Have you ever used your front brake in the air...

10/10/2019 12:09am
Years ago at a little training track we had a 180 degree right, immediately followed by a steep take off of a short table top- which popped you high in the air with a seat bounce, immediately followed by a 180 degree left turn.

Just playing around we rode this section over & over and challenged ourselves to move the apexes of the corners closer and closer until it we couldn’t clear the table.

You learn a lot just playing around like that.
3
cody41
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Miami, FL US
10/10/2019 4:47am
Tapping the front brake in the air is not a technique.
AH387
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Bridgeville, PA US
10/10/2019 5:04am
I have on accident. Like if you are coming into a corner hot and there is a kicker or roller that pops the bike up as you are trying to slow down. It didn't really do anything but it is not something I would want to do on purpose, off of a jump. I can't see how it could help the bike in anyway but I could be wrong.

The Shop

resetjet
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Tampa, FL US
10/10/2019 5:53am
Go grab a front wheel off a road bike and spin it and try to move the axle. Then have an assistant tap the wheel in one spot. You will quickly see why this is a bad idea.
10/10/2019 6:18am
I used it once to save my ass! My back end got kicked up off a double and my nose was way down. A handful of throttle, a quick squeeze of the front brake and a little prayer and I levelled out enough to save it... had a similar effect to tapping the rear when front was up
resetjet
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10/10/2019 6:45am
Suzuki203 wrote:
I used it once to save my ass! My back end got kicked up off a double and my nose was way down. A handful of...
I used it once to save my ass! My back end got kicked up off a double and my nose was way down. A handful of throttle, a quick squeeze of the front brake and a little prayer and I levelled out enough to save it... had a similar effect to tapping the rear when front was up
Thats odd, it should pull your front end down really.
8
Forty
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Saint Paul, MN US
10/10/2019 7:42am
Yeah. No. Don’t do it unless you want to contribute to the broken rib thread afterward.
1
ocscottie
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Redding, CA US
10/10/2019 7:46am
How about kick starting your bike in the air? (only the real OG's will get that one) GrinningWhistling
2
50dippin
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Los Angeles, CA US
10/10/2019 8:37am Edited Date/Time 10/10/2019 8:38am
I do it all the time, it definitely brings the front end down, but you do need to be on a decent air path for the landing or I could see how it could put a lot of people in trouble. I have a fused ankle and it is pretty uncomfortable for me to hit the rear brake, I feel like I have to hit the pedal with my heal since I can't point my toes downward. I also like to feel how different things effect me in the air and make sure I can be comfortable dealing with it. I tend to muscle the bike around in the air more than I probably should so that may be why it doesn't effect me as much.
1
Jbulz
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10/10/2019 9:59am
Yeah, did it once as a 125C rider. Never again.
2
10/10/2019 11:19am
No chance of me doing it. I still forget to pull clutch in when tapping back brake in the air😂😂 need to realise that my bike cuts out when I do this but luckily I only seem to do it on small jumps
Markopolo400
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St. Paul-ish, MN US
10/10/2019 12:39pm
Jbulz wrote:
Yeah, did it once as a 125C rider. Never again.
Arent you still a 125C rider
SKIDLID
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10/10/2019 5:06pm
50dippin wrote:
I do it all the time, it definitely brings the front end down, but you do need to be on a decent air path for the...
I do it all the time, it definitely brings the front end down, but you do need to be on a decent air path for the landing or I could see how it could put a lot of people in trouble. I have a fused ankle and it is pretty uncomfortable for me to hit the rear brake, I feel like I have to hit the pedal with my heal since I can't point my toes downward. I also like to feel how different things effect me in the air and make sure I can be comfortable dealing with it. I tend to muscle the bike around in the air more than I probably should so that may be why it doesn't effect me as much.
I have a similar ankle, mine has limited movement. I sometimes have no choice but the front brake or clutch.
CoccoBill
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IT
10/11/2019 4:04am
Years ago things were going so bad I thought about committing suicide, decided to tap the front brake mid-air, it almost worked
hoppsan
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Stockholm SE
10/11/2019 5:17am
I, as apparently many others here, tend to cover my levers with my index fingers and have had the privilege of enjoying the weirdest kind of 'off-axis dead sailor'-crash when I got a bit careless with the right-hand index finger. It was good fun, 10/10, would crash again!

I've tried it a couple of times on purpose too, I don't like it at all.
owndjoo852
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Delaware, OH US
10/11/2019 5:47am
I've done it on accident as well. Covering the brake with arm pump and pull it in the air. I did not notice anything personally, was more shocked that I pulled it and wanted to be sure to let off before returning to ground lol.
1
Rupert X
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Newark, OH US
10/15/2019 8:22am
You goons actually don’t remember Sir James slowing down the front wheel in the air, with his foot ? Usually on left handlers ? Tsk tsk, how quick we forget. Sigh....
Grovesy98
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GB
10/15/2019 12:34pm
I've hit the front brake in the air a few times in a panic when I've got real front end high, was absolutely fine if the wheel is straight, but if the bars are turned even a slight amount then it throws the bike sideways like its washing out in the air 😣

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