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To help quell the myths of how to brake properly

4K views 28 replies 22 participants last post by  geonapa 
#1 ·
Beginning at 47 seconds notice the difference between using front brake only and attempting to use both front and rear......and bear in mind that Nick Ienatsch is a former professional (champion) road racer that has MUCH better feel at modulating the rear brake than 99.999% of riders out there, where most of the rest of the world would be locking/skidding the rear and upsetting the bike's chassis/stability in the process.


 
#2 ·
I must admit, i don't use it much at all. I feel guilty about it. I have had other instructors at tracks tell me that if you know how to use it, you can improve your laps. I just cant find a tactical use for it in that aspect. only time i ever use it is to bind up the suspension when i am in tight spaces.
 
#3 ·
Good info. I learned to use both brakes at MSF and it was helpful. Had a couple of instances where I had to hard brake using the front only and put it in memory. I wanna know how the bike reacts to my inputs so that when I need to react, I'll know what I'm capable of doing.


Ed
 
#4 ·
Hmmpph. I only use the rear brakes. Dats whys I removed dat useless 2nd front roter.

I added likes 3 mo hosrpowr by removin dat hevy chit
 
#6 ·
I use the rear brake...in town...:shifty
 
#7 ·
Once againniy shows that he rear does almost nothing for actually stopping. In a perfect setup it barely helped. In the real world it won't help at all.
 
#8 ·
I use my rear brake when in town. I guess it helps me balance it better when coming to a full stop.
 
#29 ·
That's for cars. Look in motogp. The best breaking is when you have just lifted the rear wheel when front breaking only. Your rear wheel is your gyro, it must never stop rotating, but that's just my opinion.

Use one time when you are out for a drive just the front brake and see the difference.
 
#11 ·
Aye, when I'm coming to a stop sign/stop light, I'll often coast up to the light with both hands off the controls and use the rear to slow down. Once I get around 15-20 mph though, I put hands back on the controls. That and while riding on gravel are the only times I use the rear brake to slow down.

On hills at stop lights, yeah I use it to also keep the bike still when I'm giving my hands a break. :thumbup
 
#18 ·
Great video and really shows how limited the rear brake is under heavy braking. Nick Lentash's book was the first I bought about riding technique and it taught me a lot. I think the msf course emphasis on rear braking is geared more towards cruiser riders. My drz400s can take a good amount of rear braking also before lock up.

Sent from my A200 using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#22 ·
what is a rear break?
Y'know, after a few hours going at it in the tent, sometimes you just need to rest that special area. Crack open a couple of nattys and just cuddle for a bit.

Then again, usually you and Martin just keep going till the crack of dawn...
 
#25 ·
I'm one of the few guys with a rigid full-drag bike that has foot controls where I can actuate them in riding position. I don't want to pick my hand up to grab the lever in case it blows into my chest and punches me off the bike. That will never happen on my 150 mph bike, but it could if I progress to faster stuff, so I am trying to establish good habits.

So after the traps, I close the throttle and use the rear brake lightly to get down under 100 or so before I start grabbing at levers and switches. Boy, does it look abused. It's not warped, but the discoloration is evident.

This shows just how little capability our tiny back brake setups have. I want to get video of a night pass and see if it glows like the rotors on the dragsters that don't use parachutes.

Of course I ONLY use the back brake when we are towing the bike back to the pits. More finesse and less chance of me yanking dad off the scooter.
 
#27 ·
Rear brakes work fine... If you know how to use, for it's desired purpose... It is not meant for stopping power!!!

But it's a helpful tool to settle the chassis...

Here is what I do... Remove 50% of the rear rotor braking surface... The rear will be difficult to lock on dry asphalt... Still brakes, enough to stall the engine... You save about 1 pound on the rear wheel assembly... And, on low traction such as wet asphalt, sand, gravel, or off road, you can still skid like nobodies business!!! :biggrin

 
#28 ·
The idea for max braking, in bike setup is to set up the bike to allow improved braking.

In normal road racing, under hard braking, it helps to fully extend your arms, scoot back, drop your upper body down and essentially, get your center of gravity as back and as low as possible.

If you look at someone doing a stoppy, they are high and forward.

Some bikes are frustrating - the seat, bars and pegs are set up well for cornering and steering - but awkward for braking.

Generally, you just lightly drag the rear brake - just slightly leading the front brake to keep the rear suspension settled, then apply as much fr brake as you can do w/o lifting the rear, then, as you are pushing the front end into that hairpin, lay on a little more rr brake so you are sliding the rr a bit.
As you are a bit more into the corner, you understeer more (push the front end) and ease off the fr brake, as you are still drifting the rr.
Now, just before the apex, still slightly drifting the rr, start to apply a teeny bit of throttle, using the rr brake to modulate to slightly more than neutral.
As you get to about the apex, apply slightly more throttle, start to countersteer and as you open the throttle more, release the rr brake and drift the rear out of the corner.

I do have some track creds - was AFM #8 years ago - and I think even Nick will remember that I used to holeshot and brake well. What happened between the holeshot and the braking is one reason I was #8....
Oh - that's right, I crashed a little too often.... :)
 
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