Braking.....

[skuuter]

I finally got my Wife used to first pulling in some on the Front Brake, then adding the Rear Brake to get better/firmer/shorter distance stops on Her Trike. I learned this soon after acquiring mine. For just "corner slowing", etc., I never use the Rear Brakes. I only use the Rears in Complete Stops or Panic Stops (male Black Bear sitting in road, not wanting to move, etc. ...)...Anyone else use this method regularly....???...

[Trent]

Yup!!! I started doing that the last coupla months too. Trying to use the rear brakes as little as possible for the same reasons as above...smoother stops and save on rear brake linings.

[Mr.Wizard]

I'm the exact opposite Dave. On three or two wheels... rear brake comes first with me then add front to complete the stop. Exceptions would be in the twisties.... Never ever hit the front brake when on two wheels in a turn, use engine braking and a little back brake if you are out of your comfort zone.

...but that's just me

[skuuter]

I'm the exact opposite Dave. On three or two wheels... rear brake comes first with me then add front to complete the stop. Exceptions would be in the twisties.... Never ever hit the front brake when on two wheels in a turn, use engine braking and a little back brake if you are out of your comfort zone.

...but that's just me

How I started out also when my First Bikes were "Cruiser Types"... Harleys, Triumphs, BSAs, etc., etc., but after spending several years of riding (cough...) "Crotch Rocket Types" (Sport Bikes) I found the Other Way more efficient.....Gold Wings tend to Ride/Handle more like a Sport Bike than a Cruiser, and tend to carry more "Forward Weight Bias".......

[eagle1]

the brakeing with p/m brakes are excellent.
look for performance machine brakes on-line for a discount price. they have dual pistons and that makes all the difference in the world. esp. for the tri glide. i figure if i prevent one accident it more than pays for its self. like deductable, loss rideing time and hope-fully not any paid and suffering or serious injury. i replaced OEM brakes on my '09 t/g 600.00 for the front and 800.00 for the stage 1 rear brake kit. the earily kits don't
have a place for the e-brake. (OEM calpier to fit at the 3: 0'clock position) but the new ones do. i have no connection with p/m, just good quality parts.

[Shimpy]

Since triking mine in Nov. (Champion) I don't feel the rear brakes are as good as when it was factory 2 wheel. Champion advertises "high performance" brakes and they may be right and I am not allowing for the additional weight of a trike. On normal braking, I put more pressure on the rear and also use some front. The reason I do this is that talking to my trike conversion mechanic, he told me they never had to replace the rear brake pads on any Champion trike (Volkswagen). I used to have to replace front brakes when on 2 wheels every 30,000 miles.
Of course on heavy braking my front brakes get the hard squeeze.

[TNTriker]

I'm the exact opposite Dave. On three or two wheels... rear brake comes first with me then add front to complete the stop. Exceptions would be in the twisties.... Never ever hit the front brake when on two wheels in a turn, use engine braking and a little back brake if you are out of your comfort zone.

...but that's just me

me too. Never thought I would agree with Dave! LOL
If I see the stop light turning, I gear down until I need the brake. I also use the gearing to do the twisties. I very seldom use the brakes on curvey roads. I will use the rear brake first then add the front brake for the dead stop. If the momma bear is in the road, I make a Uie and high tail it. LOL

[10rhrk]

I'm the exact opposite Dave. On three or two wheels... rear brake comes first with me then add front to complete the stop. Exceptions would be in the twisties.... Never ever hit the front brake when on two wheels in a turn, use engine braking and a little back brake if you are out of your comfort zone.

...but that's just me

I agree with this. On two wheels, I rarely use the front brake unless a panic stop. I use the engine to slow the bike then rear brake the last few feet. Helps stabilize the bike. I've got 25K on my RK and both front and rear brake pads still look good. If you ride behind me in the twisties, you'll rarely see my brake light's come on. Just me!

As for the rear brakes on my wife's Triglide, I don't see anything wrong with them. My wife has no problem's stopping. I don't think it's fair to bash the Brake system if you have the Triglide overloaded and pulling a Trailer. JMO

[jfingalls]

Skuuter, I came to the same conclusion as you several months after triking my GW. You do know that there is an equalizer that actuates the rear (or front) brake when applying heavy requirements on one, however. I do fully agree with you for several reasons. One minor reason is I don't want to have to change the rear brake pads due to the hard-to-reach area it ended up when triked (I had the installer use the stock brake). And, as you know, the front brake does 70+% of the job anyway. I can speak with experience on a "near disaster" stop that I had to make last year. The wife and I were driving 40 MPH in a 45 MPH zone approaching an intersection and an inconsiderate driver pulled out in front of us from a stop sign just ahead and on our right (he was taking a left turn). I hit both brakes as well as throwing in the clutch. We stopped and ended up safe, thank God. An observer told us that all three tires were smoking during the stop and amazingly the trike stayed straight as if it had ABS (which it does not). Our stopping distance was an increadable 50 feet.

