Rear brakes

[Luni]

So, I do quite a bit of heavy trail riding. Im talking very steep inclines, lots of rocks, lots of tree roots, soft dirt, hard dirt, some sand, etc.

I find that I dont use my rear brakes much at all when riding.

I also know that lots of you guys upgrade the hell out of your rear brakes, and Im wondering honestly how much do you really use the rear brakes. Every time I use my rear brake to actually slow down from going really fast, my rear end wants to come out and the quad wants to slide. I DO use my rear brakes to hold myself on hills if someone in front of me stops, stalls out, whatever, but I just dont find myself using them that much.

I want to know how much rear brake SHOULD I be using, and WHEN should I be using it? I ride with a lot of guys who have been doing it for a very long time and even they say they dont use their rear brakes much at all either.

 

[Awk08]

i'm assuming your running the stock rear cable brakes ???,
which generally are either off, or locked up when applied, causing the rear end to slide, offering no progressive braking.
the off, or locked up completely is the problem

i can't speak for the factory 03+ blaster/banshee hydro's,
as i've never ran them.
but my gsxr kits offer full progressive braking, slight pressure just slows you down, the more pressure (which is very, very little) will slow you down more, and firm pressure will lock it up when needed.

i do use my front brakes more then the rears, especially in the rough stuff, at speed. i like my feet firmly planted, using the pegs to also control the bike.
it's much easier to reach out with one finger and apply that front brake than to move your whole foot to apply the rears, especially when riding in the standing position.
the stabilizer you ask about in your other thread may also have something to do with that, as i'm not really white knuckle gripping the bars, so my hands are kinda free to do what i want with.

but i have been pulling the clutch, and using the rear brake to slide it around tight corners, besides the fact that rear brakes should be used more than fronts on steep down hills, for keeping the front end down during wheelies, and bringing the nose down if needed during jumps.

 

[Blaaster]

I cannot comment on the cable variety as I run a 06 and find the hydros more than adequate.

Other than in an emergency stop I very rarely use the back break to stop.

My back brake gets a fair amount of use in setting up for the drift in corners, but that is only just a dab.

 

[reagor]

i have front drums that suck, all i use is my rear brakes or no brakes at all (just let off the gas/downshift)

though i do have awk style rear gsxrs

this just reminded me i need new pads already

 

[toytech]

unhook the rear brakes, and ride it, then tell me how much you realy want them, you tap them a lot more than you think.

like Awk said,brakes with more control are very nice.