Great advice as always. The key is to practice. My friends laugh at me as I practice lots but when I jump on a new bike first thing I do is see how the brakes perform from 70. All bikes are different. Practice and get to know your bike. Wishing Kevin and everyone a very Happy Christmas 🎄 from the UK 🇬🇧
I’m riding an ‘02 BMW w/o ABS. New riders - practice emergency braking from 40mph+ so when you need it you have experience on your bike. At very low speeds and U-turns, lightly dragging the rear brake really is your friend. 👌🏼
Been binge watching your content, thank you SO MUCH, I’ve been trying to practice every day, I never really cared to get better until I came across your channel. Thank you for taking your time to explain these concepts thoughtfully and in a comprehensive way, and giving it away. You’re saving lives with your platform and I hope you realize just how much GOOD you’re doing for the community, because it is commendable. And thank you for your service to our country.
This is totally opposite to sport bikes, I never use the rear brakes, almost ever. I see a lot of accidents with riders using the rear brake and just standing on them. Just different bikes, I guess.
@@JAMESWUERTELE you're not understanding what he is saying, when you're going slow you use the rear brake, you simply have more control. And stopping on hills etc etc. Any low speed manuever will be easier with a rear brake.
Ive been on and off riding my entire life since age 12 now late 60s including on and off racing too... what I have become frustrated just lately with my latest 900cc motorycle purchase )Yamaha Tracer 9gt) is my apparent lack of ability to simply come to a nice smooth stop ...but I think suddenly I understand why and was looking for verification (this finding this video) .... I believe it is because my go to stop has always been the front brake but with this particular model those two large radial caliper disks along with my ability just lack the finese to do smooth slow speed complete stops and DUHHH I SHOULD have thought about this immediately instead of taking hundreds of miles of riding with me bull headedly ONLY trying stop smoother with no changes to my normal technique ....which obviously I dont seem capable of with THIS motorcycle (has never been a problem with other bikes so I assumed I could simply learn to be smoother) I mean it is seriously nothing dramatic at all my stops are always safe but it just embarasses me in from of other riders that my bike does this lurch dive stop and then I am a teensy bit awkward putting my left foot down I feel like a total noob ....So when I go riding again today I plan on practicing stopping with the REAR brake for my final complete stop! DUHHH right! No lurch dive at all is my prediction and I also plan to practice getting my left foot down early too ....Funny how slight differences in bikes can create brand new problems such as this....It also does not help that ones reflexes tend to deteriorate with age....in my 20s I would come to a stop and without touch foot to ground yet I would flip the kickstand down and gently as a feather stop the bike resting on the stand feet on pegs still....I could not do that these days to save my life lol
Hi kev been there done that in a panic Situation grabbed the front brake while the handlebars are fully turned right I jumped off the bike when it started to go down lesson learned at a cost of £1450 in parts for my bike Kawasaki Z1000 SX think you know them has the ninja 1000 sports tourer nice topic today 👍👍👍
Hi Kevin. Thanks very much for all of the tips and guidance over the past year. There’s always more to learn (says a 60 year old rider) and your passion for sharing is so valuable. Keep up the good work and a happy Christmas from Sydney, Australia.
I am all the way in the uk. And I’ve been watching your videos as a learner with L plates . To now having my full motorcycle license. That said am still learning every day. What I’ve been doing is just using my back brake at slow speeds coming to a stop. It’s like am almost scared of using the front break. This video has really helped me Kevin . Thanks so much for all your videos Kevin they have had a massive impact on how I ride my bike. God bless all the way from Liverpool uk. Many thanks. Tom maher.
I'm a new rider and I always wondered why the front and rear brakes were separated. This video explains everything about it and I even learned how to improve my slow speed cornering 👌
Slow speed braking with front brake in a turn is a recipe for dropping the bike which is an even higher risk on a soft surface like gravel or dirt. ( A friend told me......)
@@JAMESWUERTELE Trail braking is generally utilized for much faster speeds in a turn, twisty. I use it often. Slow speed turning, like U turns or slow speed turning in gravel, using only a front break does increase the chances of dropping the bike.
Word of warning on CBS combined or linked braking systems. Be extra careful of dragging the rear brake while doing slow speed manuvers with the handle bars turned...it will apply some front brake with the rear and can cause a drop of you squeeze too hard.
Not necessarily. It depends on the brand of motorcycle. For example, Harley linked braking disengages at speeds less than 20 mph. So you can drag the rear brake without any worry of automatic front brake engagement when doing slow speed maneuvers. I am not familiar with other brands linked systems, so read the owners manual for an accurate understanding of how your linked braking works.
