Never seen anything like this before... brake failure???? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Never seen anything like this before... brake failure????

ok, never thought I would say this :| he should have layed er down
 
That was two months ago... was anything further ever revealed? Took a look but couldn't come up with anything
 
Brakes don't 'just fail' - this video looks like operator error.

I've seen brakes fail on the track, I guess conceivably you could boil brakes on the street as well if the fluid was old enough or you did a ***** job bleeding them. 100% looks like rider error to me. Engine braking alone should be enough to slow for a corner on the street.
 
Brakes don't 'just fail' - this video looks like operator error.

Agreed, and even if one set failed, you have the other - braking systems (even on cars) are separate from front to back to avoid this exact scenario of complete brake failure. It just doesn't happen unless two complete systems fail at the exact same time, so in reality.... never.

FWIW I found the exact location on Google Street View. Looks like the straight through is a "do not enter" (one way) so perhaps he planned to go straight through (after coming off the interstate at high speed), suddenly saw the sign, and then inexperience took over, target fixation, unable to negotiate corner, and the rest is history.
 
I'm trying to figure out how he's still alive. It doesn't look like there's anything on the other side of that fence except Interstate a good distance below.
 
I'm trying to figure out how he's still alive. It doesn't look like there's anything on the other side of that fence except Interstate a good distance below.

From what I can see on street view the land on the other side of that fence slopes up towards the ramp on the opposide side of the road, so if he'd went over directly over the road going underneath that overpass it would have been a long way down, but where he went through it looks like it may only be 6-8 feet or so, maybe 10 at best.
 
From what I can see on street view the land on the other side of that fence slopes up towards the ramp on the opposide side of the road, so if he'd went over directly over the road going underneath that overpass it would have been a long way down, but where he went through it looks like it may only be 6-8 feet or so, maybe 10 at best.

That's some crazy luck
 
Brakes don't 'just fail' - this video looks like operator error.

They can in some instances, if defective or not properly (or improperly) maintained/serviced. I have a friend actually that crashed a number of years back on their GSXR when their front brakes went/failed (backs weren't enough to stop them when a car pulled out). Bike was inspected, and the recall that was supposed to be done on it before sale/during PDI was never completed. I think they went after the dealership and complained to Suzuki Canada on that one.
 
From what I can see on street view the land on the other side of that fence slopes up towards the ramp on the opposide side of the road, so if he'd went over directly over the road going underneath that overpass it would have been a long way down, but where he went through it looks like it may only be 6-8 feet or so, maybe 10 at best.

Try 65 feet:

Devin fell 65 feet from a bridge, resulting in a fractured thigh bone, broken wrist, and several broken ribs. He also is suffering from crushed pelvic bones, which have punctured his bladder and split his liver.

Speculation was that he thought he was on another exit ramp which goes straight back down onto the highway. Motorists exit the off-ramp there, go up the overpass and then go right back down the on-ramp on the other side, back onto the highway to bypass traffic jams. If they are lucky, they get a green light at the top of the overpass and don't even have to stop.

So the light was green and he gunned it over the crest. Unfortunately, it wasn't the off-ramp he was thinking of and all that was waiting for him was loose fencing and Internet infamy.
 
They can in some instances, if defective or not properly (or improperly) maintained/serviced. I have a friend actually that crashed a number of years back on their GSXR when their front brakes went/failed (backs weren't enough to stop them when a car pulled out). Bike was inspected, and the recall that was supposed to be done on it before sale/during PDI was never completed. I think they went after the dealership and complained to Suzuki Canada on that one.

That was related to a recall on front brake master cylinders - Suzuki used the $1.98 Brembos instead of the $3.98 models.
ON THE STREET, if brakes are in good working order and there is no basic structural defect, there will not be a problem.
 
Agreed, and even if one set failed, you have the other - braking systems (even on cars) are separate from front to back to avoid this exact scenario of complete brake failure. It just doesn't happen unless two complete systems fail at the exact same time, so in reality.... never.

FWIW I found the exact location on Google Street View. Looks like the straight through is a "do not enter" (one way) so perhaps he planned to go straight through (after coming off the interstate at high speed), suddenly saw the sign, and then inexperience took over, target fixation, unable to negotiate corner, and the rest is history.

Sorry PP, you have the wrong exit, other side of the highway.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@33.7421...u9pY7ZSJ0yImy4elC9Tg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
 
Agreed, and even if one set failed, you have the other - braking systems (even on cars) are separate from front to back to avoid this exact scenario of complete brake failure. It just doesn't happen unless two complete systems fail at the exact same time, so in reality.... never.

Unlikely, but not never, dude. I had total brake failure on my car a few years back. Both wheel cylinders on the rear drums failed at roughly the same time. Fortunately, the traffic on LSB wasn't moving too fast and I was able to safely stop by downshifting/hand brake. I'll never forget that feeling of approaching a red light while the brake pedal sank to the floor, doing nothing. As for the rider, let's hope he survives to learn from his mistakes.
 
Unlikely, but not never, dude. I had total brake failure on my car a few years back. Both wheel cylinders on the rear drums failed at roughly the same time.

And what happened to your front brakes? They provide 70% of your vehicles stopping power.

Automotive braking systems are split into front and rear for this very reason. If you suffer a complete failure on one end of the vehicle, the system at the other end will still continue to work.
 
And what happened to your front brakes? They provide 70% of your vehicles stopping power.

Automotive braking systems are split into front and rear for this very reason. If you suffer a complete failure on one end of the vehicle, the system at the other end will still continue to work.

Any road cars I have seen are split diagonally (as losing both front brakes at the same time would suck). The loss of fluid through both rear brakes could leave you with just the e-brake. Now, the "roughly" the same time bit is the interesting part. When your car feels like it has lost half it's braking power it should be fixed before it moves again.
 
Any road cars I have seen are split diagonally

Yes, I worded my post generically. FWD cars are typically split diagonally. RWD cars are usually split front/rear. Further yet, many cars with ABS have 4 completely independent channels to each wheel that would only cause a single wheel to lose braking in the case of a split line or calliper/wheel cylinder failure.
 
I don't know what he was thinking, but he's on the brakes when he hits the sidewalk and then he pivots up and into the screening and he's on his way down to the roadway below. Complete idiot, target fixation, whatever, but this has nothing to do with a brake failure.
 
Yes, I worded my post generically. FWD cars are typically split diagonally. RWD cars are usually split front/rear. Further yet, many cars with ABS have 4 completely independent channels to each wheel that would only cause a single wheel to lose braking in the case of a split line or calliper/wheel cylinder failure.

I'm not saying your wrong but why then when you have only changed one caliper and are bleeding the brakes does the pedal go to the floor until you get the air out? In my limited understanding, shouldn't the pedal act normally making bleeding difficult? I'm talking about a car not a bike
 
Last edited:
I'm not saying your wrong but why then when you have only changed one caliper and are bleeding the brakes does the pedal go to the floor until you get the air out? In my limited understanding, shouldn't the pedal act normally making bleeding difficult? I'm talking about a car not a bike

Even if it's only 50% of a braking channel, air is highly compressible so it will effect the other calliper/cylinder on that channel as well.
 

Back
Top Bottom