Using the front brake

[Cr85Expert52]

I have never used the front brake when I'm riding
I always stomp on the rear to slow down and go into a
corner. My question is when do I need to use the front
brake. I know it wasn't put there for nothing. When do
you use your front brakes and what are the techniques.
By the way I am new to riding almost a year and I got
a cr85 expert, even though the last piece of info doesn't
matter. Please reply

 

[Glitch]

Well, the front wheel has better stopping power than the rear, so when going into a sharp turn from going pretty fast, you usually use the front brake to slow down quickly. I use when ever I need it.

 

[Cr85Expert52]

how come I can't read the rest of your post it
is just one line and when I scroll over it doesn't
go over enough to read your post. What is wrong with
this forum. On all the topics I read it it just one
line that is cut off after a couple words. You can't
even read what other people are replying. What is
wrong!

 

[Cr85Expert52]

I think I may have found it you click quote.
Wow! I was getting really frustrated.

 

[Moto Squid]

Ya you gotta use your front brake a lot!!! The front end should dive considerably...that is under dry conditions. It takes practice to feel comfortable getting on the front brake heavily. I can out-brake most of my friends because they lay on the back one and feather the front while I'm doing just the opposite. And I try not to completely lock up the rear brake either. Sliding the tire makes you slow down slower and makes the bike less predictable coming into a corner. The best it to make the rear tire chirp between locking up and rotating. It all takes practice, and watching the fast guys doesn't hurt either :thumb:

 

[MX2_motorex]

Your front brake is 80% of your stoping power. Draging your back brake into corners is not a good idea first of all when your not getting the full brakeing power you have to brake much earlier wich means your losing time comeing into the corners. You also have a risk of sliding out at high speeds and your brake can over heat very fast.

Kick that nasty habit of rear brake dragging in the gutter. When your brakeing into a corner you want to be standing up(always stand up when brakeing!) with you butt far back over the seat when your brakeing. Use your front brake hard and shift down at the same time(your bike will make a clicking noise while doing this). A rule of thumb: when do you need to know when to start braking? you start braking as soon as you let off the throttle(depending on how fast you come into the corner). Keap practiceing these techniques and you will defenetly be faster and more skillful. I lurned everything I need to know from mx champion Donnie Hanson. Remember always stand up with your butt back when braking!!!! And use your front brake more. Good luck out there.

 

[Cr85Expert52]

thanks a-lot. that was the information I was looking for exactly. I will try to use my front brake a-lot more on friday. It may seem wierd at first but I will get it. At least I am trying. I pushed the bike as fast as I could down my driveway and was practicing. It doesn't seem all that difficult, but you defiently stop way faster. At first it took me by suprise.

 

[kawi35]

one thing thats hard to get use to is the front brakes. the way i learned is my frineds dad took off my back brake pedal and all i had was front brakes and he made me do a circle track so i HAD to use them and know i religh on them.

 

[toalco-kdx]

for me i was lucky, my first bike the rear brake didn't work, but then i always found it difficult to use the rear brake once i got a new bike.

MX2:
why do u say that u should always be standing up when braking into a corner?
i use a combination of front and rear. so i find it alot easier to brake sitting down since i lift my whole foot off the peg to brake. i dont think that you should use only your front brake when coming into a corner, a combination of the 2 is best i think.

it also would depend on your riding style, if you swing your back end around in the corner you would need mostly rear brake. so i woudnt try to get it in someones head that on every single corner they need to be standing up and using their front brake... even if u did learn it from donnie hanson.

i do agree that it is best to get used to your front brake and use it whenever possible so u can enter the corner faster and brake later.

 

[Jaybird]

I find MX2's advice to be spot-on.

 

[toalco-kdx]

i agree with most of it but i dont think every corner u need to be standing up. i dont know if he meant every corner but thats what i got out of it...

 

[MX2_motorex]

toacal the reason you stand up is for the breaking bumps you don't want to sit down comeing into a corner breaking because you could get bucked off by the breaking bumps expesialy when your going fast. Also the stand up and putting you butt far back gives you more potential to use the front brake harder.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

He didn't say to stand up all the way through the turn, just while braking as you are preparing for the turn.

In many cases, you stand as far back on the bike while braking, then once you enter the turn you move forward, sit, and put your inside leg forward. This allows you to use your legs as additional shock absorbers while going over the braking bumps before the turn then shift your weight forward to help the front tire bite as you enter the turn.

 

[tx246]

one last note on front wheel braking. i find it easier to brake hard while the bike is straight up and down. grabbing a bunch of front while leaned over in a corner is asking for a lowside. feather "in" a corner maybe, but definitely not a handful. get your speed under control before the bike lays over in the corner.

