The rear brake. Who uses it?

[richban]

I was thinking about trying to use the rear brake again.

I only ever seem to use it in the wet. Or in the event of an emergency. aka - ahhhhhhhhh shhhhhheeeeit! Must go slower into that one.


It would be interesting to know who uses there rear brake. And what for. Now I will be racing a 2 stroke with not that much engine braking I was thinking trailing the rear a little might settle it and turn it in better. Also it might want to stand it up. We will see how that goes next weekend.

But the question still remains. Who uses this little lever by your right foot.

[Shaun Harris]

I was thinking about trying to use the rear brake again.

I only ever seem to use it in the wet. Or in the event of an emergency. aka - ahhhhhhhhh shhhhhheeeeit! Must go slower into that one.


It would be interesting to know who uses there rear brake. And what for. Now I will be racing a 2 stroke with not that much engine braking I was thinking trailing the rear a little might settle it and turn it in better. Also it might want to stand it up. We will see how that goes next weekend.

But the question still remains. Who uses this little lever by your right foot.

used to live on it. Get a ruler or something sim and imagine it is a bike, then go through the motions of picturing what applying it does ie chassis pitch and bingo, there is the main reason for using it rather than actually slowing down on a race track. I used just before applying the front to lower the rear as much as poss to aid keeping rear on ground whilst heavy breaking, also to alter chassis pitch going into and through the turn to either aid holding a line or looking for a little under stear, as well as to control wheel spin on way out on anything 600cc or bigger. My 2c worth PS, I spent a shit load of time in developing the feal to use it that much and consistantly and wish the thumb break was invented back then, so much better with the direct hand feal rather than a race boot foot and leg etc

[richban]

used to live on it. Get a ruler or something sim and imagine it is a bike, then go through the motions of picturing what applying it does ie chassis pitch and bingo, there is the main reason for using it rather than actually slowing down on a race track. I used just before applying the front to lower the rear as much as poss to aid keeping rear on ground whilst heavy breaking, also to alter chassis pitch going into and through the turn to either aid holding a line or looking for a little under stear, as well as to control wheel spin on way out on anything 600cc or bigger. My 2c worth PS, I spent a shit load of time in developing the feal to use it that much and consistantly and wish the thumb break was invented back then, so much better with the direct hand feal rather than a race boot foot and leg etc

Not sure what you mean re the ruler thing. But from experience the rear brake does help turning in and settling the bike. I raced an auto scooter for kicks. Its all about the rear brake.

Ah yeah. Good point on the thumb brake. That would be handy.

[Shaun Harris]

when you apply rear brake, rear of bike lowers or squats ( So rear of ruler goes towards ground) let brake off again and rear raises loading and unloading the front wheel ( ruler front up down effect) so chassis pitch weight bearing load control, ie holding a line or looking for understeer by taking weight of the front wheel and running wide as such, is that a little better explained. If you were here in front of me or me doing this on a vid you would have understand my poor descrition in the first place due to body language describing the actions.

[misterO]

The only time I ever use the rear brake is when I am also using the front brake.

Edit: on a slow u-turn I will sometimes use only the rear brake (very slightly).

[ducatilover]

I reckon Drew uses it heaps.

[Boo]

[IMG][/IMG]
I go hard on mine, run a 14mm master

[scracha]

There's a REAR brake?

[steveyb]

used to live on it. Get a ruler or something sim and imagine it is a bike, then go through the motions of picturing what applying it does ie chassis pitch and bingo, there is the main reason for using it rather than actually slowing down on a race track. I used just before applying the front to lower the rear as much as poss to aid keeping rear on ground whilst heavy breaking, also to alter chassis pitch going into and through the turn to either aid holding a line or looking for a little under stear, as well as to control wheel spin on way out on anything 600cc or bigger. My 2c worth PS, I spent a shit load of time in developing the feal to use it that much and consistantly and wish the thumb break was invented back then, so much better with the direct hand feal rather than a race boot foot and leg etc

Bingo. It is there for good reason. If the only thing needed was the front brake, then the rear would not be fitted.
Does not make using it any easier but.....

[ajturbo]

dam.. something else i have to learn to use... always wondered why that thing was there..

[richban]

Bingo. It is there for good reason. If the only thing needed was the front brake, then the rear would not be fitted.
Does not make using it any easier but.....

For sure. Thumb brake is the ticket for me I think.

[nzspokes]

There's a REAR brake?

Seems like a hard way to do it. Not hard to make them run through the stock rear m/cyl and only use one brake caliper.

[Boo]

Bingo. It is there for good reason. If the only thing needed was the front brake, then the rear would not be fitted.
Does not make using it any easier but.....

Beringer 6 pot, this thing is fucken dangerous it'll throw you over the bars at 140 kms.

[Boo]

Seems like a hard way to do it. Not hard to make them run through the stock rear m/cyl and only use one brake caliper.

If your hard on the rear the brake fluid will boil on a standard m/cy, they some times get too hot dirt riding, then comes the brake fade.... then comes the crash.
It has an oversized cast iron rotor, the standard shit just don't cut it

[Dave-]

The rear brake makes up 20%* of your ability to decelerate.

If I told you that you could accelerate 20% faster by carefully pressing a lever you'd give it a nudge.

* - You can argue over the percentage, or how much effect it has while the rear wheel is unloaded/in the air all you like.