Do you have to down shift and then stop? Or do you just brake then go to gear one? Because what do I have to do to stop fast for a yellow light when I‘m not in the intersection yet?
I'd use the brakes in that case, heavy on the front and lighter on the back, maximal braking with the rear brake or braking and down shifting is dangerous (It can lock up the rear tire, get you sideways, and THEN hook up and dump you (High Side!) as opposed to trying to make a turn and not having enough traction (Low Side). You want to use the rear brakes, because the rear brake encouarges weight transfer from the rear wheels to the front. And all that weight makes the front brake more effective, just don't stay on the rear too long. Feather the rear brake, you may hear it start to screech, but by then it's proably too late, so if you've been using the front, take a trip to the nearest unobserved parkling lot and try out a bit of emergency braking, concentrating on finding the rear limits. (ABS are the real answer to the rear braking dilemma). If you have time to think, then you can down shift, a couple of gears, but not more. Emergency braking should be an automatic act, needing no thought at all, if by braking, you make time to think, then you can switch your brain back on line. Some bikes now have a 'slipper clutch' to minimize the chance of lock ups when you down shift, don't know how well they work.
In motorcycle safety training school I was taught to pull in the clutch and apply strong pressure to the front brakes while moderate pressure to the backs. I suggest you go to a school on Sunday and practice stopping at a point maybe 50 yards ahead at different speeds from the same starting point to get a good feel for your particular combined weight and operation of your bikes brakes. The majority of stopping power is in the frontapply enough pressure to stop quickly without causing the front wheel to lock up. Wally.38 years of riding.
Stopping for the yellow at the edge of the intersection is certainly one of life's most recurring existential dilemmas. Should you firmly apply both brakes and fast stop or sail on through? It depends on the proximity of the cement truck, tandem sand and gravel truck, bus of unbelted children or Granny's Buick to your rear fender. Stop and be a grease spot or sail on through and be an irresponsible cycle fiend bent on destruction of the social order. Darn, where are Sartre, Camus and Brecht when you need them? If you have to jamb on brakes to stop, look in that mirror first. Probably best to sail through. If you are actually 200 feet from the light and see the yellow and are just kidding about the need for a skilled fast stop then apply brakes firmly in a 60% front wheel effort and 40 % rear wheel effort and come up with one foot down swaddled with cool and finesses. This is a common scenario and any rider should have a comfort zone before the light, edge of intersection and prevailing traffic all ready thought out. Peace. Intersections are a great place to be wearing a helmet.
