04-14-2014, 01:28 PM
Let's get some clarity here.
Pressure does not activate the brake lights. Movement does that. The amount of movement needed to activate the brake light is completely adjustable with respect to the rear brake. Unfortunately it is not the same with the front.
My bike's a 2013, and like some other owners, I found that the front brake light did not activate until substantial movement occurred at the front brake lever, and by that time the brakes were moderately applied. This is unsafe. I modified the brake light switch so that just a little movement (2-3 mm) would illuminate the brake light. Thus, I could alert following traffic to my intentions without actually slowing down. The reverse is asking to be hit from behind.
I won't describe what I did because it's a safety issue, but I will say that the rear brake uses a simple barrel adjuster and is quite easy to change.
The second point, though, is that any rider needs to be aware of what he/she is doing on the brakes all the time. As was mentioned, riding the brakes will cause them to overheat, which could cause poor braking when you need good braking, premature brake pad wear and fluid contamination (heating/cooling the brake fluid causes more moisture to be absorbed), and possibly, the brakes could lock if the fluid overheats. Yes, this can and does happen.
How to avoid this? Every rider needs to carefully set up the brakes for his/her riding position. Both the front and rear brake positions on our bike are adjustable. The front has a simple position adjuster, and the rear has a threaded rod and locknut. Adjusting these will not in any way change how much motion it takes to activate the light, that's a separate mechanism. The rear brake light activation point, as I mentioned, is easily adjustable as well, with the barrel adjuster. Consult your service manual or have a qualified technician do this, otherwise you work at your own risk. These are your brakes, don't mess with them unless you really know EXACTLY what the heck you're doing.
Point three; any rider who constantly rides the brake(s) without even knowing it needs a Reg Pridmore CLASS or a California Superbike School. This is a bad, dangerous habit. I would not ride with anyone who does this.
Pressure does not activate the brake lights. Movement does that. The amount of movement needed to activate the brake light is completely adjustable with respect to the rear brake. Unfortunately it is not the same with the front.
My bike's a 2013, and like some other owners, I found that the front brake light did not activate until substantial movement occurred at the front brake lever, and by that time the brakes were moderately applied. This is unsafe. I modified the brake light switch so that just a little movement (2-3 mm) would illuminate the brake light. Thus, I could alert following traffic to my intentions without actually slowing down. The reverse is asking to be hit from behind.
I won't describe what I did because it's a safety issue, but I will say that the rear brake uses a simple barrel adjuster and is quite easy to change.
The second point, though, is that any rider needs to be aware of what he/she is doing on the brakes all the time. As was mentioned, riding the brakes will cause them to overheat, which could cause poor braking when you need good braking, premature brake pad wear and fluid contamination (heating/cooling the brake fluid causes more moisture to be absorbed), and possibly, the brakes could lock if the fluid overheats. Yes, this can and does happen.
How to avoid this? Every rider needs to carefully set up the brakes for his/her riding position. Both the front and rear brake positions on our bike are adjustable. The front has a simple position adjuster, and the rear has a threaded rod and locknut. Adjusting these will not in any way change how much motion it takes to activate the light, that's a separate mechanism. The rear brake light activation point, as I mentioned, is easily adjustable as well, with the barrel adjuster. Consult your service manual or have a qualified technician do this, otherwise you work at your own risk. These are your brakes, don't mess with them unless you really know EXACTLY what the heck you're doing.
Point three; any rider who constantly rides the brake(s) without even knowing it needs a Reg Pridmore CLASS or a California Superbike School. This is a bad, dangerous habit. I would not ride with anyone who does this.