Do I really need my rear brake?

[Steam]

This thread started out tounge-in-cheek, but it is quite interesting now, with lots of food for thought about braking.
Thanks KB'ers!!

[Drew]

I agree Reckless, the rear firms up with a sustained brush of the rear, I recon there is more braking available in a corner than our scaredey brains tell us. Just like instead of running wide, staying calm, smooth and going lower than you have before could well see you smiling out the end of a corner you hit too hot. Now, just have to find the balls to practice. In that on the limits pracice is where you really do need to beware of the skid demon!!

You're spot on with this last point, bling to be sent! The biggest part of riding out of a corner you've gotten wrong, is to simply not panic and ride round it. When I got my little mind to accept this, I dropped two seconds a lap at manfield, and pulled a win out my bum at the hill climb.

Commitment people, tip over, and have faith.

[Reckless]

You're spot on with this last point, bling to be sent! The biggest part of riding out of a corner you've gotten wrong, is to simply not panic and ride round it. When I got my little mind to accept this, I dropped two seconds a lap at manfield, and pulled a win out my bum at the hill climb.

Commitment people, tip over, and have faith.

Good to hear from a racer and for a few more posts in support of my riding style. I was really starting to think I was riding like a gumboot using a bit of rear brake but looks like its ok.
Drew is quite correct on a modern sport bike, with the tyre & bike design you can just about stick the peg into the tarmac (in the right conditions) before you go past the tread and handling capabilities. Its about confidence and skill though not just courage. This applies mainly to post 2000 sport bikes of coarse I wouldn't try it on my 78' Z1R.
Tell you another thing I do when goin really quick is when I've gone in a bit hot and the bike feels a bit loose I leave a very slight touch of rear on right through the corner until just after I start to power on through the apex. I find it settles the bike till the power delivery takes over and does the same. But I'm not arse off the seat, knee down or anything, probably couldn't do it on the track. Now I might be goin to far, I would be interested to hear Drews or another good racers comment on this.

Back on thread then. To sum up you need that rear brake at all times, in all situations by the look of it.

[GaZBur]

Quite right! If you only use the front brake you are restricting yourself to mostly braking while going straight. The rear gives you control and balance especially in corners. If you find yourself going a bit wide on a corner follow Reckless's advice, power on and rear brake at the same time and feel the rear get extra bite in the corner. Good tongue in cheek thread - but there is a reason they put big rear brakes on GP bikes!

[Drew]

Quite right! If you only use the front brake you are restricting yourself to mostly braking while going straight. The rear gives you control and balance especially in corners. If you find yourself going a bit wide on a corner follow Reckless's advice, power on and rear brake at the same time and feel the rear get extra bite in the corner. Good tongue in cheek thread - but there is a reason they put big rear brakes on GP bikes!

Not quite true, I use my front brake right into a corner, come up to it with as much brake as I can muster, and EASE it off as I tip the bike over, so I am effectively keeping the front loaded, and tyre at the same point of adhesion all the way to my apex, I only release it completely when it's time to get back on the gas, or a long constant radius corner, that requires time spent at a nuetral throttle.

Using the front brake while cornering, does not equal crashing at all, not having a decent control of the front brake does.

[Reckless]

I do as well Drew. I just didn't mention that the front is always the primary using it as you discribe. Sometimes just keep a bit of rear after easing off the front but only to steady the bike. Sometimes I dunno what the fuck I'm doing as well. But he thread debate was about weather some use the back at all. So was discribing the way I was applying the rear which I use 99% of the time. Again good to have input from a guy that races, Not just a stupid hooon like me.

[Drew]

Not just a stupid hooon like me.

I'm just a stupid hoon too, and untill next month, my track racing career is pretty minimal, only got the hill climb to my name at this point.










(You aint seen squat yet F3!!!)

[Kickaha]

Not quite true, I use my front brake right into a corner, come up to it with as much brake as I can muster, and EASE it off as I tip the bike over, so I am effectively keeping the front loaded, and tyre at the same point of adhesion all the way to my apex, I only release it completely when it's time to get back on the gas, or a long constant radius corner, that requires time spent at a nuetral throttle.

Using the front brake while cornering, does not equal crashing at all, not having a decent control of the front brake does.

Thats the same way that I do, I've been told forever that it's going to cause me to crash, but so far it's been 5 years using that technique and I haven't even had a near miss, I usually trail the rear brake through the first part of the corner as well

[Drew]

Thats the same way that I do, I've been told forever that it's going to cause me to crash, but so far it's been 5 years using that technique and I haven't even had a near miss, I usually trail the rear brake through the first part of the corner as well

Watched motoGP last night, and they do it in the wet. We must be doin something right if the best in the world do it too