Front brake vs. rear brake

[Tmall]

Originally Posted by Trip

you can't be serious

There's a lot of racers that don't use rear brake on the street/track. You don't have to use the rear on typical street conditions, it's not getting away with anything. A lot of us that don't use it, can use it if they want to, but choose not to use it. I use it all the damn time off road or on my dirt bike, but never use it on the street unless I come into a condition that calls for it like gravel or other particle debris. There is more than enough stopping power in the front of a modern sport bike than you will ever need. For you safety nazi's on the board, you aren't going to want to be backing it in on public streets anyway. Rear use is not a big concern on the street.

So, you think it's better to hide a deficiency than correct it? And you're the one laughing??

What if the topic was, "using a clutch"? Would you say that since you can technically rev match and never use it, that not learning how is a good alternative? After all, you could push the bike to get it moving and then click it into gear, who needs a pesky clutch??

[No Worries]

I get caught in the rain a lot. On corners, I just lean off the bike a little more to keep the bike more upright. Most of the roads out here are tar and chip which aren't affected much by rain. The big problem is wet steel. Manhole covers, temporary steel plates, and steel bridges are very slippery when wet. Also, slippery are the painted and vinyl pedestrian crossings and markers.

I use both brakes all the time. I'll use just the rear brake when I'm going uphill on several sharp curves. The rear brake slows the bike, keeps the suspension even, and I can downshift and exactly match the rpm with my right hand for a perfect exit. Most riders have a problem using the rear brake because their foot is so much stronger than their hand.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by No Worries

I use both brakes all the time. I'll use just the rear brake when I'm going uphill on several sharp curves. The rear brake slows the bike, keeps the suspension even, and I can downshift and exactly match the rpm with my right hand for a perfect exit. Most riders have a problem using the rear brake because their foot is so much stronger than their hand.

You have a much heavier bike than the modern sportbike as well. You want all the stopping power you can get on that thing. Cruzergirl is in the same situation. She isn't riding a cutting edge race bike. The rear brake can be effective if your front braking power is not up to the job of stopping the bike effectively. This isn't an issue for a light modern sportbike.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by Tmall

So, you think it's better to hide a deficiency than correct it? And you're the one laughing??

What if the topic was, "using a clutch"? Would you say that since you can technically rev match and never use it, that not learning how is a good alternative? After all, you could push the bike to get it moving and then click it into gear, who needs a pesky clutch??

How's it a deficiency? It's a different technique. I can use it just fine when a situation needs it. If I can get a sportbike, I will be more than happy to show you how it's done and we can see who has a deficiency in their riding. The Awesome would've been more than happy to show you since he also raced with this technique. Kevin Schwantz would be more than happy to take you to school. It's all about rider comfort, some like using the rear brake, some don't. It's not a deficiency by any means. I can use it quiet effectively on the dirt.

If you don't care about your transmission, like say if it was a race bike that would have a complete tear down after every race, yes you could get away without using the clutch. However, since we don't do that after every street ride, being kind to your transmission is a necessity. Plus we have to do all sorts of stop and go with traffic lights and all so not using the clutch would make life hard.