Total Motorcycle Community Forums

dbarnes8923 wrote:well i didn't mean brake failure i meant like in case something bad goes wrong, that was just an example.

I think David Hough said (can't quote it exactly, but) laying it down isn't a crash-avoidance technique. It's a crash.

dbarnes8923 wrote:well i didn't mean brake failure i meant like in case something bad goes wrong, that was just an example.

As others have pointed out, there is no good reason to intentionally drop the bike. As long as you are upright, you have some ability to control what happens next.

I think that the saying applies to breaking as well as riding up right...I was riding my old VFR 750 down highway one, the road was slick from dew and I had been going about 70...A big rig had stopped blocking all lanes, I hit both breaks as hard as I could...Slid for a bit and started to lay the bike down...By a fluke, I straightened it back up and slid rear wheel lock front break pulsating right up to the rear tire of the big rig. The Highway patrol guy told me I would have died if I had layed her down. He explained you only lose a few miles an hour sliding every so many feet. I would have hit that truck going about 60...I would have to say keep her up right...But for argument backback break locked, front wheel turned towards the direction...and lean the oppisite way of the front wheel...And hope you are prepared for the slide...IE helmit, gloves pants jacket

I believe that back in the day when bikes had drum brakes, more people would "lay em down" because of the poor braking quality. (I may be wrong here).

Now a days disk brakes are almost too good and there is no reason to lay the bike down to stop.

Lots of people will tell you they had to "lay it down" because they think it sounds cool and they want you to believe they were in control the whole time.

They're lying.

Flipper wrote:I believe that back in the day when bikes had drum brakes, more people would "lay em down" because of the poor braking quality. (I may be wrong here).

Now a days disk brakes are almost too good and there is no reason to lay the bike down to stop.

Lots of people will tell you they had to "lay it down" because they think it sounds cool and they want you to believe they were in control the whole time.

They're lying.

I have drum brake on the back of my bike. My bike stops wwwwwaaayyyy faster than most car's and I would have to say even with drums I would rather try and stay upright than slide.

Properly adjusted drums can stop comparably well to discs. It's repeated braking that shows the superiority of discs: significantly reduced brake fade.

Oh and the whole replacing pads versus shoes thing, too.

Skier wrote:Properly adjusted drums can stop comparably well to discs. It's repeated braking that shows the superiority of discs: significantly reduced brake fade.

Oh and the whole replacing pads versus shoes thing, too.

yeah my next vehicles gonna have 4 disc brakes rather than 2 disc and 2 drums. I hate replacing drums esp since I dont have the right tool and use a screwdriver instead lol. I am talking vehicle drums not cycle.

I hear ya, replacing the shoes on my Civic's rear drums was an exercise in . At least they last a loooooooooooong time back there.

Skier wrote:I hear ya, replacing the shoes on my Civic's rear drums was an exercise in . At least they last a loooooooooooong time back there.

very true I changed the drums on my old ford taurus after they had something like 150k miles on them. Course I sold the car to my sister like 2 months after and she took it in to get the Thermistat fixed (I coulda done it for her had I known) and they tried to get her to replace the brakes. I went in after she told me that and asked them what they thought was wrong with the brakes. The guy looked at me and said "lets look" so he did (I took that car back is what I mean) and the guy said nothing. Basically it was because she was a women. WTF why do mechanics do that????????

dbarnes8923 wrote:well i didn't mean brake failure i meant like in case something bad goes wrong, that was just an example.

You will always stop faster by keeping the rubber on the road and mashing the brakes than putting chrome and leather on the road.

Swerving and braking are always better options than intentionally throwing yourself on the ground.