Rear vs front brakes *newbie*

[trifty]

Hey guys, just wanna know whats the basic procedure of slowing down at traffic light, and slowing down before a corner.. my instructor tells me to use the rear brakes to slow down before a traffic light, only at the last point of stopping the bike i use the front brake... correct me pls !

[Raux]

Bothor front. rear only isn't enough stopping power in most cases

[sgollapalle]

^ +1

If you use too much pressure you will lock up the rear.

[Slide Panda]

On a sporty bike like the monster the brake force is very biased towards the front. Though I don't know the real distro numbers, something like 70-80% of the total brake capability of a monster is up front. Obviously the rear can be used to slow you more quickly, but the majority of the brake power's in the right hand as with most bikes.

Rear brake is a handy item, especially for low speed maneuvers like U-turns, slow hill decent on slick surfaces (polished concrete dirt etc) - but do not count on it as you primary stopper.

[trifty]

ah okay..so conclusion you would use more of the front brakes compared to the rear brakes right? is it bad to use the rear brakes during a turn,medium speed corner btw ?

[Howie]

Except for slow speed maneuvering both brakes should be avoided during a turn.  Reduce speed before the turn, then power through.  Most of the braking is achieved with the front brake due to weight shift.  This even applies to your car. 

[Slide Panda]

Like Howie says, for a new rider you should complete all your braking before you initiate your turns at speed. Remember, your tires have a limit of traction. Braking and changing direction both use some of that available traction. If you finish braking before turning in, then all the traction of your front wheel is available for changing directions

You should also work at keeping some throttle on, not necessarily accelerating, in the first portion of the turn to keep the chain taut. Once you hit division point in the turn that separates entrance and exit (apex) you should start to apply more throttle. Not saying slam the gas open, but a controlled steady increase of throttle.

If you have not read it, I really like Lee Parks 'Total Control' book. It does a good job of dissecting and explaining what you should be doing and why. And depending on where you live, they might have Total Control classes near you. I just did level one a couple weeks back. I should have done it earlier in my career, but oh well. As a newer rider you might gain a lot from it as they discuss bike dynamics, geometry of a turn, body position and bike control - and you then go out and do it on your bike in a controlled environment.

[trifty]

ahh thats good info ! thanks alot ! well im in malaysia and we dont have anything like that sadly.. no msf course like in the US for beginners or anything like that..just simple circuit stuff and boom u get ur license and buy any freakin bike u want lol .. thanks for the info though ! Definitely will check that book out ! 

[Slide Panda]

Well, there's not that much in the US either. PLenty of people out on bikes that really have no skills nor aptitude.

This is Total Control
http://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760314039/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350926637&sr=1-3&keywords=total+control

Another good one is :
http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1933958359/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_

[Raux]

oooo big caveat to this...
IF the road is wet or sandy or poor condition, do use your rear brake to start the braking process and use the front lightly.

[mmakay]

If somebody disconnected my rear brake, it could take me several rides before I even noticed.....

[Howie]

oooo big caveat to this...
IF the road is wet or sandy or poor condition, do use your rear brake to start the braking process and use the front lightly.

Which is why I've been working on using the rear brake a habit.

[Triple J]

oooo big caveat to this...
IF the road is wet or sandy or poor condition, do use your rear brake to start the braking process and use the front lightly.

Sandy sure, but not wet IMO. You still have plenty of traction on a wet road, as long as it didn't just start raining (say within ~20 minutes, assuming at least a moderate level of rain). I've done more miles on wet roads than dry, and I still use my front brake more in the wet.

[Spidey]

Either your instructor just got it wrong, or something was lost in translation.  Use just your front or both.  

Me?  I learned the MSF way:  front and rear.  On a Duc, if I use both the front and the rear, I lock up the rear constantly.  A lot of it is rider preference.  Guys who grew up dirtbiking use the rear a lot.   I'm not a dirt rider (and I steer with my front brake, though let's not get into that here), so I use the front brake exclusively with a few exceptions:

1)  In dirt/sand/off-track excursions/turn-offs/construction sites/Dakar.  I often stay off the front almost entirely and use the rear only.  I learned that one the hard way.
2)  Wet.  Use both.
3)  Wheelie.  Cover the rear in case it comes up too fast.
4)  Stopped on a hill.    

[trifty]

ohh great info ! well thats the way he taught me..slowing down with rear then front for complete stop..and at other times never use the front ..!