breaking on the track

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by shmike

Ducati ATX said it.

Setting up for and coming into a turn, the vast majority of braking bias will be on the front tire.

The brakes (front or rear) can be used through the turn but you have to be smooth. Any stabbing of the brakes will land you on your head.

The rear brake can be used in settling the bike, initiating a slide, controlling a slide, reducing wheelies, changing a line, etc. but those are very advanced techniques.

IMO, your typical trackday rider / amateur racer won't be any faster by modulating their rear brake than they would be by simply relaxing and riding smoothly.

yes i agree.. 99% of people never need to use back brake.. i am sure that rossi, hayden, mladin, etc. all do and are very good at it.. the only time i use it at the track is if i am off in the grass.. i trail brake into corners but only on the front brake.. i watched a guy, who obviously read google so he thought he was smart too, at VIR try trailbraking into turn 1 after passing me, lock up the rear tire and t-bone a guy right in front of me.. so if you all pros want to try this technique feel free but do it at a track day where i am not at.. in 99.9% of skill levels rear brake is a terrible idea at the track..

[smileyman]

Seems we had a pretty good discussion on this forum about braking do's and don'ts. Did you try a search? Your style and technique will evolve just like anyones riding will. On track your trying to "set" your corner speed and not stop, so you use a different technique and mental approach than yuo do on the street.

If your a novice concentrating on just the front brake will help you learn to modulate and judge until you are better and more experienced. Trail braking is a good trick to learn later on and rear brakes are another handy thing to add and work on later. Don't worry about developing on style for fear you cannot learn another later. You can and will if you work on it. The best riders have all these tricks down and know when to use each approach. They have become Jedi!