Yawn. Alas for me as he was faster than me (to start ;-) ) I raced a guy who had about 3 years total riding experience, but went to CSS and did all 4 in quick succession, and all for being a tit and over zealous would have won the DD stuff in the second year. So thats 4 years riding a bike in his late twenties. Training can make up for years of poor skills being reinforced and bad habits pushing good aside. How many of you heroes would try and follow someone like Marquez the younger. He's in his teens and what can he know... on the ride Sunday I saw my fair share of poor obs, making other road goers take action either braking because someone cut in tight, moving over from oncoming bikes and found myself giving some far more room than normal. We can all be arses, I am when I get bored hence the occasional snatch at a wheelie (I'll be doing the, on this thing come next spring!!) and backing off to catch up again, but being an arse and thinking you're better than you are are two different, dangerously so, things. to the OP, get to an IAM or whatever meet, it costs next to nothing so what have you to lose?
My rear brake is used only at traffic light on hills. Never use it otherwise. If my bike was backing itself into a corner, that would mean I was in the early stages of crashing. I like my wheels inline and my braking done before I turn. I'd follow Marquez junior ok. Straight into the kitty litter and A&E.
You don't realise how much rear brake you use until you haven't got one - try riding an Aprilia RSV...
Me neither. I'm still on the OEM pads from factory. I ride on the balls of my feet. I know i don't 'drag' my brake. My mate does. Thats why he rides at the back. His fecking brake light flicking on/off inappropriately does our head in.
but if you use the back 'brake' to settle the bike and shift more weight onto the back wheel you can use the front brake much harder
Engine braking does that for me. maybe if I was riding on the edge it would help me but I'm just not that good lol.
With my vast wealth of experience (cough) there are two very important, and potentially life saving tips I have learned and keep with me throughout my riding: 1. A man without a motorcycle is a pedestrian. 2. Does my arse look good on the bike from the back.
I find I use the back brake very often on the road and principally in blind bends where it is hugely handy for scrubbing off a couple of mph you find you don't need. Blind bends abound in these mountainous parts. On bends I can see around I only really use the front because I can organise them better. I rarely use front and back at the same time. I now expect a chorus of people telling me that I'm approaching blind bends too fast but frankly, if you rode around here planning for a boulder in the road around every bend you'd never get over 20 mph. On track I don't use the back at all. The rear is hardly on the ground under heavy braking so using the rear really unsettles the bike (or it did on my 916).
This is the crowning irony. Ex police riders encouraging you to make progress when it's what the current police do you for at every opportunity. Oh for a police system that just left me alone to make progress instead of my constantly having to scan hedgerows and central reservations for the electronic means that are designed to prevent me from doing so.
Rear brake is your best friend for city riding, I use mine all the time in heavy traffic, stops the front end diving up and down.
