Front brake panic

[670cc]

What is your preferred DOT 4 brake fluid? I'm getting ready to change mine and want to hear some opinion on preferences please

I'd just buy one that says DOT 4 on the bottle and it's on sale.

I think its better to just change the fluid on schedule with a low cost fluid that meets the specs (DOT4), rather than pay twice or three times as much for a pretty bottle and a big brand name (just to feel like you did something extra special for your bike).

A brake fluid thread?

 

[rippin209]

I'd just buy one that says DOT 4 on the bottle and it's on sale.

A brake fluid thread?

Yeah a brake fluid thread, you see how many people get lit up over oil, there is just as much science behind brake fluid and I've looked into it but there is always someone who knows more and actually has some facts and science, i just wanted to see what you guys had to say on the topic (preferably without anyone getting their blood pressure up)

 

[b_rubenstein]

Wally World carries Prestone DOT4 and I'm sure it's fine. I'm also sure that there will be differences in the boiling point from one brand to another, but unless it's fresh fluid in the brakes and you're road racing, it doesn't matter.

 

[paprides]

Not being an expert and never having engaged my abs...my opinion would be that the abs would help prevent locking up the front wheel. Locking the front wheel often causes the bars to lock left/right where the real problems happen at speed...just theories that live in my mind

Hello neighbour!
ABS works to prevent lock-up either the front and/or rear tire during braking. (dunno if that was unknown to you or i merely read your post incorrectly).
I've not experienced the wheel/bars locking to the left or right in any of my hard braking scenarios, either on ABS or non ABS equipped motorcycles.
Seen it, never experienced it myself.

 

[potter0o]

Hello neighbour!
ABS works to prevent lock-up either the front and/or rear tire during braking. (dunno if that was unknown to you or i merely read your post incorrectly).
I've not experienced the wheel/bars locking to the left or right in any of my hard braking scenarios, either on ABS or non ABS equipped motorcycles.
Seen it, never experienced it myself.

Hello *waves*

In my mind I was imagining the stoppie that Krampus was describing. I assumed the rear tire was in the air. With the front wheel locked and back wheel in the air what would the outcome be? I think with the focus on stopping in the emergency situation the rider may have trouble keeping the bars straight or keeping the bike from rotating around the bars. I'm sure we have all seen the stunters who practice doing this but I'm just not sure how well the average rider would do. The higher the back rear is the harder I think it would be to control the front tire skid.

With the ABS I think it would help prevent the front wheel from locking up and avoid the excitement described above.

 

[rippin209]

I was heading home over Pacheco pass (that I go over twice a day, 4 days a week) they are widening the road (no big deal all the work is in center divide) we get to the end of the construction heading down hill on a decent grade going 70 in one lane when someone notices a CHP sitting in the center divide so the construction workers are less likely to get run over (he was probably napping or playing on his phone) either way I was behind a large American made pickup and the car that was in front of that pickup noticed the CHP and slammed on his brakes dropping from 70 MPH to less then 40 MPH I grabbed allot of front brake, forks compressed front tire even let off some smoke (I don't think the back tire came off the ground but it felt like it did (side cases always on, one empty one had my riding jacket) and everything stayed centered and upright, I'm impressed with my non ABS NC700X front brake (I would have paid for ABS without DCT if that was possible in the USA)

 

[Sonny]

ABS is a lifesaver if you grab the brake hard instead of squeeze, but activating it costs you stopping distance compared to what the bike will do if progressively braked right up to but not past traction loss. That makes sense because ABS prevents lockup by releasing the brakes 20 or 30 times a second. Over 2 or 3 seconds of OHMYGOD! emergency stopping activity, cumulative braking force is reduced. Something you might not have hit with proper technique, you may hit, though hopefully going slow when you hit it.

The way to test this limitation of ABS is to get on the brakes going downhill on soft sand or some other very slippery surface where traction loss / ABS activation happens very early. ABS starts buzzing away, it starts feeling like Not Much Brakes, and if the down grade is steep enough and the surface loose or slick enough, close to No Brakes. Then it is time to avoid target fixation and figure out where you want the bike to go, because you're going there.

 

[SilverRocket]

I've read this thread before, but after re-reading it now I think it might be a good idea to also try emergency braking on a downhill slope.

I had to do some quick braking the other day at a new stop sign at the bottom of a small hill. They are installing these new stop signs in my area but not posting flags, like they used to when there was a new sign. So it caught me off guard.

I could feel both brakes (we only have 2 instead of the 2 front disks and one rear on most bikes this size) just aren't up to the task. I could feel the weight of the bike fighting the brakes, making the braking distance probably a bit longer than I'd had on my previous bikes. Or maybe it was just the added force from going downhill.

