rear brake

[gixxer6]

Originally posted by legalspeed
My rear brake is used to scrub momentum from the sprung weight; keeps the suspension taught; helps to keep the front end from lofting; can be used to slide the rear wheel to one side or the other.

Your motorcycle can slow down a lot faster when using the entire braking system properly.

Yep!

[bigred875]

Originally posted by gixxer6
Yep!

lol..maybe someday i will be good liek that too..lol...

[By-Tor]

Use rear brake in parking lots, when roads are wet, or sandy, but mostly to hold the bike at a light to give my arms a rest. Other than that I rarely touch it.

[LuvDog]

I use my back brake a lot.

I'll rest my foot on it when I'm rolling to a stop and just put a little pressure on it... keeps the rotor clean.

And I'll use it when I'm stopped on a hill to give me hand a rest.

[hohum]

Oh yeah, I forgot the only real reason I use my rear brake. TO BRING THE FRONT END DOWN!

Heh

[SEVENSGT]

Originally posted by lrrs167
Of course, you do not want to use the rear brake when leaned over in a corner.

I use my rear alot ,ore then I thought also, I sometimes hit it going into a turn and stay on it and roll on the throttle I like my rear, when I wanna streach out my back and I'm coming up to a light I use it and the engine to slow down

[Tarmac]

When I started riding I rode the front brake exclusively. Now I find I'm on the rear brake a lot more. I always use it when coming to full stop and for starts on hills. I mess with it very little at high speed. I find it helps with smoothness when used appropriately.

...and of course it's fundamental use is to regulate wheel spin on powerslides (on the street?)

Oh yea, need it for balancing wheelies too.

[richw]

I use light pressure on the rear brake during any braking situation

I use both brakes lightly if i want to adjust my speed in a corner

straight line 85/15

turns etc. speed scub 70/30 gentle

straight panic 95/5

You can grind away some of the center of the rear pads if you think they are to grabby and make sure its hard to lock up the rear.

I certainly have avoided some bad stuff by inches was it the help of the rear brake ?

After any lay off I practice panic stops including some rear brake only so I get a kinesthetic sense of whats what.

Plus I need both hands to adjust the package when stopped

[Ducrappy]

Originally posted by lrrs167
I don't use my rear brake very often. However, it does come in handy when downshifting from high speeds. When blipping the throttle between downshifts, I sometimes keep light pressure on the rear to assist in slowing down. Of course, you do not want to use the rear brake when leaned over in a corner.

This is exactly how I use the rear brake as well

[bentbryan]

Here's a good article about rear-brake usage. It's biased towards the track, but has some good info nonetheless. There's also a video of Jason Pridmore showing what it really looks like to back it in. trackjunkie

[Ken C]

For street riding I use the rear brake all the time.

For track riding, almost never.

[RevHappy]

I use my rear brake to steer around corners

[Paul_E_D]

Well, all this stuff is really subjective.

For streeting around, I use both brakes. Starting on a hill, slowing smoothly in normal traffic conditions, adjusting entry speed, riding in the rain etc.

It would be possible on my duc to NEVER touch the brakes on the street as Randy said, but that's really unwise. You are not signalling other drivers with your brake lights and worst of all, you are not practicing braking skills! The day you need them, you'll be out of practice, rusty, or maybe you NEVER developed good skills in the first place.

On the track: The rear brake "can" tighten a line, but what if you're already near the limit of traction (that's the goal afterall) ? And aren't you still scrubbing more speed than you have to? As far as using it to back it in, is this leading to faster laptimes? Or just making you feel like Rossi?

If you are REALLY fast into the turns, you can back it in without the rear brake at all. Just the front brake plus countersteering is enough to get the ass end out regardless of shifting. The front brake can be used until the rear tire is floating, and you can turn it in with the bike in this attitude.

Bottom line: On my 125, I don't touch it on the track.

I just think there are a lot more important things to work on. If you need to tighten your line, then your entry point is wrong and you turn in is to wimpy. Those are VASTLY more important to get right than adding rear brake to the equation. "Power slides" ? well, some throttle control would be helpful as well as a single, quick steering input, and probably a bit more entry and mid corner speed/throttle.

The rear brake can be used to mask other riding flaws. The pros have worked this out and use it accordingly.

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by RevHappy
I use my rear brake to steer around corners

that's the wimpy way... the throttle is what you're supposed to use to steer around corners

oh & Kahm..... it's there, so use it (i had to, no one else did )

[craig]

Originally posted by Zorlock
70/30

exactly. my front brake probably isn't nearly as powerful as most bikes here though.

[KrackerJack]

hmm, thats wierd, i always use mine except when i attempt to pop a stoppie.