Do any of you use your Rear brake?

[freakinheat]

I was leaving the local Target this evening and came up to the stop sign and discovered that i used my rear brake. Not softly, but where it had locked up my rear, and I came to the stop sliding the rear to a stop.
Does anyone else do this on occassion? Should I disable the rear brake, to break me from this bad habit?

Mind you, the TLR is my first bike, my first ride. So this is my learning bike. I know what your thinking,
So, should I cut my right foot off or use the rear rarely?

[freakinheat]

wrong forum?

Should this be in the Open forum? Sorry about that.

[jon super]

I would get used to using mainly your front brake with light pressure from your back.

[kevh]

learn to use the rear brake. as mentioned before, get good with the front, but then work on using the rear brake. if you dont, in a panic braking situation you will forget to use it or you will just slam it on, causing it to lock up. later you will learn to use it in the twisties, where it is most useful

[oneeviltwin]

try to break out of that habit .use the front to stop and the rear to slow down.things can get ugly if you slam on them brakes at the wrong time like on oil water ,anti freeze and sand.espicially on a turn.i always use my back brake depending on the situation.i dont knwo about the others here,but i recommend that you always do.just my 2cents

[Wondertwin]

Well, when you sit-up at a stoplight, it comes in handy to step on it to keep your bike from rolling backwards. Plus, when trying to stop in a big hurry, it does reduce stopping distance.

[BNC]

I use the rear almost every time I come to a stop, but not much to scrub speed before a turn. Since it is your first bike, if you havn't already, go take the MSF course, they teach all about proper brake operation.

BTW, this would fit nicely in the beginner forum

[freakinheat]

moving on up

Thanks for the move. I knew it didn't belong in the TLR forum. I should sign up for a riders training course.
Maybe even get my license.
Rear brake in an emergency= bad
Gotcha guys. Thanks

[Duken4evr]

I tend not to use the brakes that much and rely on engine braking, as evidenced by the fact that my stock front pads still had material on them at 22,000 miles. I finally changed them to some HH pads as the stockers felt like wood blocks.

Rear brake? Only on dirt bikes. It is super fun to brake, swing the back end around flick the clutch and throttle, and bounce it off a soft powdery berm with a nice rooster of dirt shooting skyward. I don't have the Pridmore like skills to do anything nutz like that on a TL

[Jack/Tokyo]

I never use my rear brake - on the street or on the track - I can't just use it a tiny bit at the track and I don't have the 'time' to feel it - everything is so compressed and happening so fast.......

I would recommend you go to a big empty parking lot - or deserted cul-de-sac - and practice emergency braking with JUST the front brake - You can stop that bad boy on a dime with just the front - the rear won't be doing anything anyway when you are panic braking - usually it is 70% off the pavement anyway - the rear being so light - the only time I ever used the rear is when I used to ride two up.......

[KBOlsen]

The more comfortable you are with the use of BOTH brakes, the better and more confident a rider you will become. When you take your MSF course, they will instruct you as to the proper use of the back brake. Like everything else, you will develop a "feel" for it and will be able to apply it without locking up the rear wheel (and also will know what to do when that DOES happen).

I have always used both brakes on the street and am now learning to incorporate use of the rear on the track as well.

[kevh]

taking the MSF course is a damn good idea. the advanced course is crap though. instead take track day type course. the things you learn on the track will help on the street as well (plus you get a track day outta it )

[N2wheelies]

duken doesnt use the brakes except to stop. its true.

i use my rear brake to get the big nut off the front sprocket and that wondertwin thing

[TLstreak]

I use mine to stop and emergency braking. HOWEVER learning to do that can be a trick. Its worth the time to take the bike out to a BIG parking lot (on tires ready to be changed) and practice panic stopping. Having a buddy and a set of walk-a-bout with a ear bud helps. You ride straight and when your buddy says "STOP" you brake in the shortest distance possible.

Getting a set of cones to practice helps too. Spread them out and when you pass the first one BRAKE HARD and move the second at your final stopping point and then keep trying to shorten that distance. Doing this will not only be useful in everyday riding saftey but allows you to feel how loading the front feels under hard braking, and also learn how to manage a rear wheel slide occasionally.

[N2wheelies]

well taken streak.

but in light of the awesome brakes on sportbikes today, not to mention the tires...
ive found that the real panic stops ive encountered (three memorable ones of the 405 fw in so cal inside a month) i was doing the dangle with the rear tire.