Sometimes I think I use the rear brake too much. Like somebody else said, in stop and go traffic I will use it almost exclusively. I use it for every stop that I make in varying degrees. I use it on corner entry to settle the bike and set my line a lot.


So I love when people with track bikes say that they never use the rear brake. You say that 95 percent of your fast stopping power is your front brake. Great, so everybody else is stopping 5 percent faster than you. Not only could that be the difference between first and last, but the difference between stopping and hitting something. Learn to use your rear brake. If you use it like your supposed to it does nothing but help. If your so scared of locking up the rear, maybe you need some more practice with how far you can push it.

Furthermore, if I am in a straight line emergency stop, I would rather have the rear locked than no rear brake at all.

 

I took the MSF course, so of course I use it!

 

I use the front and rear every time I slow down to build that muscle memory so when something happens I automatically use 100% of my stopping potential. Anyone who thinks using the rear brake with the front in an emergency is bad is retarded. Locking up the rear doesn't automatically make you fall. You shouldn't lock up either wheel but when **** happens the rear is not what you have to worry about. Go lock up your front wheel and see how long you stay up...

 

Yep, use it all the time.

 

i use it all the time.

Even if I didnt use it I'd keep it on the bike. Nice to had some backup brakes in case the fronts fail.

 

I use the rear brakes more then the fronts. My rear pads are new for one and the fronts are geting down. I have been riding dirt for years so it just happens. I only use both brakes for fast or hard stops. The rear feels much better to me.

 

Yep I use my rear all the time. I usually start with 50/50 then progress more towards the front brakes if needing to stop hard.

 

yup i use it. like said, its that 5% of extra stopping power that JUST might make or break you. Its not going to harm anything...and the suspension settling thing is nice too!

 

????

I lowsided at 70 mph thanks to the front brakes locking up from gravel.

How would you lowside by using the rear brake? I mean, if some douchebag is using the rear brakes while leaning in a corner, then yeah, he'll probably crash.......but this douchebag also should have never thrown his leg over the bike in the first place.

So, since you made the inarguable declaration that you should trash the rear brakes..........how, sir, do you lowside a bike when riding like a sane, MSF educated rider, when using the rear brakes properly?

 

Let's look at this from a purely logical designstandpoint. Why on earth would the motorcycle designers & engineers, who are trying to shave every last ounce from the bikes they create in the quest for performance, place 5+ pounds of mass on the motorcycle if they weren't expecting it to be useful? And, that being said, place the majority of said mass at the extreme rear of the bike, instead of packaging it in the center where it wouldn't affect the bike? Let's look at it another way. Theoretically, you can stop your bike in 100 feet (I'm using round, easy numbers for arguements sake) using 100% of braking ability. Not using your rear brake subtracts 5-25% percent of that braking power, increasing your stopping distance to 105-125 feet. If there is a brick wall at the 100 foot mark, not using your rear brake GUARANTEES that you will impact that wall, causing damage to yourself (bad)and your bike (worse). Use your rear brakes guys, it'll keep you alive longer.