Using the back brake

T8 in Loudon is a good example. The really fast guys ( definitely not me ) are banging the rev limiters coming over the top. It's just enough of a drop to unload or float the front wheel. The one's who know the track will hit/tap the rear brake. The transition to braking and setup for T 9/10 is so fast that if you use just the front, there's a really good chance of locking the front.

In fact, there is now a section of soft barier lashed vertically to a tree, above the normal barrier, in the T4 outpost because a bike hit it about 10 - 15 ft up. Luckily, the rider stayed on the ground.

Johnny B would know the stats but, many an AMA guy that didn't know this trick would go off to visit the woodchuck and his cozy boulder home.

 

anytime I want to use max breaking, yes I use the back brake. sometimes while trail braking.

I do make the mistake of over using it and locking up the rear coming into a corner. This can be a little distracting, but just release it before you commit to the turning process.

Of course you need to have the clutch in to prevent stalling if you are using the back that aggressively. this negates the use of engine breaking, which is a crutch you don't want to rely on anyway.

I'm new to racing, but that's my take on the back brake.

 

I heard Kevin Schwantz say'' the only time he used it ,he ended up on his head" thats good enough for me

 

Then there is this technique:

Whole write up about Infineon Raceway found here:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/May/080512a.htm

 

Vaginas and the rear brake

It should be a rule that if you show up to the track without a girl.......you can only use the rear brake.

 

Most wera racers do not use the rear brake on the track. Here's the results of a recent poll, and discussion on the subject:

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=170770

 

Try this....take your back brake lever off and go ride the bike. You may find your foot searching for it even though you thought you didn't use it.

I put a woodcraft "shorty" lever on. I love it! I just use the back brake to settle the bike a bit, and also to "lay it down" before hitting the armco walls!

 

I used it mainly for tightening up a corner...if you trail just a bit with the rear it will help making a pass on the exit by tightening up your turn and getting a straighter drive. Most guys probably stand on it to much, but just a little drag even just the weight of your foot is enough to tighten up the turn but not cause the rear to lock or loose grip. I use the rear to do this instead of the front...the rear allows the bike to stay leaned over...the front wants to stand the bike up which in turn means more pressure on the clipon to keep it down...next thing you know the front slides out. Using the front can still be done and I still do it, but its just like the using the rear...just takes a tad bit of pressure not snatchin the lever.:up:

 

My thoughts have always been that the rearbrake is underutilized.

I have based a good amount of my business on rear braking (1st GPtech llc product was a thumbrake) We sell three thumbrake models now and have gone through many redesigns.

The reason I developed a thumbrake for resale was because I was having a little trouble at Gratten over the "jump" (12+ years ago). By dragging the rear brake leading up to the jump it squats the suspension, so as the bike crests the rise it is not completely unloading. (dragging rear brake while still on the gas) The reason I developed the thumbrake was because I was having difficulty feeling the foot pedal.

I just wanted to make things easier for me to use the rear brake without the trouble of locking it up.

There are many other benifits: controlling wheelspin (cheap traction control), tighten turn mid-corner (i.e. in decreasing radius turns), settle suspension before turn in, running wide at exit of turn, keeping the front wheel down over crests or at start.

The thumbrakes make all this just a little easier because you can still stay on the gas (does not unsettle the suspension or upset the bike).

Obviously I can not take credit for the design (Doohan developed 1st) I just made something that you could actually purchase. Once I saw how he was using I thought I could apply to my own riding but nothing was available at the time for sale.

All thumbrake systems work with the footbrake so both systems are in place.

 

Geoff's rear brake setups are top notch. Very trick indeed. Definitely worth checking out. I still want to try one at some point.

www.gptechllc.com

 

err i don't use mine through that section. granted it's not exactly my strongest transition.

 

Last weekend at Hallett we paid careful attention to who was using the rear brake and the only rider we saw that used it was Dan Westby.

I tried it once and crashed so mine is just there to pass tech.

 

I took my rear brake off to save weight.

 

If your bike wants to stand up, because of the brakes, the suspension needs tweaking. It should hold its line.

 

Joking?

 

please read all my other posts... have i ever been serious in my last 26 years of existance???

 

Well there was this one time, in band camp....

 

Dude, ask my friends how that sentence ends for me... Lost my V-card summer going in to 9th grade... at band camp... then that movie comes out and im the object of ridicule for the next 12 odd years.

 

If your coming to the next race weekend, look for the barrier lashed to the tree, it kinda looks funny. That's were the new stuff from RRW was put last weekend. Looks a lot different with half the barriers being white now.

 

+1
Most are not using the back brake at all, they're just "backing-it-in".

On my gixxer racebike I never even touch the back brake, even when I'm backing it in. Ok, so sometimes I will use it a little to get a really big slide to show off.

On my supermoto, back brake is required.