I have used both brakes since the day i started riding except when around hard corners. I have many cars pull out in front of me and I have never once crammed the back brake. I got it to the breaking point of it getting ready to lock up but never crammed it so hard that it locked up.

I feel that you always use 75% Front and 25% rear for breaking.

 

OK guys this is my theory. If you use you rear brake on routine bases that will = twice of maybe three times that much on emergency cases.So the way I ride I try to use as little as I can on everyday use because I know that if I get to use to using it I will over use it when that time comes when I need to use my brain to keep me from harm.It's fine to use your rear brake but don't think it will help you much when you have maybe 20 lb's of weight on it from just your weight shifting forward. the last thing you want is your back tire to switch ends with you, and that makes you let off your front break.Think about it. Try this experment. travel down the road at say 30 mph slam on the back break, what does you bike do?

 

For everyone that posted use both front and back brake...you do realize that when you are braking as fast as the machine can possibly slow you have almost 100% of your weight transferred to the front tire. So exactly how do you get that rear to stop the bike?

BIG BIG difference between stopping a sportbike and a cruiser in an emergency situation.

If you are stopping as fast as possible the rear tire will be skimming the pavement. ANY application of the rear brake will lock it and if you don't get off of it fast enough the rear will step out on you then when you release it you will get introduced to Mr. Highside.

I really don't care if you take my advice or not, but don't post **** that will get someone else killed.

MSF teaches both brakes because that applies to everything on the road EXCEPT sportbikes. Take a look at a the front brakes on a chopper (if is has any). Take a look at the weight distribution on a standard or a cruiser. They have a ton more weight over the rear and usually a longer wheelbase. This PLUS harder tires means they have less of a chance of getting the rear off the ground before they lock the front.

I still use my back brake for certain time, like slick pavement. But not for everyday braking. DO NOT train your brain to use the rear. It will screw you over when you panic.

 

Put two bikes side by side: on one use front brakes only and the other both, the bike using both brakes will stop faster every time. This fact is not a debatable issue.

There are many, many books about sport riding techniques; front and rear braking does not only apply to sportbikes. I strongly encourage you to read at least one of them. I highly recommend "Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track" by Nick Ienatsch, Kenny Roberts, and Tom Morgan and I also highly recommend "Motorcycle Design & Technology: How and Why" by Gaentano Cocco. You would do yourself and others a favor by reading them

As far as not posting things that will get people killed, I'm sorry friend, but telling people to only use their front brakes is going to do just that. The motorcycle SAFETY course teaches people how to ride safely, front braking only is not safe for the aforementioned reasons. Again, 70% of your stopping power comes from the front brakes, 30% from the rear.

New riders reading this thread, ignore the advice to use only the front brake. Ask experienced riders with nothing to prove, trust me on this one.

I encourage you to post your advice on a track forum or any forum with experienced riders. I won't argue with you, you clearly believe you are right, alas real world statistics, not to mention physics are on my side.

 

The original post was "Correct way of braking." The answer to that question is to use both brakes. The advice all can agree on is to take the MSF, where you will find the both brakes information underscored.

Regarding the advice stating to use the front only so that you don't train yourself to slam on the rear brake: If you learn how to brake properly, this is not an issue. Even in an emergency, you don't slam on your brakes, you get on them quickly.

 

Maybe you would like to explain the Physics on that one.

The rear brake MAY possibly be able to provide some friction prior to the front suspension being loaded. After the front is loaded and front brake applied at full force the rear is unloaded. IT CANNOT provide braking force. Physics are pretty clear on that one. I urge you to not regurgitate everything you read and try it in the real world. See how many time in practice you lock the rear up. This is NOT when you *** is on the line and pucker factor is at 100.

The brain can only process so much information in a small space of time. Maybe if every day you practice 100-200 panic stops in a year you will have the skill to load the front using the back brake, then taper off pressure so as not to lock it all the while monitoring the amount of pressure you are applying to the front to make sure you are using the maximum amount of braking force that is available.

BTW, on my bookshelf are:

Twist of the Wrist II - Keith Code
Sport Riding Techniques - Nick Ienatsch
Total Control - Lee Parks
Smooth Riding - Reg Pridmore

Without re-reading them all I believe that everyone states that the rear brake is only good at the VERY BEGINNING of the stop, then must be tapered off. Not something that is easily done for a new rider without locking the rear.

 

How ironic, a pissing contest over who can stop faster, not who can go faster. This is classic.

I am always learning and am always open to new ideas. I don't just take what I've read or heard at face value, those are just good books I recommend and I certainly don't just quote them, that's my real world experience take it FWIW.

I ride 90-100 miles 5 days a week and I do 100-300 mile weekend rides in the canyons for fun. I put a little over 2,000 miles a month on my bike and have had plenty of immediate stop situations.

And I'll take the Pepsi challenge with anyone that thinks they can stop faster than me with front brakes only. Get your pink slip ready.

 

Watch this video & listen very carefully. There is a very interesting comment regarding the use of the rear brake at the very end.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...rcycle&pl=true

 

After reviewing the text that I quickly have access to:

Keith Code: "It is my recommendation that you master using ONLY the front brake except when riding in slippery conditions" (A Twist of the Wrist II)

Lee Parks: "The rear brake on a moder sportsbike provides only about 10 percent of the total braking power. During full power stops from 60 miles per hour or more, the rear brake on a sportsbike is good for the first 10 or 15 feet or so, while the weight is fully transitioning onto the front tire. If you keep the rear wheel of a modern sportsbike on the ground, THE STOPPING DISTANCE WILL BE SLIGHTLY LONGER than if you have it slightly in the air." (Total Control)

Nick Ienatsch: "In a true emergency, you might not have the mental capacity to relieve rear brake pressure......" (Sport Riding Techniques) although Nick IS a proponent of using both brakes.

Reg Pridmore in "Smooth Riding" states that he uses the rear to settle the chassis much as I described earler but also mentions that you do not want the rear brake too accessible because you are likely to panick and lock it.

I am sure that should I take the time I can uncover MANY more sources to backup just what I described that while the rear brake serves as a tool it is NOT to be relied upon to stop the bike. The front brake is for stopping, the rear is for setting the chassis.

 

Draw your own conclusions or go practice in a lot. I really don't need to ride to California to prove anything. I ride every day that it's practical. Unfortunately I really don't have that many panic stops because I predict and stay alert. I use my handling and keep routes of escape open.

If this conversation does nothing more than get people out to see for themselves which is better, then I have accomplished my goal. Whatever you decide, PRACTICE.

I haven't done any panic stop drills in awhile. I think tomorrow I may just go out and do some. If anything it's fun to get the back wheel up.