[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by chiefpk

Hi adi,

Hope this would help

Wow! I have been riding 2 wheelers for over 4 decades now and this video perhaps ranks among the top for concisely explaining the dynamics of braking in 8 minutes. Shumi is mind-blowing when it comes to motorcycles. Thanks for the video.

I ride a KTM Duke 390 (First Gen 2013 model) and as a practice, I always use front brake 100% upto say 60 Kmph - 70 Kmph speed which is the max one can use in most of the riding time in India barring the highway rides where one can do higher speeds. Technically speaking, I don't use rear brakes during city rides..

So, to me, it's full front brakes only within city limits during the slow city commutes with no use of rear brakes at all. And as Shumi says in the video, you need to keep 2 things in mind. Squeeze the brakes, do not grab them and Practice, as much as possible on a desolate road.

We, are hesitant to use the Front brakes due to an inbuilt fear that we might topple the bike. This fear comes from our cycling days. In cycles (earlier cycles like Atlas or Hercules etc) didn't come with any front (or rear) suspensions / dampers and when we learn with a cycle, we are taught to use both the front and rear brakes and never to use the front brakes alone. That's because in a cycle without front suspension, if you use only front brakes that's a recipe for disaster. So we were mentally conditioned and trained not to use front brake on a 2 wheeler. If you noticed around, even today people will advise you not to use the front brakes on a 2 wheeler and instead use the rear brakes which is actually an incorrect advice and now you know from where or why that advice is coming from our earlier generation riders.

Times have changed, from no suspension bicycle to very good suspension motorcycle.

As Shumi explained, during braking a vehicle, (2 wheeler or 4 wheeler) the braking load / pressure is max on front wheels and less on rear wheels. Have you noticed in cars, front wheels get disc brakes and rear get drum brakes and suspensions are different too and now you know why.

The easing off the brakes in a corner, that Shumi mentions in his video is called Trail braking which helps you maintain a decent speed in the corners and safe too. You can learn the same once you get comfortable with your bike and it will come later.

So, You can use only Front brakes in most city ride condition on good tarmac, and at higher speeds ( say over 70 Kmph) perhaps you can press the rear brake a tad later after squeezing the front brake (all depends on speed and how much traction the rear wheels have at that point of time). It's all about understanding your motorcycle, it's behaviour, it's brake dynamics and then adopting your braking style to the same.

Practice and more practice panic braking on an unused patch of road and that's how you get better at braking.. Remember to wear a good helmet (strap it tight and just don't plonk it on the head), wear good quality riding jacket, boots, and gloves all the time when you ride. It's known as ATGATT ( All The Gear, All The Time)

@adi.mariner Sir, I am tagging you as you had raised the braking query, initially. Hope this helps.

[adi.mariner]

Originally Posted by chiefpk

https://Youtu.be/tu8Fbe6urNk?si=vd-48eXrLuBHFqUO

Thank you for sharing this excellent video by Shumi explaining the use of brakes specially inside the city.

Originally Posted by ashkamath

We, are hesitant to use the Front brakes due to an inbuilt fear that we might topple the bike. This fear comes from our cycling days. In cycles (earlier cycles like Atlas or Hercules etc) didn't come with any front (or rear) suspensions / dampers and when we learn with a cycle, we are taught to use both the front and rear brakes and never to use the front brakes alone.

Thank you Sir. This was precisely the reason for my query regarding the brakes. I was using the front and rear brakes together for slowing down in the city as well. It will require a conscious effort on my part to minimize the usage of the rear brake inside the city atleast.