I know , I know, this is old news (Hand Brake lever)

[asp125]

I found this on Youtube.. I think the poster is our very own Lamonster

[wyliec]

+In an emergency braking situation, you are well aware that the grab air moment could mean the difference in whether there is no harm.

Ride on.
Roadkill

Not if you're also using your foot at the same time.

[jScotD]

what asp125 forwarded with the U-Tubes,, Is like the ISCI in some respects.. as in operating the footbrake.. a whole lot cheaper for sure.. But if I hadn't have bought the ISCI , I would have missed the joy of screws and bolts falling into the netherworld... and never, ever, totally, take out the screw on the handlebar cap when removing the twist grip

[NancysToy]

+In an emergency braking situation, you are well aware that the grab air moment could mean the difference in whether there is no harm.

Ride on.
Roadkill

Not so! If your foot and hand move simultaneously to brake, as they should on a motorcycle, then grabbing air on a Spyder costs nothing but some embarrassment at yourself. There is no delay in the braking action whatsoever if your feet are on the pegs where BRP intended them to be.

I might add that by the logic that you must hover over the brake pedal to be safe, that you would also then need to ride with your fingers on the brake lever, with the throttle already rolled off, and in your car you would need to keep your foot hovering over the brake pedal. Sorry, I can't buy the argument. Reaction and braking time is very good on the Spyder when ridden as designed. With the Brembo brakes and larger discs on the 2013, it is even better. For those that feel they need more, or those that want something to accomodate their needs or riding style, an accessory hand brake is a great idea...but by no means is the lack of one unsafe.

[CanAmChris]

Not so! If your foot and hand move simultaneously to brake, as they should on a motorcycle, then grabbing air on a Spyder costs nothing but some embarrassment at yourself. There is no delay in the braking action whatsoever if your feet are on the pegs where BRP intended them to be.

I might add that by the logic that you must hover over the brake pedal to be safe, that you would also then need to ride with your fingers on the brake lever, with the throttle already rolled off, and in your car you would need to keep your foot hovering over the brake pedal. Sorry, I can't buy the argument. Reaction and braking time is very good on the Spyder when ridden as designed. With the Brembo brakes and larger discs on the 2013, it is even better. For those that feel they need more, or those that want something to accomodate their needs or riding style, an accessory hand brake is a great idea...but by no means is the lack of one unsafe.

Scotty is 100% on this. Three quarters of a two wheeled vehicles braking power is in the front. I used to hover my foot over the back brake on two wheels because I thought it would make it faster to stop. This is not true. Way back when I took the two wheel safety course the instructors told me more than once to stop hovering. I had the worst panic stop distance in the class even though I passed the course.

The Spyder broke my hovering habit and I am so glad it did. I am a much better rider on two wheels now that I don't hover.

CAC

[Dizneyman]

Not so! If your foot and hand move simultaneously to brake, as they should on a motorcycle, then grabbing air on a Spyder costs nothing but some embarrassment at yourself. There is no delay in the braking action whatsoever if your feet are on the pegs where BRP intended them to be.

I might add that by the logic that you must hover over the brake pedal to be safe, that you would also then need to ride with your fingers on the brake lever, with the throttle already rolled off, and in your car you would need to keep your foot hovering over the brake pedal. Sorry, I can't buy the argument. Reaction and braking time is very good on the Spyder when ridden as designed. With the Brembo brakes and larger discs on the 2013, it is even better. For those that feel they need more, or those that want something to accomodate their needs or riding style, an accessory hand brake is a great idea...but by no means is the lack of one unsafe.

[Roadkill]

+Proper riding technique on two or three wheels should include hovering the brake pedals and levers. Hovering a lever doesn't require any throttle reduction, and hovering a pedal shouldn't require any modification other than the rider's hip/knee/ankle bend comfort. You have faster response time. Period.

Ride on.
Roadkill

[jScotD]

good thoughts.. but my ankle doesn't bend.. it's carbon fiber

[CanAmChris]

+Proper riding technique on two or three wheels should include hovering the brake pedals and levers. Hovering a lever doesn't require any throttle reduction, and hovering a pedal shouldn't require any modification other than the rider's hip/knee/ankle bend comfort. You have faster response time. Period.

Ride on.
Roadkill

Please list scientific evidence of this. List studies done by real world tests of reaction times for humans on motorcycles and cages. There is a reason that everyone is now taught to drive with one foot and not two. The response time of the human brain is faster when only one appendage is needed to react. The State Trooper that ran the class I took had a huge problem with hovering and his 23 years of motorcycle experience was right.

