Haganwood

You shouldn't have stomped on the back break. I am sure that in the instant you saw the deer, adrenalin kicked in and you reacted a bit to aggressively. It's easy to lock up the back wheel when you get excited and stomp on that pedal.

Take the MSF course if you haven't and practice panic stops with and without your passenger.


Honestly, it wasn't the wisest course at all to have let off the back break once it is locked especially if it is not running in a straight line with the bike. If it is out to the side like you had stated, it can cause a high side as FBC stated. If you don't know what a high side is, I can find you some videos of guys high siding on race tracks. If the bike is tracking straight and true, then letting off the back break when it is locked is by all means fine.

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Haganwood - Life is too short to dance with ugly women or fight with your friends and family. Life is a Journey not a destination!

The Volusianator

The Vol is notorious for locking up the rear brake.

maddogsvolusia

Practice the panic stops. The front brake has 75% of the stopping power, so you don't want to let off that unless you absolutely have to. The key is to try to keep the bike straight if/when the rear locks. Practice will allow you to know how hard to hit the rear just to the point of lock up, but when the adrinaline hits, it will most likely get mashed. I like the idea of setting it softer so you really have to be almost intentional to lock it, but not so soft that it is impossible to lock the rear.

Glad you saved the day!

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mistressk

from driving cars, we all have an instinct to romp on that rear brake pedal.

something i spent some time practicing on my bike until it was an unconscious reaction was easing off the rear brake as i apply more front brake. this way you still get the effectiveness out of both (as opposed to relying almost entirely on the front brake), but there is less danger of locking the rear wheel.

have still locked it twice (construction mud on the road), but fortunately it was when i was nearly stopped, and the wheel stayed in a straight line.

tanker and i also play around with locking the rear wheel and swinging it around on our cb400 when we take it for service runs - it's a fun (and fairly safe) way for us to feel more at home with a locked rear wheel, and keeping it locked when it happens.

cheers!

-mistress k

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eagle

Or, get a Kaw 1600 Classic with 2 front disk brakes, and rear disk brake.

The first time I tried an emergency stop I did it easy. Then I did one harder... "HOLY CRAP"..... let's just say, the friggin bike will stop faster then your body will and in about 1/3-1/2 the distance a Volusia will. So, I had to quickly learn to have my body in a position so if I really layed on them, I wouldn't go flying over the handle bars.

It also made me realize, how the back brake on a Volusia is so dang soft... meaning you'll stop faster with using the front brake in unison, because the back brake doesn't have a lot of stopping power.

However, I would caution anyone on locking up or clamping down too hard on a front brake, especially if not using any back brake in unison with it. People have locked the front brake to have some nasty results... ended up in a very bad situation very quick, and a couple I know of ... who died as a result. Treat that front brake with a lot of respect.

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01 Volusia (blk/wht)
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06-MX5 Miata (copper red)

LfiGrad

#1 If you lock the rear brakes that means that the wheels have stopped moving.

#2 If you are skidding, it means the wheels have locked.

#3 If you increased your rear braking power x 100, a locked wheel is the max braking power you can have.

In my C50 or your Kawa 1600. Locked is Locked.

Unless you have ABS or some device that throws your tires into reverse, your wheels cant stop any more than completely LOCKED.

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If I am not riding my bike, I am thinking about it.
(07 Kawasaki 1600 Classic)
(06 Kawasaki 1600 Classic)
(06 C50)

AlvinB

I have a 2008 C50.

I was on the freeway going about 45mph, I was in the process of turning into the right lane, after I verified the coast was clear, once when I made it, I looked ahead again (didn't seem that long) and I saw a lot of red brake lights in front of me. I panicked and hit both breaks. I locked the back break because I felt my back slide to the right. It happened so fast, I did not have the time to react. I fell because, 1) I am a newbee, 2) I was driving too confidently during rush hour, 3) I panic'ed. If i was in the same situation (during the panic) I'm not sure how I would have handled it. I believe the only way I could have avoided it was to practice practice practice, until I broke my habbit of hitting the breaks like I would have on my truck/car. I am a little shook up, but I still want to ride, even after I broke some ribs and part of my shoulder.

Thanks for listening.

MoDZuKi

You survived- and yes drive with the conditions look REALLY far ahead, and defensively and it will save you.
Hope you heal fast and the bike sirvived too!
Cheers

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Furbird

After locking the rear tire once on the C50, I now no longer use that brake. I keep my foot flat on the running board. I do all my braking with the front brake and downshift to slow the rear.

Moto-Suzzi G50

Practice in a preferrably paved off road environment (wet and dry) until you perfect emergency stopping with your bike. Most people are afraid to use the front brakes for fear of going over the bars . The front brakes are typically underused by new drivers but provide about 75% of your stopping efficiency. This was a big portion of my rider safety course last year. If you do happen to lock the back wheel keep it locked as others have said until you are totally in control and in a perfect upright straight line or just come to a complete stop and make sure you gear down quickly to first while still moving if you do need to come to a complete stop so you can take off right away if you need to avoid a hit from behind. The course and practice have already saved my bacon in more than one occasion.