My wife killed the brakes (burnt up the whole system riding them) in the mountains in New Mexico. A bit spooky when the pedal goes to the floor without doing anything. I got us out of there and back to town using the automatic transmission D1 and D2 to brake.
I started out using the engine to slow me on the bike, have done it since I first learned to ride. (There was that one time, newbie rider, on wet road, lost traction downshifting just before curve, spent some time with the darling nurses in the hospital...but I digress. I've learned a bit about curves and rain and all since then.)
Then somewhere in the forum someone said it was bad for the transmission. Now I'm using the brakes and holding the clutch, mostly, but I'm confused again. Is it OK to let the engine slow me down a tad (long as the RPM's aren't too high) or is that a bad habit I need to let go?
