First Ride...Some questions.

[JoeyG]

I took my first ride last night on my 98 GS.  After some problems with my MSF certificate at the DMV, I got everything sorted out and was on the road that evening.  It was great (a little cold).  I definitely need some time to get used how it like to be driven.  

Just one question though...is there any way to give the front brake lever more play?  I only had to put very light pressure on the lever for the front to really start to dive.  I am sure that its just my lack of skill and technique but, I just wanted to know if there was something mechanical that could help correct this.

[skrap1r0n]

Welcome Joey and congratulations!

First, I will tell you how I do it, and it seems to work great. I apply Rear brake and downshift, letting off the clutch easy. The motor and rear slow you down quite a bit and I only begin to use the front brake toward the end, 25-30 mph or so. If your front end is dipping, your probably braking too hard.

Letting off on the clutch easy is important though, as if you do it too fast, you may lock the rear wheel for a few tense seconds.

[scratch]

Welcome!

Letting off on the clutch easy is important though, as if you do it too fast, you may lock the rear wheel for a few tense seconds.

This is where matching engine rpm's to rear wheel speed is important.

But, first let's address the front brake 'play'. There really isn't anyway to adjust 'play'. The firmer, the tauter, the better. This makes for really good feedback at the brake. So your diving is from too much brake. That's alright, you're learning. Be smoother in your application of the brake. Start with the rear brake and then gradually increase pressure on the front lever. Keep your eyes straight in front of you. Pick a spot on the ground that you want to stop at, and apply the brakes. Practice, practice, practice!

And congratulations!

[ConanLloyd]

Welcome and congrats.  I'm just around the corner from you.  I work at NIH and live in Eldersburg (70 & 32).

Once I get mine back on the road I'll ride with you sometime if you want.  If you want to do any wrenching you're welcome to come up and use my garage.

[weaselnoze]

contrary to what skrap said, i learned that its important to use both brakes simultaneously.  i dont know the exact ratios but its something like 80% front %20 rear.  someone please add to this so i dont pass on false information!

[Dom]

Letting off on the clutch easy is important though, as if you do it too fast, you may lock the rear wheel for a few tense seconds.

Tell me about it...yesterday I ran out of gas and while I was fiddling with my petcock(still riding 60mph) it ran completely out....my battery has been dead for a while so I pull onto the shoulder and think I'll bump start it in 2nd....welll, I'm still traveling 40mph and the rear wheel locks when I pop the clutch and I slide for about 30 feet, pop the clutch again and it finally starts back up.   :mrgreen:

[cummuterguy]

I only had to put very light pressure on the lever for the front to really start to dive.

Another thing that will help you tremendously with that 'dive' feeling is to replace the stock front fork springs with ones from Progressive. It's amazing how much difference that will make. You may not even be applying too much pressure, it may just be you are used to the MSF bikes or a dirtbike with a stiffer front suspension.

Congrats on your first ride

[shaykai]

Feel free to correct me since i'm probably wrong, but i was looking at the owners manual yesterday (can't ride, no license so i just gotta read!) and i thought i saw a way to adjust the front brake. I don't have the manual in front of me, so i'm not sure. Maybe someone else knows what i'm talking about?

Shaykai

[cummuterguy]

there's an adjustment on the lever, but it will only change the contact point of the brake lever. I would strongly suggest you don't mess with this while learning to ride.
basically, if you 'loosen' the freeplay in the lever, in a panic stop, you will have a tendency to grab harder and all that freeplay just gives your fingers more 'strength momentum' before contact. Not a good idea.

[Triton]

contrary to what skrap said, i learned that its important to use both brakes simultaneously.  i dont know the exact ratios but its something like 80% front %20 rear.  someone please add to this so i dont pass on false information!

Same here, very important to use both.  If you get used to just using one, you will regret it when you get into a tight spot and need to stop NOW.  All front brake you will go right over, all rear brake and you will not stop in time.

[dgyver]

...All front brake you will go right over, all rear brake and you will not stop in time.

Not all true...All front brake will not put you over the handlebars.

[TheGoodGuy]

soft front end could be bad seals. I remember the slightest touch of the front brake even with progressive springs was diving hard.

Remember you are a new rider, ease into things. Take it slow. Things will dive. I prefer to use rear brake with engine braking over complete front brake use.

