Thank heavens for ABS!

[Tusayan]

Dusty,  I have dragged pegs and other stuff on my Guzzis hundreds to thousands of times and oddly enough it has never required a trip to Oklahoma.  Nor do I eat steak.  Thanks anyway.

The only connection between dragging stuff and linked brakes might be that without them you can more readily put your right toe on the peg to avoid damage to the toe of your boots (mine tend to die that way regardless, in the end)  Also your braking point at corner entry is probably easier to control when only your hand is involved. 

[LowRyter]

I've kinda a lost what this is all about.

1.  Agree with Dusty <shrug> yes, those California linked brakes work quite well.

2.  I have ABS on my Ducati.  Incredible.  I've only had them kick in a couple of times but yes, the ABS works fine.  The brakes and handling OTOH are just fantastic. 

[Griso8V]

My Griso 8V does not have ABS or Linked brakes.  The only bike I ever had that had linked brakes was my first one, a Guzzi V50.  I do wish my Griso had ABS, greatest invention ever.  Like Pete mentioned in the original post: it saved that guys butt.  Pete is correct, ABS is great!
I was taught that the front brake does the most stopping power (it is physics) so in a hard stop just use the front.  Locking up the rear could be dangerous...At least that is what I was taught...could be all wrong but used the front only a few times to stop VERY quickly and it worked...

[Huzo]

I think if you read Pete’s original post, you may smell the inference that..
For the guy in question, ABS is great because it is masking an underlying level of non proficiency.
Unless the man himself says otherwise, that’s where his comment sits for me.

[MMRanch]

   the front brake does the most stopping power (it is physics) so in a hard stop just use the front.  Locking up the rear could be dangerous...At least that is what I was taught...could be all wrong but used the front only a few times to stop VERY quickly and it worked... 

The rear is good for low speed maneuvering .   Worthless as a STOPPING TOOL  .  Just Physics plain and simple ! 

I don't ever want "Linked brakes"  heck - the rear tire wears out soon enough as it is ! 

ABS , is a life-saver in my experience .  It helps keep the rear tire on the ground !   

Sometimes we all need to do a quick STOP !   

[MMRanch]

OldBike 54

I've enjoyed your Talimena Drive twice already , its a twin to the road from Tellico Plains Tn. to Robbinsville NC. known as the Cherohala Skyway.

I'll collect that Steak Dinner if ever we meet .       and   even buy you one in return ! 

[Kev m]

Point of order. Though the front does most of the work the rear contributes and it does so more and more on longer and heavier bikes like the Cali 1400 or your typical Harley.

I believe most riding schools of thought teach to initiate braking with both (especially since while still under power there's the more weight/force on the rear than at most any other time) and then ease off the rear brake as the weight shifts forward.

But try braking a large/long/heavy bike without the rear and then with it also and you will likely feel the difference.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I believe most riding schools of thought teach to initiate braking with both (especially since while still under power there's the more weight/force on the rear than at most any other time) and then ease off the rear brake as the weight shifts forward.

Dang! I'm agreeing with Kev. 

Dusty, I need to find a picture of Todd Egan's Jackal from back in the day. Both foot pegs were ground down to about 1-1 1/2" long.

[LowRyter]

OldBike 54

I've enjoyed your Talimena Drive twice already , its a twin to the road from Tellico Plains Tn. to Robbinsville NC. known as the Cherohala Skyway.

I'll collect that Steak Dinner if ever we meet .       and   even buy you one in return ! 

The Skyway is a much faster, smoother and more manicured road than the Drive.

[oldbike54]

Dang! I'm agreeing with Kev. 

Dusty, I need to find a picture of Todd Egan's Jackal from back in the day. Both foot pegs were ground down to about 1-1 1/2" long.

 Oh I am perfectly capable of dragging a footpeg , but at 90 MPH on the street I'll pass . As Nick Ienatsch says , the idea is to go fast using as little lean angle as possible .

 Dusty

[John A]

I completed a law enforcement motorcycle training program in the early ‘80s.  They said that among experienced riders most overbrake the rear and under brake the front in a full on panic stop. It’s been my belief that the linked brake system was designed to counter this.  I still practice my panic stops but do notice this tendency when I’m trying to stop before crashing into an unexpected obstacle even after trying to get my muscle memory developed so that it works the way it should. I’ve unlinked the brakes on the sidecar tug because I wanted to use them to set the suspension when cornering.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Oh I am perfectly capable of dragging a footpeg , but at 90 MPH on the street I'll pass . As Nick Ienatsch says , the idea is to go fast using as little lean angle as possible .

 Dusty

That's the difference between "normal" twisties and canyon roads. On the SoCal canyon roads, you can drag a peg at 30 and have a really good time doing it.  I don't like to go fast enough for it to be challenging on "fast" roads like the Cherohala..

[oldbike54]

That's the difference between "normal" twisties and canyon roads. On the SoCal canyon roads, you can drag a peg at 30 and have a really good time doing it.  I don't like to go fast enough for it to be challenging on "fast" roads like the Cherohala..

 Yeah , that's kinda the point . We have some roads just a few miles East of here that are like a canyon road , and riding them at 30 MPH is a challenge , but on a high speed road like the Talimena Drive it's a different story .

 About braking styles , on the street I really prefer to get 99% of the braking done before really tipping in , there is only so much traction available , and braking forces use a considerable amount of that . Slow in , fast out .

 Dusty

[jwinwi]

On non-linked bikes I 'lead' with the rear brake - applying it first to settle the bike and reduce the front's tendency to dive, then apply the front to do most of the work. Read that some Eyetalian racer (Lucchinelli?) advised someone to do it that way during a track school.  Also thought that the later Guzzi linked brakes with proportioning valve accomplished the same thing.

[rocker59]

the last of the "integrated brakes" Guzzis was the Californias in 2011/2012. 

None of the CARC bikes were integrated.  (Breva 1100, Griso, Stelvio, Norge)

None of the Spine Frame bikes were integrated.  (Daytona, Sport 1100, V11 Sport, V11 LeMans, Centauro)

none of the 2009 -up V7/V9 smallblocks are integrated.  (V7 Classic, V7 Racer, et al)

none of the California 1400s are integrated.  (Audace, Eldorado, Touring, Custom, MGX21)

[Ncdan]

I completed a law enforcement motorcycle training program in the early ‘80s.  They said that among experienced riders most overbrake the rear and under brake the front in a full on panic stop. It’s been my belief that the linked brake system was designed to counter this.  I still practice my panic stops but do notice this tendency when I’m trying to stop before crashing into an unexpected obstacle even after trying to get my muscle memory developed so that it works the way it should. I’ve unlinked the brakes on the sidecar tug because I wanted to use them to set the suspension when cornering.

When I went through motor officer training school the first exercise we had to do was bring the bike (78 Harley Electra glide) to a full front brake stop from 50 mph. The instructor told us the most important lesson of the two week course was that you can’t stop properly without the front brakes. The rest of the day was spent learning the situations where the full front brakes could not be use, dirt, gravel, wet slick surfaces etc. I always apply the front brake first then ease into the back.