[armored_pig]

I dropped my GS500 today, pulling into my driveway.. Low speed, front break, during a right turn--the combination pulled me and my bike over on its right side :bitchslap

I should've known better..

Reminder for other newbies----NO FRONT BRAKE AT VERY LOW SPEEDS!!

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

I dropped my GS500 today, pulling into my driveway.. Low speed, front break, during a right turn--the combination pulled me and my bike over on its right side :bitchslap

I should've known better..

Reminder for other newbies----NO FRONT BRAKE AT VERY LOW SPEEDS!!

I have done it too. Just learn from it..

 

[Stick N Move]

Sadly a reminder really wont help much, but thanks for posting. What really helps is when it actually happens to you and you learn through trial and error. Just about all of us have done it and thats how we all learned. So dont feel bad at all.

 

[stamford]

You can use front brake..just use it smoothly. But your half right, its definetly best to use rear brake at low speeds, its more idiot proof. And dont feel bad, I did it with my sv at around the 25k mark following some one into a parking space.

 

[usernamedoug]

funny story yesterday at the local hangout, a guy who teaches at one of the msf courses watched me use my front brake (far from smoothly) at a super slow speed crawl making a tight 90 into a parking spot.

got a reminder from him saying not to do that unless you want to learn the hard way...at which point i thought why the hell did i do that, because i do know better, but we all make mistakes.

 

[JERSEYRIDER]

It's instinct...you get so used to useing the front brake for the majority of your braking. I did it pulling into the driveway on my last bike, but was asble to save it. All you can do is let it roll off your back and move on.

 

[SpeedLives]

you have frame sliders? or would they have not helped?

 

[peterpiper]

I have a gravel driveway that goes down hill at the end and I did the same thing the first day I had my bike.

 

[Squid Killer]

Reminder for other newbies----NO FRONT BRAKE AT VERY LOW SPEEDS!!

Reminder to you...your front brake didnt make you fall. Trying to stop with the front tire turned did. :neener

Make sure your front wheel is straight before you stop. When the forks compress and then spring back up during the stop, the energy will push you to whateve side you have the front wheel turned.

If the wheel is straight then energy goes through the center of the bike and doesnt try to drop the rider to the left or right.

 

[Stick N Move]

^ Good Advice

 

[usernamedoug]

ya this should probably be clarified. Stopping with your front brake at umm low speeds (going to happen eventually when you stop) is of course fine.

Low speed manouvers should generally be done on the rear brake if theres a need to slow down or have more stability.

i can totally see a newb taking this the wrong way and trying to use his rear brake around a 15mph corner and end up eating shit.

 

[MattR302]

I've done that too... was turning into my driveway when i thought to stop to get the mail. Ended up laying it down in slow motion, luckily no real damage.

 

[Stick N Move]

I've done that too... was turning into my driveway when i thought to stop to get the mail. Ended up laying it down in slow motion, luckily no real damage.

Hows the finger these days?

 

[beowulf2k]

The best way to think about front brakes is like squeezing a tit. The harder you squeeze, the worse its gonna hurt. Squeeze soft and gradual. After a while you will be a perfect tit squeezer. No shit.
I suggest practicing with BOTH brakes, but some dont-I do. Its there for a reason-learn how to balance em.

Oh umm if you never squeezed a tit-try a water balloon

 

[teamcarramrod]

so im going to roll down my drive way (its a hill). as long as i'm straight it shouldn't be a problem using my front break right?

 

[usernamedoug]

so im going to roll down my drive way (its a hill). as long as i'm straight it shouldn't be a problem using my front break right?

go take an msf course....seriously you'll learn a ton.

Using your front brake is fine in a straight line, hell its fine at any time if you're good and smooth on the brakes.

If the bars are turned and you arent super smooth on the front brakes the bike is going to want to fall over in the direction that the wheel is turned, as has already been mentioned.

There is a whole skill to using your rear brake while slipping the clutch during low speed manouvers, if you just try and take little bits and pieces of information and try to make sense of when to use them you're probably going to end up hurting yourself.

The msf course covers most if not all of questions like how to use your brakes properly.

 

[peterpiper]

Is it a gravel driveway? Seems to make a big difference.

 

[usernamedoug]

Is it a gravel driveway? Seems to make a big difference.

good call on that one, dont ever use your front brake on gravel/sand if you dont have to. And if you do have to you're probably going to wash out the front end.