[Turbo DV8]

I thought maybe I just needed to wait until the pads were bedded in, but my rear brake has been pathetically weak since day one, and hasn't improved. I have to mash down on it very hard to get it to have much affect, and it is not possible to lock it up. Not that I want to, but I should be able to. What do others feel about the strength of the rear brake?

 

[pricelister]

I only use the rear to keep the rust off. I sometimes mash it to feel the ABS work, but generally use the front only.

 

[Metalstorm]

I like a weak rear brake personally.
It's easy enough as it is to lock up the rear wheel on the 250 (non ABS) on a slick road.

I generally use my rear brake for two reasons.
To stabilize the rear end when I need to stop fast & hard.
To keep the bike from rolling when I'm stopped on a hill.

Other than that it's the front brake that I use.

 

[arn]

You probably have some problem, as it is not particularly difficult to provoke a lockup on my bike

 

[Turbo DV8]

I generally use the front brake only, most of the time. However, one should also become accustomed to utilizing what is available in the rear. It can be beneficial in some conditions. I'd prefer to steer the responses away from simply voting for who uses the rear versus front brakes, and more toward the actual strength and feel of the rear brake. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Metalstorm]

To clarify:
I feel the strength of my rear brake is adequate & ideally suited for my bike's weight.

Without being able to ride yours, or you ride mine there's no way to compare & see if it's a mechanical issue with yours or a preference issue.

If you really think yours is abnormally weak you can try bleeding it to see if air was caught in the line. It' the simplest place to start.

 

[Cire 5th]

Mine is weak too. I think it is like that. It feels like it is suppose to be weak. Does it work, yes. It will slow you down. But most if not everyone agrees that the front brake is the one not suppose to be weak. The front brake is the dominant brake. I use both front and rear. The only time I use the rear alone is when I am already stopped just so i can free up my right hand.

I also use the rear only when I use my right hand to "blip" on a downshift. The reason why I do that is because I don't have that two finger brake while blipping technique down yet. So I have to use my right hand on the throttle.

 

[Redline]

I was the same.

Took it back to the dealer the next day and they tightened it up.

(The nut connecting the cable to the foot lever.)

 

[live_to_ride]

It's not pityfully weak. 70% of your braking comes from the front brake. The rest from the rear. Rear braking alone is more for slow maneuvering. Depending on the rear brake for the bulk of braking capacity is a mistake.

 

[Aufitt]

'Weak' rear brake = good.

Its only there for 1% of braking duties, if its strong enough to settle the bike over bumps or keep the rear end following the front it works.

 

[Street Sniper]

brakes are the most important thing about a motorcycle....tied with tires both front and rear brakes should be working 100% , all the time.

"emergency braking" requires both brakes and ..... ahh **** it ... mushy brakes are good for you bro !


.....j/k get them brakes fixed..sound like air in the lines.

can't wait for some steel lines , new pads & some good brake fluid

 

[Aufitt]

You wont even use the rear on a smooth race track.

 

[remusrm]

i love the rear brake is sufficient and i can make full stops with it and is highly controllable. also i love when i enter a turn way too fast i can use the rear brake slightly to control my curve and apex speed. Using the front other then straight line is dangerous

 

[Street Sniper]

You wont even use the rear on a smooth race track.

best track racers use both brakes ....
Aufoot is that you ? or did someone hack your account ?

would love to see you on the track buddy ..... when im on the same model motorcycle

this would be fun time for me

 

[Aufitt]

You're on Sniper! haha, Let me rephrase my previous comment...

'You wont even use the rear on a (cbr too pity on a) smooth race track.'

Stacey or Valentino might, be we wont.

 

[Metalstorm]

You're on Sniper! haha, Let me rephrase my previous comment...

'You wont even use the rear on a (cbr too pity on a) smooth race track.'

Stacey or Valentino might, be we wont.

Too pity... That's funny. I might have to steal that.

I get what you're saying. Considering the incredible speeds the "too pity" is capable of, on a track the rear brake is more for show.

On a liter bike.. hell yes you want to use the rear brake. On the little Honda, it probably doesn't make much of a difference.
There's a little itty bitty tiny bit of difference between shedding speed from 80-90 mph and shedding speed from 150-160 mph for a 40-50 mph corner

 

[Turbo DV8]

I was the same.

Took it back to the dealer the next day and they tightened it up.

(The nut connecting the cable to the foot lever.)

Mine is non-ABS, and has a hydraulic rear brake. So then I assume yours must be the ABS drum version, which uses a cable actuation... right?

 

[Street Sniper]

^ guess so
but i personally need that back brake for reasons that make me a reckless bad-guy.

depend on that brake not only to stop the bike from looping but sometime use it to brake hard with both wheels on the ground

...just the way i ride personally ... but i guess this make you a bad person around here

 

[Metalstorm]

...just the way i ride personally ...

Ahhh. I think you've nailed it. Everyone has different technique. Different preference. What works for one does not work for another.

This is what makes it impossible to help the OP without having another bike on hand to compare it to. What is weak for him might be perceived as strong by another.

 

[somebody5788]

I think mine locks up too well when it comes to an emergency stop... even with the almost 200lbs of me. I kicked the bike pretty sideways avoiding a car that pulled into my lane. Brought me back to the days of sliding to a stop on BMX bikes lmao.