Be careful when you lock the rear wheel when coming to an emergency stop. For me its easier to lock the rear wheel than put all the braking on the front. I need a bike with ABS>

[Jeff P]

Good advice from the rest of the guys, won't bother repeating it here.  Good to see another GS'r in our area.  I live in Germantown and work in Bethesda, once things warm up I'll be riding to work    I can add to Conan's offer of riding & wrenching help, I've got plenty of tools and a garage to work in.

jeff

[Kerry]

I don't recommend this while you're new to riding, but as you gain confidence you should build up to the "maximum braking effort" that David Hough talks about in his Proficient Motorcycling books.

When that emergency stop situation comes along (and it WILL) you need to KNOW how hard you can apply the brakes without skidding.  It will depend on the road surface, your tires, and how "tight" both of your braking systems are.  So, you will need a lot of practice in a safe area.

As Mr. Hough also repeats, over and over: use the front brake, use the front brake, use the front brake.  It's not that you should exclude the rear brake ... it's that you should use BOTH.  You should understand mentally, and come to know in your bones, that the front brake wields the greater stopping power and is your friend.  

It will probably take a while, but you need to become more ... and more ... and more reliant on the front brake.  Yes, it can be a touchy beast because of that great big rotor in the front.  (It's NOT the same as your old 10-speed's front brake!)  But someday you will need it, and that day will end up a lot better if the two of you have been good friends for a long time.

OK ... lecture over.  Good luck out there!  

[JoeyG]

Thanks all for the tips.  I will be sure to keep on it.  

And thanks to Conan and Jeff P. for the hospitality...I'll let you know if I need anything.

-Joe

[Triton]

...All front brake you will go right over, all rear brake and you will not stop in time.

Not all true...All front brake will not put you over the handlebars.

So if I am doing 60mph and need to get on the front brake hard to stop and I hit the brakes to hard, I have no chance of going over the bars?

[Kerry]

So if I am doing 60mph and need to get on the front brake hard to stop and I hit the brakes to hard, I have no chance of going over the bars?

dgyver is the racer, so I'll defer to him.  But it seems to me that you have very little chance of going over the bars.

When that cow walked out into my lane ("Groan!" goes the crowd, "Not again!") I was doing about 65.  Believe me, I clamped on both brakes as hard as I could.  I continued along for approx 1 full second - with the rear skidding, so obviously on both tires.  I didn't go over the handlebars until the bike bounced off the cow and I kept on going.

Maybe ... if you had stainless steel brake lines, and sintered brake pads, and super sticky tires, and a monstro grip ... maybe you could get yourself to do a stoppie or "go over" as you came down from that kind of speed on a GS500.  But I doubt it.  At least not until you were going fairly slow, by which time I would think that your reflexes would have kicked in and eased up on the brake lever.

dgyver?

[davipu]

well I don't know what others experiences have been but I know that I can do two fingered stoppies with stock brakes and Chen Shen tires, from 40 mph.

[Dima26]

About the braking again.
Don't forget about the weight transfer. Initiallly when you start braking, the weight is distributed evenly (almost) between the tires. Then, as you brake, you are giving yourself a deccelaration and the weight transfers to the front. Which means, you should not apply full strength on the front break until you feel the front end dives, at which time you should decrease your pressure on the rear brake.

[Blueknyt]

put it to you this way, Max braking on a motorcycle or even a bicycle is done with the front brake.  for ABSOLUTE MAX brake the bike can put out, the rear wheel will Float off the ground a few inches before it starts to shift the ballence PAST the front axle. Now yes, if your acting the ninny and grabing a full hand of front binders then your either washing out the front end (sliding the front tire to crash) OR your taking your next flight before the plane leaves. I use very little rear brake cuz thats what im use to, and i mostly use it for unpredictable road conditions/sufaces.

back when i was really foolish, i loved anything over 100mph, 2am cooking along at about 130(indicated) on my old Katana 600 i crest an overpass and found a state trooper just got on the highway and i snatched the front brake and got down from 130 to 60mph very VERY quickly so i didnt pass him (5.0 stang) the whole time on the brakes the rear wheel was off the ground clutch was out and tach read 1100rpms. Idling. i was at Max braking without fliping over. No i wouldnt want to repeat it but its still fact.  most the time, tapping the rear just gets the weight transfer started so more weight is on the front for better braking.