MotoGP Braking Techniques with Kevin Schwantz

Some do. I'm pretty sure Hayden uses it. Miguel Duhamel had a thumb brake when he broke his leg. I find it funny when people say you shouldn't use it.
 
Proof positive that the rear brake is not the key, just a tool that, if used properly, can aid you. It's all about how (well) you use it.
 
I've used it a few times when I feel like I'm coming in too hot (before I start turning) and it seems to keep the bike more stabel and slowes me down that little bit extra that I'm hoping for.
 
Well if your rear wheel is losing contact with the pavement during braking, why would you bother using the rear brake? You won't get any braking at best and at worst you'll flatspot the tire or go into a skid.

Not that my own bike has front brakes nearly powerful enough to do that. I notice a significant decrease in stopping distance when I use the rear brakes, travelling at mere mortal speed.
 
I find using my rear brake makes me slide and I end up traveling a longer distance than just using my front brake.

In one occasion I was going in to hot off the 400 entering into hwy 7 with a red ligh off the left hand and did one of those ohh ****... both brakes on, started to slide and a bigger oh **** went through my head, calmed down for a split sec and let the rear brake go and the bike stopped slidding and the front wheel grabbed, just before i went into the oncoming traffic as an 18" wheeler went by.

Both brakes make the bike more estable but when you really just need brake power, the front only is my choice.
 
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I use both on the street regularly. But when Im on the track, I find it a bother to use the rear.
 
I use both as well. In fact I gotta change my rear pads pronto, they're worn down.
 
what most fail to realize is there are MANY other uses for the rear brake besides jamming it on while piling into a corner.
 
dpmachine said:
Well if your rear wheel is losing contact with the pavement during braking, why would you bother using the rear brake? You won't get any braking at best and at worst you'll flatspot the tire or go into a skid.

Not that my own bike has front brakes nearly powerful enough to do that. I notice a significant decrease in stopping distance when I use the rear brakes, travelling at mere mortal speed.
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You can use the rear brake long before the wheel loses contact with the ground (if it does at all) and you can use it afterwards as well; before the turn or in the turn.
 
mmmnaked said:
You can use the rear brake long before the wheel loses contact with the ground (if it does at all) and you can use it afterwards as well; before the turn or in the turn.
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+1

You can use it to tighten your line and for stability as mentioned before.
 
Cardine said:
Using your rear lightly should also help correct a bad line through a corner, takes practice but it helps.Found this neat article, some of it may be bs as I haven't read the whole thing...http://www.lazymotorbike.eu/tips/corners/
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+1 to this. There's a reason why sportbikes still have rear brakes. They're not useless. This is one of those reasons. I'm not experienced enough to know what the others are though, lol.

On the street, no, I never brake hard enough to have the rear wheel come up. But hell, I've done it on the track on a CBR125. Noob mistake? You betchya. Just saying that's possible.

I need more track laps to learn how to brake like these guys. I do not have the balls to do what they do. I need to grow them, and only track time can help with that.
 
You guys need to get off the pavement once in a while on to the dirt and gravel where you will see the benefits of a rear brake. :D

Riders should do some dirt roads as a matter of widening their skill set as you never know when you'll have a bit of unexpected construction turning the pavement to washboard road and that's not the time to learn how your bike responds.

Go up down some of the gravel roads on the Escarpment up by the Shed for practice.....then do it when they are wet ( carefully ).
Once you get settled into riding some dirt you get better at it and in my view a better rider.

Hell you might actually have to hit a gravel shoulder in some circumstances and grabbing a fistful of front brake will put you down in heartbeat.
Rear brakes are good for feathering power against speed at low speeds - allowing you into a bit better power band for control without building speed.
Many newbies fall at low speeds as they are turning and have the front brake on....makes a nice lever......over you go....rear brake against throttle in that case makes it far easier.

This is real world tho not the track where it IS a very different set of dynamics
 
Theres more then one way to ride a bike, some people use rear brake and some dont....Just depends on your personal style IMO, no right or wrong here...For me its a very valuable tool in every day riding, if it wasnt there my riding style would have to change
 
The rear brake is a tool to be used. Helps to settle the suspension in or to tighten in a corner. In loose conditions it's the preferred brake. When you're flying it also is used to control the pitch of the bike or over a jump that is also on a turn can help pivot the bike down and over a bit so you can be more aggressive.
 
I always wonder when I hear someone say they use the rear brake on the track to tighten a line.... what does the brake do that your throttle hand can't?

I use the rear brake on track very infrequently, personally... mostly at the end of a long straight briefly and at the start of a hairpin to keep the front wheel down if it comes up. YMMV.
 
Shaman said:
I always wonder when I hear someone say they use the rear brake on the track to tighten a line.... what does the brake do that your throttle hand can't?

.
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the bike will turn better under power than it will coasting.

With application of rear brake, you can stay on the gas and tighten the line without having to use more lean angle.

there's an easy way to test the application of this.

Try doing U-TURNS with throttle control and see what your turning radius is.

now do the same while adding rear brake, you'll cut your turning radius in half.
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