CBRWorld.net

loyalty_anchored:

rear break is a must! i use to be too heavy on the front and i would bottom out my front shocks all the time, not a very nice thing...

i try my best to use a combination of engine breaking, front/rear break... since i started practicing bliping throttle things have become much smoother too.

rear break can be tricky though, use it, just dont LOCK it :-)

I'm not on a CBR yet, but the ninjette (which, if my understanding is correct, are notorius for having rather giving front shocks) has nearly spun twice on my from locking the back up.  First time was a panic when lights turned yellow on me, I came to a stop in the middle of an intersection, perpindicular to the direction I'd been going... I kicked it down to first and went the way I was facing, saying many "thank You" prayers.  The second time I was slowing while going uphill and the rear kicked about 20 or so degrees to the right... I dunno how it didn't wily-coyote catapult me, but I'm glad it didn't...

Each to his/her own ways, but here's my input.  Back brake = risky on normal riding, much more so high speed.  Personally, I'm making myself go front-brake only, unless I'm resting on a hill (often in the Appalachian hills) or in slowpoke traffic (or doubling which is happening more often :D )

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05 Ninja 250,
Preparing for CBR goodness... someday

i respect your experience and input, but i think going extreme to any breaking style is wrong, i find the proper balance between the following three is the way to go:

1- front break
2- engine break (downshifting with throttle blips)
3- rear break


i cannot give you a percentage of pressure or amount of breaking i use with each three of these variables because i go by feel, every single bike has different geometry, different break components, suspension etc... so there is no 1 perfect way.

but i would say, in general you need to find the proper balance of the three ingredients above for your bike and riding style. to ignore any of the three will get you in trouble.

that is my advice.

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2006 Honda CBR600F4i

DFENS:

I'm not on a CBR yet, but the ninjette (which, if my understanding is correct, are notorius for having rather giving front shocks) has nearly spun twice on my from locking the back up.  First time was a panic when lights turned yellow on me, I came to a stop in the middle of an intersection, perpindicular to the direction I'd been going... I kicked it down to first and went the way I was facing, saying many "thank You" prayers.  The second time I was slowing while going uphill and the rear kicked about 20 or so degrees to the right... I dunno how it didn't wily-coyote catapult me, but I'm glad it didn't...

Each to his/her own ways, but here's my input.  Back brake = risky on normal riding, much more so high speed.  Personally, I'm making myself go front-brake only, unless I'm resting on a hill (often in the Appalachian hills) or in slowpoke traffic (or doubling which is happening more often :D )

i rode by buddies 250 b4 he destroyed it and it was def a little touchy.  the bike is rather light, the rear tire is tiny, and the brake pedal lets u really stomp on it if you are not careful.  i locked it at around 30mph the first time i took it down the street and the bike kicked right bout as far as i expected.  however, thats my pt.  my instincts new exactly how to react once the tire broke loose.  inexperienced/new riders are never going to learn this if they simply rule out using the rear brake and there are plenty of situations in which ud be very happy knowing how to ride a bike w/ lil rear tire traction.  gravel and rain come to mind first... im not saying go out there and always always use it.  u should just be open to the possibility at all times on the road and be comfortable w/ it in all situations.

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Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
- Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back

Some of the stuff mentioned in this thread reminds me of that movie IDIOCRACY.....it's crazy how some people think.

The only reason i use my rear brake is if I'm stopping quickly (50mph or less) and I'm worried about traction with the front tire (cold temps or loose gravel) so i put some rear brake on too stop at the same time but with less dependence on the front tire holding.

Other than that, i never use the rear brake.......just look at the bike. It's got 2 huge rotors and 4 caliper brakes on the front and a tiny ass little rotor and brake on the back. back brake sucks for scrubbing speed.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

RSchaef83:

Some of the stuff mentioned in this thread reminds me of that movie IDIOCRACY.....it's crazy how some people think.

The only reason i use my rear brake is if I'm stopping quickly (50mph or less) and I'm worried about traction with the front tire (cold temps or loose gravel) so i put some rear brake on too stop at the same time but with less dependence on the front tire holding.

