Do you always use both brakes?

[1busa]

A whole lotta front with a touch of the back

[HOOKDADDY]

i use both for better stoping the MSF tells us to & i know that apply both brakes at the same time take practice so i use them all the time

[limpytheduck]

I use both front and rear as most have stated usually 80% front and 20% rear. I always gear down as I approach a stop so I do not have to rely exclusively on my brakes to come to a stop. Curious how many people gear down or just go to neutral when coming to a complete stop.

[Tufbusa]

i know this is an old thread but i deided to give my i opinion...
i have a custom 04 busa and wrecked it last night by using the front brake only.
migh have been my fault for maybe squeezing the lever to hard/quickly
but none the less the front wheel locked up and slide right and i went left.
pick up in front of me stopped either hard or i just wasnt payin attention. truthfully dont know which it was but the out come
was bike obviously ended up on its left side and i ended up my well i dont even know how i landed but i know everything on my left side is hurting today.erybody has one.
i vote for use both breaks 60 rear and 40 front just in my opinion tho. of course opinions are like buttholes,everybody has one.
safety first koolness second!!!

You crashed because you ran out of skill just when you needed it most!

Sorry about your get off. At least you didn't get hurt. When you attach the term "Motorcycle" to learning curves often has some degree of money and pain involved.

Braking is a learned skill that takes practice and lots of it. Whether or not you applied the rear brake had absolutely zero to do with the front tire lock up.

The term we use when teaching riders to brake is "Load the tire before you work the tire"! Once you load the tire (Even a touring tire) it doesn't lock up easily on clean dry pavement. If the bike is straight up, a warm properly inflated front should lift the rear tire off the pavement without locking the front tire.

Practice hard braking on every ride, I do! With practice your next oh**** moment is much more likely to only leave you with soiled britches!

[Twobrothersbusa]

From what I've seen, most are going to use what experience teaches (or someone convinces you) is the best method of stopping. Until a rider experiences a different set of circumstances, most will keep using what works until it doesn't. When braking methods fail in a situation (locked rear, lowside, etc) it is an opportunity to do some research and see if you could have done it differently and improved your situation.

Street riding and track riding both provide opportunity for braking. With track riding you get to practice every lap approaching every turn. Very repeatable events. You can try different methods. Most track riders never use the rear at all. Loaded up fronts mean your rear is unloaded and adding a rear brake to that normally means a learning opportunity that is going to hurt a bit.


Yep, the thread that just won't quit.

[Flicka]

From what I've seen, most are going to use what experience teaches (or someone convinces you) is the best method of stopping. Until a rider experiences a different set of circumstances, most will keep using what works until it doesn't. When braking methods fail in a situation (locked rear, lowside, etc) it is an opportunity to do some research and see if you could have done it differently and improved your situation.

Street riding and track riding both provide opportunity for braking. With track riding you get to practice every lap approaching every turn. Very repeatable events. You can try different methods. Most track riders never use the rear at all. Loaded up fronts mean your rear is unloaded and adding a rear brake to that normally means a learning opportunity that is going to hurt a bit.


Yep, the thread that just won't quit.

I once tried the "lock the front when setting up for T1 in the rain at Barber" method. Didn't like that method at all. I had been easing on the front brakes for a second or two when it just locked up. A little too much for the conditions, I guess.

That resulted in a pucker factor overload, but it also proved that a high speed front tire skid does not necessarily lead to a crash.

Sorry that's off topic, but it was a good learning experience.

[Twobrothersbusa]

Running head on into a turn at 140 or so with a locked front....yep, I think that classifies as a learning opportunity.

I once tried the "lock the front when setting up for T1 in the rain at Barber" method. Didn't like that method at all. I had been easing on the front brakes for a second or two when it just locked up. A little too much for the conditions, I guess.

That resulted in a pucker factor overload, but it also proved that a high speed front tire skid does not necessarily lead to a crash.

Sorry that's off topic, but it was a good learning experience.

[skydivr]

Really, I mean REALLLLY, we are beating a dead horse here.

