[pope]

I'm sure I have a many bad habits, but one that I'm trying to correct is I use my rear brake way too much.
Especially in city riding.

HBU?

 

[THOR504]

I'd have to say the same - my first bike was the '47 Chief, and since that front brake is "anti-stop" (as Leno describes them), I just got used to relying almost solely on the rear. I'm learning though - the front brake on modern bikes works really well~!

 

[reinie]

Modern disc brakes, especially with ABS are vastly superior to the old drum brakes.

 

[Marcus]

Not riding enough.

 

[Randall]

Pushing too hard on cross-country trips. Eight hours of steady riding is pretty much the max these days and six hours is better. At 67 and all stove up my stamina is not what it used to be. When I push on too long I get tired and start making mistakes that could get me killed or seriously injured. Much of my family lives in the East these days, where riding in summer's heat and humidity rapidly becomes exhausting. When we have a working COVID vaccine or the plague burns itself out and I am willing to travel again I plan to limit riding in severe conditions and stop earlier. Since I generally ride alone it is totally my choice.
--- Randall

 

[rpsibew110]

I'm sure I have a many bad habits, but one that I'm trying to correct is I use my rear brake way too much.
Especially in city riding.

HBU?

The rear brake is a very important tool when riding. It is used for scrubbing speed if you find you are going a bit fast during a corner you can easily scrub off some speed without reducing throttle because that will transfer too much weight to the front and change the turn dynamics more than using the rear and leaving the throttle where it is. On bikes that have a tendency to raise the front end when accelerating (Not a cruiser), it can be used to keep the front end from rising to high or at all. Using the rear brake alone or in conjunction with the front makes for better control and stopping power thus a safer rider.

 

[Ironbutt70]

The rear brake is a very important tool when riding. It is used for scrubbing speed if you find you are going a bit fast during a corner you can easily scrub off some speed without reducing throttle because that will transfer too much weight to the front and change the turn dynamics more than using the rear and leaving the throttle where it is. On bikes that have a tendency to raise the front end when accelerating (Not a cruiser), it can be used to keep the front end from rising to high or at all. Using the rear brake alone or in conjunction with the front makes for better control and stopping power thus a safer rider.

Spot on.

 

[New York Mike]

I’m gonna put a good habit on here that saved my life 2 weeks ago. I get this habit from pulling tankers my whole life and I haul very volatile products. Any time I slow down or stop behind a vehicle I do 2 things. 1 is I never pull up on the vehicle in front of me. I always leave 6 to 8 ft of escape room if need be. I try to always leave an out. 2 anytime I’m slowing down I instantly get in my mirrors to be sure the same thing is happening behind me. While running a 2 lane a guy in a Tahoe in front of me was turning left. Couldn’t make the turn as I approached him to much on coming traffic. I looked in my mirrors and the guy behind me was coming hard. I could tell he would never stop in time. I had passed him about 8 miles back. I was almost at a stop and just jerked the bike onto the shoulder into the gravel and went over right at the rear door of the Tahoe and BAM ! The Toyota Rav 4 plowed into the Tahoe totaling the Rav 4. He hit him doing at least 50 to 60 mph. I was fine but it definitely rattled me. The guy in the Toyota was easily in his 80,s. He had no clue what or why just happened. I’m sure many on here ride as I do just from years of experiences. We’ve all had them and it’s almost daily when you ride anymore. Just a good habit I’m putting out there if you don’t have this one. Never pull up on someone’s bumper always leave room to roll out if need be. And always put brakes and mirrors together.

 

[MarkS]

crashing

 

[reinie]

While accidents seem inevitable most are avoidable. Keeping safe distances and looking ahead for any trouble while keeping my head on a swivel seem to help a bunch. Having an escape is a good idea but sometimes is nearly impossible.

