Sensitive brake

[BikerMooFromMars]

Darlings!

Moo is currently enjoying her new bike (Honda CBF125) and slowly getting back into the swing of biking again -I rode to work on Monday on my own and everything!. But Moo is quite concerned - my hubby has been biking behind me while I've been gaining my confidence again, but he says my brake light is on most of the time - and since he told me this I have tried raising my foot to not touch the brake pedal but he said that will confuse drivers even more as it fluctuates lots instead. I have to semi-press the brake pedal for my foot to be rested at all, otherwise I am pointing my foot up as much as physically possible and still my light is coming on v intermittently at that point and I'm not balancing my weight v well riding like that.

Looking at the brake pedal I assume the only thing I can do is somehow reduce the tension in the springy thing/buy a new slightly more slack one, or somehow raise the pedal a bit (tho I doubt that's possible).

Any suggestions would me mooochly appreciated lovelies fankoo in advance.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k96/spastic_potato/BikerMoos%20Piccies/P4300060_zps67ca0b6b.jpg

I assume it's something to do with this spring...

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k96/spastic_potato/BikerMoos%20Piccies/P4300062_zpscb639ebf.jpg

Also - if Johnwithah sees this, Moo still loving the bike I purchased off you thanks and not complaining, I just probably have bigger, heavier feet than you did or something haha!

[Stu]

If you are resting your foot on it your feet are in the wrong position

You should have the balls of your feet on the pegs so try moving your feet back a bit

[BikerMooFromMars]

If you are resting your foot on it your feet are in the wrong position

You should have the balls of your feet on the pegs so try moving your feet back a bit

LOL! Am I really that dozey?? It's a totally different bike to my last one, I've only just started leaning forward on it - must've looked like a tw*t riding it like it was my ole cruiser-stylee bike!

Cheers Stu!! Moo likes simple answers!

[Joeman]

yes, ride on the balls of your toes, or if you get lazy, poke your toes out to the side, but dont rest your foot on the brake!

Worth just checking how much you need to press it down before the light comes on, just to make sure its not too sensitive.

[fredc]

if you need to adjust the sensitivity turn the knurled ring see pic

[BikerMooFromMars]

Thankmoo darlings! I couldn't get comfy on them when I found out the brake light was on, will let ya know how the experience goes tomorrow. Will get Wallie to follow me on his bike when I get home to check.

Christ, I coulda been doing that for ages if Ollie wasn't biking behind me!

[littlecat]

echoing what has already been said....when cruising along get your toes/ball of your feet on the pegs....only cover the brake when you might need it, and yes you might need to flex your foot up to clear it, thats why you dont ride like that all the time

[BikerMooFromMars]

I'll just have to get used to it - suppose it made sense to me cos if I needed to brake immediately (& I had an emergency stop on Tues) it's quicker to react with foot how I had it. But obv unsafe for drivers behind to think I'm braking constantly! It's all good, I' will try diff positioning tomoz and make any adjustments if needed

[Stu]

its actually not quicker

as when you find your self in the situation where you may need your brake you will automatically move your foot ready

plus 90% of your braking is on the front

[Abraxix92]

Hello moo, made a post similar problem today, it seems we are resting our feet wrong, was pulled by another biker who pointed my rear light was on which i'm happy he did.

Currently sticking my feet side ways like joe suggested, but stu disproves, with good reason, i decided to go on a trip after work and visit my uncle who used to bike, he managed to clip a SHEEP at 90MPH while having his feet to the side.

Going to try stu's way and have ball of my foot on the peg although this might feel awkward for me for the moment, glad i wasn't the only person who was doing this!

[Joeman]

Hello moo, made a post similar problem today, it seems we are resting our feet wrong, was pulled by another biker who pointed my rear light was on which i'm happy he did.

Currently sticking my feet side ways like joe suggested, but stu disproves, with good reason, i decided to go on a trip after work and visit my uncle who used to bike, he managed to clip a SHEEP at 90MPH while having his feet to the side.

