Ok just want to say Hi, I am new to this site.
Some back ground about 7 years and close to 25k miles on bikes. Had a 96 GSXR 750 for 5 years till a car did the old left from a right lane at the light we where going through. Yah I was in the left lane, and doing the speed limit for once
Ohh btw red and Black 2005 Busa in 1 month give or take a week. Waiting for the weather to start warming, and just get all the money lined up.
I am no expert, nor do I know all there is about rideing, can anyone???
I do know this, I feel it is wrong to inform ppl there is no place for the rear brake on the street. I belive the topic has kinda gotton a bit off, It seems to me to have become a debate on if the rear brakes should be used at all vs when they should be used. In a conor at 140 mph, well I can agree slamming the rear break will cause you pain, but so will slamming the front. If you are in a conor that hard brakeing is non existant, its more like feathering or coaxing the brakes. To much front in a conor will stand the bike up right? To much rear will slide the ass or cause high side.
My 2 cents, the rear brake is a tool, and it has its place. The key on the street is to know that place. We all know (well most of us) that the harder you brake in a straight line the less your rear brake works. The 80-20 or 70-30 front/rear I have seen posted refears to performace cars. Since most cars never indo, then the rear brakes always do some work, but cars do nose dive and weight transfear will cause the front to do about 70-80% of the work. Bikes vary the more brake used the less the rear works, but (you knew a but was comeign didnt you?) what happens when you lose the front brake.
Example, a few years back my friend pulled a wheelie comeing out of a small conor just outside the city. His back tire broke loose at about 60-70mph as his front came up. It twisted him up and slamed him crank case first into the ground just in front of me. As the bike slide past me into the grass on the far side it left most of oil in its path. He also slide across my path, I would say I was doing about 60 mph and very little lean by this point maybe 10* as the road was almost straight. My front tire was covered in oil and as began to pull the front brake the tire locked up almost instantly, ended up with a good deal of tank slap. I was able to use the rear brake to slow the bike down throught that mess, I didnt hit my friend or any of the other riders near me.
There have been many times I have had to compensate for lose of traction, or a manuver that was caused by someone else, useually cars. 90% of those times it was all front brakes, 9% was front and rear and 1% was all rear brakes. I have always spent the time adjusting all my tools, Clutch lever, front brake lever, and rear brake pedal. I get them so they feel right to me, they fit in the places where my fingures are strongest and most comfortable, and my rear brake is adjusted so that I have to rotate my foot to lock it up. I can touch it with my toes and get that grab that is sometimes needed. I belive everyone should spend the times setting up all there parts on the bike to fit and feel right to them. I also belive in spending time getting used to the feel of everything. I spent alot of time in long parking lots locking up tires front and rear on the bike till thresholds became instinct.
Sorry for the long post, and this is a rough one to make a first post on, so much can be taken the wrong way. I am in no way trying to or meaning to insult anyone. I just do not agree with a street rider not knowing how that rear brake feels. Sand, dirt, aspault rolling under a tire, oil, glass ect. can limit the front tires ability under normal street rideing.
In a conor you better know every inch of you bike and how it feels or grabing the rear brake is the least of your problems.
Remeber its a war on the street, ride like you are invisable to every car. Know how the bike feels and how it will react, and pray you never end up with that, it was a 1 in a million chance that would happen.
Well hope to have my bike soon, and the wether clears up. I hate the cold ahaha. I look forward to getting to know you all, and hope someday to ride with you all. Take care and be safe. Mark
