Rear brake, why is it there?

[darkember]

It also comes in handy for doing controlled hill starts by freeing the right hand to smoothly control the throttle at the bite point

[8541Hawk]

It also comes in handy for doing controlled hill starts by freeing the right hand to smoothly control the throttle at the bite point

[Steve97]

Hey Hawk how you doing, I put this into practise at the weekend on some twisty Welsh tarmac , braking more in a planned way rather than just going through the motions on automatic pilot and it works , thanks for the write up

[8541Hawk]

No worries and glad it helped.
It is very easy to become complacent while riding, especially if you have been riding for a while.

I still try to learn something new each time I ride the bike......even after 44 yrs of riding..... Yeah I did start when I was 6....

[VTRDark]

eah I did start when I was 6....

With stabilisers.

(:-})

[bbancsov]

Nice write up!

[eagles84]

I use mine slow manouevering and in town, with engine braking. Stops nose dive from front forks and therefore bike more stable.

Also to help the bike to hold a better line in some corners.

I treat a rear brake as an aide to steadying the bike, never to actually stop at least not from any speed above 15 mph.
There are 2 bigger discs up front for a reason..

Yeah , I totally agree . That's what i use it for exactly . Using it for crawling along in a queue is ideal , keeps the bike stable , no pitching forward . Using it is a skill all on it's own :-)

[bigtwinthing]

Ummmm Hill starts and slow moving traffic only i think!

[Bleh]

I'm rear biased but since buying the bike, I've had to depend on the front a lot more because the rear on this is absolutely pants.

What would be interesting to know is if anyone knows someone or is that person who has upgraded the caliper and what they have upgraded it with?!!

[Beleif]

I've had my storm 3 months, but it seems like the rear brake doesn't do much. It's MOT'd, so must have passed the braking test.

I'm going to get it serviced soon but are there any brake pads reccomended for front and back?

[mattycoops43]

I stripped and cleaned my rear caliper recently.

It now works extremely well.

[tony.mon]

Just ordered more GG pads, as I've worn the last set out, after only five years or so.
They don't make them like they used to*




*gluing bits of cork to sheets of copper, IIRC

[bazzashadow]

It also comes in handy for doing controlled hill starts by freeing the right hand to smoothly control the throttle at the bite point

i am old
but not been riding for that long legally on the road
had trouble not using the back brake because of x`s
but i was taught to use it for my lessons
hill starts,pulling away at lights and junctions,all the way round a slow roundabout,very slow riding(slipping clutch as well and emergency stop
but as a novice one night last year i used it a bit to much and big high side (i think ) and a week in hospital
back riding again now but taking my time

[lloydie]

Well I have been using the rear brake a lot more so far this and my riding has improved a great deal , more so in just slowing down using the rear brake first then applying the front .
Still trying to get the hang of it in the bends to tighten up the turn .
Slow process changing habits but I'm getting there

[Stevo Kifaru]

I use the back brake quite a bit when I think about it, all have been mentioned here, slowing down in traffic, the 'see how long I can go without putting my foot down' at traffic lights game, going in to hot at corners, I ride in all weathers so it gets used more then. I don't do too many wheelies but I use it to control the bike then too.
But my main use of the back brake is on roundabouts, either just to smooth out the turn or for when that idiot cager just cannot see my yellow bike with it's headlight on, I always have the brake ready for the alarmingly regularity of some tw@ pulling out........(so much so, I now need a new disc)