Other than that, i never use the rear brake.......just look at the bike. It's got 2 huge rotors and 4 caliper brakes on the front and a tiny ass little rotor and brake on the back. back brake sucks for scrubbing speed.

if it sux... y use it at all??  no sense in putting people down for this thread if you are just going to practically contradict yourself.

and actually, the rear brake is good at scubbing speed (i didnt say a lot of it) and bad at stopping

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Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
- Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back

RSchaef83:

Other than that, i never use the rear brake.......just look at the bike. It's got 2 huge rotors and 4 caliper brakes on the front and a tiny ass little rotor and brake on the back. back brake sucks for scrubbing speed.

Rear brake has only one small rotor and small calibers because thats all it can handle traction-wise.  If you put anything more powerfull on it, it will lock up with barely a touch.   Actually many pro's (of those who use the rear brake) modify it to be even weaker so it is not as touchy.
The reason they teach you to use the rear brake in the basic rider school so much is because the course is outdated, geared toward cruisers, and doesnt really take into account sport bikes.  Just like they teach you to use all four fingers on the front brake: sure it works for the cruisers but stupid and actually suicidal  for sport bikes.

Really?... I can't belive this debate is really still going on.  USE YOUR FREAKIN REAR BREAK!!!!   If it didn't work, they wouldn't put it on the bike!!  So I'll start with the personal stuff.  I almost always use my rear break(this is mostly regarding street riding), the only time I have ever locked it up is at "parking lot speeds" 30-35 and below, and I've done that plenty of times.  It's not that big a deal, just let off the break and the bike straightens itself out.   Your rear break accounts for about 25% or your breaking power, which means for quicker stopping or emergencies... USE IT!!!

As for the Physics of it, Yes the rear break is smaller than the front (duhhhh), but that doesn't mean it's dangerous much less useless.  Think of it in terms of rotational force (aka torque).  Wikipedia it if your hazy on it.  The greater the speed the greater the rotational force, which means that at higher speeds (80, 70, even 60) you would have to stomp on the break to lock up the rear tire.

So for those of you too scared to use your rear break, start slowly and gradually get used to it, but please...  USE YOUR REAR BREAK (at least sometimes).

I could ride a bike without a rear brake, i'm not a track rider so i don't need it for cornering and sliding. 

I will use it in lose gravel because I know it's much better to lock up the back tire than it would be to lock up the front.

and by the way.....this debate wasn't still going....you revived it!

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

I use the rear brake to come to a stop, whilst stopped to make sure that should the worst happen and someone hits me from the rear I won't get pushed forward into the traffic.

I also use it when doing slow speed manouvres, getting round roundabouts, etc as it stablises the bike and the front brake would be a really bad idea.

Fulcrum:

RSchaef83:

Other than that, i never use the rear brake.......just look at the bike. It's got 2 huge rotors and 4 caliper brakes on the front and a tiny ass little rotor and brake on the back. back brake sucks for scrubbing speed.

Rear brake has only one small rotor and small calibers because thats all it can handle traction-wise.  If you put anything more powerfull on it, it will lock up with barely a touch.   Actually many pro's (of those who use the rear brake) modify it to be even weaker so it is not as touchy.
The reason they teach you to use the rear brake in the basic rider school so much is because the course is outdated, geared toward cruisers, and doesnt really take into account sport bikes.  Just like they teach you to use all four fingers on the front brake: sure it works for the cruisers but stupid and actually suicidal  for sport bikes.

that's exactly what my point was.  the front brake is obviously the bigger better way to stop....unless of course you're riding a chopper.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

We all know your front brake provides most your braking force

and the rear provides very little

but it DOES help stop,  using both will get you to stop the fastest.


Me personally, I use my rear brake probably 80% of the time and my fron 20% of the time lol..  But thats because I stunt ride, and all I do is work the rear brake

Not to mention when riding on hte street, coming to a stop, its nice to just sit up and use the rear brake

DFENS:

loyalty_anchored:

rear break is a must! i use to be too heavy on the front and i would bottom out my front shocks all the time, not a very nice thing...

i try my best to use a combination of engine breaking, front/rear break... since i started practicing bliping throttle things have become much smoother too.

rear break can be tricky though, use it, just dont LOCK it :-)

I'm not on a CBR yet, but the ninjette (which, if my understanding is correct, are notorius for having rather giving front shocks) has nearly spun twice on my from locking the back up.  First time was a panic when lights turned yellow on me, I came to a stop in the middle of an intersection, perpindicular to the direction I'd been going... I kicked it down to first and went the way I was facing, saying many "thank You" prayers.  The second time I was slowing while going uphill and the rear kicked about 20 or so degrees to the right... I dunno how it didn't wily-coyote catapult me, but I'm glad it didn't...