I CHALLENGE you guys who think you can manage the rear brake to do a TRACKDAY and try it. Unless you have an AMA Race license, I will bet you will learn it's better off to LEAVE IT ALONE when riding agressively....

[sixpack577]

Hey hey hey.
Leave the rear brake alone?!
I'de like to see anyone of you drift without it!
Lock it down, kick the azz out, and repeatedly rev the shiz outta it!
A skill I've only 'mastered'(aka, yet to crash on pavement) in the rain

[black diamond busa]

Really, I mean REALLLLY, we are beating a dead horse here.

Its what we do around here. Nothing better to do since its cold outside up here

[cq90stang]

I generally use just the front brakes. Most of the braking power is on the front brakes...but there is some exceptions for me. I ride various motorcycles. On the little gs 500 f I had, you needed no more than to use the front brakes...how a single rotor stopped that bike so good is beyond me. The hayabusa I use mostly just front brakes. The yzf600r thundercat I use mostly the front and I am cautious of the rear brake (as it bites very hard with little pressure, it will lock the rear wheel with out even trying. The r6 I use mainly front brakes.

Exceptions...

Emergency stopping, I use front and rear (depending on weather conditions and what bike I am on)
2 up riding (normally just front brakes, unless I need the extra braking effect of the rear to get it slowed down)

I also use downshifting and let the motor of the bike slow itself down and hit every gear on the way down, or down shift twice and let the motor help slow the bike down (this is also why I probably don't use the rear brakes too much)

[Busabim]

Not with these on the front....



BB

[SSGT_B]

I have a rear brake?? Huh. Nope, never used it. After spending a few seasons at the track, I probably never will.

[jellyrug]

Depends on the situation.

On my dirt bike in most cases where traction is a challenge, the rear break sees way more use.

On the Busa, I use both, some situations the rear brake is avoided, some situations the front brake is used carefully, with more emphasis on the rear.

Probably coming from a dirt bike background, I believe the key is not to panic when one loses traction and recovering from a slide while remaining in control must come from your sub-conscious actions.

My first ride ever on the Tail of the Dragon, a Harley came from the opposite direction, tried to use my lane in a corner and when I was in his way he locked up the back wheel by braking in the corner. Needless to say, he lost control immediately and it was all over but for the crying.

[Dscahill]

I have my rear brake light switch disabled, and I use that when I'm riding with friends so they dont know when I get nervous or something. For normal or emergency braking, I typically apply the rear first and then the front just a splut second after. Ive been doing that for so long its' really just second nature. My thinking there is: 'if I'm braking may just as well use all my brakes"

-D

[Quiksilver]

Normal stopping I engine brake and use the front brakes. Hard stops I try to use all three or front and back brakes.

[rockethead]

Under normal stopping I use both brakes. To correct my line in a corner I may use a little rear only. Depends on the situation although i mainly use both.

[jellyrug]

I believe for this thread one has to define the type of riding. On the track, for record lap times the rear brake may as well be disabled. On the street where multiple different conditions can be encountered there is a definite place for the rear brake.

[mattymatt716]

I usually use both, but with my previous bike I locked up the rears 3 times. It freaked me out, so I don't use the rears as heavily as I once did. But, for regular street riding, I would think that using both brakes would be safer and will allow for quicker stopping when necessary. That's what I was always told, and so far it seems correct. Did I see a post above saying that "it ain't necessarily so"?

[nosbig]

I usually use both, but with my previous bike I locked up the rears 3 times. It freaked me out, so I don't use the rears as heavily as I once did. But, for regular street riding, I would think that using both brakes would be safer and will allow for quicker stopping when necessary. That's what I was always told, and so far it seems correct. Did I see a post above saying that "it ain't necessarily so"?

I think what you have been reading are a lot of different scenarios. Plus different habits riders have picked up over the years. Regular street riding and straight line stops, I don't think anyone would say that using both brakes isn't the best practice. Most track guys have trained themselves over the years to stay off the rear brakes and that has to have some play in how they ride on the streets.