Your brain can only do so many things at once. If you dedicate a part of your brain's time to making sure that your foot or hand is in the correct hovering position then you trade off response time.

It has been proven that a relaxed mind reacts faster and with more clear thought to situations then a hyper sensitive or pre-occupied mind.

Just sayin'

CAC

[jScotD]

i've had over 45+ years of motorized riding ..(i keepaging myself--first motorized ride --1o or 11) I find not thinking but reacting is the best answer to avoiding road rash... I do my best to not fall and I go out of the way to achieve this.. sometmes I felt like I was dancing on the head of a needle

[Bob Denman]

How did you folks manage to live this long if you can't learn a new riding technique?
it don't come with a handbrake, so learn the procedure... or run out into traffic and get killed!
Those seem to be your choices; it's yours to make.

Sorry for being grumpy this morning, but the dead horse is starting to smell a bit...

[BajaRon]

I love my hand brake. Is it necessary? No. Is it a great addition to the Spyder? Absolutely Yes!

Is additional or better lighting (HID, turn indicators, rear brake lights) necessary?

Are better brake pads necessary?

Is a stiffer sway bar or better shocks necessary?

How about a better seat, forward mounted foot pegs or floorboards?

The stock Spyder comes with everything necessary to ride it down the street so why are all of these 'Unnecessary' items being added? I'm not talking about bling here.

There are times when I want to walk beside my Spyder, maybe on an incline, hand brake is priceless. There are times when I want to leave my feet on the forward pegs, hand brake is priceless. I ride 2 wheels as well and I want to keep the 'Front Brake' instint that I've worked so hard over the years to develop, hand brake is priceless.

I don't think it would add all that much to the cost of a Spyder as a production application would be quite cost effective. Components are already on the shelf. I don't think BRP left it off because of the 'Non-Motorcycle' attempt. Even if that was their original reasoning (which I doubt) it clearly did not work.

I think leaving the front brake off the Spyder is a mistake and I also think there are probably many, inside and outside of BRP, that would agree. But it is what it is and there are alternatives as well as different opinions.

[Bob Denman]

Is a stiffer sway bar or better shocks necessary

Ooh! I think that I know the answer to that question!!

[OldDog]

I love my hand brake. Is it necessary? No. Is it a great addition to the Spyder? Absolutely Yes!

Is additional or better lighting (HID, turn indicators, rear brake lights) necessary?

Are better brake pads necessary?

Is a stiffer sway bar or better shocks necessary?

How about a better seat, forward mounted foot pegs or floorboards?

The stock Spyder comes with everything necessary to ride it down the street so why are all of these 'Unnecessary' items being added? I'm not talking about bling here.

There are times when I want to walk beside my Spyder, maybe on an incline, hand brake is priceless. There are times when I want to leave my feet on the forward pegs, hand brake is priceless. I ride 2 wheels as well and I want to keep the 'Front Brake' instint that I've worked so hard over the years to develop, hand brake is priceless.

I don't think it would add all that much to the cost of a Spyder as a production application would be quite cost effective. Components are already on the shelf. I don't think BRP left it off because of the 'Non-Motorcycle' attempt. Even if that was their original reasoning (which I doubt) it clearly did not work.

I think leaving the front brake off the Spyder is a mistake and I also think there are probably many, inside and outside of BRP, that would agree. But it is what it is and there are alternatives as well as different opinions.

I like your thinking. On the other hand, everyone is entitled to their opinions. Just ask my wife.

[Bob Denman]

..Or in the case of my Missus; Everyone is entitled to HER opinion!

[rnet]

I love my hand brake. Is it necessary? No. Is it a great addition to the Spyder? Absolutely Yes!

and then there are those that know, that reaction time to the hand is quicker than the foot, Absolutely.

[Star Cruiser]

How do those of you with lots of miles on a Spyder feel about no hand brake lever? What is BRP's reason for not providing it? Should Spyders come standard with a hand brake lever in addition to the foot brake pedal? If enough people asked for it, could it become a reality? I guess I should ask ,is this something people want or am I just rambling?

It took me about 15 minutes to realize that I could get better breaking with ONE brake peddle than a Brake Peddle AND a Lever. i don't have to put my feet down on the ground abnd take my foot off of the peddle and rely on holding a hand brake to stop the SpYder from rolling.
i say, if the ABS brake with ONE peddle handles all three wheels, why should I try to balance the braking of front and back wheels. The fact that there are two front wheels probably had a lot to do with the sychronized braking. The other option would be to have a left hand brake for the left wheel, the right lever for the right front wheel and the peddle for the the rear wheel. That way we could work at applying equal pressure all around to stop in a straight line..............OR maybe use an ABS system and a SINGLE peddle to get the same result BETTER. Welcomet o the NEW TECHNOLOGY!