Each to his/her own ways, but here's my input.  Back brake = risky on normal riding, much more so high speed.  Personally, I'm making myself go front-brake only, unless I'm resting on a hill (often in the Appalachian hills) or in slowpoke traffic (or doubling which is happening more often :D )

IMHO, if hitting hte rear brake too hard is a problem, then you need way more practice before riding on the street!

If you jam the rear brake hard, you MIGHT wreck, but most the times you'll be fine..

Jam the front brake too hard, and its over, bam your on the ground, not much of a chance to lock teh front wheel for 30 foot..

For a new rider, I think the front brake is hte dangerous.  Too easy to panic brake and wreck.

Whereas with a touchy rear brake, you can slam you rear brake at 50 and come to a complete stop without ever letting off..  Can't do that on a front brake very easy (very few professional stunt riders can even slider there front tire on purpose)

Meatwad:

IMHO, if hitting hte rear brake too hard is a problem, then you need way more practice before riding on the street!

If you jam the rear brake hard, you MIGHT wreck, but most the times you'll be fine..

Jam the front brake too hard, and its over, bam your on the ground, not much of a chance to lock teh front wheel for 30 foot..

For a new rider, I think the front brake is hte dangerous.  Too easy to panic brake and wreck.

Whereas with a touchy rear brake, you can slam you rear brake at 50 and come to a complete stop without ever letting off..  Can't do that on a front brake very easy (very few professional stunt riders can even slider there front tire on purpose)

im thinking that your stunting background has u seriously over-estimating standard "newbie" riding skill.  remember the very very first time u ever locked the rear brake on your bicycle and how much it scared the sh*t outta u as a little kid.  maybe u subconsciously remembered wat that felt like and applied it to motorcycles later on, keeping u upright the first time on an MC.  but a lot of ppl dont and go down because someone told them that locking the rear brake was the "safer" choice. 

the overall outcome of this thread and all the braking threads b4 it really only shows that f***ing up w/ either brake on a motorcycle greatly increases your chances of going down.  improper use of either brake is dangerous and it honestly doesnt matter which.  thinking 80/20% isnt going to stop u from hitting that car that jus changed lanes w/out seeing u.  and no amount of anyone talking bout it on a thread will really change you or anyone else's riding/braking/crashing style in a panic situation.

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Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
- Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back

Wait a minute, I do use my rear brake.  I used it the last time I changed sprockets to hold things while breaking the nuts loose. 

Seriously though, isn't this thread getting old and repetative?

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'05 CBR600F4i
PCIII USB
-1 Front +2 Rear/Speedohealer
Various screens according to my mood
Hindle Hi Mount slip on oval supersport core
K & N air filter
Matris M3 Damper
Vortex Rearsets
BRG Racing 1/5 turn throttle
Pit-Eck undertail and hugger

stangmx135:

Meatwad:

IMHO, if hitting hte rear brake too hard is a problem, then you need way more practice before riding on the street!

If you jam the rear brake hard, you MIGHT wreck, but most the times you'll be fine..

Jam the front brake too hard, and its over, bam your on the ground, not much of a chance to lock teh front wheel for 30 foot..

For a new rider, I think the front brake is hte dangerous.  Too easy to panic brake and wreck.

Whereas with a touchy rear brake, you can slam you rear brake at 50 and come to a complete stop without ever letting off..  Can't do that on a front brake very easy (very few professional stunt riders can even slider there front tire on purpose)

  improper use of either brake is dangerous and it honestly doesnt matter which. 

do you really think that?

  It's pretty obvious if you've ever ridden a motorcycle before that the rear brake is much more forgiving if you're use it improperly.  You use the front brake improperly and you're in a world of hurt.  The back brake locks up and you can just let off and go back to your riding.  If the front brake locks up you're going down fast. seriously man....that's a honkin line of crap you just wrote.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen