| Author | Message | ||
     Fastrichie |
Has anyone here had a problem with the front end locking up. I was going strait around 30-50 mph getting ready to go into a turn. When i was setting up to turn it was very hard to counter steer. then the front end started to shake and it felt like the front brakes where 100% on. I did not apply the front brakes when setting up.The bike in the previous conners felt strange when I was counter steering. I knew I was gonna crash at that point. I then went flying over the bars. I hit road and bounced and slid into a ditch. The bike stopped inchs from hitting me. I never passed out. I saw the bike flip in the air rear end over the front.I have a idea of what happened. I want to see if anyone here has a idea? I broke my scapula in the crash with little very road rash. I just cant wait to ride again.I got a xb12 in my back yard calling me. I did take my bike to the dealer about 300 miles before the crash for a front end noise. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
That shake is the front end telling you that you've eaten all of the traction pie and if you try to take another bite, you're gonna be in trouble. A month ago or so, I came out of a 30mph (indicated) left hander at about 60mph in second and accelerated hard. The next corner came up quicker than I thought it would (it was dusk and I had on a tinted shield) and I trail braked deep into the corner. I got that little shake from the front end, so I backed off the brake and leaned in harder, and I made it through the corner fine. I give a lot of credit to the Pilot Power 2CTs--I am pretty sure if I'd done that on the Corsas, I'd have gotten a traction pie in the face and ended up in the ditch. It was only about 50F out and the sun was almost completely down, so I was already asking a lot of the tires, and they didn't let me down. Anyway, the front end shake is par for the course with just about any bike when you're at the traction limit. I doubt there is anything wrong with your bike. More likely, there might have been some dust or debris in the road that caused you to run out of traction more quickly than you'd expected. Get well soon! | ||
| Pmjolly |
@Fastrichie....What was your idea of what happened? | ||
| Ratbuell |
I'm curious what you find. I don't want to speculate...but I never have found out what happened in my wreck back in '08. Part of me is curious...part(most) of me is just happy to still be here. Keep us posted, and glad you're OK. | ||
| Fastrichie |
Thanks. I had broken in powers pures. what caused the bike to stop and flip end over end. There was a very short skid line only about 2 feet long. If I just lost traction there what about the turns before? The road seem to be dry and somewhat clean. Im thinking my neck bearing failed or shifted out of place. | ||
| Froggy |
What about the possibility of a front wheel bearing failure, or a master cylinder malfunction causing it to drag and then totally grab? (Just throwing it out there) | ||
| Fastrichie |
Froggy thats a possibility. I was very a wear of what was going on before during and after. I got up from the crash and call my girlfriend before i fell back down. Im just really luck to be alive. It was like a slow failure of something in the front end. I was only on the road for about 20 min. from the start it seem harder for me to push to counter steer.I was thinking at the time I need to warm up more.Im usually going much faster but something just felt really wrong so I was taking it real easy. Thats why im thing neck bearing. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Froggy - "What about the possibility of a front wheel bearing failure?" That was my first thought. Did you hear or feel a 'rocks in a can' rattle or grinding marbles noises in the minutes before your accident? You hear more than you can feel when a front wheel bearing is going out. Several years ago on my S1 I looked down and saw what I thought was some road crap wrapped around the front axle. On further inspection the right side race on my S1 had spit out and wrapped itself around the axle. I picked it clean and slowly rode the 12 miles to the shop. | ||
| Fastrichie |
I can agree with what your saying. I didnt hear anything odd at the time just feeling thru the bars. | ||
| Pmjolly |
Did you get to check the bike after the crash? I would think you could find some clues about what happened. What kind of front end noise did you have it in the shop for? | ||
| Fastrichie |
I have not seen it yet just told of the damage done.I heard a clicking and knock sounding when I used my front brakes and when the front end was decompressing. I had same problem on the xb and it was the neck bearing. | ||
| Curve_carver |
I had a front bearing that was doing weird stuff. I knew something was up and noticed braking issues too. I never leave my bike up to a mechanic to check. You should do a assessment every time you ride. I find myself constantly checking over wear items . 1. Check tires 2. Check bearing seals and maybe check slop in front wheel. 3. Check belt 4. Check oil 5. Check lights 6. Check pads 7. Check stator nut << too funny had too. 8. Check yourself before you wreck yourself!! | ||
| Pmjolly |
I also have a clicking sound in my front end on decompressing. I checked my steering head bearings over the weekend. They seem fine. I also checked my wheel bearings. They seem fine. I think it is something in the forks. Others have the same thing. What did the dealer say about yours? I don't see how the steering head bearings would make you go over the bars. I think Froggy has the right idea. I'd check the brakes and wheel bearings. BTW, I'm glad you are going to be OK | ||
| Drawkward |
Glad you're ok. Flesh, what you said about trail braking has never ever once happened to me and I had the 1125R on the track over 10 times this year and I trail brake all the time. My suspension is set up for my weight and I ride on Rosso Corsas...short of a race tire I wouldn't trust anything else for how hard I push the bike. I don't think this had anything to do with traction or the lack thereof. | ||
