Bikesafe

I concur: more from experience of Honda NX650s & ATs than a Tiger, but the
geometry is similar.

Even with the BMW funny front end, which offsets some of the huge weight
transfer, use of the rear helps keep the bike more settled. Especially
approaching roundabouts at the end of motorway slip roads where you need to
scrub off lots of speed quickly

 

That's what Tiggers do best...

If by 'off the throttle' you mean just by holding the throttle open,
then no, it's not normal - at least not with the standard gearing.
However if you're chopping it then wacking it open again, or yanking on
the bars, then that's normal.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tigtona 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

I meant shutting it and opening it again quickly, bouncing the front
end up off the forks, rather than clutching it up. I did it by
accident at first[0], but it's really easy and repeatable - I was
quite surprised how light the front end goes on such a heavy[1] bike.
My old R1150GS whilst similar on paper, never felt quite so flighty.

[0] overtaking a bus about 200m from Phil's house.
[1] actually, it's not that heavy when riding, only when pushing the
twatting thing around, though I reckon that's because of the high CoG
rather than just the weight itself.

 

indeed. Similar-ish on my old R30 too, though it had *much* firmer
front suspension than either the Tiger of the RGS.

Yup - though as I mentioned to Krusty, I found the rear most useful in
scrubbing off the last 20mph when coming to a standstill, because
using the front alone meant a big bounce-back effect when I stopped,
which isn't the best for a short-arse on a tall bike.

 

Heh, I concur again.

Due to a wonky knee I now ride with the seat in the high position. I've
also fitted Migsel's lowered pegs. Whilst this has improved my comfort, as
I don't have to bend the knee so much, I have a higher incidence of comedy
balance moments. I'm just about getting used to the changed footpeg/brake
pedal position. However, if there is a camber or slope at a junction I
sometimes have to put my right foot down. As you say, bringing the bike to
a standstill just on the front brake is not ideal, especially if wearing
cordura trousers as you tend to slide forward. I rock at front brake hill
starts fortunately.

 

Ah ok - yes that's very normal (helped by the soft springs, of course).

A bit too light at times. Sliding the forks up 10mm or so is quite a
popular change.

Indeed. Many, many people have dropped them whilst pushing them around.
One thing you definitely don't want to do on a Tig is stall it whilst
doing a tight turn.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tigtona 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

I presume you know it's very easy to lower Tigs by swivelling the rear
eccentrics 180 degrees & sliding the forks up? You just need to space
the chain guard up a bit, & cut a chunk out of the centre stand if you
use it.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tigtona 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

I can imagine that would result in a comedy bike-pinning-you-to-the-
ground moment.

Probably it would help if I did some upper-body muscle work.

 

Yes, tried it many times. The amount of braking is quite reasonable
and very controllable (ABS stops it locking, and I'd rather not have
it on the rear, but there you go). For firmer suspension and a
lighter bike, I would probably think "tiny" was appropriate. For a
heavy, soft lump like the Bandit (bless it, I love it) it's quite a
usable piece of kit.

Not sure I am with you here. If what you are used to in "normal"
riding is to use both brakes equally all the time, then I would
agree. (Or, as one apparently experienced rider on the course did,
only use the back brake in town.) But if your "normal" riding is to
vary the balance of the brakes with speed, road surface, rain, debris
etc., then on a dry road and an emergency stop it would be natural to
use the front to its maximum and ignore the rear. I've had a couple
of stops this year that were "quicker than I would ideally have
planned", and in each case I had no difficulty in leaving the rear
brake well alone.

 

Yes, I've seen the instructions - I'm not sure if I'll need to bother,
though - the height doesn't really bother me.

 

On tall bikes, I tend to always put my right foot down, and use the
left for gear shifts....

 

(Or, as one apparently experienced rider on the course did,

Bad form, but that should read "use only the back brake in town".

 

When riding something like a Honda Dominator I would mainly rely on the
rear brake in town. Stop, start traffic[0] on a bloated pogo stick gets
tiresome if you are frequently banging your bollocks into the tank.

IIRC, as it's 12 years since I sold it, a set of rear pads lasted about
7000 miles on my Dommie.

So, whilst your theory is noted, I would contend that this rider might just
be someone who rides, or has ridden, a bike with long travel suspension.

[0] Not stopping is the ideal but inevitably some **** blocks progress.

 

wessie banged the rocks together and they said :

I find on my AT the rear brake works better than the front at anything
upto 50mph or so.

 

Champ banged the rocks together and they said :

Use it more.

On my old 9R the rear brake did as yours does, next to nothing. After a
few months of using it the effectiveness was a *lot* more, it was
useful.

I'm not sure if its because the rear brake piston puts a lot less
pressure on the pads, so they take ages to bed in / burn off
contamination (the current 9Rs rear is also useless), but it did take
bloody ages for them to start working. I just came to the conclusion
the manufacturers knew riders didn't use them apart from the odd hill
start, so they didn't need to do anything much.

 

snip>

"I don't need a back brake, I just bang it down through the gears and
dump the clutch."

Slipper clutches are great fun.

 

I guess the K1100 and 75 come into the "heavy things with softer
suspension category" and I only use the back brake to:
1. Stabilise the bike at low speeds (sub walking pace I suppose)
2. Hold the bike stationary on hills
3. Steady it a bit if it's a bit 'bouncy' on corners but then it's just
the merest of touches.
4. Brake when going down steep hills at lowish speeds particularly when
the surface is bad (e.g. my driveway).

That's about all I use it for (that I can think of), if I want to stop
it's a job for the front brakes.

 

Hmmm... the only time I've only used the rear brake is when the front
disks are so warped it's uncomfortable to brake using them...

 

Yup. But you knew that. I'm not sure about it, TBH. I can see the
advantage in a general way, and I'm happy to have it on my car. I can see
an advantage in helping to stop the front washing out if you had to brake
really hard in the wet. On the back, I'm not so sure. On those (hopefully
rare) occasions when you are faced with the choice of sliding down the road
or hitting a lorry, a deliberately locked back wheel could be what saves
you. And with ABS that ain't possible - I've tried. It's an odd feeling
too - not the rapid judder you get from a car ABS, more a gentle on and off
at about 0.5 second intervals, and a distinct reduction in braking force.
Not keen.

 

Twas a CBR600RR. He also thought that it was illegal to cross solid *and
broken* white centre lines, if that helps with the picture.