[bustedwing]

I agree with the Wizard, back brakes while gearing down , front to finish the stop. The rear brake shoes cost$30 while the front cost $80 , also rather keep the two rear wheels doing the work and not making the small front wheel trying to overwork the more expensive pads and rotors.

[Lakeman]

I use my rear, gear down and front if needed. The rear has 2 wide rear tires (lots of rubber on the ground) and work real well. The Lehman dealer said the pads never wear out, 28,000 miles and still plenty to go!

[adaptolife]

I usually apply the front brake first, then the rear. I use the engine for braking for curves, and when slowing for a turn, applying the brake mostly to get the attention of those behind me. Use that tranny and motor! That's what its for!

[kkaykk]

I'm the exact opposite Dave. On three or two wheels... rear brake comes first with me then add front to complete the stop. Exceptions would be in the twisties.... Never ever hit the front brake when on two wheels in a turn, use engine braking and a little back brake if you are out of your comfort zone.

...but that's just me

+1 Trail braking through corners (on two wheelers especially) is an effective way to bring more speed through the arc of a turn.

The following quote is from a recent article in Motor Cyclist...

"Should you find yourself in too hot, or be surprised by something unexpected mid-corner, don't snatch at the lever. Pick the bike up slightly before lightly applying more front brake. You can also add a touch of rear brake, which will help you decelerate and steady the chassis. The front brake might be strong enough to lift the rear tire off the ground when you're straight up and down, but the rear brake is surprisingly effective once you're leaned over. And you're less likely to lose the front end if you overdo it."

Read more: Motorcycle Trail Braking - Motorcyclist Magazine

[keepinon]

I've always used the rear brake first, followed rapidly by the front when on two wheels, enough to keep the rear from sliding.

On the MT, older straight axle, it has brake shoes instead of pads. The left one was frozen when I got it, but once both were cleaned up & adjusted, those fat rear tires sure do bite, stopping is much easier than on two wheels.

I have found that I need to adjust the brake shoes, at least after the first 2500 miles. The trike is so light weight, compared to an auto, that the automatic adjusters don't work well. But, it's only a 5 minute job.

[msocko3]

I use front brake with some rear to finish the job, just the way I've always ridden. I don't tare through brakes real often since I normally anticipate and have to use just slight amounts to get things stopped. I have around 25,000 miles on the front and rear brakes on my 06 Ultra and when I checked them this spring there looks to be another 15,000 miles left to go on them.

[Oldmsocko]

When I took the MSF course they taught front first than rear. When I rode 2 wheels I never used front in a turn.

[skuuter]

I rarely use ANY Brakes while out riding, even in twisties (...most Anyone that has ridden behind me can attest to this), relying mainly on engine braking, unless I'm riding Really Aggressively. If it's an "aggressive occasion", such as on the Trike with a Sport Bike Group, it'll be "slight 2 finger drag on the front brake only" right before apexing a squared off corner. Actually squaring a corner requires the rearend to be in a slight drift, some countersteering of the frontend.....rear braking will not do this for You...........This is also "NOT" for New Trikers, or inexperienced Riders.....

[Mr.Wizard]

This is also "NOT" for New Trikers, or inexperienced Riders.....

OH...OH...OH (envision raised hand waving violently)

I wanna play, can I, huh can I? Pretty please?? ME, ME, ME...

[skuuter]

OH...OH...OH (envision raised hand waving violently)

I wanna play, can I, huh can I? Pretty please?? ME, ME, ME...

Sounds Good...... ......

[KRUZR]

I've learned a long time ago that both brakes should be used to stop an Harley Davidson motorcycle. The bike tops and slows down much better using both. I don't know about other types of motorcycles, but from I've read both brakes should always be used. Along with down shifting I occasionally use slight front braking to reduce my speed approaching turns. I guess every rider develops their braking technique. My CSC Conversion came with 11.5 inch brakes with braided lines so I installed braided lines up front also. The braided lines do seem to help a lot and I feel very comfortable with the braking ability of my Trike. I'm concerned that riders are actually adjusting the way they are using breaks to save money or do to difficulty in changing their breaks. I currently have 47,000 miles on my fronts, so I maybe doing something right??? Ride Safe!!