Rear brakes

[callmegandhi]

How often and under what circumstances do you use your rear brake?

 

[sQuijeW]

low speed maneuvering.

i always use it in conjunction with my front brakes

 

[QwickFliCk]

once in a while... i do try trail braking sometimes but feels weird gotta get used to it esp in those tight slow turns

 

[callmegandhi]

I rarely use the rear brake. When I do its in town approaching a stop light or stop sign.

 

[ront]

I use mine most everytime I am using the front brake to slow down or stop.

Ron

 

[04fizzer]

Low speed maneuvering, and when I'm stopped on an uphill at a light or stop sign. That way it frees up my right hand to better control the gas when taking off.

 

[Gelvatron]

Rear brake only when sitting at up hill or stop light / sign or technically in conjunction with front but I do use it for slowing like at an off ramp or light hen by much traffic but very slightly.

 

[greg]

i use mine a lot, either for slowing down or controlling the throttle

 

[Azrael]

I use mine for hard braking (of course!) in conjunction with the front brakes, and at traffic lights at a full stop, specially on an incline. I release it slowly then when the light turns green. I also feather it when I'm making tight U-Turns; helps me keep control.

 

[pookamatic]

Pretty much the same as others have said.

About 95-99% of the time in conjunction with the front.
Rear-only in low speed maneuvering, sitting at a light to rest the right hand, occasionally approaching a stop to do some light deceleration (again, to rest the right hand).





Oh- and coming soon, rear-only cover for wheelies juuuust in case.... maybe... I may have missed my testosterone window for riding on one wheel.

 

[Tagger]

i use my rear brake just about all the time. Everything that isn't concidered "stopping" (slowing down for a turn, slow maneuvering, stuff where stopping distance isn't an issue etc.) and a normal stop i do rear and frontbrake combined to keep the bike leveled. Much smoother then slamming the front.

When in doubt and having to make a choise i always go for the front obviously.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

What are you going to do in an emergency in which you need to get the bike stopped in the shortest distance as possible? If you're in the habit of only using your front brake, your muscle memory will kick in and you will only use one brake.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

What are you going to do in an emergency in which you need to get the bike stopped in the shortest distance as possible? If you're in the habit of only using your front brake, your muscle memory will kick in and you will only use one brake.

Whats the "T" from your other post????

 

[pookamatic]

What are you going to do in an emergency in which you need to get the bike stopped in the shortest distance as possible? If you're in the habit of only using your front brake, your muscle memory will kick in and you will only use one brake.

Spoken like a true MSF riding coach. We were posed this question in the basic rider course, what brakes should you use in xyz situation? The answer is of course, both. I decided to counter with, "But isn't it good to only use the rear when you only have to slow in some rare situations?" He said, "Maybe. Oh but what if that situation changes again and you must stop immediately? What brake would you use?" I hesitated for a second and he took his book and smacked it on the desk HARD and said, "Too late." Everyone in the room got the message.

Well played, Mr. Riding Coach. Touché.

 

[mikw73]

My riding experience has proven this to be a more complicated issue than I ever anticipated. I'm not sure my answer is best, wisest, or even worth sharing, but it's what I do:

I used to always try to get both brakes to or at least near locking up in emergency stops. After thinking I had this down, a handful of scary situations have revealed to me the following facts:

1.) In an actual scary situation, I brake even harder than I do when I practice.

2.) In an actual scary situation, my tires are not always warmed up.

3.) Tires not being warmed up matters a lot more to the back tire than the rear.

4.) Most importantly, braking harder than you're accustomed to takes more weight than anticipated off the back tire, enhancing back tire lock/slide capabilities.

5.) I don't practice emergency stops as often as I should.

In response to these experiences and realizations, I've become pretty conservative with the rear brake. I still always apply it with the front, but I use it more as an insurance policy or direction provider (backwards!) for the back of the bike during hard braking rather than an actual full-on brake, per se. I've lowered the rear brake lever a (OK, another) notch, to the extent that I now have to point my toe a bit when stopped to hold the bike on a hill. I have not locked the rear, even in the rain downhill, except when testing to see what locks the rear, since adjusting the lever this way.

This may not be the absolute best plan for all riders, but for my riding frequency and practice frequency I think it is best. If I rode 5,000 miles a month, I hope I'd be better with the rear brake. I also hope that an ABS version of a bike I like (not sure what that is now, even?) is available in my country soon........... - And I've been looking at what would be involved to import a ABS FZ6. So far it looks like a stupid idea. But I like my FZ6 so much!

 

[shamrocker]

I always use both when stopping or slowing (per my MSF training.)

 

[UHcougarJohn]

I always practice using both together and independently, but in an emergancy the only thing that matters is that you stop:thumbup:

 

[FinalImpact]

What are you going to do in an emergency in which you need to get the bike stopped in the shortest distance as possible? If you're in the habit of only using your front brake, your muscle memory will kick in and you will only use one brake.

And very likely over applicate the rear to a point of locking and get yourself into trouble! Be very careful!

I use them both all the time. . . But Kenny, do tell how many miles on that rear pad set!?! At my current rate I'd suspect both ends to be used up by 20k miles.