Rear Brake's

hey guys have a question about conflicting information

rear brakes... i know that all the safety things say use both brakes when doing normal stops.. makes sense cause you stop faster...

but i have friends that keep saying stay away from the rear brake because it likes to lock up the rear tire and make u slide/crash.. which also makes sense...

i guess my question is whats ur advise about using the rear brake.. sense i am sure 95% of you guys have more riding experience than me


another reason i have this question is because the other day i went around a corner and i dont know if i used my rear brake or not (dont remember) but my tire just tried to come out from under me.. i started to slide all over hell.. i was doing 40 and the turn was not too sharp of a turn.. like an experienced rider could of prolly took it at 70.. anyway it was either the rear brake or the little issue of my back tire being completely bald.. as in no tread on the middle 2 - 2 1/2 inches of the tire.... since then i havent ridden the bike, and wont till i get a new tire... but it has had the brake thing in my mid

any input will be apprechiated.. thanks

You shouldn't be braking and leaning at the same time. Only a few racers can handle rear slides and make it work, and experienced riders with good amount of track time are able to use mid-corner braking. Otherwise, if you use the front brake, the bike will most likely to stand up and run you off the road or lowside, if you use the rear brake, the rear wheel will wiggle, and in extreme cases, lock up the rear, which can cause highside.

This is why riders slow down, brake, downshift, etc before a turn. Never AT or DURING the turn.

Your tire could also be one of the factor in reduced traction, so if you did use any sort braking during lean, including engine braking, that means you used most of your traction. The traction of the tires are reduced based on the varying degrees of lean, so braking takes a lot out of it. If you had braked harder than you did, it could've resulted in lowside or highside, depending which brake. It sounds critical, but it's one of those things that are always on my mind before a turn, I met with similar situation like yours before and went down twice.

i like this topic cause i'm different to the norm.

i only use the back brake. my fronts are only when i'm going hard.

i also use it mid corner BUT i only drag it and not apply it.

i never use the front in a corner