Almost witnessed an HD wreck just now

[Claviger]

Yeah, most wont out brake cars, but it can be done on good tires on some bikes like S1000RR and other new breed sport bikes. If you look up their stopping distances from 70 they far exceed even sports car distances.

 

[scot in exile]

Actually bikes can stop just as fast as cars if done correctly, stomping on the rear brake is not the way to do it, stomp that rear brake -tyre skids, wheels get out of alignment, you let go of the brake, next thing you are flying ahead of the bike, then the bike lands on you.

 

[scot in exile]

This is why you never tailgate cars on bikes.

You cannot stop faster as physics rule, the car has more mass, more rubber on the ground so it can scrub speed faster than a smaller lighter vehicle with two small patches of grip. You can also only react after you see the lights meaning your behind the eightball already.

On a rider training course they hired a Toyota Corolla and made us do emergency braking tests from 30mph to stop, there were a range of bikes, speed triples, FJ's, ST's, BMW's etc, the car virtually stopped in half the distance of the best bike/rider combo. We then said "ah ha what if the cars loaded with people? So as many people as possible were crammed in, car stopped in same distance. I stopped one of my bad habits that day.

Best to leave the cages a bit of space or at least make sure you can veer around them

Not saying they were bad riders but I am saying they need to practice braking more often, modern day bikes with ABS should stop / beat a car at braking the big difference is in a car any yahoo can stomp on the brake on a bike it takes practice to get better.

 

[scot in exile]

Best to leave the cages a bit of space or at least make sure you can veer around them

Leave as much space as you can, usually only one winner when a bike and car decide to occupy the same space

 

[Dawg68]

This is always a bad time of year for those of us who winter our bikes. That first couple of weeks on the road is the worst until riders remember how to ride defensively.

 

[sleeves]

Actually bikes can stop just as fast as cars if done correctly, stomping on the rear brake is not the way to do it, stomp that rear brake -tyre skids, wheels get out of alignment, you let go of the brake, next thing you are flying ahead of the bike, then the bike lands on you.

This was proven to us at and advanced rider safety course. the motorcycle cops, the instructors and no one else there (about 20 people) with a huge variety of bikes. Its a simple mater of physics and gravity. The car has more surface area and footprint on the road and more weight pushing down on the surface area. A bike is lighter and all the weight moves forward to one tyre that flattens and increases the traction but no where near the area of a car tyre. The crappy Corolla braked on average in half the distance of all the bikes time and time again.

Fully agree on the rear brake lock up this is accelerated by weight shift forward meaning the back wheel lifts and needs prgressively less energy to prevent it locking and a sudden "panic" stab is fatal.

Try it you'll see.

Also this course had training on doing "stoppies" on the front wheel for those inclined (no go on R3), blindfolded riding with the instructor shouting instructions (terrifying) and other fun activities, one of the best days I've ever had on my bike.

 

[sleeves]

Not saying they were bad riders but I am saying they need to practice braking more often, modern day bikes with ABS should stop / beat a car at braking the big difference is in a car any yahoo can stomp on the brake on a bike it takes practice to get better.

Sorry also most of the late model bikes on the course had ABS and the R3, with controlled braking could haul up in about the same time, but where it counts in a true emergency braking issue, I'd put my faith in ABS everytime. I practice emergency braking on my bike as I dont have ABS.

 

[sleeves]

I went to a bike event here in Christchurch last year and they did the brake test with a car Vs sports, cruiser, police, small cc bikes and all failed to stop as quickly as the car.

Sports rider was doing one wheel stoppies and still over shooting by 4 metres.

Sounds like a similar course. What I have been wondering about since then is the stopping distance of an 18 wheeler or logging truck vs a car

 

[scot in exile]

This was proven to us at and advanced rider safety course. the motorcycle cops, the instructors and no one else there (about 20 people) with a huge variety of bikes. Its a simple mater of physics and gravity. The car has more surface area and footprint on the road and more weight pushing down on the surface area. A bike is lighter and all the weight moves forward to one tyre that flattens and increases the traction but no where near the area of a car tyre. The crappy Corolla braked on average in half the distance of all the bikes time and time again.

Fully agree on the rear brake lock up this is accelerated by weight shift forward meaning the back wheel lifts and needs prgressively less energy to prevent it locking and a sudden "panic" stab is fatal.

Try it you'll see.

Also this course had training on doing "stoppies" on the front wheel for those inclined (no go on R3), blindfolded riding with the instructor shouting instructions (terrifying) and other fun activities, one of the best days I've ever had on my bike.

I do this all the time teaching the Advanced Motorbike Courses with added on braking practice, now one thing we all forgot to mention was what speeds are we talking about???????? 20 to around 60mph a bike should with a good rider stop short of a car above these speeds the car starts to stop a bit quicker, like everything alse weather conditions, tyre condition, road condition all play a factor as does the reaction time of the driver or the rider.

 

[Claviger]

Absolutely agree about leave some space.

100% agree with crap toads right now, had a minor front end wash out mid corner yesterday, saved it but oh the pucker factor. Gravel or salt on road.

Specifically I’m referencing the MCN I think did testing 70-0 mph, bikes were well ahead of even corvettes in distance, stopping shorter, again these guys are borderline pros on the best tires on the best bikes.

All I know is, my R3 comes down from speeds in emergencies that no bike her size has any business doing lol.