 

[Ironbutt70]

I’m gonna put a good habit on here that saved my life 2 weeks ago. I get this habit from pulling tankers my whole life and I haul very volatile products. Any time I slow down or stop behind a vehicle I do 2 things. 1 is I never pull up on the vehicle in front of me. I always leave 6 to 8 ft of escape room if need be. I try to always leave an out. 2 anytime I’m slowing down I instantly get in my mirrors to be sure the same thing is happening behind me. While running a 2 lane a guy in a Tahoe in front of me was turning left. Couldn’t make the turn as I approached him to much on coming traffic. I looked in my mirrors and the guy behind me was coming hard. I could tell he would never stop in time. I had passed him about 8 miles back. I was almost at a stop and just jerked the bike onto the shoulder into the gravel and went over right at the rear door of the Tahoe and BAM ! The Toyota Rav 4 plowed into the Tahoe totaling the Rav 4. He hit him doing at least 50 to 60 mph. I was fine but it definitely rattled me. The guy in the Toyota was easily in his 80,s. He had no clue what or why just happened. I’m sure many on here ride as I do just from years of experiences. We’ve all had them and it’s almost daily when you ride anymore. Just a good habit I’m putting out there if you don’t have this one. Never pull up on someone’s bumper always leave room to roll out if need be. And always put brakes and mirrors together.

Great advise and I’ll add 2 more gleaned from 50+ years of riding. On multi lane roads (2 lanes or more in each direction not superslabs) never ever ride in the right lane. Did I say never? On superslabs and hiways with more than 2 lanes avoid riding in center lanes where traffic can change lanes from either side. Adjust accordingly for traffic.

 

[rpsibew110]

While accidents seem inevitable most are avoidable. Keeping safe distances and looking ahead for any trouble while keeping my head on a swivel seem to help a bunch. Having an escape is a good idea but sometimes is nearly impossible.

Especially when riding a motorcycle in a crowd a person needs to be alert. If there are 10 vehicles around you you are watching for 11 as though you were driving all 11 vehicles. You should always leave yourself an out. Even if it means moving to the far right or left to gain access to a shoulder. Staying to the far right driving 1-2 miles an hour slower than the traffic will give you a constant buffer in front of you even if someone fills it in you will have a buffer back in just a few seconds. No one is going to look out for your safety more than you. If things are getting out of hand exit the highway, turn left or right, change routes. Do anything to take yourself out of the equation and harms way.

 

[Axxehead]

Good advice NY Mike. I'd like to add a good and bad. I need to look at my RC screen only during safe moments, I have caught myself looking at the screen a few times when I don't need to (like mpg, fuel level, gear). Not that it's caused anything, just I think I need to be better with it.
My good habit, is that when I see a car ahead either going to make a turn either to enter my lane or turn across my lane is I gently sway or weave the bike a little so it changes my visual appearance so it isn't a static object moving at a constant speed and plane. Brings a little more attention to my bike, without needing to flash headlights or something. My flight instructor gave me that years ago and I honestly believe it's helped me more than several times since.

 

[Kitulu]

The rear brake is a very important tool when riding. It is used for scrubbing speed if you find you are going a bit fast during a corner you can easily scrub off some speed without reducing throttle because that will transfer too much weight to the front and change the turn dynamics more than using the rear and leaving the throttle where it is. On bikes that have a tendency to raise the front end when accelerating (Not a cruiser), it can be used to keep the front end from rising to high or at all. Using the rear brake alone or in conjunction with the front makes for better control and stopping power thus a safer rider.

Sorry, but using the rear brake while in a turn is precisely the wrong thing to do. Given that the rear brake (even on a 700lb-900lb cruiser) only provides 25% of your stopping power, and the weight of the bike in a turn is either settled at the center of gravity OR front-biased if you were trying to slow down before applying the brakes, if you use the rear brake in a turn you run the risk of locking up the rear wheel and/or having the ABS kick in, which could result in a low-side crash. The proper method for using brakes while in a turn is to use the FRONT brake, which is known as trail braking.

Trail-braking: Applying the brakes going into a curve, with the more forceful application of the brakes at the start of the lean and growing progressively weaker until you reach the apex of the curve, at which point you should be at 0% braking power and beginning to apply throttle as you exit the curve.