 

[yz250roost]

everyone has their little techniques, I brake into the turn, butt over rear fender, then at the apex (if a hairpin) I sit down forcefully and weight the outer peg, this sinks in the suspension and allows more taction through the turn, the bike feels more stable and ready to charge the next straight.

 

[motoman542]

motorex guy needs to learn how to spell

 

[jboomer]

I wasn't going to say that (he didn't do that bad!), but you know "expesialy" (especially) was really akward! I couldn't type it like that, my fingers kept tangling. I had to cut and paste it! :) :thumb:

Then I spelled awkward wrong!! :laugh:

 

[01HondaCR]

I am all for the standing up when there are braking bumps. I never realized how big of a difference it makes but it cost me a position at the races on saturday. It was a fast down hill with a slow corner at the bottom. I got on the brakes as late and as hard as I could. I was all set for a nice inside line but I hit a braking bump and got half way bucked off the seat. So I missed the inside of the corner and let another guy go right past me. From now on I'll stand when the braking gets rough.

 

[jacobone]

I useto us just the back when i had slow bikes but now i have to use the front to slow down. i stand so i can powerslide in corners.. its fun that way

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Originally posted by motoman542
motorex guy needs to learn how to spell

Give the guy a break...he made an honest effort at trying to help.  I don't have a problem with people speling incorrectly when they try, what bothers me is when people try to be cute and lazy, like

Hey man wen r u goin 2 cum up n rid wid uz?

Besides, people in glass houses.... :scream:

 

[yz125crasher]

If I can jump in here, I have a problem that I'm needing some advice on: I use the front brakes hard when coming into a turn. Usually this gives me reliable, and strong slow downs, but twice now I've wiped hard (bent handlebars 1st time, severly sprained wrist 2nd time) because my front brake locked and washed out, slamming my rookie butt to the dirt. What am I doing wrong? Too far forward on the bike? Not enough back brake feathering? Thanks in advance.

 

[MX2_motorex]

Hey! give me break here I was just typeing fast. Its called internet talk yeah thats it.

 

[96717]

Originally posted by yz_rookie
If I can jump in here, I have a problem that I'm needing some advice on: I use the front brakes hard when coming into a turn. Usually this gives me reliable, and strong slow downs, but twice now I've wiped hard (bent handlebars 1st time, severly sprained wrist 2nd time) because my front brake locked and washed out, slamming my rookie butt to the dirt. What am I doing wrong? Too far forward on the bike? Not enough back brake feathering? Thanks in advance.

it could be a lot of things. maybe the bike is leaned over a little too much while brakeing hard, stiff forks, slid out on a rock or simple things like to high of a tire pressure, not enough traction. try different lines and if you still wash out then somethings wrong. idk about being too far forward because if your brakeing hard your body usually reacts and you lean back but who knows.

 

[Ol'89r]

Originally posted by yz_rookie
If I can jump in here, I have a problem that I'm needing some advice on: I use the front brakes hard when coming into a turn. Usually this gives me reliable, and strong slow downs, but twice now I've wiped hard (bent handlebars 1st time, severly sprained wrist 2nd time) because my front brake locked and washed out, slamming my rookie butt to the dirt. What am I doing wrong? Too far forward on the bike? Not enough back brake feathering? Thanks in advance.

yz_rookie.

You are probably using too many fingers on your brake lever. With the good brakes on most modern day dirt bikes, you only need one or two fingers to lock up the front wheel. If you are using all of your fingers on the lever and you lock up the wheel and start to go down, the most natural thing to do is grab on tighter.

If you are only using one or two fingers on the lever that leaves the rest of your fingers to hold onto the grip. If you lock up the front wheel and start to slide, you can release the lever with your one or two fingers and still be holding on the the grip with the rest of them.

IMO, the proper use of the front brake is one of the most important things to learn. You can make up a tremendous amount of time over other riders that are not as proficient with their front brakes. I feel that the front brake gives you more like 100% of your stopping power. If you can lift the rear wheel off the ground by applying the front brake, that's 100% stopping power. :scream:

The only way to become proficient with your front brake is to practice. Find a smooth, flat place that you can practice. Be prepared to fall on your face a frw times learning the process. It's just part of the deal, but it's well worth taking the time to learn. :thumb:

Just my $ .02

 

[SpectraSVT]

Not sure I understand completely. I am a beginner rider and watch alot of the fast guys slow down while beginning the corner. It appears they are leaning the bike over while braking. If I try this I either can't stop and head straight off the turn or instantly wash out. So what I end up doing is having to brake hard down to corner speed before the turn while I'm still straight up and coast into it the corner. then accelerate out. This doesn't seem to be correct cause I get passed alot for doing this. Is there a way to do this? I am currently racing on a supercross style track that has all hairpins.