Oh, the Shame of it All (Weight transfer under braking)

[Mike]

Please bear with me through this. It's . . . it's . . . difficult to discuss it with others. Here's my problem: I suffer from OEWTUBD - Occasional Excessive Weight Transfer Under Braking Disorder.

 

These are the symptoms--riding with a degree of alacrity, I generally find myself setting up fine for corners. But occasionally, under hard but by no means maximum braking, I find myself placing way too much weight on the bars.

 

Thankfully, I don't always blow it. Generally, when it feels like I'm getting things right, it appears that I'm in a slight forward crouch, up against the tank and gripping the tank with my knees.

 

Please educate me on the proper technique. I'd like to get it right . . . consistently.

[russell_bynum]

Start with the Master Yoda Riding Position.

 

Then, grip the tank with your knees as you brake. You'll be using your thigh muscles to support your body and keep your weight off the bars.

[David]

Mike, Russell has the right idea. Some bikes, though, are really difficult to do this on because of the shape of the tank. I can't remember enough about the ST to know for sure.

 

For lots of high speed braking on track bikes, we mount pads on the tanks to make griping them easier. There are three basic types.

[RevRay]

Mike,

I also suffered for the same phenomenon oewtubd, the wise words of a fellow member help to solve my problem. When gripping the tank with your knees, try rotating your feet at the ankles rising up on your foot pegs, thus wedging your lower leg between the curvature of the gas tank and your foot pegs. When the party really gets going also rise your butt off the seat, lock in between the tank and the pegs and of course practice practice.

[BWS]

I don't know about "proper technique" but in my pea brain it boils down to what a rider is comfortable with.Back the truck up for a moment and imagine if you lived on the entrance ramp to a major highway.......morning rush-hour traffic would see you wackin the gas like there was no tomorrow.The trick for practicng threshold braking is practically the same thing.....find that place where its not only OK but in the interest of safety,imperative that you get on the binders stupid hard.For us,we have a situation where we're at the bttm of a hill,on a major thoroughfare,that leads up a side rd.It's very important that we can brake stupid hard,in a very short distance,then get it turned in.The point being is we get really comfortable with threshold braking/turn in.........On a more cerebral plane,its about consious vs subconsious.If you have to think about it.......it probably took too long.I think the figure is 3 tenths of a second to make a consious decision....We simply don't have that kind of time........get comfortable with whatever riding issue you're dealing with.The trick is finding the practice regime that works for YOU.Best of luck,BW

[Mike]

Thanks, all. The suggestions that have been made are the techniques that I've been trying to adopt and it is getting better. Mostly, I wanted to make sure that there wasn't something obvious that I was missing.

 

I became more aware of this deficiency in my riding after I got my ST--with its greater handling prowess and the power of the servo-assisted brakes, I often found myself entering corners with a lot of weight transfer to the grips. The one thing that seems to make the most difference is aggressively gripping the tank. I still have to make a conscious effort to do it properly, but I imagine it will become a bit more natural with time.

[xoomerite]

I find that I tend to transfer less weight to the grips of my ST, if I use the rear brake. Using just the front brake for its linking benefit seems to make me sit higher on the bike, when braking. I doubt that using the rear brake has as much to do with it as the effect on position from shifting my foot downward causes my knee to rise up into the recess in the tank. And the other knee follows.

 

I rode up to Deal's Gap just after I got the ST to work on the technical aspect of running the curves. The pressing repetition, albeit at granny speed, molded my visceral understanding of the handling of the ST. It had felt vague until that day.

 

Dragging my toe felt visceral, too.