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[ultrafxr]

I was at one of the local dealers this morning.  After I parked another guy (maybe in his late 50s) drove up to the service entrance on a Softail Heritage.  After he got through with the service writer and came inside I happened to meet him at the coffee pot.  He complimented my bike (I was on the cuse7)and commented that while we were about the same size he did not feel he could comfortably control a big dresser.  He really wanted one especially since he rides two-up most of the time and knows it would be more comfortable on trips.

Further conservation revealed that he had been at the dealership the previous day for something (I don't recall what) and when the tech test rode his bike he noticed the front disc rotor was severely warped.  This was why he was back today - to have that replaced.  The fella commented that it really had not bothered him since he only used the front brake in case of emergency!  He even stated he knew that over 70% of stopping power resides in the front brake but he did not want to use it unless absolutely necessary to avoid being thrown over the handlebars.  I told him that I have been a rider coach for years and have heard that before but it is darn near impossible on a big bike like a Harley.  The most likely scenario (which I have seen way too many times) is that if you lock up the front wheel and don't release and reapply you will wash out and go down way before any chance of doing a stoppie.  I encouraged him to give some thought to using both brakes and maybe even take a rider's education course.  Hopefully he will.

I've not ridden a Softail Heritage much at all but I seriously doubt that its rear brake is all that much more capable than the rear brake on dresser.  The thought of having to haul down my ultra from any speed quickly using only the rear brake sends chills down my spine.

It is bad enough to be brake challenged due to lack of practice.  It is terrible to be brake stupid!

[GregKhougaz]

Sounds like this guy is going to wind up as a story in the Darwin awards.      

[Fattbaggernknox]

My wife rides a 10 Deluxe & I would hate to think that all she used was the rear brakes...It's sad the people that dealerships put on bikes that are one ride away from there last or possibly others...

[ultrafxr]

My wife rides a 10 Deluxe & I would hate to think that all she used was the rear brakes...It's sad the people that dealerships put on bikes that are one ride away from there last or possibly others...

This guy is no newbie.  Bad enough that a newbie gets out there with no training but this makes it even more frightening.  He rides (and with his wife even) yet he has no understanding nor skill of proper braking technique.  Unbelievable (well, probably not and that too is frightening).

[110tHunDer]

 
The rotor was severely warped because he didn't use it?

[ultrafxr]

The rotor was severely warped because he didn't use it?

Got me Brian.  I dunno.

[StevesCVO]

Hopefully the guy will take your advise and get some training before he gets himself or his wife killed.

[jamnflhxse2]

I think something may have been warped, don't know about the rotor!

[cvobiker]

Someone please tell his wife to stay off that bike please.   

[Midnight Rider]

It is amazing how many riders are out there without a clue of how to actually ride a motorcycle.  This front brake thing is just one example of people who never even read about how to ride better, much less take a course.  Geez, you don't even have to go to the Library any more, just Google "how to ride a motorcycle" and thousands of hits come up.  What is equally amazing to me is how many people are out there riding who don't have any idea of how to steer their bike...never heard of countersteering, and insist they are "leaning" the bike over to turn by shifting their body weight, which many of them are doing, in fact.  It's pretty scarey knowing those people are riding around in places like TN and NC, and you might meet one of them in a curve somewhere. Accidents waiting to happen...

This guy will probably go over the handlebars alright, but not from using the front brake...

[spydglide]

OK, who remembers having a bike with a front brake that's primary purpose was to hold you on a hill?    har.  spyder

[petewerner]

OK, who remembers having a bike with a front brake that's primary purpose was to hold you on a hill?    har.  spyder

I do   But it wasn't 860 lbs. and I wasn't riding into the 10's of thousands of miles a year either and alot of it loaded for bear and triple digits for speeds like I'm doing these days...

[Midnight Rider]

OK, who remembers having a bike with a front brake that's primary purpose was to hold you on a hill?    har.  spyder

I remember having a bike that didn't even HAVE a front brake at all, but I didn't care at the time...    It took a coordinated effort to stop on any kind of incline...left foot down, or you were chit out of luck.  I probably wouldn't even get ON that bike now...or, maybe I would.   

[spydglide]

I do   But it wasn't 860 lbs. and I wasn't riding into the 10's of thousands of miles a year either and alot of it loaded for bear and triple digits for speeds like I'm doing these days...

You're so right.....a few thousand miles a year was a lot.  Fact is, you could ride a bike in todays traffic and speeds without a front brake, but you'd have to be extremely good (and lucky) to survive long.  And, I don't know how this guy is doing it on a softtail unless he's a traffic jam all unto himself.  spyder

[Skillet]

Rode with a friend long ago that lost his left arm in Vietnam. He had a hook for his left arm so had a eye bolt attached to the handlebars. Had the throttle and clutch rigged on the right side. We gave him plenty of room for situations since he didn't have a front brake. Every now and then the hooked arm would come loose and dangle from his eye bolt. He managed to ride quite well like this.