[stroguy]

Yesterday I got caught just a hair too close to the car in front of me. The car came up on some traffic and made a quick brake and I followed in suit but we were both caught a bit late and going too fast. I locked up my rear tire for a millisecond, never any danger as going to the left or right of the car was the final bailout option. I got off the rear brake and applied more front and stopped in plenty of time.

My question; should I plan on the tires not having the grab as they would in the Texas summer? The cold and stiffer compound on the tire was the only conclusion I could come up with but wanted to hear from you more seasoned riders.

 

[Voltage]

I don't believe that tire temp has anything to do with it. Either way, hot or cold if you apply enough pressure to the brakes for the wheel to lock up your going into a skid.

 

[Guest]

I agree that the tire temp, or for that matter, the tire itself, should have nothing to do with it. The rotor has been seized by the pads/caliper when the brake is locked. The tire/bike rear end sliding is just the result. I will say that it is very easy to lock the back brake on this bike.

 

[ROADKILL]

One of the things I don't like about the Stryker is the single disc front brake - dual disc are a lot better (more stopping power). Using the right combination of front and back can bring you to a stop without skidding - not knowing your riding history - you might want to find somewhere you can practice quick stops to get a better feel for the brakes and the bike...also while in traffic you need to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front (you never know when that situation will happen again).
Reading your post: two factors were at play 1.) speed 2.) distance between yourself and the vehicle in front. Hopefully there was not another car behind you - that could have made for a really bad day.
It's only a couple days before Xmas and people are running around right now a little crazy trying to get in that last minute of shopping so everyone Ride Safe!!

 

[toby]

From what I have read and come to understand is a tire heats up to it's operating temp in a few miles of travel even in very cold temps and does the job it's designed to do.
As for the Srtyker having a single disk front brake with a large front tire diameter makes it a bit harder to lock up than others but it will lock up. I have tested and practiced how much pressure it takes to lock it up so when the time comes I know exactly how much pressure I can apply to make a fast safe stop. Believe me this bike stop just as fast as any other when you need it to. It just takes a bit more effort to apply the front brake properly and I think everyone should practice fast stops on this bike so you know just the right pressure to use. The good thing about this bike for beginners is it is less likely they lock up the front brake

 

[stroguy]

Off to the practice lot it is. I was also wondering about the temp of the roadway. It was asphalt and I know the stickiness of asphalt on a 95deg Texas day is quite a bit more than yesterdays 50deg. I am getting from you experienced guys and gals is there is not that big of a difference.

Thanks for the help folks. Merry Christmas.

 

[Mr monte]

As for the Stryker having a single disk front brake with a large front tire diameter makes it a bit harder to lock up than others but it will lock up. ...... The good thing about this bike for beginners is it is less likely they lock up the front brake

My thoughts as well. I rarely use by back brake when riding any of my bikes except for panic stopping when those Bambis jump out on the road to say hi. As we all should know, locking up your brakes is a big no no but it takes practice to know how much pressure you can apply before locking your brakes.

 

[toby]

Off to the practice lot it is. I was also wondering about the temp of the roadway. It was asphalt and I know the stickiness of asphalt on a 95deg Texas day is quite a bit more than yesterdays 50deg. I am getting from you experienced guys and gals is there is not that big of a difference.

Thanks for the help folks. Merry Christmas.

You would have to talk to the experts about the different temps of asphalt and how it reacts to tires as in stopping time? My guess is there would be a difference between say 35 degrees and 95, but I wonder what it does in 95+ temps in direct sun? I think it becomes softer and possibly cause more slippage? Maybe more research would be a good idea at this point to get the facts?

 

[middleagecrisis]

Whether the temp of the asphalt has an effect on stopping distince is irrelivant if you are driving defensively. Just drive safe.

 

[STRYKE ONE]

When a tire is cold it doesn't handle as well. That being said if the bike was ridden any length of time the tire was plenty warm enough. I agree with the issue of maybe being too close. I can also tell you that in an emergency once the rear brake is locked you should stay on it. If you lock the front you should ease and then reapply. The general rule of thumb is a minimum following time of 2 seconds of course speed plays a factor in that also.

 

[ROADKILL]

When a tire is cold it doesn't handle as well. That being said if the bike was ridden any length of time the tire was plenty warm enough. I agree with the issue of maybe being too close. I can also tell you that in an emergency once the rear brake is locked you should stay on it. If you lock the front you should ease and then reapply. The general rule of thumb is a minimum following time of 2 seconds of course speed plays a factor in that also.

I can't agree with stay on the brake with the rear tire locked up...sliding is not stopping - plus your chances of the bike going down are increased, not everyone knows how to handle a bike in a skid. As for the temp of the road surface even on a cold day, asphalt if exposed to direct sunlight for a period of time will be warmer than the ambient air temp. On really hot days asphalt can leech out along with oil and other chemicals causing the surface to be a little sticker. When riding in city traffic it is not a good idea to ride in the center of the lane (oil, transmission fluid, ac condensate, etc) will be on the road surface.
When braking if you apply the front brake first this will cause the front of the bike to dip taking weight off the rear tire making it a lot easier to lock up.

