In the riding courses that I've done, the procedure has always been to use the right foot on the brake as the bike takes off. It's an easy procedure if the brake offers some bite.
My GS has the same type of braking as your R. The rear brake is considerably weaker than the front and it is not very affective on a steep hill. I can certainly make it grab with more force on the pedal but if I feel I'm pushing too hard, I revert to using the front brake method as others have described.
My RT, on the other hand, has fully integrated brakes and there's no hill steep enough to make them let go.
The dangers of filtering , which I do regularly, are readily illustrated.Last Saturday a colleague was on her Suzuki 650SV filtering to turn right ,in UK.
Unfortunately a car that had been queuing to go straight on, decided to turn right as she was alongside. Hit her foot and side of bike.
Result was several dislocated toes and ripped off footrests and gear shifter. Ouch. A reminder to us all.
gregor wrote:The dangers of filtering , which I do regularly, are readily illustrated.Last Saturday a colleague was on her Suzuki 650SV filtering to turn right ,in UK.
Unfortunately a car that had been queuing to go straight on, decided to turn right as she was alongside. Hit her foot and side of bike.
Result was several dislocated toes and ripped off footrests and gear shifter. Ouch. A reminder to us all.
No matter how careful you are you can't be ready for everything can you. I filter every day and make a habit of watching the front wheels of cars I'm passing to see if they make a move my way. Been doing it so long it's almost unconscious now but as your friend found it only takes a second to get nurfed. Hope she's soon better.
So it depends on how bad/good a day he's having does it? That's ridiculous.
I think the CA option is the smartest!
The point is: you are allowed do it, but not reclessly.
I ride here in Los Angeles all the time, and pass cops in heavy traffic. Never a problem. But, I have seen cops stop riders for swerving between cars at high speed.
Nobody is sure perfect, but she practiced tirelessly !
It is legal in the UK but only up to 10mph when you are supposed to rejoin the traffic stream. Drivers also have a duty to watch out for filtering bikes/cars and make sure it's clear before they switch lanes. The police riders I have spoken to about it encourage you to 'make progress' as they call it but sensibly. They would pull you here for weaving around and they don't like you riding over the hatched areas between lanes. And there was I thinking that was a specially marked bike overtake lane!
challey wrote:It is common here for car drivers to serve in your way, open doors to prevent you filtering by and to throw things at you to boot.
Stupid w*****s - that's what they are!
If you are to be ticketed - so be it! But they are not LEO's - they should mind their own business and take care not to ram the car in the front, or spill their coffee instead of blocking bikers.
As someone here pointed out - in UK it is normal, but care should be taken. Do it at your own peril, and take care near any junctions or else ...
Aren't you allowed to filter past traffic queues in the USA?
The answer depends on which state you live in. In most of the Eastern US, it is not legal and, in my experience, is the thing that most aggrevates motorists. Cagers seem to feel that if they're stuck in traffic, everone else should be as well. It is common here for car drivers to serve in your way, open doors to prevent you filtering by and to throw things at you to boot. I've had all of these things done to me as I've lane split here in PA - and I've been stopped and ticketed as well. I still do it though; my feeling is it's worth the occasional cager tirade or traffic ticket to not have my bike overheat.
In Washington state not only is it illegal, it's ill advised to lane split. The cagers here would try to kill you for spite if they thought you were going to get ahead of them.
To get back to the original thread... My 2004 ABS model did not behave that way until I had the brakes bled (BMW dealer) about three months ago. Now about half the time the rear brake will release and re-engage after rolling backwards a few inches. The temporary fix is either pressing very firmly on the rear brake or using the front brake. Since this only happens on a hill I keep forgetting to look into it. Possibly the rear fluid level is low?
Get it checked out. The rear brake should be able to keep the bike stationary, easily. I have done this two-up on steep hills. There should be braking power to spare. I've used the rear brake to hold the bike stationary when I was loading it onto a truck.
Aren't you allowed to filter past traffic queues in the USA?
