ZX6 07 - Automatically Front breaked? Wtf

[ManhattanRider]

ok now with over 3k miles.Basically no problems at all - Ok so i went to the gas station...Exxon mobile and filed it with supreme.

Ok so tank is full - Time to go riding. Alright, So i put all my gear on and etc - And got ready to pull out

So i pulled out and began riding down the street I was in first gear and on the street doing 15mph

Then all of a sudden i feel a sudden stop - Like i applied the front break - And then the bike just continued like normal?

The hell?

Or maybe i accidently had my hand on the front break - As i make it a habit to always cover my front break

This never happened at all.


Did someone sabotage my bike when i parked it outside or something.

Damn is scaring me.

[xeon]

Are you a new ManhattanRider? Basically no problems at all... pothole drop, over heating concerns, flickering high beam lights, tires slipping, now a phantom front brake issue... did I miss anything?

I'm not sure what to tell you, if you squeezed the brake lever and aren't aware of it... you might want to work on being more aware. Otherwise it sounds like a stutter in the engine which could be caused by many things. Seems lots of reports are surfacing of gas with water in the NY/NJ area as of late.

[ManhattanRider]

Originally Posted by xeon

Are you a new ManhattanRider? Basically no problems at all... pothole drop, over heating concerns, flickering high beam lights, tires slipping, now a phantom front brake issue... did I miss anything?

I'm not sure what to tell you, if you squeezed the brake lever and aren't aware of it... you might want to work on being more aware. Otherwise it sounds like a stutter in the engine which could be caused by many things. Seems lots of reports are surfacing of gas with water in the NY/NJ area as of late.

No those problems are minor and are a thing of the past now.

The highbeam was most likely done by me

My back tire Actually had a freakin Working nail lodged in - so i got a new back tire. no more slipping anymore.

But this sudden breaking was bizzare and i can't think of anything except me accidently covering the break

[jeffs99vulcan]

I'd suggest making it a habit NOT to cover your front brake!!! The MSF instructors in my course would smack you on the hand if you covered either the brake OR the clutch... hands on the handlebars!

Worst case, you'll know for SURE if that was the problem or not!

[ManhattanRider]

I have terrible short term memory.

So worst case is...I cannot remember

But let me rephrase it better

So i was riding my zx6 around town, The guage said FUEL - blinking - i needed fuel - but i didn't refuel - i just continued to ride - i got 30mph out of the low fuel tank thing - I COULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE - But i just didn't want to- So anyway then i decided to go to exxon mobil and refil the bike.

bike ride to gas station was perfectly normal

So i got their - Go to self service - and put in regular or supreme - Crap i forgot what i filled it up with

But i filled it all the way. all is well

Now i put on my gloves - Hop on my bike - Get off the gas station sidewalk and onto the street

with my hand on the throttle giving it a little gas

Now i'm moving at like 10 or 15 mpg and then i feel my front stop - Like i pressed the break -And then i didn't feel it anymore

I think i had the break covered - I CAN'T REMEMBER

But this is the FIRST TIME EVER - in 3k miles it happend/

So really i have no damn idea what to say.

I dont know if it was me - Due to my horrible short term memory.

Im a Bit WORRIED right now

[metallisch]

You...don't even remember what grade of gas you filled the bike with?

[Ericthejet]

Dude, dude, dude? What in the heck is going on?
You need to get things sorted out when you are on your bike or getting gas.

Long shot, bike shuddered due to fuel "gap" while riding.
Not so long shot, you had your fingers over the front brake lever.

In any case, your bike is fine of that I'm sure.

http://actingforaliving.files.wordpr...08/03/dory.jpg

[bennice]

uhhhh....hmmmm....errrr....

I don't even know where to start. Maybe it's best that I don't start at all.

Well, at least you didn't crash, so that's good.

[Ericthejet]

^^^^^ Best post in a while.^^^^^^^

[jeffs99vulcan]

I'm definitely leaning towards "squeezing the brake thinking it was the clutch"... possible?!

[OKC_Kent]

Keep your helmet on, I got a feeling you're going to need it.