Either way, I'll be looking for a place with a good slope to practice stopping quickly.

 

[rippin209]

I've read this thread before, but after re-reading it now I think it might be a good idea to also try emergency braking on a downhill slope.

I had to do some quick braking the other day at a new stop sign at the bottom of a small hill. They are installing these new stop signs in my area but not posting flags, like they used to when there was a new sign. So it caught me off guard.

I could feel both brakes (we only have 2 instead of the 2 front disks and one rear on most bikes this size) just aren't up to the task. I could feel the weight of the bike fighting the brakes, making the braking distance probably a bit longer than I'd had on my previous bikes. Or maybe it was just the added force from going downhill.

Either way, I'll be looking for a place with a good slope to practice stopping quickly.

I think it's the amount of dive the NC has when you really pack on the front brakes is more of the problem. When I first started riding my NC I was new to riding (again after years and not much on pavement anyway) and grabbed a fist full of front brake twice before developing better habits. Once was on a down hill slope at freeway speeds and it felt like the rear tire was about to come of the ground if it wasn't already, sheer luck and brute strength saved me from wrecking. But I think think the brakes are adequate and if they were much better I would have simply gone over the handlebars.
I do have EBC HH sintered pads installed but I believe that's equivalent to stock for the front

 

[TigerDude]

I don't think this bike will endo. My non-abs skids the front before the rear wheel lifts, though I need to re-test now that I'm on sports tires (Dunlop Sportmax Q3+).

 

[dduelin]

If it wasn't stated already in this thread it is a good idea, mandatory in my opinion, that we practice full emergency stop braking from 30 mph often.... Every ride isn't too often. This is braking to the threshold of a skid on a non ABS bike or just short of ABS activation on an ABS bike. The front tire will howl and it will leave a discernable mark on the pavement. Knowing what it sounds and feels like will make it less of a surprise, a familiar calm in the storm 'I can do this, I've done it before' instead of total surprise and ensuing panic. If we practice the One Two Squeeeeze to maximum lever pressure over a two second period it's practically impossible to skid the front wheel due to weight transfer onto the front contact patch. 600 or 700 lbs of weight pressing down on the front tire does that. When you get good at the maximum squeeze you will be surprised how easy it is to then to chirp the front tire at 30 mph with an instant full-on grab then instant release on the lever. Do this drill to teach your brain what to do when the tire does lock up.

If you ride 75-95 mph often we should practice threshold braking from there too. It sounds and feels completely different at higher speeds but if you hustle down back roads often eventually hard braking to your limits will be necessary.

We do what we train, train, train, train, to do and in an emergency those stored programs we develop in controlled practice kick in without thought, stave off panic, and might save the day.

 

[rmezei]

Hi All,

This weekend I had to do some harder breaking than usual and I was with the wife and bike fully packed. At one point after hard breaking I could smell some burning coming from near my bike, possibly near front as if the breaks were overly used and burned - is this possible?

I also noticed my breaking capacity is not as good as it was prior to the douchebag mechanic replacing my tires (sorry I don't trust mechanics at most shops) and he didn't replace the bolts as per the manual as it calls for this to be done... I did check the bolts and they are tight... how can I check front break is OK and pads ok? Fluid is fine and when I squeeze levelr the bike does slow down decently but it's not like a dual disc and coming from 100 kph / 60mph to a stop 2 up can be a little tricky...

Any thoughts?

 

[T S N]

When I ride 2 up I find I can, and do use much more rear brake. More weight= more traction.

 

[rmezei]

I read that it’s normal for the breaks to overheat ... I mean it can happen when applied that hard ... but how can I tell when I need new break pads ??? Just squeal ? Or is there an indicator ?

How else can I tell my breaks are ok ? Fluid is fine and no lights on dash ... also breaking seems ok but it’s not like a dual disc !

 

[dduelin]

Brakes, breaks, bray-aches. Will the real noun stand up?

The Honda original brake pads have a wear indicator molded into the friction material. It's a 1 mm tall hollow rectangle in the friction material that is right up against the metal backing plate. When the pad wears away the thickness of pad material is reduced until the brake disc touches the wear indicator thus 1 mm of material remains.

Overheated brake pads can smell burned and exhibit some loss of braking power but when the pads cool off the braking power should return unless the pads glaze. A few hard uses or a long fast run down a mountain shouldn't cause this (glazing) but if so you can pull the pads out and abrade the glaze off with sandpaper.

 

[rmezei]

Lol ! Thanks for the breaking tips I hate typing on the cell phone !

Seriously though ...thank you for taking a break (edit: brake) out of your busy life to reply to a fellow slim shady NC dude!