Re: [ST] RE: Brett - been there

[BrettWilson21@xxxxxxx]

Hey Chris,

I think the answer to that one is in your own words - "I panic braked due to 
inexperience."  
If you "grab" the front brake on a motorcycle it stands a very good chance of 
instantly locking and you will probably fall. I have managed to save a fall a 
few times by having the time to release the front brake to get the front 
wheel turning again and then applying the correct method of "set up, squeeze, 
ease".  Its a hell of an experience to go through and one that requires practice 
so that you act instinctively in such a situation as there is simply no 
thinking time to be had.

Tests with pressure gauges on the front brake lever have shown conclusively 
that you can almost double the amount of force you can apply to the front 
brakes by setting up  first then squeezing. This keeps the front wheel turning, 
transfers the weight to the front, takes the slack out of the suspension, spreads 
the front tyre contact patch giving control to your stop.

Unfortunately in my case there was a patch of wet diesel/oil at the point 
where I applied the brakes on an otherwise dry road. The fall was quicker than 
instant and unsavable. If the dog was small I would have run over it, I have run 
over plenty of small rodents like rabbits that dash across the road without 
any upset to the bike, but it was big dog and I calculated that I was going to 
be in trouble by hitting it.  

This is the first crash on a road bike I have had in ten years and I have 
learnt from it.

All this talk of ABS has me very interested to ride a bike so equipped. I 
have driven cars with ABS and had a lot of fun testing it. The one time I was in 
a car as a passenger and required the ABS for real, it failed. The wheels 
locked and we skidded into the car in front. The vehicle was a Mazda Astina 323 
(1996 model) that belonged to a housemate when I was living in the UK. 
Subsequent testing showed that the ABS was function as it should. No one could explain 
why the wheels locked up.

Take care
Brett
Sydney. 

  
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