I just want to how did all of you stunters start learning how to use the rear brake? I'm starting out and need some pointers on how to learn to bring my bike up high enough to bp and put it in my head to tap the rear brake when needed. I been used to highway wheelies on my 04 R1 and bringing the bike down with the throttle. Thanks for your help

 

Buy a fiddy

 

^^^ he's right. or just nut up and go practice. if theres one thing ive learned the past few days is that u need to practice,practice,n practice more. n when u get tired go take a break, then practice more

 

^^^they speak the truth

 

Yea I know it takes alot of practice and nuts, but I would like to know how did you guys personally learned how to use the rear brake (mentally and physically). I know a fiddy would help but I don't have any money for one now. But I bought a stunt bike to learn. Thanks

 

I'm in the middle of the same struggle, In my opinion it is just going to take some more saddle time to get the feel. To program my muscles and mind you know. Make it habit, like shifting gears.
But for as far as the fiddy goes, That is a bunch of bullshit,I went out and bought one for the same reason, and I can do all sorts of circs and combo's, 12's whatever, all and never touch the rear brake, just by motor brake and body lang. alone.
It helped me learn balance and a little bit of throttle control, I think. But I also think it can cause some lazy bad habits that can be a bother when you are trying to copy your own moves onto the bigger sportbikes. Completely different, IMO.
I may be alone in this experience, or just learned my fiddy the wrong way. I dunno' I'm no pro yet. And don't get me wrong, I love killin it on the fiddy, it just was never my ultimate goal.
Good luck, keep practicing, your'e not the only one crashin!!

 

it took me a while, and i still suck btw...but somthing that kinda helped me was watching people who were learning the rearbrake. there are probly better ways, but this video was the first day i really slowed down a wheelie with the rear brake. I could do it with engine brake a little, or by riding the rear brake a little going up a hill (it makes it a little easier when your going uphill)...anyways. I got the concept down by fighting the throttle..i know this isnt the best way to learn, but kinda worked for me.

this clip doesnt show you alot, but there are a couple standups that i slowed down when i was learning. i shouldnt have crashed, but after the crash i learned not to let off the brake when your that far back...lol

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eUq-mL7mR04

I would bring a wheelie up kinda riding the brake pull it past b/p then get a little deeper into the brake. boom, it slows down. I am still kinda choppy, but once you get the hang of that, turn the idle up and instead of fighting the throttle slow it down enough to let idle take over. the more seat time you put it the more you can rely on tapping the brake only when its needed and letting the idle carry the bike, adding a throttle blip only when the nose drops too low. hope that helped a little man. streetfighter the bike and go ride in a lot!

 

method 1:
1st gear
depress rear brake a little so you know your on it and hold.
roll between 10-15mph.
clutch up and hold gas till near BP. Since your already dragging the brake (just a little, so your brain knows its there), then fluctuate between gas n brake, keep bringing the bike higher till she starts to slow down. Once you get good you can just tap the brake while holding the gas constant. This method can create brake fade so check your brake before each clutch up and watch for glowing rotors. If you get a stainless steel line and +500 degree brake fluid your chances of brake fading decrease.


method 2: clutch up and use brake to come down, no throttle. Do this 100 times till your brain knows how to bring the bike down from brake alone not throttle

 

fiddy helps

 

yeah, you explained it pretty well. good call on checking the brake before the wheelies. i was coming off a light from the highway, stood up, I always hit the brake just before I clutch it up and it went *squuiiish*. The ziptie broke that held my rear brake line to the swingarm and the tire rubbed a hole in it.

 

Thanks for the advice fellas, I'm going to try some of these techniques this weekend. Nice vid squidmark, was that your first time using the rear break, because it looked like you have learned before? So, you apply a little rear break while cluthing it up at the same time?

 

Yeah, try to apply a little brake while clutchin it up. I'm in the same boat, we're talkin about it in my "Feeling out the FZ-1" thread also. I'm just starting to figure it out myself. I think one of the best ways to get used to it is to be in a good wheelie, and tap the brake. Most of the time(at first) it will ruin your whoolie, but it teaches you the feel, and trains your foot...

 

no, that def was not the first time trying it, but first time getting to ride in a lot for a couple days and figure it out. It took me a while to figure out how to apply the rear-brake without having the wheelie come down right away. Before that I always said I covered the rear brake and everything, but I seldom would use it. Now that I have the hang of it a little more its finally a 'reflex' to get on the rear brake to smooth out, or save a wheelie.

...im a slow learner. good luck!!

 

exactly...

don't necessarily be on the brake when you clutch it but start stomping it when it starts to come up, which will put it back down. Then it's just a matter of waiting longer to stomp it and/or not stomping it as hard and you'll have it mastered in no time.

 

I'm on the same sticking point. Trying to teach myself rear braking after completely learning the wheelie to where I'm just about total bp.

Problem is, I ride and stunt on the ***** of my feet, which has my foot behind and away from the rear brake altogether!! So to place my foot over the brake is really awkward.
I get the "ride the brake a little as you lift it in first" technique.
I'll work on that Sunday.

 

+1...a fiddy or quad help alot also. a quad especially because you can train yourself to hit that rear brake while it snaps up pretty fast and not do to much damage(no side to side wobble as a normal bike). another thing is while normal riding, only use the rear brake as much as possible at small turns and stops etc.
doing it over and over will get you there. Just take your time and if you bring it up high and float it, just bail

 

i learned it backwards only because i broke my passenger peg and couldn'tuse pedal. i bought a hand break learned fundamentals with that and then when i got a peg it only took me a weekend to get the foot pedal

 

That's an interesting way to go about it. One of my good friends learned w/ a HB, now he's having a hard time learning the foot brake.

 

how would breaking a passenger peg affect you using the foot brake???

 

i broke the left rear, and couldn't stand stag.