Do you always use both brakes?

[SKnight]

In normal riding I use both all the time to stop. Out of laziness if I need to trim speed I'll reach up and pull just the front, and during hard riding I never use the rear at all.

The rear does provide better stopping, it's easier on everything involved and it will double the life of your front brakes.

 

[Acehole]

Ya know, the way i see it is when applying equal pressure to both brakes you are experiencing the 70%-30% thing. If you only use the front brake you are using 100% of the front brake to stop.
I usually use mostly front brake in calm situations and both brakes in emergency/heavy braking. I have noticed that my Busa likes to lock up the rear if i'm not carefull and in emergency situations i will be aware that i may have to let off the back to regain control and then re apply.
Best advice for anyone is the practice advice.

 

[SKnight]

If you're experiencing rear lockup when you shouldn't you may need to adjust your rear brake pedal down some. It takes away some leverage and makes it much easier to control. Really no different than adjusting the hand levers down or installing risers. Part of making the bike fit you better.

 

[DEMMYM]

This is just my opinoin here.

When Cruising and coming up to a stop on normal road conditions I usually put my foot on the rear and lightly depress, Just enough to slow down a little, Once I get closer to my stopping point I use the Front brake for about 80% of the stop.

Its ok to use the rear brake you just have to lightly apply it, Just pay close attention not to let the rear tire break loose.

If on Gravel or any other loose surface or wet surface, First make sure you start your slow down early enough, Once again I will apply the rear brake lightly and then the front as I get closer, HOWEVER, On a wet or loose surface you dont want to apply the front brake to hard, I would rather have the rear break loose than the Front come out from underneath me.

Like I said JMO

 

[HillbillyTom]

Bout the only time I use my rear brake is in parking lots, in my yard (easy to lock the front and drop the bike at 5mph on wet grass), and as a parking brake at stop lights.
As track days add up I will experiment with using it to "settle the chassis" for various corner entry scenarios. But for the street, I seldom to never use it for anything other than the uses listed above.

 

[DaCol.]

When you are out riding, do you ALWAYS use both of your brakes? If you do or do not, what is your best explanations?

This is a different question than your poll :nono:. Your Poll ask, do you use both brakes when stopping !

When Stopping yes I do, but riding, setting up a corner (I at times settle the rear shock with the rear brake and then go to the fronts (releasing the rear)) for trail braking or settling the front end. Just depends on what the bike needs. Of course this requires the rider to understand what makes the bike handle the way it does (as in what is the front forks and rear shocks (we're getting into your settings for loads) doing and why) and what inputs are required to correct whatever is needed.

Kinda like when I learned how to fly :martin:, my instructor (WWII fighter Ace) would tell me to quit thinking what to do and JUST simply do whatever it takes to make the airplane do what I wanted it to ! Simple, but it works

 

[bigfootatplay]

Back brakes are over rated, like fore-skin. You might have it... but dont need it. I dont have back brakes on mine.

 

[blusmbl]

Sounds like none of you guys have dirt riding experience. There isn't anything wrong with using a little rear brake, I use mine probably 95% of the time.

Although, the rear seems about useless on the 2 Hayabusas I've ridden (mine included). It'll lock up, but you have to apply it with the sublty of a gorilla. It's probably better that way, to keep most riders from hurting themselves in panic situations.

 

[StromBusa]

I use the front mostly, cover the back always.

 

[Dino]

Ya know, the way i see it is when applying equal pressure to both brakes you are experiencing the 70%-30% thing. If you only use the front brake you are using 100% of the front brake to stop.
I usually use mostly front brake in calm situations and both brakes in emergency/heavy braking. I have noticed that my Busa likes to lock up the rear if i'm not carefull and in emergency situations i will be aware that i may have to let off the back to regain control and then re apply.
Best advice for anyone is the practice advice.

But you are only using about 70% of your potential braking ability. This translates to an increased stopping distance. That could mean the difference between hitting something and not hitting something.

 

[Dino]

I did what the MSF taught me until I had to stop suddenly and almost lost it with my back tire fishtailing on me. My friends who have been riding told me what I did wrong. Basically I was told 80% Front 20% Back... I dunno what everyone else is tellin ya.

If you were fishtailing you probably locked the rear brake. We don't teach that. How many times did you practice quick stops on your own bike before you had to do it for real?

It is all about learning how your bike reacts . Practice stopping quickly in a parking lot using the brakes equally until you know how your bike reacts. Practice shortening your stopping distance. Take an ERC class. Read about what the experts say. Take your time. Just never stop learning.