Going to try stu's way and have ball of my foot on the peg although this might feel awkward for me for the moment, glad i wasn't the only person who was doing this!

 

yeah, poking your foot out to the side can be a very bad habit to get into, but I do it all the time when crawling along in slow traffic as its its more relaxing than keeping your foot hovering over the brake, and its quicker to get to the pedal than being on my toes.

One thing to be carful of, when going from having your toes on the footpeg to a braking situation, dont stamp on the pedal! i've seen people do that before - they move their whole foot and end up pressing the pedal far too hard!!

[guitarman]

Also - if Johnwithah sees this, Moo still loving the bike I purchased off you thanks and not complaining, I just probably have bigger, heavier feet than you did or something haha!

Well Moo, many have already said the solution so I won't add to that apart from saying, I had the same issue when I started riding the darling. I soon learned to rest the balls of my food on the foot rest and that solved it. I doubt you have heavier feet than my size 10s. Have you named the bike yet?

I'm glad your riding back to work again, don't forget I have those things I forgot to give you at the point of sale still in my office, waiting for you to collect.

Give me call when you want to collect them.

John

[BikerMooFromMars]

Also - if Johnwithah sees this, Moo still loving the bike I purchased off you thanks and not complaining, I just probably have bigger, heavier feet than you did or something haha!

Well Moo, many have already said the solution so I won't add to that apart from saying, I had the same issue when I started riding the darling. I soon learned to rest the balls of my food on the foot rest and that solved it. I doubt you have heavier feet than my size 10s. Have you named the bike yet?

I'm glad your riding back to work again, don't forget I have those things I forgot to give you at the point of sale still in my office, waiting for you to collect.

Give me call when you want to collect them.

John

Moo is awful and totally forgot. Will I be able to get the bit for my bike home - can't remember what you said it was now?

I wish I'd have learnt to do the different tootsie position before now - I feel all anxious again not having foot on the brake anymore and I've had to mooove my arse back - I was happy with my arse closer to the tank! Oh well, I'll get used to it ! How is the Fazer with the funky rims, John?

[zemon]

I was the same when I started, size 12 feet don't help either lol.

Don't worry, you'll get used to it

[BikerMooFromMars]

Moo has size 8-9's, Ollie's feet are size 14. If we ever have kids they're going to hate us!!

I miss having my foot hovering over the brake, makes ya feel a lot safer!

[Rebel Rach]

Moo has size 8-9's, Ollie's feet are size 14. If we ever have kids they're going to hate us!!

I miss having my foot hovering over the brake, makes ya feel a lot safer!

 

It isn't safer and if the brake light was on then it wasn't hovering over it.

[Boothy]

I've always been told its 80% front brake 20% rear, unless the road is damp/wet where it moves towards 50/50. In an emergency situation your back brake hardly gets used at all as the rear wheel is nearly off the ground so little braking force can be put through the tyre without locking up....

[acting_strange]

I've always been told its 80% front brake 20% rear, unless the road is damp/wet where it moves towards 50/50. In an emergency situation your back brake hardly gets used at all as the rear wheel is nearly off the ground so little braking force can be put through the tyre without locking up....

 

I do wonder how you know that you are 80% front and 20% rear....when breaking I have always felt the bike underneath me and used that as the judge?

If either end feels like its begining to lock up then you ease of that brake .... simples...80/20 is merely a theory ....it's not a practical as you have no gauges on either brake except the feel of the bike...

[mattycoops43]

I've always been told its 80% front brake 20% rear, unless the road is damp/wet where it moves towards 50/50. In an emergency situation your back brake hardly gets used at all as the rear wheel is nearly off the ground so little braking force can be put through the tyre without locking up....

 

I do wonder how you know that you are 80% front and 20% rear....when breaking I have always felt the bike underneath me and used that as the judge?