[jScotD]

the after market hand brake just operates the foot brake.. there is no seperation of the orginal thought .., just a different choice

[Star Cruiser]

I am 6-4,and the only reason I am thinking about a hand brake is when my feet are way up on the road pegs it takes a little bit to get my legs folded back up and on the brake. Otherwise I don't miss the hand brake.

ABSOLUTELY!
If you Are not going to have your foot near the brake, you better have a hand brake...
BUT if you are using the cruise control and don't have your hand near the front brake... Ya might need one on the left side of the bars... WHERE will it all end?
Kind of like adding a hand brake on a car with cruise control if you plan on moving your right foot away from the brake.
After a few years on the SpYder - I can't say I EVER reach for the the front brake anymore. It used to be an automatic reaction to stop the bike from rolling backwards on an incline, but with reversed and the foot brake, I don't have a problem anymore. IF it is a safety issue go for it...and add the ISCI Brake lever.

[bertmc]

Without adequate adjustability of the peg/brake setup, which allows the rider to comfortably cover the rear brake under normal circumstances, I observe most riders in a relaxed stance with their right toes dangling to the side, inhibiting their reaction time. The toes should be floating above the brake pedal. [/B]
Ride on.
Roadkill

This was my first, and still is my biggest, complaint about the design of the Spyder. On every other motorcycle I have owned (15) over the last 50 years, I have felt comfortable in having my foot over the brake and ready. I wear a size 13 boot and there is no way I can ride without my foot angling off to the right. I literally have to lift my foot and bring it back in and up to the brake pedal. That takes a lot of time in an emergency. This is really awkward and dangerous. There should at least be adjustability in this set-up.

[Bob Denman]

ABSOLUTELY!After a few years on the SpYder - I can't say I EVER reach for the the front brake anymore.

The only time that I really find myself wishing for the handbrake lever, is when I'm pushing the bike around the garage. History dictates me standing on the left side of the bike... no brakes; much to my chagrin!

[motoford]

I might know a reason why BRP left off the hand brake. The cost and snowmobile comparison are good, and probably the main reasons -- but when my wife, who had almost zero experience on motorcycles, found out there was only the foot brake, her eyes lit up and I saw the dread of learning to ride just fade away. Same way with my daughter, who has ridden quads quite a bit (and it just occurred to me that she probably never touched the hand).

I don't understand why that made such a difference to them, personally I wish there was a hand brake.

BRP might know more than we are giving them credit for.

[Bob Denman]

Good point!
Simpifying the system would lend itself to a broader appeal!
Even if it makes a lot of us get cranky!

[BajaRon]

+Proper riding technique on two or three wheels should include hovering the brake pedals and levers. Hovering a lever doesn't require any throttle reduction, and hovering a pedal shouldn't require any modification other than the rider's hip/knee/ankle bend comfort. You have faster response time. Period.

Ride on.
Roadkill

Hovering is a technique like any other. It has it's appropriate application. I don't hover every moment of every ride. Lamont and I did over 1,400 miles in one shot from Albuqurque, NM to Greeneville, TN and I can assure you I did not 'Hover' for over 24 hours of riding. It just isn't necessary. It would be nerve wracking and add to fatigue.

But when there is cross traffic waiting to merge, heavy traffic with people changing lanes, etc., then I do hover.

One of the things I love about my hand brake is that I can ride with my feed on the freeway pegs and still have braking abiliby at my right hand.

I think some have the wrong impression that the 'Front' or 'Hand' brake on the Spyder only actuates the front brakes. That would be dangerous and is not the case. The front brake lever simply actuates the same master cylinder that the foot peddle moves. When I pull on my front brake lever the foot peddle moves down.

Front, in this case, refers only to the location of the brake. All of the VSS and anti-lock features are still fully functional no matter which break lever I use. The Spyder has no idea by what lever I provide input, only that the brake has been applied.

If BRP were to put a front brake lever on the Spyder, those who didn't want to use it could simply ignore it because they are rigtht, it isn't necessary. A person could even remove the lever if it bothered them that much.

But my guess is that just like smart phones, as soon as they had opportunity to use a front brake lever they would not want to do without it anymore.

[Lamonster]

But my guess is that just like smart phones, as soon as they had opportunity to use a front brake lever they would not want to do without it anymore.

I had to laugh at that one

So when are you getting your smart phone?