Loosing the front wheel in the wet

[Psychonaut]

Scared myself a couple of times over the last week or so loosing grip on the front wheel while braking too hard in the wet. I know its my fault by not leaving enough gap infront and misjudging the road surface (shiney black bits on road repairs). Both times the bike has gone to the left resulting in me putting my right foot down to keep upright and I have automatically let go of the brake so the bike has righted itself pretty much straight away but its quite unnerving. Is it just coincidence that its gone he same way twice or is it due to the canver on the road. Should I be putting my foot down or just try and hand on whilst letting go of the brake. Is this a normal experience I should learn to adapt to (like then the back steps slightly out when you go over a manhole cover in the wet) or something that I should avoid at all costs (much bigger gaps infront in the wet/ride around a problem )

[fuzz]

Leave yourself a bigger gap - 4 seconds is recommended in the wet - and brake progressively. Use a little back brake but too much might lock it up. Don't get into the habit of 'I need to brake now, oh shit' yank the lever in, it'll take you longer to stop than squeezing the lever.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

It happens, but is something to be avoided. Often the first you will know about loosing the front end on the brakes is when you get up close and personal with Mr Tarmac. Avoid being in the situation where you need to brake that hard.

Not sure how much effect putting you foot down really has. Suspect it has little effect in reality, but is something that would probably be very difficult to avoid doing.

All the best

Keith
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[Psychonaut]

Both times down to my own stupidity really. 1st was going over the brow of a hill that is 1/4 mile from a junction I saw the brake lights go in the car infront so I applied mine but he came to a stop which I didn't expect so had to brake a bit to hard turns out there was a queue of traffit all the way up the hill (the queue is usually only 3-6 cars there and it must have been 30 odd) but thats what happens when you travel the same journey for 9 years you get complacent.

2nd was this morning filtering through traffic the road opened up (open road infront of the van) so I pulled in behind the van just as he brakes to a complete stop (to let a car out of a side road) Didn't brake that hard but I was over a road repair.

Thanks for your replys

[the grim reaper]

Your clue is in the word 'usually', this means you are expecting something to be the same way it was the day before - bad idea!

FWIW, everyone makes these sorts of mistakes, it's spotting the mistakes and eradicating them from your everyday riding that is the key. Once I've learnt how to do that, I'll let you know

Cheers

Grim
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[Gazdaman]

I've only ever lost the front once in the wet, and was on my MZ 125.

A swift stamp down with my right foot caught it just in time and I stayed on. God knows how, but it worked and I didn't bite the black stuff.

Sounds like you're just grabbing the brake too hard, so should leave a bigger gap. Simple as that.

Gaz

[paulthewitt]

I have heard the reason the bike goes left (you go down on your right hand side) is to do with the disc being on the right side of the front wheel.

apparently the force through the wheel slows the right side slightly more so that skids first sending the bike away to the left. like i say, this is based on what ive heard, so could be rubbish!

Paul

[Jack_Cheese]

My brake disc is on the left, and the last few times i locked up the front, the bike went to the right. It's not a nice thing to happen to you, but a foot down stops it falling. Either that or the bike takes you with it when you're going too fast. If you get on the back brake first, the worst thats going to happen is the back brake locking which is easy to control, even for a new rider, so i go for 40:60 front:back brake, and gradually increase my front pressure, keeping the pressure on the back brake constant(unless it locks...).

Jack
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[gimpy limp]

gotta remember that your back brake is no where near as effective as stopping you as the front is, so I favour the back for that reason and because its easier to control unless I need to stop quick sharpish then its the front and back. Dunno if anyone else gets shown this in their cbt's but my instructor showed us the difference between the 2 and just using the back caused it to stop a good 2 bike lengths more than just using the front. At 30 using the back and front it stopped in a few metres if that. I quite like it when the backend comes out, it's only a matter of easing off the back and following it through, i've had mine out 50 degrees from left to right on really gravelly stuff that i forgot was their
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[stinkwheel]

[doggone]

Whats your tyre wear like?