As you enter the curve, with front brake applied, the weight is biased towards the front, loading the suspension and INCREASING the size of the contact patch, giving you more traction. That being said, trail braking does not involve a hard "panic stop" type of grab, but a gentle to firm squeeze that gradually lessens as you near the apex.

 

[Cameroni79]

Yes!! Trail braking is magic! Took me a little bit to get the hang of it since I was trained “slow, look, press, roll.” Once I got the hang of trail braking my riding joy went through the roof!

Bad habit: passing on a double yellow when riding the scout. I don’t seem to have that urge on the Roadmaster.

Sorry, but using the rear brake while in a turn is precisely the wrong thing to do. Given that the rear brake (even on a 700lb-900lb cruiser) only provides 25% of your stopping power, and the weight of the bike in a turn is either settled at the center of gravity OR front-biased if you were trying to slow down before applying the brakes, if you use the rear brake in a turn you run the risk of locking up the rear wheel and/or having the ABS kick in, which could result in a low-side crash. The proper method for using brakes while in a turn is to use the FRONT brake, which is known as trail braking.

Trail-braking: Applying the brakes going into a curve, with the more forceful application of the brakes at the start of the lean and growing progressively weaker until you reach the apex of the curve, at which point you should be at 0% braking power and beginning to apply throttle as you exit the curve.
View attachment 599046
As you enter the curve, with front brake applied, the weight is biased towards the front, loading the suspension and INCREASING the size of the contact patch, giving you more traction. That being said, trail braking does not involve a hard "panic stop" type of grab, but a gentle to firm squeeze that gradually lessens as you near the apex.

 

[WillyH]

Another vote here for using the rear brake, a lot. My Pan and shovels had either no or poor brakes on the front so the rear was always my go to brake. Been using (trying to) the front brake for 12-15 years, and I still gotta MAKE myself remember to use it lol.

 

[Wyld_Stallyn]

Great advise and I’ll add 2 more gleaned from 50+ years of riding. On multi lane roads (2 lanes or more in each direction not superslabs) never ever ride in the right lane. Did I say never? On superslabs and hiways with more than 2 lanes avoid riding in center lanes where traffic can change lanes from either side. Adjust accordingly for traffic.

Never ride in the right lane? So ride in the left lane closer to oncoming traffic? Not arguing, but intrigued as to why. In a lot of states the law is to stay in the right lane except to pass, and the 5-0 will ticket you for driving in the left lane.

 

[pablo94]

I try not to brake at all in the curves as I am a lightning bolt in the twisties, .

I am somewhat serious though. I prefer to be at a high rpm in a lower gear that way all I need to do is roll off the throttle a bit and the engine braking slows me down then as I come out of the curve I bang it back up into 4 or 5th depending on the tightness of the curve.

My worst habit is that I am a chronic speeder. I ride mine down 280 and 101 all the time right at a 100mph for long stretches. I generally have to slow down as it beats my neck and shoulders up after 10-12 miles. So I drop it to 85 for a few minutes and then I look down and I am back up at highway speed.

Real world problems suck!

 

[mclaiborne]

Never ride in the right lane? So ride in the left lane closer to oncoming traffic? Not arguing, but intrigued as to why. In a lot of states the law is to stay in the right lane except to pass, and the 5-0 will ticket you for driving in the left lane.

The closer to the left side of the left lane you are, the more visible to oncoming traffic you are. Unless you are blocking traffic in the left lane by going too slow, chances of getting pulled over for a "stay in right lane unless passing" violation are pretty darn slim.

My main problem with riding in the right lane are the team-truck drivers that go non stop by switching drivers on the go and crapping though a hole in the cab deck to keep from stopping. A diesel mechanic I know said those trucks are so foul, with human feces all over the under carriage, that his company refuses to service them. It gives me the heebie jeebies knowing I might get slammed with shit while riding down the highway in the right hand lane...…………

My worst habit is getting speeding tickets....

 

[Orange rider]

My worst habit I have is not fully stopping at a stop sign, just rolling into the intersection looking what's there then carrying on.