Triumphrat

kidkazi · 05-26-2007

i put my left foot down first after all the downshifting. today i tried to go right foot first and almost ate it. i'm trying to get used to using both so in certain situations like on a slope, i can put which ever foot down. but right now, i'm too used to my left foot first. ***** it.

mr_badda_bing · 05-26-2007

Left foot, right foot runs the brake.

trotskyite · 05-26-2007

Just don't forget to put a foot down period. We tend to over use the rear brake anyway, the front brake is going to get you stopped a lot faster. Unless of course you are taking your hands off the bars before you are stopped, and if that's the case, I really don't know where to begin.

merlin · 05-26-2007

You need to be able to do both but there are two main reasons that most of the time the left goes down first, and only:
1) Road crown dictates that the ground is closest to you on the left side (presuming you are driving on the right side of the road). In some extreme situations you may have a much longer reach to the ground on the right side.
2) If you are on anything other than level ground you need to use the foot brake to control the bike upon pulling away from the stop.
I'll throw in a bonus reason:
When stopped you should be ready to immediately pull ahead in the event some idiot doesn't see you and charges down behind you. This means: downshifted to 1st, never in neutral. Right hand on throttle, not brake, ready to go. Right foot on brake keeps the brake light on for visability and you're ready to immediately pull away.
This doesn't mean you have to stop with the rear brake, only once stopped your foot brake holds the bike until you pull away.

ChrisV · 05-26-2007

I find it fun and a bit of a challenge to see how slow and how long I can go before putting any feet down.

At some traffic lights I can stay balanced for quite a while using the front brake, then both feet go down naturally together.

Helps improve riding skills :-D

walt · 05-26-2007

Quote:

I find it fun and a bit of a challenge to see how slow and how long I can go before putting any feet down.

Me too, Chris. Back in the 60's I use to try that all the time. In October 2006 I decided to start riding again after 30 years w/o a bike. So I stopped in at my local Triumph dealer to check out the Bonnies and the salesman of course asked me if I wanted to sit on one. He didn't have to ask twice - I got on, popped the kickstand up, squared up the bike, and put my feet up on the pegs, and there I sat. About the time the salesman's eyes started getting big I told him "I think this bike's talkin' to me." That's the one I bought.

Merlin, you've made a valid point. Using my right foot(instead of my hand) on the brake lever after I'm stopped could make for a quicker reaction time if ever I needed to move out in a hurry.

walt

doogin · 05-26-2007

Left foot, right foot..."after all the down shifting" Be in the proper gear going faster or slower. Avoid gravel and...

toocaffeinated · 05-26-2007

+1 Merlin.

All the MSF courses teach it that way!

doogin · 05-26-2007

I find it fun and a bit of a challenge to see how slow and how long I can go before putting any feet down.

At some traffic lights I can stay balanced for quite a while using the front brake, then both feet go down naturally together.

Helps improve riding skills :-D
It's the gyroscope thing, this Triumph!
:-D

LIJ · 05-26-2007

Right foot down. You stop the bike with both brakes. When you stand still you put down your right foot cause you don't need the brake anymore. With your left foot you need to make sure your in first gear, and your gonna need the gear shifter sooner than the brake once you've gotten the bike going.

If its uphill your gonna have to use the rear brake though, to hold the bike still (downhill you can hold your bike with the front brake, since its not so tricky with the throttle when starting that way)

Thats what they tell you in Swedish motorcycle training courses anyway...