 

[mike1180]

I use both.
The fronts are used for the most stopping power, but the rear is important too:
Here are my reasons:

 

[expat1970]

mostly front just out of habit i guess,i use rear for slow manouvers like in parking lots

 

[Laylas_Mom]

If you were fishtailing you probably locked the rear brake. We don't teach that. How many times did you practice quick stops on your own bike before you had to do it for real?

It is all about learning how your bike reacts . Practice stopping quickly in a parking lot using the brakes equally until you know how your bike reacts. Practice shortening your stopping distance. Take an ERC class. Read about what the experts say. Take your time. Just never stop learning.

ah...yeah. It was more of a "oh $h!t" and my car braking brain took over. I slammed both brakes. My friends were very impressed I didnt go down but I have off road experience so I think that helped. I took my lesson home from that day...

 

[lambretta man]

Only the rear when I'm backin it in.

 

[Hobo]

In dry street riding applications, apply front brakes approaching the corner to pick my corner speed, get off the front as I am tipping it in, covering the rear thru the apex and out, sometimes applying the rear brakes to settle the rear end and suspension if need be. I use the front heavily in an upright position but never while the bike is leaned over.
I once had a bad stack in the wet, around a corner hit diesel on the road, could not see the rainbow at all, happened so fast & didn't get a chance to let go of the bars, speared my face into the tarmac .... loosing the front in a corner, wont make that mistake again !

 

[Pearso]

For street riding I use the rear more than the front, a few reasons for this 1) I learned to ride on dirt bikes and quads and so i spent most of my time on grass/ loose surfaces 2) if I'm on the front and suddenly need to turn (swerve) my front is unstablised ( don't want to high/low side)

I haven't ever been on a track and couldn't say how i would brake there but in the twisties I use both and try to be well and truly off them at the corner entry

I feel if I need the power of the front brake on the street ( aside from an emergency) then I'm not riding sensibly

I may be guilty of bad habits and don't suggest for a second that this is the right way to brake for everyone, its just what works for me and I suspect the best thing anyone can do is find what feels safe and comfortable for them

 

[zukracer]

I use both pretty much all the time. I actually took the MSF class for the second time after YEARS since the first one I took early in my street riding. The second one was when I first got the busa....amazing the bad habits I had to break to get through the class

 

[RACER_X]

For street riding I use the rear more than the front, a few reasons for this 1) I learned to ride on dirt bikes and quads and so i spent most of my time on grass/ loose surfaces 2) if I'm on the front and suddenly need to turn (swerve) my front is unstablised ( don't want to high/low side)

I haven't ever been on a track and couldn't say how i would brake there but in the twisties I use both and try to be well and truly off them at the corner entry

I feel if I need the power of the front brake on the street ( aside from an emergency) then I'm not riding sensibly

I may be guilty of bad habits and don't suggest for a second that this is the right way to brake for everyone, its just what works for me and I suspect the best thing anyone can do is find what feels safe and comfortable for them

you really need to get accustomed to ft brakes, they are much better at stopping quickly the primarily using the rear, and these bikes are HEAVY, not HD heavy but heavy enough.

70 ft 30 rear, i tell sportbike riders that they ever go higher 80/20 +

they put massive ft rotors on these bikes for a reason.

and rear brake is fine for piddling around, but you need to be comfortable w/ MAXIMUM FT braking in case of emergancy, cuz the rear isn;t going to be enough.

 

[Pearso]

you really need to get accustomed to ft brakes, they are much better at stopping quickly the primarily using the rear, and these bikes are HEAVY, not HD heavy but heavy enough.

70 ft 30 rear, i tell sportbike riders that they ever go higher 80/20 +

they put massive ft rotors on these bikes for a reason.

and rear brake is fine for piddling around, but you need to be comfortable w/ MAXIMUM FT braking in case of emergancy, cuz the rear isn;t going to be enough.

I agree that you need to be comfortable with max ft brake and believe me I am , all I'm saying is in daily use on the street (when I'm not riding 10/10 IE just piddling around) I don't use it much.


some will probalby say its a bad habit (and who am I to disagree) and no I'm not recomending anyone else do the same unless it works for them, but it works for me

On the other hand I have a different environment to ride in than most org members too (not an excuse!) I live in a small Austrailan coastal town not a hell of a lot of traffic so maybe that helps me out, iether way I've been thinking of doing an advanced rider corse, it doesn't hurt to try and better your skills