Hi 2dogs,
Has your mechanic been fitting the MTV handlebar brake conversion? If they don't work, it would be good for me to have precise evidence of this.
Andrew...
Even if that mechanic hasn't fitted any of those particular hand operated brakes, as a general thing, you simply cannot 'squeeze' with your hand (either hand!) as hard as you can 'stomp' with your foot, and since our Spyders have all this VSS, EBD, ABS, et al stuff, if you
REALLY need to stop,
stomping as hard as you can with your foot will maximise the Spyder's braking effort and capability, yet still keep the Spyder relatively composed and going in the direction you are pointing it (which is why it's such a good idea to practice
looking at
WHERE you want to go rather than at
WHATEVER you're trying to avoid!!)
So all else aside (except for those who have physical limitations on moving/applying pressure with their foot/feet) if your Spyder's brakes are functioning as they should, then
you'll get the BEST braking capability from your Spyder if you use the foot brake - and I know from some close calls and occasionally painful experiences that there's not much at all (or possibly
anything!) out there on the roads that'll stop quicker than a Spyder,
IF you
stomp on that foot brake!
Of course, it really helps if you're able to use whichever foot (some have swapped the brake pedal to the other side in order to allow them to use their 'good leg'); that you've practiced your 'emergency braking techniques' a bit; and that you know how to and are reasonably competent with using all the VSS, ABS, EBD stuff et al to your best advantage -
and equally as importantly, that you've checked your mirrors/behind you recently enough to be aware of anyone following too closely so that you can take evasive action to get out of their way if necessary!! Do you really need to ask me how I
know that no matter what the vehicle behind you might be &/or how skilled that vehicle's driver is/how quick their reaction time might be, if you, on your Spyder in front of them, suddenly jump on the picks (with your foot!) and
STOP at the Spyder's maximum stopping rate, which is quite astounding to many,
there is absofreakinlutely NO WAY on God's Green Earth that pretty much any vehicle following can stop quicker/harder/in a shorter distance than your Spyder - so if the following vehicle/s is/are close, you might also need to
EVADE and get outta their way too, even as you continue to brake and evade whatever is in front of you that caused you to need to brake that hard in the first place!!
Just Sayin' - if your foot works (either foot!), then using a foot to apply the Spyder's properly working OEM brakes will maximise its braking efforts and capabilities.