 

[strykenshane]

I've ridden in some pretty extreme temperatures, 118 in Vegas, 5 in north GA, honestly I just ride the same all the time and I've never had any issues, be aware of your surroundings and don't follow too close and you should be fine

 

[mikoloe]

I havent spilt my beer yet....

 

[STRYKE ONE]

When a tire is cold it doesn't handle as well. That being said if the bike was ridden any length of time the tire was plenty warm enough. I agree with the issue of maybe being too close. I can also tell you that in an emergency once the rear brake is locked you should stay on it. If you lock the front you should ease and then reapply. The general rule of thumb is a minimum following time of 2 seconds of course speed plays a factor in that also.

I can't agree with stay on the brake with the rear tire locked up...sliding is not stopping - plus your chances of the bike going down are increased, not everyone knows how to handle a bike in a skid. As for the temp of the road surface even on a cold day, asphalt if exposed to direct sunlight for a period of time will be warmer than the ambient air temp. On really hot days asphalt can leech out along with oil and other chemicals causing the surface to be a little sticker. When riding in city traffic it is not a good idea to ride in the center of the lane (oil, transmission fluid, ac condensate, etc) will be on the road surface.
When braking if you apply the front brake first this will cause the front of the bike to dip taking weight off the rear tire making it a lot easier to lock up.

As far as the part about staying on the rear brake my information comes from page 77 of Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough which is considered one of the best books out there if not the best. It also comes from the safety courses I have taken. It reduces the chances of high-siding also. High-siding is less likely on a cruiser than sport bike but is still happens. another idea is to do an internet search on braking there are many articles on this. This is also very situational and the best advice is practice which I need to do

 

[saclean]

I belive that tire, and road temps do make a slight differance in braking. and yes practiced hard braking is something that everone should do. i have the Raodliner and yes it is 160 lbs heaver than the Stryker, and has dule front rotors. And yes this bike locks up also. we al as responable rides need to be prapared at all times. 8)

 

[SmokenJoe]

From the book "Proficient Motorcycling" By David Hough

 

[Guest]

I belive that tire, and road temps do make a slight differance in braking. and yes practiced hard braking is something that everone should do. i have the Raodliner and yes it is 160 lbs heaver than the Stryker, and has dule front rotors. And yes this bike locks up also. we al as responable rides need to be prapared at all times. 8)

Ok, I'll relent and allow for the possibility of a slight contribution of road temperature. But, as long as the tire has adequate tread and the ground surface is dry and doesn't some other foreign contaminant, i.e., gravel, sand, oil, etc., (I actually tend to believe, from my experience, that a hot surface, asphalt in particular - at least the way roads are done in Texas - would be a bigger issue than a cold dry surface), the contribution should be small. However, the primary factors involved are 1) pressure applied to the brake pedal/lever and 2) weight on the axle in question. With the front brake, single or dual, as you apply more pressure to the lever you add more weight to the front end while making the back end lighter. As you add more weight, it takes more pressure on the lever and subsequently the rotor in order to lock the brake. With the rear end, as you apply more rear brake, you do not add more weight to the rear axle.

Edited for coherency.

 

[ROADKILL]

When riding every thing you do needs to be instinctive - learn proper techniques and practice them ( braking, avoidance manuevers, etc.) There are a lot of things that can happen when riding - but developing good reflexes can turn a bad situation to good. Always look for an escape - expect the unexpected - ride like you're invislible - How many times after an accident do you hear " I didn't see them". If you think you're following too close or going too fast then you probably are. A lapse in concentration can ruin your day.
As for whether the road surface is different hot or cold doesn't matter treat them the same....when I first started riding I probably spent as much time picking my bike up as I did riding it....It is a learning experience & you should learn something new every time you ride....myself included.

Everyone have a great New Year!! & Ride Safe

 

[BillyD66]

When riding every thing you do needs to be instinctive - learn proper techniques and practice them ( braking, avoidance manuevers, etc.) There are a lot of things that can happen when riding - but developing good reflexes can turn a bad situation to good. Always look for an escape - expect the unexpected - ride like you're invislible - How many times after an accident do you hear " I didn't see them". If you think you're following too close or going too fast then you probably are. A lapse in concentration can ruin your day.
As for whether the road surface is different hot or cold doesn't matter treat them the same....when I first started riding I probably spent as much time picking my bike up as I did riding it....It is a learning experience & you should learn something new every time you ride....myself included.

Everyone have a great New Year!! & Ride Safe

Totally agree on practicing. Every bike is different so no matter how long you have ridden you should find a nice empty parking lot and practice quick stops, emergency swerves, cornering and the like.
I'm sure I looked like a dork doing it in our church's parking lot but the tiny Buell I did the MSF course with is way different from the Stryker. Afterwards I felt confident that I could probably get out of a situation but regardless I was better prepared than before.
Will be doing this again in the spring after the long winter of no riding

My .02 on the other part of this is that brakes, tires, pavement, temps, thicker gloves and the way/sequence the brakes are applied will all play a part in emergency stopping and swerving. No amount of reading is going to totally teach you how to do it. Get out and practice. Start out slower and then increase your speed till you have covered the bases.

Ride safe. It's a cager jungle out there!!