Great idea ending a stop with just the rear brake, that's one thing I haven't been doing and my front end does pop up at the end of the stop. I usually start braking with the rear brake first, then apply the front brake so I can tell which one has how much power.
I appreciate your videos about braking . I applied this in my riding practices through recent years. With this strategy my riding is smooth and gives much more control . Merry Christmas to you Kevin 👍
One thing I absolutely love doing when coming to a stop at a stop sign or light, is not putting my feet down at all or for as long as possible with brake control, balance, throttle control and clutch control.
Hell yeah. Especially tjrough parking lots I try to ride as slow as possible before letting my left foot down. It's just about learning better slow speed control.
Fantastic tips in this video 👍😀 We have a saying in Australia 🇭🇲 You Can't Beat Experience ! You have years of Experience & thats good enough for me 👍🕺 Cheers from Bundaberg Australia 🇭🇲🍹🏍
Kevin, great video. I’ll checkout your complimentary video as well. Most people don’t have to ride on gravel but if you do, stay off the front brake. Merry Christmas!
I’m a brand new rider and I been watching your vids and Jerry paladino vids. You guys are awesome. Can’t wait to get my first bike and start practicing
Switching to your rear brake as you come to a stop will make your stop smoother and more controlled, and your motorcycle will be more balanced... Interesting claim. Please explain what makes this so... My stops are 'controlled' no matter if I finish braking with the front, rear, or both. As both wheels are connected to the same bike I find no evidence of one brake providing any more 'balance' than the either, or both. Actually, I find if I finish braking with the front brake, I can take both feet off the pegs as I come to a stop, ensuring I actually maintain balance when the bike is stopped. I rarely have to brake so hard that I get much dive at the front. One aspect you didn't address was braking while turning. This is a critical skill riders must acquire if they want to be competent when riding on our roads and highways. Also braking in wet conditions should also be addressed. If a biker is going to crash when braking, these two situations are the most likely...
Merry Christmas Kevin and thanks for all you do you saved my body and my life. And probably countless more people are thankful because of you. I wish my initial motorcycle training class talk more about breaking and the different uses for the front and rear. I learn more watching half an hour of your videos then 3 days in class with them. Thanks again
Hello MC rider a lot of god advice but very boring videos. Can’t see them to the end. Advice: please mix your talk with some other pictures or videos, to many of you out there talking to a fix camera. Please don’t take It personally I respect your knowledge. // MC rider from Scandinavia
I just bought a 2006 honda reflex 250 and the brakes are horrible. Both are hand and linked.. Just mushy , bleeding help please? 2 bleed nozzles on front caliper.
I've started to also make it habit when a car is stopping in front of me or slowing to turn, i will bounce my foot up and down JUST A LITTLE bit two or three times on the rear break peddle, not enough to really apply the back breaks in any real manner, mainly just the weight of my foot is enough to do it, but just enough so that my break light flashes a few times as I'm starting to pull on the front break lever before finally applying both breaks. This to me at least is a good way to get the attention of anyone behind you to let them know your slowing or stopping outside of a stop light or stop sign.
I have been dragging my rear brake for about a second or so when getting moving from a complete stop. I find it to really help stabilize the bike, especially when I have a pillion with me.
MCrider - Motorcycle Training same when navigating really tight switchbacks in slow speeds. Crazy the difference it makes. Last but not least if you someone wants to test stability with rear brake, come to a full stop and then release the rear brake with only left foot on the ground. Amazing how much you can feel suspension unload and bike become less stable
Great video and well presented. Its a pity we don't have empty car parks here in the UK, like you do in the US!!! Very difficult to practice anything without riding in traffic.
Thank you for another great video and excellent explanation. I use my rear brake most of the time but I have seen lately on the GoldWing that I have been using the front brake for certain stops. Maybe this is due to the DCT I am still figuring that out.
I try to use engine braking as much as possible and gently downshifting before having to come to a stop; I often find myself not needing to use brakes almost at all! Also, I practice the "think 10 seconds ahead" riding paradigm; this allows me to anticipate slower traffic, stops and red lights. Whaddya think?
i fell on the bike today a car cut in front of me and i braked pretty hard.. the bike started screeching and the back wheel came out from under me. idk what i did wrong. can someone tell me. i dont remember if i hit the back brake at all, or if i pressed it too hard
But all of these are meaningless when a dog or a child running out in road. I guess we cannot keep our mind calm to handle fast in a situation like this.
