Excessive engine breaking? Sticky brakes?

[Arfa]

I've had my 2003 FZS600 for a couple of weeks now, all going well, but it seems to have quite heavy engine breaking when letting off the gas.  i.e. you want to slow down, let off the throttle, no brakes, bike slows quite heavily, it doesn't coast as much as I'd anticipate.


Now, I don't know if this is just the bikes character, whether it's me just being a newbie rider, or whether there really is something up with the bike. First guess was sticky brake syndrome. However, it does seem to roll freely enough, when pushed by hand and engine off. Can't hear pads scraping.


May well just be me, did only pass my DAS a month ago! and still not riding as smooth as I should be. Just got to watch it in traffic, as the bike slows a lot and I get cars coming pretty close behind, as I've got no brake light on you see. :-(


Any thoughts?

[His Dudeness]

just find a flat bit of road get up to speed and then pull the clutch in. you should maintain that speed with only a gradual slow down. a bit like free wheeling on a bicycle. if there's a serious slow down with the clutch in then you've probably got a problem with maybe brakes dragging, tyre pressure could be low, maybe your chain is a bit worn. something along those lines

[green_rider]

did you ride a 2 stroke before? they have VERY little engine braking.

[markbubble]

as already mentioned if you rode a 2 stroke before this then te engine braking will be masive change,maybe te brakes are sticking when warm to try go for a ride somewere quite and ten get off bike and push it to feel for any dragging,if its free then no brake sticking if its sticking then could be brake hoses,pisons seized or master cylinder sticking etc

[Arfa]

TBH all I've ridden before was a Honda CBF500 whilst learning and a CG125 on my CBT ages ago. Hence not a lot of experience to use as reference.


Will try coasting with clutch in later. Ditto checking tyre pressure.
I checked rolling the bike after I a ride from work to home, about 10 miles, so should have been warm then. So, is the sticky brake syndrome more common once warm?

[darrsi]

No mention of using the clutch, and would also be heavier in a lower gear, all sounds normal to me.
If you want to slow down or stop, use the brakes, that's what they're for!

[robby boy]

Stick the bike on its centre stand, spin the rear wheel, you will know if its sticky, put a jack and a lump of wood under the front of the exhaust and raise the front wheel off the ground and do the same, there will be a little resistance but the wheels should rotate a few times before stopping. HTH.

[philshaq]

I'd say it sounds normal. The couple of bikes I learned on to start with had pretty low compression and little engine braking, then the ER6-n I got on had a fair bit, the fazer has even more. If you're bothered about cars coming up behind you I'd just lightly squeeze the brake lever, the light will come on before the brakes actually do any braking. That should keep the car drivers at bay.
Phil

[Dead Eye]

What philshaq said - but I tend to use the rear brake - its just to show that I am slowing down Ideally if you are slowing down slowly the the rear brake is what you should use as it has much finer control. If you need more braking power, thats when you bring in the front.

There's some relatively good information here http://www.lazymotorbike.eu/tips/braking/#optimal about braking - link courtesy of MadDogMcQ on the "Rear brake" thread

[Arfa]

Yeah think you're all right. Playing around last night, with clutch in, it coasts absolutely fine. Guess I just need to spend longer on the bike and get used to it. I am still pretty new to bikes in general and the last two didn't have as much engine braking and obviously in the car, there's more weight/momentum. Guess I wasn't expecting so much lurch forward as you let off the throttle. That's just my inexperience, need to use the clutch more to smooth it out.


Good point about brakes, will try and get in habit of touching back brake to let those behind know.

[philshaq]

I'd say check your rear brake micro switch. Mine is a little bit far out so I have to really press the back brake before the light comes on.


I should adjust it but I only use back brake at low speed  or once the front brake has been applied, which is how they teach it now (or at least how I was taught it!)


I'll have a read of that article though, looks interesting.


If its lurching forward you might want to try a higher gear, the fazer engine is a lot more versatile than the bikes you learned on and will sit in 6th @ 30mph (just) that should give you a bit more run when you back off the throttle, not saying use 6th all the time, mearly using it as an example.


Enjoy the bike Arfa

[Fazerider]

Have the carbs been balanced recently? It does make a big difference to the smoothness of the power delivery if they're synched up nicely.
As does a correctly adjusted chain.