| Cherry_bomb |
have you got an aftermarket brake-laver installed? | ||
| Zothar |
I had a very similar thing happen to me a month ago. I spent 2 days in the hospital with a broken collar bone and ribs. I was riding straight at about 30mph, I was slowing down for traffic in front of me, but very slowly, when all of a sudden I hear the front wheel start skidding like the front brake was 100% applied. Next thing I know I land on my left shoulder and hear all sorts of crunching and bones popping around. The bike went down on its left side and slid for a bit. Luckily the lady behind me blocked traffic so no one would run me over. I was applying like 5% front brake when this happened. There was no gravel on the road that anyone could see. I still have the bike, and it seems like there's no noticeable problem with the brakes. Checked it as best I could. WTF | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
sounds like the master as mentioned above. i had my rear slowly get hot and seize on me in traffic a while back the entire rear brake system was replaced via warranty and thankfully mine didn't cause a get off...but i could see where it could have. and def can see that you all may be experiencing the same issues with the front brakes. i do wonder with you guys that have seized and wrecked have you or the dealer ever had any reason to or have you through the course of time and maintenance changed the front brake fluid? | ||
| Georgehitch17 |
Zothar-That almost happened to me on my supermoto! On city streets when your coming to intersections theres always alot of oil on the road which will cause the front to lock up easily. Do you ride in the middle of the road? if yes try riding on the left or right | ||
| Zothar |
I was riding in the middle of the road, but its was on a straight away to get to the Mass pike. I suppose there could have been some oil, didn't really inspect things too much after I got out of the hospital. Too bad it wasn't a low side fall, now my fiance is all paranoid I'm going to die and wants me to sell the bike... | ||
| Bettybuell |
Before anyone gets hold of the bike, check the brake fluid level. I had my KTM dirt bike do that too because I filled the master cylinder to the top. I have seen this on cars too when people overfill the M/C. The brakes drag slightly causing heat which expands the fluid. With no where to go it applies the brakes harder and you get a run-away condition ending with lock-up. It took about 2 miles on the KTM. If you had the dealer service it, maybe some bonehead (like me) topped up the M/C too much. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Bettybuell - I have heard of that, didn't occur to me, could very well be it. | ||
| Zothar |
I'm going to check that when I get home. | ||
| Jdugger |
> With no where to go it applies the brakes harder and you get a run-away condition ending with lock-up I've had this happen, actually. It starts to feel weird in the front, drags really bad, etc. I noticed it in time to slow down and figure out what was going on and get off the track before it locked up and flipped me. I run "just enough" fluid, and install the rubber stopper "pushed in" so that as the fluid gets hot it's got somewhere to go. | ||
| Cowboytutt |
I had the front brake seize on my ATK dual sport bike that had sat in storage for 5 years (thankfully as I was coming to a stop at a traffic light). The master cylinder had clogged and every time I applied the brakes they were dragging more and more, heating up and finally seized. I've noticed a slight tendency on my CR of it being harder to turn when applying the front brake. I'm hypothosizing your bike was hard to turn because you were already dragging the front brake and didn't know it. This should be very easy to diagnose when you inspect your bike. The brake rotor will probably be discolored from excessive heat and you can check the existing drag of the front wheel, pump the front brake, turn the wheel etc etc and see what happens. But whether it was too much fluid or a clog I'm really thinking it was the front brakes. -Tutt | ||
| Pmjolly |
So, someone please entertain me with a serious answer to my stupid question. Are the brakes supposed to drag at all, even just a little? Is it a problem if you have very slight contact? The front disk floats, and I wonder if it ever touches the pads under normal riding with no brakes applied. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Yes. There are no "retraction springs" in these disc brakes... so the warp of the rotor (however slight) pushes the pads back out and they lightly drag the whole time (very lightly). | ||
| S21125r |
Yes the pads do kiss the rotor ever so slightly. Enough that you wouldn't want to touch the rotor with a bare hand anyway... At big tracks where braking isn't really needed, NASCAR guys push the pads/pistons back into the caliper just before qualifying so that they can get that extra .1 of a MPH. | ||
| Pmjolly |
Thanks for the replies. I had both wheels off the ground over the weekend checking things, and noticed the rear disk does not touch the pads at all. The front rubs ever so slightly. It's not enough to slow the wheel at all. I was thinking it was normal until this thread was started. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
At big tracks where braking isn't really needed, NASCAR guys push the pads/pistons back into the caliper just before qualifying so that they can get that extra .1 of a MPH. I would think having no brakes might be a tad scary and very dangerous. Does someone remind the driver to pump up the brakes before pitting? | ||
| Fastrichie |
Zothar my gf is saying the same too me about riding. So at least im not alone with what happened. I know my brake fuild was full when I left. I did add nitrogen to front tire to make 32 psi and 34 psi in the rear before i went on my crash ride. I had my bike up after myself after the dealer. I didnt notice anything odd with the pads. I do have pazzo levers. still waiting to go see bike to check bearings. |
