| Author | Message | ||
     B00stzx3 |
Hey guys. Finally got my bike up and going, took it to work today down Interstate 95 (goes from Ny to Florida). All I can say is WOW. This thing PULLS in friggin 5th gear!! Not only that, you don't even have to turn the bars to turn, ya just lean and the bike knows where you wanna go. Mr.Buell, you are my hero! I love my Firebolt, never gonna get another bike. Maybe an 1125R eventually, or I'll just get this bike boosted. I feel like a friggin ninja on this bike! | ||
| Froggy |
Just imagine how much the 12's and 1125's pull  | ||
| Mr2shim |
I'm a loud, obnoxious, politically incorrect, Bud Light chugging, Marlboro smoking 22 year old Caucasian American male, and damn proud. Dont like it, kick rocks! bwahahahahahhahahahahaha..... funny... But seriously, congrats. | ||
| B00stzx3 |
hahah thanks for the copy over Shim. I don't want people to interpret me wrong on that stuff, but it describes me. I'm sorta redneck, Democrat, yuppie, motrocycle/go cart driving punk rock kinda guy. The Caucasian American male thing is a dig at political correctness (I'm a white guy), but being a Democrat I'm usually siding with the PC things so oh well. The movers that moved my stuff into my new house tried to figure out what i was like and my roomate said you'll never figure him out ahah. Anyways yeah, this bike friggin flies. Its FUN. I don't care if it can't go 160mph or not, its fun at 40mph! The rear brake is scary though, I've fishtailed a couple of times. Not fun at all. Emergerncy stops suck! | ||
| Ohioxb12 |
"The rear brake is scary though, I've fishtailed a couple of times." My 2 cents= use the front break. The only time I use the rear break is if I am stopped at a light on a hill and I want to give my hands a break. Carpel tunnel setting in at old age! LOL  You will here many riders suggestions as to what % of front compared to the rear etc. Ride in your comfort zone so you can enjoy your bike for a long time. The best thing I have ever done was to take an advanced rider training course on a race track. Congrats on the bike !!!  | ||
| Andymnelson |
I'm so used to my sport bike grippy rear brakes, that I'm annoyed by the force required to use my XBs rear brake- kind of the opposite problem! I did however discover the scariness of a short wheelbase bike locking up a rear tire and coming out up front the other day- when it breaks loose, it snaps around quick! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The rear brake is scary though, I've fishtailed a couple of times. Not fun at all. Emergerncy stops suck! The rear brake is best used with the drive train engaged. It locks up like a mofo if you really stand on it and doesn't have much braking power anyway. I use the rear brake to scrub off speed and to settle the suspension. DON'T use the rear brake for emergency stops! Period. Once you pull the clutch in, stop using the rear brake. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I use them both alot. The bike just seems to slow better to a stop. Especially when you get a quick yellow light. From what I see about riding bikes, there seems to be alot of muscle memory involved in how you use controls. Its just second nature now for me to use both brakes and I've also noticed that the index and swear fingers of my left hand are always resting on the clutch lever. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
I feel like a friggin ninja on this bike! And that you will become in time my son.... | ||
| Mr2shim |
The rear brake on the XB blows. ZTL FTW! | ||
| Swordsman |
For what it's worth, the MSF courses (Rider's Edge, anyway) shows a diagram of average stopping distance using front, rear, and both brakes. It's in your best interest to use both if you're actually concerned about stopping within a given distance. I believe it was ~70% of the braking power is up front, but that last 30% is nothing to turn your nose up at. I ALWAYS use rear in conjunction with front, but I go easy on it to make sure there aren't any lock ups. ~SM | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
One thing the MSF book doesn't take into account is wheelbase. The shorter the wheelbase, the greater the likelihood that the rear will lock up given the weight transfer to the front. Although the brake force might be 70/30, the actual contact patch and the amount the brake force transferred to the ground isn't 70/30. It's probably more like 90/10 due to weight transfer and reduction of rear contact patch. | ||
| Skully |
+1 Jeremy Keith |
