[596]

I'm new to this biking thing. Please forgive my ignorance.

Is there a "standard" position for the front brake lever? I know the lever can be rotated around the handlebar, but what position on the bar is "best"? Is this an individual thing? I rode bicycles for the last 22 years and in that sport the position of the levers is "standard" and then individual positions from there based on hand size and comfort. When I pull the front brake lever on my Shadow I tend to pull back on the grip and accelerate at the same time. Will changing the position on the handlebar, as in rotating the lever up or down, reduce this tendency?

Thanks

 

[596]

You do what...? Dont touch the front brake. Problem solved.

But no, there is no locating pin to keep it in a single solitary position.

I'm from a bicycling background. Habits are hard to break. I was a police mountain bike instructor for many years. I worked on a police mountain bike patrol for a long time. Feathering the front brake was all I ever did. I hardly ever used the rear brake. When riding in an urban setting going over curbs, up stairs, down stairs, etc the front brake is the best, as long as you know what you are doing. Guess motorcycles are different. I need to concentrate on that right foot brake pedal.

 

[596]

No. motorcycling is not different. Most of your braking should be with the FRONT brake.

OK, here we go. I've had 2 people say, not just in this thread, to stay off the front brake completely and 1 say to use mostly the front.

I understand that the front has more effective braking power. Why use just the rear or mostly the front?

I also understand that when the rear wheel begins to slide you actually back off the front brake to get the rear from skidding. Makes no common sense, but, it does shift your weight to the rear, applying more weight to the rear, thus stopping the skidding of the rear wheel. Works when mountain biking!!