[jed2009]

sure it wasnt the engine brake?

[snardle]

Sounds scary to me, I agree keep your helment on!

[QKENUF4U]

Originally Posted by jeffs99vulcan

I'd suggest making it a habit NOT to cover your front brake!!! The MSF instructors in my course would smack you on the hand if you covered either the brake OR the clutch... hands on the handlebars!

Worst case, you'll know for SURE if that was the problem or not!

are you SERIOUS ??????????? man i was told from day one in my MSF course back in 1987 to ALWAYS COVER THE BRAKE/CLUTCH ! and i always do. hmmm MSF needs to get standard teaching in their classes or this guy took it upon himself to teach it HIS way and not the MSF way.

[soc_monki]

Originally Posted by QKENUF4U

are you SERIOUS ??????????? man i was told from day one in my MSF course back in 1987 to ALWAYS COVER THE BRAKE/CLUTCH ! and i always do. hmmm MSF needs to get standard teaching in their classes or this guy took it upon himself to teach it HIS way and not the MSF way.

thats what i was wondering...when i took the MSF course i was told to cover the levers. i wonder if they changed things or teach differently in canada?

seriously...the amount of time it takes to move your fingers from the grip to the levers is about 2 seconds from realizing you need to do it to actually doing it. cover the levers and youre already halfway there! its a no brainer to me, and i cover my levers all the time on city streets and the highway and ive NEVER once "accidentally" pulled my front brake. even when i rode MX i never accidentally hit my brakes and i almost always covered my clutch and brake then as well.

it may not be necessary to cover your levers all the time...but at least cover them around intersections and on streets with lots of side streets, driveways, etc. you never know when someone may pull out in front of you. ive had it happen to me numerous times, and although i anticipated it, and even expected it, to happen, being aware and covering my brake allowed me to slow down without having a panic moment.

and covering doesnt mean wrapping your fingers around the lever...just prop them on there. really shouldnt be any way to "accidentally" pull the levers anyways. if there is, then adjust the levers up and down, or in some cases how far it is away from the bars (as with my ZX-6's brake).

just my opinion...always cover those levers. less time needed to react could save you from hitting that car that just pulled in front of you, or at least slow you down significantly. my 2 cents.

[jeffs99vulcan]

Originally Posted by QKENUF4U

are you SERIOUS ??????????? man i was told from day one in my MSF course back in 1987 to ALWAYS COVER THE BRAKE/CLUTCH ! and i always do. hmmm MSF needs to get standard teaching in their classes or this guy took it upon himself to teach it HIS way and not the MSF way.

Originally Posted by soc_monki

thats what i was wondering...when i took the MSF course i was told to cover the levers. i wonder if they changed things or teach differently in canada?

seriously...the amount of time it takes to move your fingers from the grip to the levers is about 2 seconds from realizing you need to do it to actually doing it.

All true, and there may be differences between one course, one country, one instructor and the next but as with any opinion, there are opposites... if you're covering the clutch and brake, you have less grip and therefore less control should you encounter a very sudden and unexpected need to steer hard, or have thd handlebars jolted from a bump... and that's not my opinion, that's what we were taught. You might need that same two seconds to recover control of the bike...

Originally Posted by soc_monki

it may not be necessary to cover your levers all the time...but at least cover them around intersections and on streets with lots of side streets, driveways, etc. you never know when someone may pull out in front of you.

Again, as above, you may need to control your steer and have a firm grip in these situations as well... last thing you want is a sudden loss of grip in a panic situation. It's my belief that it's a carry-over from driver's ed... covering the brake with your foot. Since there were some of us were doing it in the course, there has to be a reason for it, human instinct to cover your controls, BUT they made a very conscious effort to ensure we broke the habit. I still do it as I feel is necessary (intersections is a big one), but there is no doubt that they didn't want us to...

Originally Posted by soc_monki

and covering doesnt mean wrapping your fingers around the lever...just prop them on there. really shouldnt be any way to "accidentally" pull the levers anyways.

just my opinion...always cover those levers. less time needed to react could save you from hitting that car that just pulled in front of you, or at least slow you down significantly. my 2 cents.