Thank you for sharing the braking videos. Always working on braking. Learned all about the danger of using the front brake when turning when I dropped (crashed?) the bike during my MSF class and ended up on crutches for weeks. But I learned from that experience and continue to work on my braking skills ever since.
in the beginner course they teach you how to not crash their bikes before the test. In reality, using the front brake while turning is both common and highly recommended for both speed and safety purposes. Even at low speeds, I am very aggressive on the front brake because compressing the forks improves bike geometry and loads the front tire, resulting in safer, faster turns at low speed.
Thank you so much MC Rider I always give massive credit to you and my trainer for helping ride efficiently and strategically on the road...God bless you Sir and happy holidays to you and your family...Much love all the way from South Africa 🇿🇦 🇿🇦...
This is a good video for a beginners. There is so much more to consider like braking in turns, trail braking, and honestly just breaking on sports bikes VS cruisers and touring bikes. Overall, I agree with everything said here. Great video brother.
Knew a top F3 bike racer in NZ back in the 90's, built a Kwaka ZXR 600 into a 400 frame (with a little bit of shoehorning of the front wheel into the radiator....) His rear disk comprised of an alloy rotor with approx 50mm holes in it, and 55mm disk pads. The result was a brake that would pass scrutineering, but would disappear if touched during the race. The result. Extremely fast laps... NO rear brakes during the race. (250kph in 1/4 mile)
This is real yesterday , i restarted riding after 20 years at 46 , on the way which I knew have done 2000 miles in the jungle road of western ghats in South India to my work place from home 200 miles , before ascend i was totally confused after a panic braking seeing a bufullo , I used rear brake in the single channel ABS moni 200 cc ADV,stopped had tea saw this video, i was back on track , my style came back see the road do your braking , use all, Thanks dude🙏
THANKS A MILLION DEAR SIR FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS IN SAFETY EDUCATION TO MANY MOTORCYCLISTS AROUND THE WORLD 🌎 😉 ... THIS AS A MATTER OF FACT ... A GREAT 👍 👌 👏 🙌 😀 PRECIOUS GENEROUS GIFT COMING FROM A BIKER & A GENUINE RESPECTABLE GENTELMAN LIKE YOU 👍 SIR ... (( A JOLY MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎅 🎄 TO YOU & YOUR RESPECTED FAMILY & A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 IN ADVANCE ... MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS YOU 🙏 ✨ 🙌 IN HEALTH & WEALTH ... AMEN 🙏 )) ...
Big old school Harley/Indian. 100% rear brake. Real handy floorboard pedal. Hands have arthritis and front brakes are "dangerous" Sportbike Street Rossi: 100% front brake. Rear brakes keep your mind off getting a knee down, which is why you have a leg. Naked, Standard, Goldwings and Dirt/dual bikes: both at the same time. Different amounts of balance for different situations.
Hey, Kevin. How about showing us(me) how to do a tight U- turn on that Goldwing? I've been trying, without too much practice in a parking lot, on doing a tight turns but, each time, I get nervous about dropping the bike😱🙄😁 I have NEVER dropped my Goldwings, 2 owned so far but, it's still a nerve wracking maneuver every time. To add to all that, it's 1000 times worse when my wife is riding with me. She had been riding with me for over 10 years so, she's no "amateur" passenger. Thanks for all you do for us, stay safe and keep 2 down and shiny side up, as we say.👍😎
If riding a bike equipped with ABS but using a braking technique in an emergency that does not engage it, how do we know if we have reached that 100% braking threshold? I do switch it off from time to time and practice emergency braking without it but I wouldn’t hesitate to reach that threshold and maintain it, allowing the ABS to do its work. It is my understanding that in a car, the ABS will almost always out perform even a professional driver. Would the same not apply to a rider?
I'm going to comment before I watch. Then see where my flaws are. I just started riding and it feels pretty natural to me to use both rear and front, slightly, but I think most of my braking comes from downshifting. Now let's see how I should adjust.
If you don't need new front brake pads at about 30,000 miles, you might do a self-assessment of your braking habits. They should be just about worn out. They should have about the same wear as the rear pads. Likewise, if you can't seem to get over 9,000 to 10,000 miles on a rear tire, you might also do the same self-assessment of your braking habits. The rear tire should wear just about equally with the front. Other than quick starts, over-usage of the rear brake will wear out a rear tire before it's time.
I don't get to watch as often as I like or should Kevin but when I do I ALWAYS learn something.👍 Wishing you and yours over there, a Merry 🎄🤶 from me and mine down here.🇦🇺 May 2021 be better for us all.🙏
