Braking in wet weather

RugbyFanatic

Hey,

I have only been riding on the road for a few months now but yesterday when it was wet on several occassions my back tire slid luckily I controlled it and didnt come off but it was unnerving.

Just wondering what are some tatics to avoid skidding in wet weather? Obviously drive slower but avoid back brake and just use front or anything like that?

BlueBandit

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Hey,

I have only been riding on the road for a few months now but yesterday when it was wet on several occassions my back tire slid luckily I controlled it and didnt come off but it was unnerving.

Just wondering what are some tatics to avoid skidding in wet weather? Obviously drive slower but avoid back brake and just use front or anything like that?

Sounds like your using the back break too much, should be 50-50 in wet and 70front -30 back in the dry. Try bringing in the fron first and if you start to feel the back wheel sliding out bring in the front harder. Roads are slippy as hell this weather

RugbyFanatic

thanks mate. I only really used the back brake but after the first 3 slips I tried using the front more and it certainly helped. Always afraid if i pull too hard on the front I'll flip over though!!

Really have to get lessons soon

madrab

yeah, always watch out for slippy roads if it rains after its been sunny for a while

Dr4gul4

Gear down, and use the back and front lightly, it all comes down to the bike your driving of course, twin discs at the front will help semi prevent a front slide, but if you brake hard enough it will still happen.

If the rear slides it's easier to control, but again thats dependant on speed, and they type of bike.

Some bike like V twin's have great engine braking, and this coupled with gearing down will assist you in slowing down.

Also watch out for the 1st time it rains the roads will be very slippy, but it seem you have figured that out already


d.

pirate reject

Its always un nerving when pulling in the front brake on a wet road as there is a constant fear that it will lock (and as we all know locking a back wheel is bad but a front is lethal). The key to front braking in the wet and dry is to bring the brake in gradually.

Gently applying an initial pressure onto the front brake 'loads' the front wheel forcing the wheel onto the road and actually creating greater traction. As you load the front wheel you can then brake harder to slow yourself down faster. Obviously the whole process is carried out faster than it sounds here but you should maybe consider practicing in a quiet area to get your confidence up and improve your technique. The other thing to remember is that as you load the front wheel you take the load off the back wheel. This is why the back wheel will tend to lock more easily and why you should not apply as much pressure to it.

Hotblack Desiato

BlueBandit wrote: »

Sounds like your using the back break too much, should be 50-50 in wet and 70front -30 back in the dry. Try bringing in the fron first and if you start to feel the back wheel sliding out bring in the front harder. Roads are slippy as hell this weather

I prefer to say it this way. 70 front + 30 rear in the dry = 100.
20 + 20 = 40 in the wet, because the grip available to you is much lower.

Keep your distance, look well ahead not just at the car bumper in front, and never squeeze a brake hard and suddenly, apply it progressively.

Also be careful changing down on a slippery road, if the revs are too high it will provoke a slide.

BlueBandit

Did trhe track training day in Mondello last year and they have a section on emergeny breaking. Get you too build up as much spead as you can then break as hard as you dare. We repeated this 4 or 5 times getting faster and harder each time, its amazing how much pressure you can put on the front break and how quickly it slows you down. I was always very nervous about using it before but not so much know. The idea of testing it out yourself in an empty car park or the like is spot on, find your own limits. But dont blame me if you wreck your bike.

RugbyFanatic

BlueBandit wrote: »

Did trhe track training day in Mondello last year and they have a section on emergeny breaking. Get you too build up as much spead as you can then break as hard as you dare. We repeated this 4 or 5 times getting faster and harder each time, its amazing how much pressure you can put on the front break and how quickly it slows you down. I was always very nervous about using it before but not so much know. The idea of testing it out yourself in an empty car park or the like is spot on, find your own limits. But dont blame me if you wreck your bike.

Yeah think I will look into this.

Its a Honda CBR 125 by the way if that helps.

Just whilst I'm here I'm hoping to upgrade to a kawasaki ninja 600 in a few months when I get more comfortable do you think I would get insured on one at 18???

tk123

BlueBandit wrote: »

Did trhe track training day in Mondello last year and they have a section on emergeny breaking. Get you too build up as much spead as you can then break as hard as you dare. We repeated this 4 or 5 times getting faster and harder each time, its amazing how much pressure you can put on the front break and how quickly it slows you down.

Anybody go too hard and come off??!

Hotblack Desiato

BlueBandit wrote: »

We repeated this 4 or 5 times getting faster and harder each time, its amazing how much pressure you can put on the front break and how quickly it slows you down.

Yes - on a well surfaced track, with the tyre nicely warmed up...

Track days are great for confidence and showing you that the limits of the bike are a lot more than you thought they were, without going over those limits (hopefully )

On the road trying to ride to the same limits is a quick route to either casualty or the mortuary. Most people are smart enough to know this, but there are a few who don't seem to have got it (yet.)

OP - at 18 on a 600 sportsbike you would be lucky to get a quote at all without going to the Irish Insurance Federation*, and it will probably be over 10,000 euro.

* if you get turned down by all the insurers you can go to them, they are an industry association and have an agreement that if no-one will insure you they will make the first company that turned you down give you a quote. It's never pretty though.

Hotblack Desiato

tk123 wrote: »

Anybody go too hard and come off??!

Oo-er missus

Tomohawk

Drive slower. Drop your speed a bit in the wet and rain as visibility is affected as well as traction.

murphaph

Don't use the brakes in the wet. Just keep going.

