Linked-brakes learning curve

[CosmoKorny]

My '06 XC has linked rear brake and front left disc brakes on the left lever.  As a former motorcycle rider I have been treating this lever gingerly, as I would a rear brake pedal but recently had an aha moment when realized I should be using equal pressure on both right and left levers.  I'll weigh in with my observations later but would first like to hear from some more experienced scooter riders as to how this system should be properly used.

[bleys]

My XC also has linked brakes....and they have not been an issue so far.  Still in situations with uncertain grip...sandy, gravel etc, I tend to engage the right brake lever first and then use both levers together after the initial bite of the front brake.  Theoretically, the linked brakes apply braking pressure in a ratio biased toward the front brake, but I'm not sure what that ratio is.

[CosmoKorny]

If I'm not mistaken, the right lever only applies braking to the right rotor.  It seems to me that braking with only, or mostly, the right rotor causes the bike to pull sightly to the right.

[bleys]

And the left lever only applys braking to the left rotor and the rear rotor.  Dual rotors on the front wheel should not pull one way or the other, but it is usually best to engage both - use all the brakes you have, after all.  Never had a problem with the scooter pulling to the right, even if braking hard with only the right lever.  Besides we are talking a fraction of a second here.  In an emergency situation, you should be squeezing both levers with steadily increasing pressure until stopped.  If the bike veers to the right or left, then something is not working right.  By the way, the only concerns with linked brakes are that 1) the rear wheel could lose traction as weight shifts to the front of the bike when braking and 2) with linked brakes you can't use a little rear brake to help you maneuver in tight spaces because the front brake engages and makes steering more difficult. 

[CosmoKorny]

Maybe it's just me, but when coming to a stop the bike has wanted to tip slightly to the right, creating an awkward moment and the need to suddenly put my right foot on the ground.  With a mc the right foot would typically stay on the rear brake and the left foot would go down.  Anyway, I thought there was someting wrong with my xc, or it was poorly engineered because I kept fighting with it at low speeds until I started applying pressure to both brake levers equally, problem solved.     The character of the bike has completely changed simply by changing my thought process regarding that left lever.

[CosmoKorny]

High speed braking has improved dramatically as well, the bike is much more composed and predictable.

[robertrackson]

Brakes are the most important and basic necessity things for any type of vehicle, those are always should be in perfect condition. While taking the bikes, first we have to check the condition of that bike brakes.

[CosmoKorny]

Brakes are the most important and basic necessity things for any type of vehicle, those are always should be in perfect condition. While taking the bikes, first we have to check the condition of that bike brakes.

Yes.     But perhaps even more important for me is wearing corrective lenses so that I can see what I'm braking for.   

Re: linked-brakes on the xc I have had to forget much if not all I have learned about the rear motorcycle brake.  Dumb it down and just grab a handfull of both levers and it performs beautifully.

[bleys]

I agree with you about the corrective lenses and with how to use linked brakes....LOL.

[wakeupmaggie]

Are the brakes on the downtown 300i linked?

[de-dee]

    no the brakes on the downtown are not linked

[ophelia]

Yes.     But perhaps even more important for me is wearing corrective lenses so that I can see what I'm braking for.   

Re: linked-brakes on the xc I have had to forget much if not all I have learned about the rear motorcycle brake.  Dumb it down and just grab a handfull of both levers and it performs beautifully.

I don't think you should pitch everything you know about the motorcycle rear brake out the window just yet. You're still on a two-wheeled vehicle, and the fastest, safest, simplest way to panic stop is still modulating the front brake when there is little weight over the rear wheel. People still wipe by grabbing a dual fistful of linked brake.

But around town and not in a panic stop situation, linked brakes are fantastic especially for people timid with the front brake. I have them on my Honda scooter.