Thought I'd pass along a braking discovery I found a couple weeks ago after taking a road racing orientated dirt bike course. I knew of Stoner using his rear brake a lot and I've now figured out what he uses it for.
In this course we were riding mini dirtbikes and using all 5 controls (throttle, front brake, rear brake, clutch, and gear shift) all the time was the basis of the teaching and strictly enforced. Riding the bikes down 30' of 2x4 wood allowed me to discover the control and stability provided by dragging the rear brake. It's not just for slowing down or sliding the rear around.
After the class I began applying the rear brake while riding the SD on the street. Just a light drag smooths acceleration and low speed stability when crawling in traffic. And with practice I began using it to control entry speed into turns and acceleration on exit. Before I would roll off, apply the front brake, possibly downshift, enter the turn, and delicately roll the throttle back on. Using the rear brake I am able to stay on the gas entering, using the rear brake to control the speed and then, after apexing, use the brake to gradually release the power and acceleration. The benefit? There is no jerking or unsettling of the suspension or rear wheel traction when transitioning from off throttle to acceleration. The inertia from the rear wheel and drive train is essentially negated which prevents excessive wheel spin and uncontrolled loss of traction, basically manual traction control. My line can also be changed mid-corner without rolling off the throttle which minimizes weight transfer to the front and unsettling the suspension.
For many this is probably too advanced to completely understand and apply. But on an aggressive ride on good twisty roads the increased control is astonishing. I attempted this at the track on the race bike but without much practice and foot clearance/leg position issues I was not able to apply the technique with confidence.
Hope this helps.
In this course we were riding mini dirtbikes and using all 5 controls (throttle, front brake, rear brake, clutch, and gear shift) all the time was the basis of the teaching and strictly enforced. Riding the bikes down 30' of 2x4 wood allowed me to discover the control and stability provided by dragging the rear brake. It's not just for slowing down or sliding the rear around.
After the class I began applying the rear brake while riding the SD on the street. Just a light drag smooths acceleration and low speed stability when crawling in traffic. And with practice I began using it to control entry speed into turns and acceleration on exit. Before I would roll off, apply the front brake, possibly downshift, enter the turn, and delicately roll the throttle back on. Using the rear brake I am able to stay on the gas entering, using the rear brake to control the speed and then, after apexing, use the brake to gradually release the power and acceleration. The benefit? There is no jerking or unsettling of the suspension or rear wheel traction when transitioning from off throttle to acceleration. The inertia from the rear wheel and drive train is essentially negated which prevents excessive wheel spin and uncontrolled loss of traction, basically manual traction control. My line can also be changed mid-corner without rolling off the throttle which minimizes weight transfer to the front and unsettling the suspension.
For many this is probably too advanced to completely understand and apply. But on an aggressive ride on good twisty roads the increased control is astonishing. I attempted this at the track on the race bike but without much practice and foot clearance/leg position issues I was not able to apply the technique with confidence.
Hope this helps.