When to Use Rear Brake Only?

Re: Wrong too

Most systems are NOT linked. It is absolutely relevant to the discussion at hand.

The RC30 rear system was developed in an effort to overcome both the instantaneous weight-transfer (and resulting lightening of the rear-end) that comes with hard-braking a sport/race bike, AND the "jacking" effect on the swingarm resulting from closing the throttle (all this, merely by applying the rear brake).

Results were mixed. But it *DID* work, although it wasn't a "Magic Bullet", and rapidly-developing tire-technology quickly surpassed any advantages it had versus the weight-penalty and added complexity of that system (Traction was the Name of The Game).

Hence, the reason you don't see something like this on modern sportbikes: with even the cheapest tires of today, there's no real advantage to be had, and complexity costs money.

This demonstrates that, even in the late-'80s, Honda's Engineers had a fundamental grasp of the braking-characteristics of Motos.

It also demonstrates that socko doesn't. While socko-master might (especially if he's whom I believe to be), he's chosen to have socko portray a block-headed ignoramus with a "Big Mouth" and a poison pen.

(just to keep shyte "stirred up" on the MO forums)

If I'm not mistaken MSF still teaches to use both brakes in a maximum stop. With the front brake, you squeeze the lever adding pressure as the forks dive down to just short of lock-up. If you do lock the front brake, release it immediately and reapply. With the rear brake, apply pressure on the pedal, again to just short of lock-up. If you do lock up the rear brake, keep it locked until you come to a complete stop. This is where I differ with the MSF and here's why: In forty-four years of riding, I have found saving my hide has been a combination of maximum braking then swerving around the offending object more often than coming to a complete stop. With your rear brake locked, you are either going in a straight line or your butt is lowsiding down the tarmac with virtually no choices in between. In this situation (maximum brake then swerve), if your rear wheel is locked, at the most critical time in your avoidance maneuver, you must remember to release the rear brake and allow it to rehook-up before making any swerving attempt. This takes time you may not have in this situation and if you swerve with the rear wheel locked, you're down down instantly. For this reason, if you are still travelling in a straight line and your rear wheel locks, I advocate releasing it and reapplying it in gentler fashion or, especially on a sportbike, not using it at all.



Of course, the absolute best way to handle this situation is by scanning ahead to anticipate problems so that maximum braking, or anything close to it won't be necessary. However, if you ride long enough, sooner or later, something will happen in front of you very quickly that you couldn't possibly anticipate and you will have to react instantly and intuitively to avoid going down. And sometimes, no matter what you do, it'll be too late and you will hit the pavement. There's nothing like practicing those avoidance skills because if they aren't instant and reactive, they won't be in your repertoire when you need them the most. Here endeth the sermon.....