What I meant by pulling the brake accidentally, is a new rider with a brain-fart... just pulling on the wrong side. Not necessarily pulling "by accident" as in grip too tight, just pulling one lever and not the other...

As far as covering the levers, I'm not an instructor... I won't give my own advice on it, other than to do what works best to keep you safe, and KEEP READING! Theories and opinions change all the time!

[ManhattanRider]

I always wear my gear

But the problem is

When this occurs again...And at what speed.

It's just very random to me

Maybe the bike was sucking in the gasoline or getting it - cuz i was riding on low fuel


bennice - I suggest you start. Because i'll take this bike in to the mechanic and have him check the front break or whatever and explain my problem

If all turns out clear then it was nothing serious at all

Probably an engine hicup because of the low gas or probably me with the break or clutch.

It hasn't happened again. and its been over 250 miles and it didn't happen. SO what the hell. I don't know what to say at all

Listen guys, I love my bike and i Notice EVERYTHING that happens with it - I am a safe rider and i want to ride a safe defective free bike - And am asking for help - SO THINGS DON'T TURN UGLY

Wtf?

Please guys explain to me - i have 3k miles and its been fun

I don't want to be a statistic of 2008. help me out here.

I think it was nothing - It was so random. i think i gotta take it to a mechanic.

Hurr

[Ericthejet]

"I think it was nothing - It was so random. i think i gotta take it to a mechanic."

The 3rd statement does not belong with the other two statements.
Once again I will reflect on many many years of riding motorcycles. Your front brakes do not just bind up and then let go. You on the other hand may have tapped them by accident and because you can't remember then don't worry too much about it.

Maybe you hit a slight bump in the road and twitched your throttle, or missed a shift or tapped the front brake and so on.

Modern bikes are very predictable and relability is top notch so in this case I'm going to say it may indeed have been rider error.

Go get some practice in on your bike down some back roads and don't worry about it. I ride a 24 year old bike and never give it a second thought outside of the bi-weekly look over for chain lube, controls and tire psi.

[medic03]

[Tweek]

Here is the thing - brakes are one of the simplest parts on a bike. They have to be because brakes absolutely, positively must not under any circumstances fail. A motorcycle, especially a sport bike with screwed up brakes is a sure fire recipe for a trip to the ER or a nice dirt nap.

The brakes on sport bikes today (and god willing forever in to the future) consist of a resevior, master cyliner that generates pressure, hose (hopefully stainless steel braided), calipers, brake pads and rotors. The only moving parts are in the MC and calipers. There is no antilock mechanism, nothing to mess things up. You squeeze the lever which drives the MC cylinder down causing pressure to increase in the hose which pushes the cylinders in the caliper out causing the brake pads to squeeze the rotors...etc. etc. etc.

you were covering your brake level. The brakes on a ZX6 freaking rock. you even think slow down and you'll do a stoppie. They have to be great b/c maniacs like me like to drive ZX6's in to tight corners too fast and then slow down when the road starts to run out.

Nevermind that my ZX6 is missing two cylinders and looks suspeciously like a Ducati.

I've not been hanging out here as much as I used to so I'm not sure how long you've had your illness. But based on earlier comments - you might want to spend some time in a parking lot just getting really comfortable with your bike and riding it. There really isn't much margin for error on a motorcycle and given the capabilities of a ZX-6 (which are way up in the stratosphere) you have even less margin. You're on a bike that will humiliate all cars that cost less than $250K and short of a full on F1 car driven by a professional driver is still nearly untouchable.

On the street you really can't afford any mistake like what you describedabove. Any uncertainty can cost you your life in less time than you realize. Left uncorrected, your confidence will grow faster than your abilities. Before long you'll find yourself lanesplitting through traffic and doing things above your abilities and the next thing you know - god will reach down and flick you off your bike like a teenager flicking a booger against a wall.

Go practice in a safe environment. Maybe take the MSF again. Do a track school. Read some books. Do anything but become another storey that gets posted on these forums six months down the road. Break your elbow on the race track and live to brag about it. Just up your skills.

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