too hard, but that's no problem, as all you have to do is let go of the brake and hold the bike in a straight line, and you won't fall.

Progressive pressure on the front brake. As soon as you initiate this, apply the rear brake. It's a sequence, and it will stabilise the bike.

[MCN]

[SirFallalot]

Well not sure if abs would've helped much, maybe, probably, I have tried it in cars with varied results depending on road conditions (when I drive a new vehicle for a long journey, first thing I do is check braking).

This once I was testing, albeit at slower speeds, braking on pine leaf covered country lane. The abs took about twice as long to stop as controlled braking. I found this quite amusing.

Regarding my ooopsy, it was very very quick, I thought I was getting the hang of it, but must have been lingering on the limit because then it instantly slid off before I knew what was happening. I was quite surprised tbh, as when I did the same practice on my 400 I was able to feel it and recover.

I'm an avid Fortnine watcher too
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Lexmoto Valiant 125; 94 CB400; 96 CB750F2; 81 CB750 (restoring, lol not gonna happen); 2001 ZX9R(It's about to go :c); 2012 R1200R; 2015 R1200RS

[Bhud]

[barrkel]

Based on my aggressive year-round riding on slippery London streets on bikes with ABS, I'm certain you wouldn't have crashed with ABS, providing you were braking in a fairly straight line. With functioning ABS, on road which is simply wet and not covered in oil or ice or debris, absolutely 100% certain.

When I rode my many SH300s every day, I regularly exercised the ABS through aggressive riding and deliberately braking at the limit. You can feel the ABS pump pulsing through the levers on that bike when it kicks in, so I was well aware of it. I used it to ride faster in wet weather because I knew I could slow down rapidly while retaining control. I'd ride hard up to a stop line with a red light and brake hard, learning how much extra slippage I'd get under ABS.

The most dramatic incident that I recall had me effectively drifting somewhat diagonally, with partial traction on both front and rear, while emergency braking for a hazard (I no longer recall what it was). I still had control over steering and I did not crash or drop the bike.

I'd never buy a bike for commuting that doesn't have ABS. Commuting means riding all year around (so, all weathers) and filtering during rush hour. I could do it on a non-ABS bike, but I'd be a lot slower when the weather is wet.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[c_dug]

I agree ABS would have almost certainly saved it. My current commuter has no ABS and having gotten used to having it over the past few years it's definitely a thought in the back of my mind whilst filtering in the rain.

[Serendipity]

I value ABS for exactly that. Filtering in the wet along slippery white lines. The majority of front wheel lock-ups that I've provoked have been panic grabs as a car changes lane without looking. Eating tarmac because someone manoeuvred without due care is shit and anything that can help prevent that is good.

I've saved quite a few front wheel lock-ups on bigger non-ABS bikes, but smaller bikes seem to fold and go down in milliseconds. Not sure if that's additional gyroscopic assistance from a heavier, still spinning rear wheel on the bigger bikes, or just better brakes that release quicker. I binned my old RXS100 a couple of times in the wet. My reactions are pretty good, but there was no saving it either time. It was down and sliding in an instant.
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2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[Bhud]

[Ste]

What you're saying is Mark Hinchcliffe is a Dirty Bertie AND his Motorbike Writer website is a Dirty Bertie?

[Bhud]

[PotatoHead202...]

Yes, this is the reason why I sold my Tuono. The Sprint that preceded it had ABS and it didn't so I was quite nervous - or rather suspicious - that i'd made a bad decision to go back to a non ABS equipped bike.
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Honda VFR1200F, Honda CBF500 ABS, CZ125 now CZ175

[SirFallalot]

[SirFallalot]

Also I managed to get parts for the bike by Friday and was braking hard by Saturday morning

It was in a straight line, barkell you are right, abs probably would've saved it, but I had expected to be able to save it myself, such as is possible at slower speeds, before things went sideways. At least now I know exactly how much I can brake at 60 in the wet i just hope I don't forget
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Lexmoto Valiant 125; 94 CB400; 96 CB750F2; 81 CB750 (restoring, lol not gonna happen); 2001 ZX9R(It's about to go :c); 2012 R1200R; 2015 R1200RS

[Pete.]