If either end feels like its begining to lock up then you ease of that brake .... simples...80/20 is merely a theory ....it's not a practical as you have no gauges on either brake except the feel of the bike...

 

Seems like perfectly common sense to me? You apply a big wedge of front brake, you just judge roughly about a quarter the amount of braking and do it to the rear, OR If you brake really hard with the front, you brake 'a bit hard' on the rear, if you are braking gently on the front, you just give the rear a little squeeze, yes it's a guestimate, it's just 80/20 is a guideline.

[Joeman]

I've always been told its 80% front brake 20% rear, unless the road is damp/wet where it moves towards 50/50. In an emergency situation your back brake hardly gets used at all as the rear wheel is nearly off the ground so little braking force can be put through the tyre without locking up....

Move your body weight back, and use your rear brake. If you're only using your front brake, you will stop in a longer distance than if you use both. There are some videos on YouTube that demonstrate this well. There is also one video i saw that showed Americans who don't use the front brake and need to be trained how!! WTF???

[mattycoops43]

I've always been told its 80% front brake 20% rear, unless the road is damp/wet where it moves towards 50/50. In an emergency situation your back brake hardly gets used at all as the rear wheel is nearly off the ground so little braking force can be put through the tyre without locking up....

Move your body weight back, and use your rear brake. If you're only using your front brake, you will stop in a longer distance than if you use both. There are some videos on YouTube that demonstrate this well. There is also one video i saw that showed Americans who don't use the front brake and need to be trained how!! WTF???

 

I know some motoX riders who don't even HAVE a front brake that works, they don't know what it does.

It's noticeable if you do a long gentle slow down on a motorway sliproad, you brake gently, then if you just touch the rear brake very gently you will find you have stopped about 100yds before the roundabout cos it makes more difference than you are expecting!

Course, the obvious remedy is to go faster and brake much later so you don't accidentally slow down too much for roundabouts!

[guitarman]

Moo is awful and totally forgot. Will I be able to get the bit for my bike home - can't remember what you said it was now?

Moo

It's just the CBF125 Haynes Manual and the original grab rail that was on the bike before the back box was fitted. The original grab rail is white so looks better than the black box holder if you are riding without the box.

Mr Fazer has a puncture so I'm getting a few tyre fitted today and with the three day weekend fast approaching I hope I get it back in time to put some mileage on it.

[BikerMooFromMars]

It's just the CBF125 Haynes Manual and the original grab rail that was on the bike before the back box was fitted. The original grab rail is white so looks better than the black box holder if you are riding without the box.

Mr Fazer has a puncture so I'm getting a few tyre fitted today and with the three day weekend fast approaching I hope I get it back in time to put some mileage on it.

Will I be able to ride home with grab rail? I assume I'll have to remoooove top box and such before I pick it up from you. Fanks John, sorry to hear abou puncture - that's a bugger!!

[BikerMooFromMars]

Thanks lovelies - since the advice on different foot position I've had to emergency brake twice: once for someone who pulled out, once for some woman who decided all of a sudden she needed petrol! I'm keeping a safe distance - managed a rough 80/20 the first time, only had time to react for front brake second time! But getting used to it. I'd have thought bike could lift up if going fast and only applied front brake...tho bike is 25 stone and I'm an extra 9ish .

Got a new way to deal with my nerves and keep arms loose - I grip onto tank tight with my legs when I feel a wave of nerves now! Geniarse! Rode to work 4 out of 5 days this week, getting back to normal gradually, bricking it less (Ollie hasn't had to come and rescue me for a week!), enjoying it a bit more. Hard getting back on after a big off.

Moo loves her new motorbikey tho. How's Maisie Moo for a name? Or is that a bt too lame? It is a fresian coloured bike after all... x

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k96/spastic_potato/P5030073a_zpsf091e1b8.jpg

[eastanglianbiker]

dunno about names lou but dont remove the top box to collect the grab rail put it in the top box to carry it home