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    1. The West vs Asia: what drivers are taught about motorcycle brakes

      I've studied for motorcycle driving licenses in both my home country in Europe, and my work country in Asia. Something that really stood out to me was what each country said about braking. This...

      I've studied for motorcycle driving licenses in both my home country in Europe, and my work country in Asia. Something that really stood out to me was what each country said about braking. This wasn't just advice or anecdotes, it appeared on each formal theory test.

      Europe: Front brakes are the strongest, they are your go-to in an emergency. Use front brakes to stop, and rear brakes to slow gently.

      Asia: Rear brakes are the strongest, front brakes are deliberately weaker. This is because braking too hard on the front is very dangerous, you'll catapult yourself over the handlebars as the rear half of the bike still has momentum.

      Direct translation of exam question:

      Which of the following is wrong about using a motorcycle brake?

      A use both front And rear brakes

      B Front wheel brake first

      C rear wheel brake first

      D Do not use the front brake too early

      Answer B

      Look at the problem, to choose " wrong approach ", of course, is to choose " first use the front wheel brake ". The car is moving forward, then the use of front wheel brake, in the role of inertia, easy to cause rollover, we should pay attention to safety!

      I guess my overall question is, what are the underlying approaches to brake engineering here? Are either of them 'more correct' or is it a case of different priorities at play?

      26 votes