Practicing Use of Back Brake

I use my back more than the front. All I ever ride is super steep downhills, so using the front is only slight pressure when the back is trying to lock or slide. Your back may be locking up and just not giving much of a stopping feel. Look back sometime and watch it. It is rear and front disc on the xr250 right? The hydrolic fluid may have been boiled, or need bled. Look to see if is discolored. Bleed it and see if any air comes out. While you are at it, the front probably could use a good bleed too.
I would just try to catch myself using the front whenever possible and try to mix the rear in till it becomes second nature. Those accidental stoppies/downhill sommersaults really put a damper on things don't they.

i would suggest finding a long smooth downhill, put the bike in neutral and just ride the brakes all the way down focusing on your rear use. . . . . the brake should have a smooth easy feel, so try bleeding and topping off your hydrolic fluid and make sure the pads are in good shape. . . using both brakes should be second nature and there are many situations where the back is preferable to the front, so practice and i'm sure you'll start using it out of habit.

Nat,
Good luck, and keep practicing!
I too use my front most of the time. My bike has a tendency to lock up with the slightest touch of the rear. I will use the back when I feel that I've delved a little deep into the turn and the front needs help before I'm berm meat. There are instances when a back lock is good, say like sliding the rear around.
I know everyone has differnt styles, but I honestly don't see how folks who use the rear all the time ride very comfortably. They must be going slower than me, and THAT is hard to do! :)

Again, good luck!

I come from years of street riding and roadracing so the ft brake is my best friend. I rarlly use the rear. Last week I took a school and we did braking drills. The teacher first showed us how far it took to stop w/rear only. He then cut it in half with the ft only. Then cut it in half again using both brakes. The key is, and I have a hard time with it, is realizing how much traction you have with the ft wheel and how hard you can actully brake with the ft brake. I think the only time wher the rear is needed over the ft would be on power slidding around a berm.

Using both brakes will help you stop faster. I am one of the lucky ones(meaning this came natrually, as I see many friends struggle with it), I am able to use each brake to its fullest potential without locking them, and can make smooth transition from standing to sitting with the rear brake (it took awhile to learn that one).

Proper braking is just as important as twisting the throttle. It can make you a much faster rider too.

Try practicing just putting around in a feild or somthing with shoes on, scince you can move your feet around more. Then maybe try rubber boots as they flex less then soes and then next your dirtbike boots. Just a suggestion

Originally posted by Ol'89r
use very little rear brake, only enough to stabilize the bike.

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at first it may seem that the rear brake is only there to slow the rear wheel down, but there is another function. when you apply the rear brake at high speed, you create what is known as chain torque reaction. this force makes the rear suspension 'squat' downwards, and in turn makes the bike more stable under heavy braking. it also lifts some weight off the front wheel, so you can also apply even more pressure to the front brake leaver.

when i first started riding motorbikes, i had a really hard time using the rear brake, so i know how you feel GETMETOCA. i think my biggest problem was trying to feel the leaver while wearing heavy dirt bike boots. GMX made a good suggestion about trying different footwear while practicing in a field, and i would try that if i was you, but don't get too comfortable with them or you might find it hard to use boots again.
thinking back, the only thing that really helped me was working hard at the problem and spending alot of time doing basic drills. slowing down only using your back brake sounds like a great one to me, and you can try to find how much pressure you can apply before the wheel locks up. take the wheel to lock up, then release some pressure until it is free again, and so on. do this a few times, and then do something else like cornering or figure 8's for a few minutes, then go back to the braking drills. keep it mixed up so you don't get bored, or your mind will start to wonder and you won't get the full benifit out of the drill.