That rear brake

[OldF7Guy_imp]

I can report my rear will lock the wheel. A small puppy ran out in front of me and it was game on getting everything I could out of the brakes. Fronts did most of the work but I locked up the rear and squealed the rear for a short ways before I let up. Im non ABS or course.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

OldF7Guy. +1. The rear brake is more than adequate for the job it is intended to do. At low speeds it will lock up the rear. At high speed, used in trail braking, it steadies the bike nicely. In an emergency stop max braking effort situation the rear brake is excellent. Why? Well it has to be used in conjunction with max effort from the front brake. Max front brake application will transfer at least 80 - 90% of the weight to the front wheel of the bike. Don't believe me? Take a look at slow motion of a GP bike under max braking. The rear wheel actually leaves the ground, that is at intervals 100% of the braking effort is borne by the front. OK, we are not GP heroes (me anyway), but under max effort road braking the last thing you need is a rear brake approaching the power of the front brake. Why? Simply because with little weight on the rear it will surely lock up the rear wheel which will lose traction and therefore become ineffective. That is why ABS is effective. Max effectiveness is reached before traction is lost, that is before a skid develops. So when, sometimes in reflexive surprise, we snatch at the front brake we must, equally reflexively, apply rear brake to provide retardation, as appropriate, to the rear wheel otherwise the mass of bike behind the steering head is likely to want to swap ends. Nasty. The CB rear brake is very capable of producing the brake effort required for a max effort stop.

A forum member, perceptively, posted a you tube link with front, rear and combined braking demonstration. Look at it.
If you judge the effectiveness of the rear brake by a max effort (rear brake) only) stop from high speed the test is inappropriate. Bit like saying a fork is useless in tackling a 650gm New York cut.  Well it is.  Without a knife. And please, spare me a discussion on how to use a knife and fork .

Cheers

[redbirds_imp]

OldF7Guy. +1. The rear brake is more than adequate for the job it is intended to do. At low speeds it will lock up the rear. At high speed, used in trail braking, it steadies the bike nicely. In an emergency stop max braking effort situation the rear brake is excellent. Why? Well it has to be used in conjunction with max effort from the front brake. Max front brake application will transfer at least 80 - 90% of the weight to the front wheel of the bike. Don't believe me? Take a look at slow motion of a GP bike under max braking. The rear wheel actually leaves the ground, that is at intervals 100% of the braking effort is borne by the front. OK, we are not GP heroes (me anyway), but under max effort road braking the last thing you need is a rear brake approaching the power of the front brake. Why? Simply because with little weight on the rear it will surely lock up the rear wheel which will lose traction and therefore become ineffective. That is why ABS is effective. Max effectiveness is reached before traction is lost, that is before a skid develops. So when, sometimes in reflexive surprise, we snatch at the front brake we must, equally reflexively, apply rear brake to provide retardation, as appropriate, to the rear wheel otherwise the mass of bike behind the steering head is likely to want to swap ends. Nasty. The CB rear brake is very capable of producing the brake effort required for a max effort stop.

A forum member, perceptively, posted a you tube link with front, rear and combined braking demonstration. Look at it.
If you judge the effectiveness of the rear brake by a max effort (rear brake) only) stop from high speed the test is inappropriate. Bit like saying a fork is useless in tackling a 650gm New York cut.  Well it is.  Without a knife. And please, spare me a discussion on how to use a knife and fork .

Cheers

+1 and well stated Ptero, I cannot fault the rear brake on my bike, about perfect I think.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

I can report my rear will lock the wheel. A small puppy ran out in front of me and it was game on getting everything I could out of the brakes. Fronts did most of the work but I locked up the rear and squealed the rear for a short ways before I let up. Im non ABS or course.

Mate, you should have gunned it and cleaned up that cute sucker. There are more points awarded for small puppies, especially if cute, than even little kittens.

Cheers

WARNING: this post contains traces of a good red wine.

[OldF7Guy_imp]

I can report my rear will lock the wheel. A small puppy ran out in front of me and it was game on getting everything I could out of the brakes. Fronts did most of the work but I locked up the rear and squealed the rear for a short ways before I let up. Im non ABS or course.

Mate, you should have gunned it and cleaned up that cute sucker. There are more points awarded for small puppies, especially if cute, than even little kittens.

Cheers

WARNING: this post contains traces of a good red wine.

Mate, you should have gunned it and cleaned up that cute sucker. There are more points awarded for small puppies, especially if cute, than even little kittens.

Cheers

WARNING: this post contains traces of a good red wine.
lol, I cant do it. Im a dog lover and your previous post makes a lot of sense. I knew the weight transfer had a lot to do with it. THe balance just seems like it could be a bit better to me. Im not full out griping but I need the back to come in sooner to suit me.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

I can report my rear will lock the wheel. A small puppy ran out in front of me and it was game on getting everything I could out of the brakes. Fronts did most of the work but I locked up the rear and squealed the rear for a short ways before I let up. Im non ABS or course.

Mate, you should have gunned it and cleaned up that cute sucker. There are more points awarded for small puppies, especially if cute, than even little kittens.

Cheers

WARNING: this post contains traces of a good red wine.

Mate, you should have gunned it and cleaned up that cute sucker. There are more points awarded for small puppies, especially if cute, than even little kittens.

Cheers

WARNING: this post contains traces of a good red wine.
lol, I cant do it. Im a dog lover and your previous post makes a lot of sense. I knew the weight transfer had a lot to do with it. THe balance just seems like it could be a bit better to me. Im not full out griping but I need the back to come in sooner to suit me.

Check the brake pedal adjustment suits you. Lift it up a little and you will get rear brake sooner and maybe a little harder. Mines bent in a little from a lowside, funnily enough when I locked the rear wheel. But on dirt so I guess that doesn't really count. I like the way it is as I can be a little more delicate, using the sole of my boot on an angle if I need it in a turn and it's not a problem to shift on to it and give it more. Anyway, try an adjustment and see how it goes. Careful though.

Cheers.

[old blue_imp]

I go along with Pterodactyl's ideas. I use
the rear all the time to steady the chassis and to minimize brake drive.

Very useful for tight corners, or when making a slow, very tight turn,
where it will keep you from screwing things up with the front brake,
while making it easier to keep on low power during the turn.

I came to rely on the rear when riding single track on my ktm dirt
bike. Found it made my life much safer.

It's not a matter of how "strong" the rear brake is, as the front will be doing the heavy work when needed, but that it can provide the stability to keep you safe.

Used it less on track days, though.

mike