WarEagle07
New Member
Has anyone else noticed how easy it is to lock up our rear tire?
I pump my breaks... still paranoid from my accident in the rain last january when I locked up my rear and low sided on my Ninja.Has anyone else noticed how easy it is to lock up our rear tire?
+1I found this thread rather interesting. I have yet to lock the rear tire, even under extremely hard braking, although, I am sure that I could. Of the members that posted, do you use primarily the rear brake for stopping? Can you give a percentage of front/back braking under hard stops?
I use probably 85% front brake, and just enough back brake to set the suspension in a more horizontal attitude. The back brake will also help keep your bike straight up and down in a panic like stop, as long as you are hard on the front brake. Now, this is just my opinion only, I do not want to contradict any MSF or safety course instructions or techniques. I have used this technique from my racing days, and just translated it on to the street.
Oh let me clarify I release both brakes for a fraction of a second to kinda set the tire again then reapply brakes.The worst thing you can do if you lock the rear is release it. You're asking to highside if you do that. Picture this, you lock the rear and it moves just a few inches to the right, you release that rear brake and the tire snaps inline with the front. What's going to happen to you? Ejection! Locking the rear is no big deal as long as you leave it locked. I've done it a couple of times in emergencies. It's no easier on our bike than any other sport bike. In fact I'd say it's probably harder since our weight isn't as far forward on the bike. I lifted the rear tire off the ground once in an emergency stop. Again, not a big deal. It's all about how you deal with it. If you lock the front brake, yes, let off immediately to keep from lowsiding and loosing the front end. But don't do that with the rear. You feel or hear it lock just keep holding it.
Also, pulsing your brakes is a big problem too. It'll upset the suspension and cause all kinds of weight transfer that you don't want. Apply the brakes once, smoothly, and with whatever force is needed to make the stop.
I'm like you. I use mostly all the front brake (85-90%) and just a little of the rear to stablize the suspension. I've always been told to use the front brake as the primary brake and the rear to settle the bike down. I found it odd that many of you use the rear brake as the primary brake. I actually have to remind myself sometimes to apply some rear braking. (I can't remember which motorcycle racer it is that said he never uses the rear brake.) I think you stop a lot faster using the front brake primarily, with the weight transfer and all. I have also never locked the rear brake, even under very hard braking.I found this thread rather interesting. I have yet to lock the rear tire, even under extremely hard braking, although, I am sure that I could. Of the members that posted, do you use primarily the rear brake for stopping? Can you give a percentage of front/back braking under hard stops?
I use probably 85% front brake, and just enough back brake to set the suspension in a more horizontal attitude. The back brake will also help keep your bike straight up and down in a panic like stop, as long as you are hard on the front brake. Now, this is just my opinion only, I do not want to contradict any MSF or safety course instructions or techniques. I have used this technique from my racing days, and just translated it on to the street.
I'm with this guy, I have locked up the rear but it isn't really scary or anything... But if I apply steady pressure I can use the rear brake for all but the most demanding stops. I can kind of feel the rear start to bind up where the rear is on the edge of wanting to lock though, and if you just compensate with a little more front you should be fine. I also pump my breaks when you get that binding sensation, instead of riding it out. But even without abs I think the brakes are really good. But I haven't ridden any other bikes to compare them to.To be honest, I have actually never locked the rear tire. I have even had to nearly endo my bike to avoid an idiot cager turning in front of me.
I have found that if you are going to use the rear brake, use it all the time so you get a feel for how it grabs and where the break point is. With that said, the key is to apply progressive pressure to the rear brake, and not sudden pressure. I use the rear brake all the time, sometimes, it's the only break I use.