[Psychonaut]

Tire wear is fine 2500miles from new I am told that the OEM tyres are crap on the CBR125 in the wet but I've had no trouble cornering in the wet yet. I think its just down to lack of experience, just shocked me how quick it goes without any warning, where as when the back goes is seems more progressive. It feels like you'll never know the fronts about to go until it does

[ranna]

I lost my front wheel twice at around 5 mph on some wet leaves lol but thankfully survived on both occasions. Would have been some serious road rash lol
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[NSR125-Kid-UK]

I lost the front in the rain .

It hurt .

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=25230
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[mchaggis]

I locked the front up in the wet last week. Everything bent back more or less into place without too much fuss. You need not even be harsh with the lever, just pull it too hard and it can go down. The brake disc is on the left side of the wheel, the bike fell to it's left, though that might have been a result of my automatic reaction to stamp with my right foot.

Said stamp did nothing but break my big toenail. I have however saved a fall with a boot on several occasions before, so it's not an altogether lost cause. As regards getting off the brake, that is simple common sense. A slippery surface will mean that you need a fair amount more time before the wheel stops sliding though. The best bet is to avoid it all together.
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[RealNinja]

[Kickstart]

[RealNinja]

[biggerjohn]

What can I say over that I love ABS

It has helped me keep the bike rubber side down when cagers do the most idiotic things at the most idiotic times.

I can't see my self ever buying a road going bike without it now.

[beefcake]

Hi

When I had my CBR125 (on stock tyres), I felt it go at the front a few times. Certainly wakes you up! I don't think they give fantastic grip, and a good stamp of the foot can save the bike. The tyres on the CBR are quite narrow, and although it has plenty of grip in the dry, I always used to take more care in the wet. They didn't inspire me with confidence especially after feeling the front slip.

Take more care riding in the wet, leave bigger stopping distances, and see the couple of slips you've already had as a warning to take things easier now winter is on the way.

If you want better grip in the wet, change the tyres. Hope that helps.

Deano
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[killa]

The size of the tyres don’t help either, is that your bike in the avatar?

I would say that the new materials they use on those new bikes are brilliant, but much lighter, I found a lot less slippage on older bikes late 80’s early 90’s because of the weight and thicker tyres.
I’ve had a go on a bike similar to yours, they stop in an instant so progressive is the key!

Trick is to use more of your strength with the bike, don’t let it make you think it is going to quick so you need the brakes, you should be travelling at speeds in the wet that are very comfortable to go around corners using your engine braking using your body more.
Unfortunately shiny tarmac and manhole covers are not your fault, your regular roads should be memorised for this crap, with the roads you are not too familiar with all you do is ‘expect’ things like that.
Don’t freeze up either when you know your on one or cant avoid it, you’ll loose you feel for the road and can sometimes make rigid movements that can, in the end be your downfall.
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[Jack_Cheese]

I had a nice 2-wheel slide going round a slippery corner going to the pub from which i have just returned, managed to get it sorted though. It would have been fun if i wasn't riding my only form of transport. It has been a hairy day...

Jack
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[BenBray]

I had the back go earlier - I was going pretty fast around a tight bend... I felt like I was sliding, then realised the bike was no longer pointing exactly where I wanted it to. It wasnt as bad as I thought it'd be.

As for the front going, I've had that twice. Once was a stupid application of front brake on a slow corner [can you say knobhead?]. I pulled the bike back up while sliding my foot on the floor :o Better off stamping me thinks

Second time I was braking and the front of the bike bike just seemed to tip to the right. Somehow saved it - relaxed on the bars, gave it a small amount of throttle, ended up in a nice big lean to the right. Didnt help me to avoid my mates clio in front though

Anything outside of your control is just that - theres nothing you can do about it. Beat the road condition into your head for winter and you should be fine - just slow down
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