Riding Skills Series: Using The Rear Brake

As an added bonus, the above technique can minimize the effects of an abrupt throttle response or excessive engine braking. If you're not modulating your speed with the throttle, you won't have to worry as much about either characteristic, letting you concentrate more on corner speed or what's coming up around the turn. One thing to mind in all this: rolling on an excessive amount of throttle but keeping the brake on will quickly wear the pads out, and give you a surprise when you do let the brake off and your bike leaps forward.

In general, the less traction that is available the more rear brake you can-and should-use. On a slippery surface the front brake will lock well before much weight can transfer to the front tire; ergo, there is plenty of weight left on the rear tire for traction and you should use that to your advantage. Again, use care as the rear wheel-just like the front-will lock earlier on wet pavement than on dry, and overall you'll still have less braking power available.

Finally, downhill corner entries pose a bit of a conundrum. Here there is more than usual weight transfer to the front wheel under braking, leaving the rear brake less useful. However, this situation is exactly where you want the extra stability it can offer. Adding even a small amount of rear brake can make a beneficial difference to how the bike reacts downhill, to the point that at times it may be worth sacrificing some front brake so that you can use more rear. Experiment here with different combinations to find what works best for you and your bike.

Most importantly, don't simply ignore the rear brake-whether because you think it takes too much concentration or you're worried about it locking. It may take some practice to fully utilize it properly, but that practice will come in handy some day. All that said, try not to rely on it excessively. It's more a tool to finely adjust your speed and help settle the chassis than just a stopping device.

For more riding tips, visit www.sportrider.com/motorcycle_riding/techniques/index.html

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Community Comments

weasel221 (01/12/10 09:29 AM)

kudos...

nobody wants to talk aboot using the rear brake!! i for one, like the rear brake.. i use the rear a lot of the time, makes my SV 'hunker down' a little more in a corner, or, in the approach to said corner, i'll 'cheat' the rear if i have to just before turn-in.. as an aside, 'cheating' the rear helps settle the suspension[front and rear]... this coming from a dirtbike guy, and you gotta use BOTH brakes there also!! now, understand that you will not STOP with just the rear brake, but....

1300falcon (05/13/10 06:01 PM)

double kudos!!!!

AnnetteCarrion (05/14/10 11:19 AM)

Great advice! I've been practicing using my rear brake--especially after a close call while using too much front brake, and not enough rear, during a tight turn.

tkb503 (10/01/11 11:32 AM)

After riding (including mx and road racing) for 39 years, my view is that rear brake use is a special purpose thing. Inexperienced riders should be taught not to use the rear brake at all when the front brake is in use. My reasoning is that during emergency stops, the front brake is perfectly capable of lifting the rear wheel off the ground. When this happens, the (in-use) rear brake will lock up, and if the rider is leaning even slightly to one side or the other, the rear of the bike will rotate around the steering head, causing a rear slide. Obviously, once this begins to happen, the rider must either hold the rear brake locked until the bike stops (not practical in many emergency situations) or risk high siding the bike when they release the rear brake. Either way, this requires much riding finesse that isn't within many riders abilities. On the other hand, when the front brake locks up during braking, it's very simple to stop the resulting slide. Simply ease up on the brake slightly. Keep it simple.