TenHut

OMG...sorry but tap-release-tap is the worst kinda braking you can do on bikes. Seriously, it will only destabilize the bike. You are supposed to use the brake levers as a "regulator" and not as an on-off "switch".
You start with gentle pressure on the front lever gradually giving the lever hell. When you apply gentle pressure the weight of the bike shifts forward. The front tyre now gets more contact patch to take more braking input. Thats the only reason why you should be gentle first and then you MUST go on increasing the braking( with more contact patch the tyre has enough braking traction to take a lot of braking abuse).

Grabbing the lever in panic braking doesnt allow the front contact patch to widen and hence the front skids. Its not because the force was too much. The same force if applied after making sure of the front contact patch will stop the bike without the front skidding.

Thats not how ABS works. The system doesnt brake hard and then release pressure and then brake again and then release again. The system doesnt brake at all untill you trigger the system by being a moron with your brakes. The system sheds excess braking input to prevent the wheel from locking. The System then distributes the force between the front and the rear wheel to keep the bike stable. The System is doing all this with an ECU which is cycling at 16 rounds per second. IN short it is finding out if the wheel is locking 16 times in ONE second. The System exists because you cannot do it with your brain. Dont attempt to do what the ABS does. You simply cannot. Garry McCoy can.
The system is also distributing the force to keep the suspensions in their best working range to provide maximum traction.

Keep the contact patch concept in mind and now Imagine the tap-release-tap method. You will brake the front..the bike will dip..then you will release the front..the bike will shoot up. The contact patch which was widened during the dip has now disappeared cause the bike has shot up. Now you will brake again only this time you have even lesser contact patch. I am sorry but thats Bullshit. You are also makign the front forks jump up and down. How will they help you in maintaining the traction up front ?

Keep the lever pressed. Thats why braking is the most important aspect for sportsbikes. You need to practice it to death. Your wheel shouldnt lock if you are doing it right..for you to release the brakes to prevent the locks.

I for one didnt like the IRC tyres. They are ok but when you start pushing the bike harder you know they arent gonna help you any further.
Leaning the bike untill you drag the pegs doesnt mean the tyres are dishing out good grip. It means you body positioning needs to be changed.

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n_aditya

Thanks for the detailed explanation TenHut. I've learned something very important today. I guess this is why i had a nasty tankslapper.

Sincere apologies to fellow members who read my post and thought its the right thing to do. I guess i was misinformed or ignorant.

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Go Green...

bluevolt

It just goes to show that even with years of experience of riding, one(me) can have his basics wrong. Thanks for pointing that out Rohan, appreciate it!
My apologies to Aditya since he seemed to have used my advice to brake.

I guess the CSS can wait, first I have to go attend the MSF course the next time I am in the US!

harikeshpk

it seems that TH has forgotten that there is also a rear brake on the bike. In India road conditions vary like hell. which means you cannot have text book braking lessons. the theory of front wheel creating a grip may be true on good even roads but not so for the real Indian type roads most has to drive on. track, good super highways and normal city roads call for different braking combos of front and may be rear.

it may be wise to do tap release to slow the bike combined with the rear brake rather than gradual pull especially in a panic situation as gradual pull my end up in wheel locking.

some pro's (world champs) braking tips have completely forgotten the rear brake even saying it as a waste.

with considerable riding behind him blue volts method is what he uses and found to be good in the real roads that he has been through. so it is one method you can use the way it suits you.

create your own custom menu from all the lessons on braking. that's what will work best in an emergency.

rennycornelius

beautifully explained...
the bolds were the basics, that i didnt knew.

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The Magician"

TenHut

Are you aware that some newbie will read your post and try the stuff out on the roads ? Do you realise that spreading wrong info may cost someone their life ? Braking is serious business harikeshpk.
Here is what you are suggesting : when in panic situation it is wise to tap-release the brakes.
Have you ever been in a panic situation ? Do you know how much time you have to brake in a panic situation ? There is a reason why it gets termed as "Panic" braking. You practice your braking everyday not because you should know how to brake when in panic. You practice braking on a daily basis to make braking a reflex action. Something what they call as 'muscle memory'
Now tell me how in the hell are you going to have time to tap and release when in panic ? You wont even be halfway through to your first tap before you crash.

I ride in India too. I know the roads here. Neither have I forgotten the use of rear brakes. Sportsbikes are biased towards the front in terms of weight distribution. On ANY roads except gravel you can afford to completely ignore the rear brakes(for sports bikes) Braking is a function of the weight distribution on a bike..its different for different bikes.

My posts may come accross as condescending to you but trust me that is not my motive. I am just screaming at the top of my voice because I dont want someone crashing their bike and breaking their bones for they read something somewhere about tap-release method. For the love of biking..I aint trying to prove any point. Just dont tap-release. Dont beleive me either. Go asking other people. There this good guy on xBHP called cgsup1. He knows his cooking way better than anyone on xBHP. PM him..

Pls dont tap-release the brakes on two wheels..

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Anupdas

Sorry for my intrusion. TenHut just explained the right method. I remember an interview of John Hopkins mentioning the transferring weight to front tyre while hard turning, to prevent the bike from low siding. He mentioned about using the rear brake to "brake the trail". Can you explain what he meant by that?

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Well-trained reflexes are quicker than luck.........

SAGARR_46

I strongly recommend going through any of the following books/videos to get your basics right when it comes to braking.
Twist of the Throttle- By Kieth Code
Performance Riding Techniques- By Andy Ibbott
Sport Riding Techniques.- By Nick Ienatsch

All of the above books with tell you that the braking technique described by Tenhut and Sheelpriye is right. Reading through any of these will help you understand why the press-release-press technique isn't the best way to brake and why it can prove really dangerous.

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TenHut

its not a technique at all. Its not a way to help your bike stop ..it does the opposite of that. So yeah its not like chosing between two techniques. Its just plain wrong.
That said..I crashed my 600 due to panic braking...so it aint something I can do myself either. but everyday I am learning to do it better and thats all that counts..it will save my life.

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jd666

im with tenhut on this.. a general person does not have the reflexes or the tact to brake properly.. Only thing can be done is to practise and train the mind to be cool and respond correctly, but that rarely happens. Point in case, my own experience on the ninja a few pages back when i hit the water at about 110 + kmph.

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