Daytime Headlights

Should you be using the brakes to correct a line?

 

This is the man who rides with full beam on all the time, remember.
Don't expect any sense.

 

The "you're as slow as Ginge" crew will weigh in imminently - but ****
them: I did 9000 miles in 9 months on my VFR800 and I never noticed
that it had linked brakes. I knew it had them, of course, but I was
never aware of any untoward effects.

I noticed when I did a tight U-turn on a loaner about three years
previously, when I dabbed the rear in mid-turn and it reacted
strangely but not severely.

 

I'm amazed you're still in one piece, to be honest.

 

Like I think I said up there somewhere, I didn't notice Zymurgy's
Blackbird had them until he told me.

 

They worked to my satisfaction. Does that count?

In so many ways.

 

AFAIR its more about the intensity of the light, because they are close
together it's difficult to judge the speed of the approaching bike rather
than any "utter and profound fool of a European health and safety person".

You can see this effect on a bike approaching you with lights on main
beam.

 

Then you're a fool.

 

It's not about being dazzled.

 

I've had a bike with linked brakes for the last 10 or so years and never
had a problem [1].

I'm of the opinion you don't have the confidence, or ability, to judge
what the machine is doing or about to do.


[1] I did, however, find coming down a slope covered in sheet ice a
bit tricky but TBH riding any bike down it was going to be foolhardy.

 

My experience is the same, except it's 20 years in my case.

 

The Guzzi linked brakes are a bit different but I find it a lot more
stable into corners as it has the effect of making it 'squat' down and
tighten up the whole suspension package, IYSWIM.

 

What do you do on an unlit road at night?

 

I put them on when it's dark or foggy otherwise they stay off, exactly as
I do in a car.

This maybe a product of having had bikes and cars with quite marginal
charging systems.

It's worth mentioning I very rarely have SMIDSY panic braking moments [1]
and I ride a fair few miles a year in both rural and urban environments.


[1] I do have a penchant for bowling over pedestrians but that's on
the MZ and its brakes are shit.

 

"A gentleman does not motor about after dark."

 

The same effect could be had by using the front and rear brakes together,
and your back end probably squats when you close the throttle. You don't
have the option of using the rear on its own, or both fronts without the
rear. I accept that you don't have a problem with it, but that's more
likely down to skill and experience, and adapting to that particular system
without really needing to think about it. Did you find the unlinked brakes
on the Turbo a bit weird?

Also, how do you know whether or not it would be better just using both
fronts? Champ recently remarked that he used the front-end dive under
braking to sharpen his turn-in.

 

Not especially. They're a bit rubbish though - wooden is probably a
better description.

I did find the Turbo's front end twisting and becoming unsettled when
pushing on a bit. The Guzzi doesn't seem to be quite so 'tied up' under
heavy braking and both have similar pipe cleaner forks.

I think my style is a bit less technical and a little more 'wrestle' than
Champ's.

As you say, it maybe something I ride round but I find going in with
front only (obviously I have less brake force) seems less on rails than
using the linked side.

The linked side also allows for some pretty heavy mid-corner braking if
the need arises (this is nice way of saying 'fucked up'); the Turbo won't.

 

Jap brakes from an era when Italian brakes were the best in the world.
You've been spoilt, you know.

You've never braked the Guzzi hard without using the rear, though. I
wouldn't be surprised to find that the Guzzi's frame is a lot more rigid
too.

He's a sportsbike guy...

Front and rear together will unsettle the bike less than fronts only. I use
both sets going into corners myself. I don't think that's the argument
here.

You are Ginge AICMFF mid-corner speed corrections. Didn't you use the back
brake on the Turbo?

 

Dunno. I always have done though and it works for me (or at least it
does on non-linked brakes bikes).

It's only a light dab. Sort of a teddy-bear sort of thing. I can give
it up any time I like. Honest

Phil.

 

So all those morons who drive around with their front fog lights on are
breaking the law?

Cool. Now I can hate them with a good reason other than the starburst
halo effect that their pointless little "I want to look like a rally
driver even if I haven't got either the talent or the car" lights give.

Phil.