Luckycharm

Yep only time I ever came off the bike was a good few years ago in the wet - coming to a traffic lights going quickish- lights started to go amber pulled the brakes- bike went from under me- slid a bit it was late at night so a little cut I was fine. Anyway thought me a lesson about driving in the wet.

Actually what I find the most dangerous in the wet are when I am driving over road marking and especially Metal Drain coverings.

CrazyRabbit

Luckycharm wrote: »

Actually what I find the most dangerous in the wet are when I am driving over road marking and especially Metal Drain coverings.

Yup, I'd agree with that as well. Also, any area where vehicles usually get stopped in traffic (including traffic lights, busy junctions etc) are particularly dangerous when it rains after a dry spell.
You'll find oil that had dripped from the vehicles gets dispersed over a wide area and makes the road slippy.
The worst place I've seen for this is the little hump back bridge that goes over the railway line at Castleknock train station. A few weeks ago, I seen the cars ahead of me sliding all over the road and wheelspinning, so I got off the bike and pushed it over the bridge. Even walking on the road was tricky. The off-ramp coming off the N3 at the main Blanch junction is also a bad spot for this.

lord lucan

Luckycharm wrote: »

Yep only time I ever came off the bike was a good few years ago in the wet - coming to a traffic lights going quickish- lights started to go amber pulled the brakes- bike went from under me- slid a bit it was late at night so a little cut I was fine. Anyway thought me a lesson about driving in the wet.

Actually what I find the most dangerous in the wet are when I am driving over road marking and especially Metal Drain coverings.

same here. had a slide in march,braked hard approaching a roundabout but the front wheel locked just as i went over a road marking,she was gone from underneath me in a flash:(

Odysseus

Luckycharm wrote: »

Actually what I find the most dangerous in the wet are when I am driving over road marking and especially Metal Drain coverings.

As a young lad on my first bike a RD 125 about 18 yrs ago I had to break as I was filtering only going about 10-15 mph took a slide on a pile of leaves covering a manhole cover= compound facture tib and fib. Six operations and six weeks in hospital, I still hate the ****ing things esapecially in autumn.

Esel

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

I only really used the back brake but after the first 3 slips I tried using the front more and it certainly helped. Always afraid if i pull too hard on the front I'll flip over though!!

Really have to get lessons soon

Have you even read any books or mags on riding? Take some lessons asap. Get yourself a copy of Roadcraft (the bike one) in Eason's or online and read it carefully. Most of your braking should be done using the front brake. It takes a hell of a lot of lever to lock the front wheel. And flipping over? Never going to happen!

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Yeah think I will look into this.

Its a Honda CBR 125 by the way if that helps.

Just whilst I'm here I'm hoping to upgrade to a kawasaki ninja 600 in a few months when I get more comfortable do you think I would get insured on one at 18???

Jebus mate, from this thread I'd say keep the 125 for a good while yet!

You don't want to prove the cynical saying that I heard in the States years ago: "Most motorcycles last a lifetime." :eek:

dc69

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Just whilst I'm here I'm hoping to upgrade to a kawasaki ninja 600 in a few months when I get more comfortable do you think I would get insured on one at 18???

If you have a full licence and €20,000 to pay for the insurance, then yeah.

The fastest bike at your age is an rs 125,which will do about 110 if de-restricted and geared right.

I am 20 and my insurance quote was 1100 on an rs,so yours would be around that.

A few years ago insurance was craz.when i was 18,I had bought an rs 125 and then apllied for insurance,it was €9,000,needless to say I didnt take it.

so I expect a ninja to be at least €20,000.

colm_c

dc69 wrote: »

If you have a full licence and €20,000 to pay for the insurance, then yeah.

The fastest bike at your age is an rs 125,which will do about 110 if de-restricted and geared right.

I am 20 and my insurance quote was 1100 on an rs,so yours would be around that.

A few years ago insurance was craz.when i was 18,I had bought an rs 125 and then apllied for insurance,it was €9,000,needless to say I didnt take it.

so I expect a ninja to be at least €20,000.

OP -- At 18, you'll be lucky if you even get a quote for a Ninja 600, you'll also have to get the restriction on it. Better off getting some training, not only will you be much safer in all conditions but you'll enjoy the bike much more.

Build up at least a years NCB then maybe look at moving up to a 250.

Bigger bikes are completely different animals to the smaller ones, some aren't that much faster but the comfort, handling, braking, road-holding are vastly improved IMO, an rs125 would smoke some 600cc machines.

BlueBandit

ninja900 wrote: »

Yes - on a well surfaced track, with the tyre nicely warmed up...

Track days are great for confidence and showing you that the limits of the bike are a lot more than you thought they were, without going over those limits (hopefully )

On the road trying to ride to the same limits is a quick route to either casualty or the mortuary. Most people are smart enough to know this, but there are a few who don't seem to have got it (yet.)

OP - at 18 on a 600 sportsbike you would be lucky to get a quote at all without going to the Irish Insurance Federation*, and it will probably be over 10,000 euro.

* if you get turned down by all the insurers you can go to them, they are an industry association and have an agreement that if no-one will insure you they will make the first company that turned you down give you a quote. It's never pretty though.

It was in a wet car park actually. They were teaching us some skills and what not before letting anyone out on the track. One lad made a mess of it alright but was nothing too serious

batman_oh

good point above, if you think you are gonna flip your bike from using the front brake(especially in the wet) you probably need some training or to read some stuff
the only way to flip it that way is to stoppie it, which you will pretty much only do intentionally as if you grab a handful with properly compressing the forks it will lock at speed
i use no rear brake ever, some people do, just dont hack the brakes in the wet, no reason it should do anything other than stop