Front Brake - Do you use it?

just be careful using only the back with dunlop 220's, cos these tyres sliiiiiiiide.... and if the tyres cold, then if u yank the front they sliiiiiiiiide...

I use rear in town and as a little bit of a stabiliser under hard braking. Funny enough you get a feel for situations when the rear will help to settle the bike down. That said nearly all serious braking done with the front brake. The rear just will not slow you as effectively as the front coz a: it's ****e and b: weight transfer under braking means it will lock and not dig in when pushed.

Thats said i have just replaced my rear pads for the 2nd time and the fronts are due to be replaced for the first time only. I use the rear for quite a bit of slow control in town etc so it seems to wear rather fast. Also there's only one disc and 2 small pads on the rear whereas the front has about4-8 times the surface area.

Originally Posted by jump

just be careful using only the back with dunlop 220's, cos these tyres sliiiiiiiide.... and if the tyres cold, then if u yank the front they sliiiiiiiiide...

braking traction has always been my biggest complaint with Dunlop tires, honestly I rarely use any brake at all, front or rear, I usually just roll off throttle, and only use brake when coming to complete stop, so I don't actually use my rear much cause my the time I'm using the brake I am only squeezing the front to stop the bike as I put my feet down, sometimes on steeper uphill stops, I only use the front brake to keep the bike from rolling backward while at a stop

Ahhh, V-Twin engin braking is a wonderful thing.

Made me think the first time I hit a sharpening bend on the Gaffa Ninja though... done this route loads of times on the SV, my 'unwind' road... take Gaffa out for the first time, roll of the throttle...

... **** I'm still going fast!

I'm a front braker/touch of back for stability. My very first (and only) lesson on a bike (in the school hard court just before being let onto the road for the first time on my new bike) the instructor made me do all the slow manouvering with my right foot completely off the peg.

"If you have control with your front brake only and can still manage the throttle too then riding with you back brake will be a piece of cake."

He was pretty much right too.

Originally Posted by Jabba-the-Hutt

I'm of the jonboy school of riding - slow (but not as slow as him ) in, quick out. To that end when out on the open road I hardly use the rear brake at all and try to get all my slowing done before the bend.

Having said that, the rear brake on my 'ornet isn't that powerful and I'm going to have the brake fluid changed at the forthcoming service. I can't even lock the rear wheel with it at the moment Perhaps that is a good thing?

I use the rear for slow-speed manouvring, when on loose surfaces or when filtering. Obviously, I use it in an emergency to dump speed.

Interesting discussion

not sure what the brakes are like on the hornet compared to the CBR, but i find that the front brake is really sensitive, and there is only a slight bit of force needed to lock the front - where as the rear . . . it really needs to be pressed down hard.


an another level, in normal riding - im quite like jonboy and jabba. let the engine do most of the work (i know i shouldnt , as engines are more expensive than brake pads) bringing myself to a stop slowly.

mass, mabe you should find a car park, and try to stop the bike using a combo of both brakes keeping the bike straight at all times, then try having it nose down (more front) and juggling it nose up (more rear) throughout the stop - so you can get a feel of how to use your brakes to balance the bike.



there was an article in performace bikes this month about how using the rear brake in combo with the front stops you in the same distance as when using only the front...
based upon the fact that GP stars mainly only use front when braking for a corner. . . .

personally i thought it was a load of rubbish.

Originally Posted by leesimons

There's no way you could stop anywhere near as quickly with just the back as opposed to just the front.

Its to do with momentum and weight distribution..

[Sid Squid]

Am I the only one who finds this thread scary?

That's the second time today you've made a casting post and then run off without qualifying it. Come back man and argue!

Anyway, what's scary about discussing techniques? Some have more experience and knowledge than others naturally, but as a lot of folk on this forum are relatively new to biking then this is an area IMHO that needs honest discussion.

.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Am I the only one who finds this thread scary?

nope

especoilly when I read stuff like this

My DAS instructor was not a fan of new riders using the front brake except for emergencies. Whilst he accepted that it was the most efficient way of dumping mph, he also stated that most inexperienced learners who inadvertently grabbed big handfuls of front also dumped the bike. He therefore encouraged use of the rear for all manouvring and sub 50mph braking except of course in an emergency.


I'm not sure what a DAS instructor is, but I assume something similar to a MSF instructor here, and it is scary when they teach poor technique

I think most of the poster have actually posted good technique and it varies depending on the weight bias of your particular bike set up for you riding with your weight, bur reports of 75F/25R to 90F/10R are within reason, personally I would estimate my braking at about 85% front, 15% rear when I actually use brakes.

I have to be very csreful with rear brake as I have a heavy foot, I much prefer the rear drum brake on my 920R that requires much more effort and is easier for my heavy foot

I find "front only" braking makes the bike feel unsettled. I use both. I've "unlearned" myself from jumping on the rear and locking it up. I did lock the front once for about 10 feet. Managed to safely find a middle ground. I usually apply the rear about .5 seconds before the front. I find it helps stabilize the bike. Experiment and do what works best for ya.