Whats all this waffle about rear brakes? They are for a start on sports bikes completly useless, That is why I never use mine and never will, To prove my point try this simple test, let your bike free wheel down a gentle slope,Do not let it go over 10 ks, Now use only your rear break and try and stop it If your bike wont stop at this low speed how in heavens name will your rear brake help to stop you at much greater speeds? The rear brake on a bike is much the same as the hand brake on a car it will only stop you when you are stoped, For example when you are stoped on a hill at lights. I have a MV, 996 DUKE, Tryiumph 995I DAYTONA so i speak from expeareance,

-- Dave P. (www.lotte1331@dodo.com.au), February 20, 2005

Answers

Yo! I understand that rear brakes are used for stability & control during sudden stops, specifically coming from a supersonic speed (oh, did i exagerate this one? he he he) wherein the rear brakes are very useful for stabilizing & gaining control of the bike from the forward thrust given by the engine on the spinning wheel.

I can only agree with you more that rear brakes are not used alone for stopping the bike, but rather a supplemental brake for stopping the bike in a complete halt.

cheers.

-- AJ (adiviso@hotmail.com), February 20, 2005.

Hey Dave I understand you speak from experience?Sounds like limited experience to me. You are correct in that a modern sportsbike doesn't need the rear brake to stop.As the back wheel is carring almost no weight,but what about its other important functions. #1 use the rear brake for keeping the bike on line mid corner if your in a little hot or to tighten the line mid corner.especially usefull on the track and nice to have on the road. #2 Track gods use it to control wheelspin exiting corners. #3 Track gods use it to back the bike into the corners and get it pointed at the exit,so they can get it on the gas early. Get the idear Dave. A modern sportsbike is largly focused at the race track and its back brake should work well.If it doesn't the people who do know how to use these thing to the max(track gods)won't be happy.

-- philip costin (pcostin@bigpond.net.au), February 21, 2005.

Dave,

You need to read 'A twist of the wrist' by Keith Code. Or perhaps 'Roadcraft' the Police motorcycle manual.

They both explain how/why/when to use your rear brake. Then you will be armed with some more of the important information you need in order to be in control of your machine.

Goodluck.

-- Mark m (m.magenis@btinternet.com), February 21, 2005.

rear brake... the better the rider, the more specific is its use ;-)

-- Leonardo (lpasq@hotmail.com), February 21, 2005.

Nicely put Leonardo.

-- philip costin (pcostin@bigpond.net.au), February 22, 2005.

ditto.

-- Dave King (dking@med.miami.edu), February 24, 2005.