Revised Braking Technique

[ST13Fred]

With only 8K miles on my NC I'm already into the 3rd set of tires with the rear always giving up the ghost first.
So I've decided to start using the front braking exclusively. With engine braking the rear is still working hard.

My 2nd gen NC has dual sport tires. Z rated tires on the 1st gen NC seem inappropriate for an adventure bike.

 

[rippin209]

That's the way I ride and for the same reason. Don't forget to practice your panic breaking from time to time. I don't know what the rating is on the PR4's but they bite well. I ride aggressively but it's almost all freeway and I get plenty of miles out of them so I'm happy

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I think the majority of my tire wear is from the rough road surfaces typically found around here. But regardless, I always try to keep in the habit of using my rear brake a little so that I won't be out of the habit when it's truly needed -- which definitely comes up a lot more when doing off-road stuff on either of my bikes...

 

[lue42]

I am having a hard time understanding this. For in-town, controlled/planned casual braking I generally mostly use engine braking to get down to about 20-30km/h while slightly pressing the rear brake pedal to turn on my brake light or heavier as needed to assist in slowing down. As I come to a stop I use the rear brake to complete the stop and generally hold still like that. I hover my hand or a couple of fingers over my front brake in case I need a little extra braking - but rarely use the front brake for stopping.

For entering turns at higher speeds, heavier or unexpected braking I will take advantage of more front brake coupled with engine braking when possible.

The tire does not skid in any of these scenarios. So i am trying to understand how a tire would wear out *that* much faster when using the respective tire for braking. Especially if the torque of engine braking is causing drag on the rear tire most of the time. Does the differing torque of that wheel slowing the bike down make *that* much difference?

Am I missing something? I am totally up to using the front brake more - and have been trying to get in the habit of using both more... but I just don't get the rubber wear comments above.

 

[dduelin]

Front brake does most of the stopping due to physics but the rear brake is important for finesse and fine control.

 

[ld_rider]

So I've decided to start using the front braking exclusively.

I had no idea you could use the brakes on a DCT w/ABS independently. I thought the ABS brakes were linked.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

The tire does not skid in any of these scenarios. So i am trying to understand how a tire would wear out *that* much faster when using the respective tire for braking. Especially if the torque of engine braking is causing drag on the rear tire most of the time.

Grip comes from somewhere. Even if there isn't obvious skidding something is interacting with the road surface, and that is going to cause some wear (and heat). Wear comes from engine braking too if this is the case, of course, because the tire is applying that change in drivetrain force to the road surface.

 

[GregC]

I had no idea you could use the brakes on a DCT w/ABS independently. I thought the ABS brakes were linked.

I think the 2012 and maybe 2013 were linked, but I think after 2014 they are not linked. I am under the impression that whichever brake you use does not affect tire wear that much unless you can somehow lock up the tire and skid (which should not be possible with ABS). My understanding is that the rear tire wears faster because that's where the power is generated hence the friction is higher and the tire wears faster.

 

[showkey]

Grip comes from somewhere. Even if there isn't obvious skidding something is interacting with the road surface, and that is going to cause some wear (and heat). Wear comes from engine braking too if this is the case, of course, because the tire is applying that change in drivetrain force to the road surface.

Agree, this front tire was obviously never locked up or skidded..........but this feathering wear pattern is very likely due to braking ove the last 7800 miles:




Think using front brake only is not a good solution for most........as others have mentioned when the emergency situation arises you will brake in a formed habit or muscle memory reaction.

Application of both front and rear brakes on every stop is the technique taught and incouraged by most.

I also doubt that braking is the cause of the premature wearing of the tires. Think it's more likely the choice of tires. Example?... I used the Avon super moto compound tire and it lasted less than 2500 miles while a very similar tread pattern Shinko 705 lasted 7800 miles under the same use pattern.

 

[rippin209]

I'm sure it's a rookie mistake a never improved upon but I never had a good feel for how much rear brake I was applying until it was locked up or very close to it. I ride aggressively, saying that I mean that I accelerate as quickly as possible without it causing extra wear on the motorcycle itself due to abuse, and brake hard often. While not necessarily hurting motorcycles engine or transmission I do wear out consumables such as tires chains and brakes more quickly then someone who rides as mellow as some of you have described. I don't purposely engine brake much but accelerating quickly and using only the front brake almost every time my tires wear out at the same time.

 

[Hank]

I use the front brake a lot in casual riding because I am too lazy to move my foot.

 

[ld_rider]

I think the 2012 and maybe 2013 were linked, but I think after 2014 they are not linked.

All ABS NCs use linked brakes, so not sure how the OP is going to only use the front one <shrugs>

Anyway, I suppose needing three sets of rear tires in only 8,000 due to braking is possible if running at say, Daytona ;-)

From the 2016 U.S. specs:

Disc Brakes With Available ABS

Single front and rear disc brakes give the NC700X great stopping power. The available ABS brakes are linked rear-to-front for stopping power, even under challenging conditions.

Read more at 2016 NC700X Innovations - Honda Powersports

Maybe they aren't linked front-to-rear ??? Anybody know?

 

[ld_rider]

Agree, this front tire was obviously never locked up or skidded..........but this feathering wear pattern is very likely due to braking ove the last 7800 miles:

I've seen lots of tires that look similar due to poor tire pressure. Or running a knobby on the street ;-)

 

[GregC]

All ABS NCs use linked brakes

I'm pretty sure they stopped linked brakes either in 2014 or after the 2014 model year ... it's been written about here frequently (I think DDuelin and 670cc had some posts about it). Not sure why, but my dealer confirmed my 2015 did not have linked brakes.

 

[rippin209]

I'm pretty sure they stopped linked brakes either in 2014 or after the 2014 model year ... it's been written about here frequently (I think DDuelin and 670cc had some posts about it). Not sure why, but my dealer confirmed my 2015 did not have linked brakes.

could also be a U.S.only thing, we do keep getting the watered down version

 

[ld_rider]

I'm pretty sure they stopped linked brakes either in 2014 or after the 2014 model year ...

Not according to Honda's current web site....as I posted above ;-)

Sadly, a dealer is probably the worst place to get any info about this bike...they are clueless.


All NCs w/ABS have linked brakes.

From the 2017 U.S. specs:

Single front and rear disc brakes give the NC700X great stopping power. The DCT model comes with ABS brakes which are linked rear-to-front for stopping power, even under challenging conditions

 

[Olythom]

Maybe one of you with more wrench time can help with this.... In my shop manual (which says it is for 2012-2014), there are drawings and part numbers related to the brake system for a "Proportional Control Valve" on the 2012 and 2013 DCT bikes but that valve is not shown on the "2013 on" versions. I assumed that meant that the 2012 and 2013 bikes were "linked" but the 2014-2015 were not. The 2016 is 'new generation' so I would not even venture a guess.
My big assumption is that the PCV has something to do with 'linking' the front and rear brakes. Can anyone tell us what the PCV actually does?
>Thom

 

[flyinfree.00]

I believe the 2013 had a 3 piston caliper on the front brake. One of which was actuated by the rear brake pedal. That's just from memory from reading here.

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[flyinfree.00]

Do a search for "3 piston caliper". The thread is "which years". Discussed there.

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[DirtFlier]

Regardless of the type of bike or model or percentage of brake use (front-or-rear), the rear tire will always wear out before the front tire because it mainly transmits engine power to propel the bike forward! If you want even tire wear, get a Rokon Trailbreaker.