The answer depends on which state you live in. In most of the Eastern US, it is not legal and, in my experience, is the thing that most aggrevates motorists. Cagers seem to feel that if they're stuck in traffic, everone else should be as well. It is common here for car drivers to serve in your way, open doors to prevent you filtering by and to throw things at you to boot. I've had all of these things done to me as I've lane split here in PA - and I've been stopped and ticketed as well. I still do it though; my feeling is it's worth the occasional cager tirade or traffic ticket to not have my bike overheat.
In Washington state not only is it illegal, it's ill advised to lane split. The cagers here would try to kill you for spite if they thought you were going to get ahead of them.
CA here (south SF bay area)... People in cars get pretty spiteful about it. Often times they try to RACE ME in the SAME LANE when leaving a light.
Good god. Put some ice on your groin and leave the ego in the trunk.
I've had people throw full cans of soda at me when I lanesplit on the freeway at 40MPH (CA route 85 specifically--3 lanes, splitting between lanes 2 and 3, traffic in lane 3 at 30-35mph me at 40mph, traffic in lane 2 near-stopped and ANGRY.)
I've got a burn mark inside my aerostich from a well-aimed cigarette butt as well.
- copper 04 r1150r rockster
- grey aerostich with black ballistics
- insect annihilator
Was stationary on several steep hills so thought about the original post.
Right, holding bike on footbrake, awkwardly bent foot but just about managed. Then put bike into gear -both feet off the ground, what's holding the bike up? A mental experiment only- don't try that at home.
Now my way, click into gear ,use 2 fingers to hold front brake on and twist throttle while letting in the clutch. Always at least one foot on the ground until bike is rolling under power.
kp wrote:CA here (south SF bay area)... People in cars get pretty spiteful about it. Often times they try to RACE ME in the SAME LANE when leaving a light.
Good god. Put some ice on your groin and leave the ego in the trunk.
I've had people throw full cans of soda at me when I lanesplit on the freeway at 40MPH (CA route 85 specifically--3 lanes, splitting between lanes 2 and 3, traffic in lane 3 at 30-35mph me at 40mph, traffic in lane 2 near-stopped and ANGRY.)
I've got a burn mark inside my aerostich from a well-aimed cigarette butt as well.
I'd like to see what our off-duty CHP officers would do when they're on their personal bikes, receiving this aggression. Flash a badge, pull 'em over and ticket the hell outta them!
Traffic signals timed for 35mph, are also timed for 70mph.
I use your technique all the time on hills... hold the bike with foot on the rear brake. My rear brake has plenty of power to hold the bike on the steepest hills. It sounds like you have a problem with your rear brake.
Was stationary on several steep hills so thought about the original post.
Right, holding bike on footbrake, awkwardly bent foot but just about managed. Then put bike into gear -both feet off the ground, what's holding the bike up? A mental experiment only- don't try that at home.
Now my way, click into gear ,use 2 fingers to hold front brake on and twist throttle while letting in the clutch. Always at least one foot on the ground until bike is rolling under power.
The rear brake is the proper technique according to MSF course instructors, but whatever works for you and comes naturally would be my suggestion. However, the bike should always be in gear while waiting for a light or stopped traffic. Both feet on the ground are not necessary if your bike is in gear. Also, this allows you to drive away if something bad is happening behind you.
As for the original post, I always use the rear brake at stop lights in Tokyo traffic, steep hills or not. My Rodster never had a problem holding the bike. There is definately air in your rear brake fluid system.
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
As far as I am aware there is no stated legal position regarding lane spliting in the UK at speeds up to 10 mph, where does it say this in the highway code? It is part of the police class 1 rider training (and therefore IAM on which this based and assessed) to demonstrate that you are making progress, which incudes passing stationary traffic where safe to do so, but there is no stated law regarding what this means.
If your rear brake won't hold the bike whilst stationary on a hill it certainly won't stop your bike once moving. It must be faulty get it checked and serviced!
