If you feel like you're getting launched off the bike, you're doing a few things wrong.

1 your arms are probably locked
2 you're not gripping the sides of the tank with your legs
3 you're stabbing the brakes too much

do everything in reverse (loose, bent arms, grip the tank, and modulate the brakes) and you'll be much happier.

 

what knightslugger said works well

Ive only locked up once, was doing advanced training, was diving into corners, came upto a blind 1 and went in to late and nearly into a red ford fiesta, the driver and passanger both put their hands over their eyes, anyway locked up but kept her up

to be honest when I started out i always used the rear and didnt understand when guys said how that had bounced up on their front wheel, took a good bit of getting used to but try and move alot of your braking to the front, in the dry, I try and get it 70 front 30 rear, your braking wil stay smooth but your distance will really drop, in the wet, make it 50/50
not sure what the deal with training is over there, its notthe law over here (hopping on a cbr as your 1st bike is illegal though) but training can really show you how to have fun on the bike

 

In essence, apply both front and rear brakes simultanesouly, then ease off the rear as youre applying more front?

 

KIIIIIiiindaaaa..... if you can do that while going for maximum stopping power, that's pretty good. most people who do both simultaneously often keep the rear hammered. what you need to work on is loading the front suspension before you really put the binders on. let the bike dive a bit before hammering down. you're back tire is coming of the ground weather you want it to or not. your best friends are warm tires and a compressed front suspension. keep in mind this is all straight line stuff we're discussing here. you shouldn't ever brake mid corner otherwise you're going to crash. if you need to brake mid corner, make sure you saddle up before biting down. otherwise your front end is going to want to buck you off or wash out. if you lock the rear, it'll slide out, making you feel as if you're about to lowside, and when it regains traction when you release the brake it'll straighten up and buck you off into a high side.

 

front brakes will stop you, rear brake will put you on your ***

they taught me at the ridesmart track school that it is impossible to lock up a dry front brake

rear brakes will lock up and throw you off, only use them if the bike is straight up and down

gently apply pressure to the front, dont jerk it like you are trying to start a lawn mower

i only use my rear brake now when i brake hard straight up and down off a straight

 

i know you havnt been riding much but im sorry. if you think only using back brake will do it, then you should just push your bike over in the driveway to get the scratches and dings out of the way right now. no one can tell you how much pressure you need to apply on both brakes to make you stop well. all brakes are different in the sense of brake pads and ware and tare. good luck with the riding and God speed.

 

i say let him do what he wants, then when he happens to get over 30mph and has to stop quickly he can eat **** and learn next time use both at the same time like MSF says.

I learned when i got in a bind and had to stop quickly... hit the rear break and slid for about 30 feet (not crashing, just locked the wheel up.) There wasnt anything in my way luckly, but learned my lesson.

raisesright hand...

 

Getting into the bad habit of relying on the rear brake now will lead you straight to a lowside down the raod. First time you get into a bad situation, you are gonna lock the rear up and down you go. Do yourself a favor and practice panic stops with the front until it becomes 2nd nature.

 

Wow,

Thanks for all the input.

Rear braking just felt so natural and smooth.

I get the "big" picture now.

Will go back to using and mastering the front brake.

 

Here's how I practice panic stops when I'm out riding.


First, make sure NOBODY is anywhere behind you. I mean even 3/4 of a mile away. You should be on a desolate road.

Second, ride at the pace you normally ride at. If you speed often, speed. You need to learn to panic stop at the speed you will probably be travelling when a real emergency would occur.

Third, while riding, suddenly pick a point ahead on the side of the road, like a mailbox, tree, roadsign, sewer grate, etc. Imagine you are riding and then suddenly have to stop (and pick a distance short enough that it would seem almost impossible to stop in time). Pretend that passing that marker on the side of the road means death. MAKE yourself stop in time.

Do this every time you ride. You will become a master at front brake feel. You will know what it feels like when the front is about to lock, when the rear begins to lift, how little pressure you need to release to keep the rear settled, that you need to move BACKwards on the seat to stop harder and keep the rear down, that the bike will get "squirrely" under super-hard braking, to keep your body still, what happens when the road surface is uneven, or on a grade, what happens when your front tire passes over a crushed soda can, or a tar strip, or paint, under full braking. You NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS, one day your life will depend on it.

I bet I couldn't stop my bike in 200 feet at 50mph using my rear brake alone, you must be insane to think that is the proper way to stop your bike. You are on a path to get hurt, fast. Stop what you are doing, read some books on proper motorcycle control. Take the MSF, do some track days, take Lee Parks' Advanced Rider Clinic, or Keith Code's school. There is the right way to operate a motorcycle, and a science to it. You will not teach yourself anythign but bad habits on your own. Bad meaning dangerous, this isn't like you're teaching yourself Golf. A slice won't kill you, a highside into a guardrail will.

Do it right or don't do it at all.