Stupid Cager with no brake lights has got me thinking about Brake Upgrades

[sledge]

well, some times, following distance increases can be the wrench in the system too     

Behave yourself......if someone cuts you up you pull back to a safe distance, whats so hard about that? and if you are in 3 or 4 lanes of traffic you can expect it to happen and should act accordingly.......its called defensive riding, some people are good at it, they can read the road and predict with a high degree of accuracy whats going to happen next, some are not, the ones that are not usually become a statistic and no matter what always come off worse. Its ok blaming someone else for the accident but thats no conselation if you have to spend the next 12 months in a chair and walk with a limp for the rest of your life. I have had 1000s of cars pull out in front of me over the years but so what....it happens. I am still here in one piece and I am not complaining about any of them..........hhmmm I wonder why that is, maybe its because I have learned to ride within the limitations of the bike I am on, the road conditions and my own abilities......just a thought 

[galahs]

well, some times, following distance increases can be the wrench in the system too     

Behave yourself......if someone cuts you up you pull back to a safe distance, whats so hard about that? and if you are in 3 or 4 lanes of traffic you can expect it to happen and should act accordingly.......its called defensive riding, some people are good at it, they can read the road and predict with a high degree of accuracy whats going to happen next, some are not, the ones that are not usually become a statistic and no matter what always come off worse. Its ok blaming someone else for the accident but thats no conselation if you have to spend the next 12 months in a chair and walk with a limp for the rest of your life. I have had 1000s of cars pull out in front of me over the years but so what....it happens. I am still here in one piece and I am not complaining about any of them..........hhmmm I wonder why that is, maybe its because I have learned to ride within the limitations of the bike I am on, the road conditions and my own abilities......just a thought 

Good post

[DoD#i]

Behave yourself......if someone cuts you up you pull back to a safe distance, whats so hard about that? and if you are in 3 or 4 lanes of traffic you can expect it to happen and should act accordingly

Eggzactly. I am from snow county. I spent a few months working in the blighted cesspit that is my nation's capital. Actually right up the river from the cesspit. I started in January. 1/8 inch of snow wreaks havoc down there because they all drive like idiots. I'd be following with 5 car lengths (I was in a car) and 3 cars would pop into the space - so I'd drop back until I had the space I needed. Rather than being a sheeple that had to keep up with the herd, thus making for an impressive array of multi-car pile-ups, I let the mo-rons blaze on by and maintained a sufficient distance in front of me to stop in the prevailing conditions.

[nascarkeith]

Defensive riding and driving should be practiced by everyone to make the roads safer.  I always do my best to travel at a safe distance.  This post was just a place for me to share my experience.  I didn't mean to start a great debate but it is kinda cool to see everyone's perspective.  Even when riding at you and the bike's limit and practice defensive riding accidents can and will happen.  That is why they are called accidents.  I have ordered some gear and plan to practice emergency manuevers.  I have been riding for a while and thought my skills were adequate and I was wrong.  We should all practice and never be complacent.  Ya'll are right a few hours of practice beats a few months in ICU for sure.

[Kurlon]

If you are really working proper brake technique, progressively applying more and more front brake and maintaining at the point of tire lock, you can forget about the rear, it'll likely be an inch or two off the ground.  If you've got relatively modern front rubber, you shouldn't be able to make the front lock when braking properly, you'll endo first.

Track days, MSF ERCs or parking lot time will help your panic braking greatly.

Now, that said... I've got the updated caliper Suzuki stole off the SV650s and started putting on the GS500Es later in their production.  (1996 I think?)  They use a pad with a bit more contact area, and because it's used by SV650s and a bunch of other road raced bikes, tends to be available in more compound choices.  EBC's HH pads work great with this caliper.  Add an EBC Prolite Countour rotor, SS brake line, and a Nissin radial master, and this lil GS can stop FAR faster than I know how to accomplish yet. : )