Do I really need my rear brake?

[moT]

i find on the race track that i can brake on the front as hard if not harder than other people using both. It also means that the rear end of the bike isnt fishtailing into a corner i think its better if you can do most of the breaking on the front with the rear on the limit rather than the rear stepping out..

[James Deuce]

Definitely on a race track the front brake is primary. I have however used my rear brake to tighten a line.

You don't use the brakes on a race track to stop though. It is a device for managing negative acceleration to set your corner entry speed.

On the road you use it to stop. There is a vast gap between race track brake usage and road usage.

I use two fingers to adjust my speed, but four to stop. I get better feel, modulation, and power from all four fingers.

[Boob Johnson]

Yes, I have only two now, but I'm not keen to ride the SR250 up to Turangi, it's a bit uncomfortable for long rides now I've made it all nasty.



My bike does the same, stalls at the lights as I brake. Something to do with braking altering the fuel mix in the carbs? What is it that does that? It's annoying. I have to blip the throttle ever so slightly, just as you describe.

My SR is exactly the same, use the back brake in traffic while I threw the gears "blipping" the throttle as you say. That and my front shocks are a lil on the soft side. A mate of mine calls it "the magic carpet ride" lol

i find on the race track that i can brake on the front as hard if not harder than other people using both. It also means that the rear end of the bike isnt fishtailing into a corner i think its better if you can do most of the breaking on the front with the rear on the limit rather than the rear stepping out..

Nail on the head

[James Deuce]

Boob, I think you should probably think about some rider training too, and I mean that in a nice way. Tom has described race track usage which is NOT, emphatically NOT, anything like using a bike on the road.

[Boob Johnson]

Boob, I think you should probably think about some rider training too, and I mean that in a nice way. Tom has described race track usage which is NOT, emphatically NOT, anything like using a bike on the road.

I do realise this Jim


Just because I agree doesnt mean I dont know anything. In saying that I certainly would benefit from some training as im sure most would, even 20+ year veterans would gain from some training

[NordieBoy]

If so you should only use your rear brake on gravel hence you need your rear brake, you can always "blip" the front brake so it doesnt lock on gravel.

You use only your rear brake on gravel?
I use my front 95% of the time and I've never "blipped" it.

But then I am a gravel riding god.

Later I won't be but after todays ride, in the immortal words of James Brown, "I feel good!"

[James Deuce]

I do realise this Jim


Just because I agree doesnt mean I dont know anything. In saying that I certainly would benefit from some training as im sure most would, even 20+ year veterans would gain from some training

I'm suggesting that agreeing so emphatically with Tom's statement means that you should probably actively seek differing opinions and practice them under supervision to find what works for you best. There isn't a right answer in this case and I'm trying to suggest finding your right answer instead of someone else's.

I do some sort of course every 2 years.

[moT]

I'm suggesting that agreeing so emphatically with Tom's statement means that you should probably actively seek differing opinions and practice them under supervision to find what works for you best. There isn't a right answer in this case and I'm trying to suggest finding your right answer instead of someone else's.

I do some sort of course every 2 years.

i understand that you perobably have had more experience rideing on the road being older and all... but what makes you such an expert on brakeing? race track rideing is not soo much different from road rideing its still a hard fairly flat surface which have the same attributes as the road. rideing courses always tell you to use the rear brake thats mainly because most people cant use there front brake to its full potential and to use the rear as a safe measure as fliping over the front of the bike is pretty sore.. im not saying i can use the front to its full but i believe with some practice that people can emergeny stop just as fast and more under control with the front rather than using both brakes and haveing the rear locking up

[James Deuce]

I reckon racing an RG50, KH100, VFR400 and an RC30 give me a bit of insight Tom.

Plus I can read. There's a LOT of literature about braking on the race track compared to the road.

[moT]

I reckon racing an RG50, KH100, VFR400 and an RC30 give me a bit of insight Tom.

Plus I can read. There's a LOT of literature about braking on the race track compared to the road.

then you should know that 95-100% of breaking is done with the front on the track this brakeing can be used to adust speed into a corner but the front brake is not only designed to regulate speed but to also stop you. so if you do it on the race trach at much higher speeds what says you cant do the same thing on the road or its unsafe to do this on the road? again it is still a flat object. but back to the main question you can do it and i would say it would be safe but if you get pulled up you will probably get fined so i would get it fixed as soon as possible

[N4CR]

no you dont if you use front brakes properly the rear becomes pretty much useless in straight line stopping you can back it in with rear or use it to control wheelies that's about all i can think of/use it for it's great fun locking into corners going sliding around wiggly waggly woo it makes great sucess but thta's about it. can still get waggly when brakng real real ****in hard cus it lifts rear slightly/skips it that's real good fun just make sure the corner isn't real close or you're going for a tumble hahahahaha
give me my caps/swearing back spank

[xwhatsit]

if the front brake can stop 100% of your bike weight how can bikes stoppie?

Well yeah, if you go by that definition then the front brake can stop 100% of your bike's weight. But by that definition then the back brake can stop 100% of your bike's weight too. You're getting a bit mixed up with your physics there.

It's easy to explain. Does a 4WD car have a higher tolerance to wheelspin than a 2WD car, all things being equal? Of course. You're spreading out the accelerating force over a larger grip area. Likewise, if you spread out your braking force over a larger area (two wheels instead of one), you can stop quicker before grip limits are reached. The rear wheel carries less braking force, however, just like the 4WD can't put as much power through the front wheels. This is because of weight transfer. Nevertheless, the improvement is there.

You're also missing Jim2's point. He's not talking about the track -- he agrees with you that front brakes are mostly all you need to worry about on the track -- however he's saying that riding on the track and riding on the road are vastly different, and you will need both brakes riding on the road.

Reading comprehension is a skill sorely lacking from this website, and not just in those who like to get their knee down more than most ^_^

[sAsLEX]

No don't do it!!! Get the damn thing fixed. You need both brakes

I must ask why you would NEED it if you never use it....... ok I skipped most of this thread......... but its dangerous to all of a sudden start using the back brake in an emergency if you never use it normally, I know I hardly touch mine except for hill starts and sitting up at red lights?!

[iwilde]

I must ask why you would NEED it if you never use it....... ok I skipped most of this thread......... but its dangerous to all of a sudden start using the back brake in an emergency if you never use it normally, I know I hardly touch mine except for hill starts and sitting up at red lights?!

Thats pretty much all I use mine for as well. The first and last time I used the back brake I locked the rear up and went over a drop off! Bloody hurt to!

[shcabbeh]

I was always taught to use the rear brake in tandem with the front when braking. Basically the rear steadies the bike. Stops it from trying to overtake the front if you apply it too hard.

75% front and 25% back is how I've ridden. I wouldn't suggest removing the back at all.