Topic: Well, it finally happened. ....

[techy5025]

Add me to those who have dropped their bike.....while moving.

Reader's Digest version.  On green arrow, turned left from the left turn lane following two cars. First car goes about 5-600 hundred feet and then stops to make a left turn across stopped traffic into a service station. Second car ducks from inside to outside lane leaving me facing a stopped car (can't duck right because other traffic is blocking). What happened next isn't totally clear, but the result is. I think I had raised my visor (full face helmet) while stopped for the light and was in the process of pulling it back down. Definitely over grabbed the front brake....probably with one hand on the bars. Next thing I remember is the bang the bike made as it hit the pavement. Both it and me slid about 20-30 feet...probably was going 30 or so.  I had on all the riding gear.....jacket, boots, gloves, helmet, but was in jeans. I think I remember an (OH SxxT!) in there somewhere, too. 

The bottom line is, I had plenty of room to stop, but overreacted and grabbed way too much front brake.

Result...about 600 bucks damage to the CBR. Mirror, both right turn signals, bar end, lower cowl fairing are toast. I think the muffler can be polished out.  I was very lucky....scrapped knee (forget jeans...they are useless against pavement), sore shoulder (think I landed on it  ), touchy rib, torn jacket (but it did its job), scrapped helmet (one week old  ).

Fortunately, neither me nor the bike hit anything except the pavement....the stopped guy didn't even know what happened. Everybody stopped and several people helped me get the bike to the shoulder. I was ready to ride it home...another 5 miles..but one guy and his wife wouldn't let me leave until they were sure I was stable...even offered to follow me home.

Sorry for the long winded tale, but I have a question for those that have older bikes like the CB's and newer ones with much better brakes.  How do you resist the temptation to grab the front brake with a death grip in similar situations?  At least on this bike one finger will almost lock the front brake (four pistons...eight pads). Going from one bike to another seems to be my problem. I can handle the power, but the stoppies have got to stop! 

Jim

edit: word missing  ... feet

[DarkRider]

After a couple close calls by grabbing too much front brake. I learned to start using my rear foot brake as well. The VF brakes arent as powerful as the CBRs but they arent too far behind....But yea either way get into the habbit of using your rear brake as well to cut the speed down before grabbing the front. Most times in situations like that its better to use your rear anyways then that way your front wheel is still moving for control..ie..if you had to suddenly grab throttle to get clear for example.

[seaweb11]

Luckily this was before I re-built my bike.  Coming down a very steep gravel driveway...
To much front break, complete endo.   Front summersault over the bars.  Lesson learned on a softer landing than you.
#1 Never use front break on steep gravel.

Glad to hear you are OK>

[Bob Wessner]

Sorry about the damage, but also glad to hear you are OK. Maybe there is something to the new bikes with ABS after all.

[tsflstb]

I used to think there was no such thing as too much braking power, but it does get you in trouble when you grab a handful at lower speeds. 

I bought a VFR with Galfer "green" pads and quickly switched them out for OEM Honda pads.  There was just too much bite as soon as they touched the rotor.  Might be good for the track, but at street legal speeds it seems like overkill.  I think the Honda pads are a little more progressive.

Sorry for the damage and glad you're ok.  At least it wasn't one of those KO's that got damaged.  You can't throw a cat without hitting a few CBR parts for sale.

[techy5025]

This CBR is totally Honda original. If the Galfer pads are "grabbier", I can't imagine how that would be.  I went back today and surveyed the accident site, and it appears there was some oil there.  It's a a spot that a lot of cars wait to turn so that's not surprising. Anyway, new parts are on order to replace the trashed ones. Service Honda has great prices for new stuff BTW.

Jim

[GroovieGhoulie]

I had a similar situation happen to me recently, thank God I didn't drop it.

Had to to a riding class for the miltary, which I posted about.  Had to borrow a buddy's 04 CBR600RR since all my bikes were still in Texas at the time.

Was doing the "brake in a corner" exercise where you straighten up mid-corner and brake.  Guy gave me the go-ahead, so I went.  About 20-25, mid lean, straightened up and grabbed a "1976-Honda-CB400F-level" of front brake.  D*mn near threw me over the bars.  Learned that one finger is enough.

Can't imagine how it would be owning a modern bike like a CBR and going back and forth between it and a CB. 

[canyon750]

The first week out with my new to me VFR and I endo'ed the thing on the bridge coming home.  The rear wheel must have been at least 2 feet off the ground before i realized to let it go!     I was lucky not to fall face first to the ground but I remember to cover the front brake with only one finger on the VFR now.

Glad to here you're ok!!  Plastic can be replaced; replacing body parts are a little beyond medic science for now...

[Frrrrunkis]

I think what keeps me off of the front brake so much is a bicycle accident I had going down a hill when I was about 10, locked the front brake up and the whole bike flipped forward with me on it. whether it's a bicycle or a motorcycle I'm on, I'm always easy on the front brake

[medic09]

I have to do a serious mental shift in the morning to remember which bike I'm on.  We're three houses away from the first stop sign.  On the way to the corner, barely rolling along, I work the brakes once or twice.  Same going around the neighbourhood to the next corner.  Sometimes I squeeze too much, but at 20-30 mph I can recover.  For the rest of the day I tend to remember after that.

It works the other way, too.  When I take the K8 out for my commute, I have to remember that I need more braking distance.  In the wet, or on the interstate that can really make a difference.

[edbikerii]

The panic stops are deadly after switching bikes!  I had my brand-spanking-new '97 Yamaha for 3 days before some idiot cabbie cut me off in the rain.  I was used to the old CB550 anti-lock braking system, so when I pulled on that brake lever, the front wheel locked right up, and down I went.  3 friggen' day old bike!

Funny part was I was wearing my rain suit over a pair of jeans, and when I went down I slid a bit on my belly, and the pants from the rain suit dragged down to below my knees, and the front of my jeans got all wet!  Nice picture that would've made!

Picked up the bike and tried to catch that cabbie, but he was long gone in traffic.  Luckily there was minimal damage to the bike, and none to me, thank God.

[my78k]

I know exactly what you mean about the brakes on the CBR...I have an F3 which actually has slightly less brking than your F4 but man it still hooks up well!! Luckily I haven't locked it yet but I have endoed it a few times...once or twice it was actually by mistake! 

Dennis

[Rushoid]

Techy, so glad you're ok. Sorry about the damage though.

You really hit home with me because I also wear a jacket, gloves, helmet and jeans. I know jeans don't do squat, but they seem sturdy enough. What do others here wear on their legs/butt? I don't think anyone makes leathers for fat-asses like me, nor could I afford them if they did. Draggin' Jeans? What are other alternatives?

[Bob Wessner]

What do others here wear on their legs/butt?

I wear Draggin Jeans. I believe there is another similar called Sliders. They have Kevlar swatches sewn into key areas, Knees, thighs, seat. Not impact protection, but should help in terms of abrasion resistance. Haven't had to test them yet though and hope I never do.

[GroovieGhoulie]

I wear Draggin' Jeans when I can and under my work uniform, I wear Bohn Armor Pants.