Anyone run rear drum only

[mrriggs]

... or because i said "its a fact".

Yeah, that's the line that got me all fired up. I usually just bite my tongue when this subject comes up.

mrriggs i never said "rear brakes= death"

That wasn't directed at you. It was just an overly simplified description of the opposing argument.

I will rephrase my statement. If in an emergency situation, relying on a rear brake only bike, will increase the risk of an accident that could result in a death or permanent maiming

I know I'm being a pedantic dick about this but I still find that statement too general. It would only be true if you were riding the bike as if it had a front brake. When riding without a front brake you need to leave a greater stopping distance and SLOW THE FUCK DOWN.

I can't count how many I have avoided because of powerful front brakes on my Roadstar and my SV650.

You were riding those bikes within their means. If you rode an XS650 (with or without a front brake) the same way as an SV650 then the outcome may have been different.

 

[Irish_prick]

hey guys it's just comes down to the RIDER and how well he knows his scooter and its limits. this is like helmet vs no helmet. everyone should ride how they feel safe and if have'n a front brake makes u feel better go for it. i go by this rule when go'n threw a project if the front brake works they stay if not it go's on ebay, craigslist or to the swapmeet. Only cuz i feel safe with a drum only rear brake

ps sometimes there helpful for burnouts and i got a dual disc brakes on the front on my sportster and they came in handy when my throttle cable broke go'n to smokeout ten in NC and i had to make a foot throttle by disconecting the rear brake and run'n a uncovered throttle cable down and tie'n it to the back brake lever. so threw 35miles of mountains all i had was front brakes and a hair trigger foot throttle

 

[jd750ace]

To be honest, i generally only use the rear during U-turns. Never got the "front brakes will kill you" stigma from the older riders I grew up with. Rode my KV-75 with no front brakes, but that was because the lining came off the shoe one day, and we just cut the cable off. A lot more hazards out there on the road than in the cow pastures and logging roads I rode that thing on though.

 

[WickedKlown2]

Here is a picture out of the TN Motorcycle Riders Handbook and also what they teach at the Motorcycle Riders Safety Course here in TN...

 

[650Skull]

I know I'm being a pedantic dick about this but I still find that statement too general. SLOW THE FUCK DOWN.

Fact or to general, can't win today

 

[scabber]

I've had rear drum only and rear disc only on multiple bikes, I ride em' all like I stole em and have had to lock em both up going fast and slow with no issues....is it more dangerous yes, but you learn how to adapt. I ride a death machine now and I love it!

Live to Ride, Ride to Die Adapt

 

[650Skull]

........................

 

[scabber]

I would not ride a bike with out a front brake those who do can if they want your neck not mine.

 

[5twins]

Why don't you guys let half the air out of your tires too, lol.

And as far as taking the front brake off because it didn't work, I had bikes that were like that when I bought them, I just fixed it. Have I ever ridden without a helmet? Yes, when out of my state in a no helmet state, I make it a point to take a little ride without. It's very novel and I feel like I'm back in high school "smokin' in the boy's room". It scares me though. One short ride through town is enough.

 

[Irish_prick]

And as far as taking the front brake off because it didn't work, I had bikes that were like that when I bought them, I just fixed it. Have I ever ridden without a helmet? Yes, when out of my state in a no helmet state, I make it a point to take a little ride without. It's very novel and I feel like I'm back in high school "smokin' in the boy's room". It scares me though. One short ride through town is enough.

if its my bike and i feel they need a front brake or im fix'n to sell, i fix them but most of the time they are bobbers and to keep things clean i take them off cuz i know how to ride without them. my FL and XL and ltd all have front brakes and my xl i had to put them back on it so i put dual disc on it. like i said b4 to each there own

 

[gggGary]

He didn't die.
He knew how to ride
It was just one moment of inattention
He put r down because with no front brake that was about his only option
Just one leg took the hit into the truck.
He had to threaten to kill the surgeons because they REALLY wanted to cut it off.
He still can "use" it, even rock climbed pretty damn good well into his 50s.
Every day he awakes and looks at the mess that used to be a leg.

If he had a front brake he would not even remember the incident.
Not a statistic to me, a friend with a changed life.
I saw the "leg" once, when we were swimming.

Oh to be young and still believe it won't happen to me.

 

[yamasarus]

This thread just goes to show that Forest's Mom was right...........

 

[XSLeo]

If just rear brake was enough why do they put front brakes on?
Leo

 

[mrriggs]

If just rear brake was enough why do they put front brakes on?
Leo

Because the overwhelming majority of riders want them.

 

[XSLeo]

That's one amswer, not the right one but an answer. The reason they put brakes on all the wheels, weather it's a bike or car is to save the manufactures a ton of cash they would pay out in lawsuits.
All wheel brakes stop better under all conditions than less brakes. People that get hurt in an incident will sue the vehicle maker because the poor brakes contributed to the severity of the injuries to people and damage to property.
Leo

 

[retiredgentleman]

Just a question to those who choose to remove the front brake. Does your insurance company know that you have no front brake? If you have insurance that is.

Lets say you have an accident, even though you are highly skilled and know how to ride without the front brake, and another person is crippled or killed. In the courts, the injured persons lawyer would have a field day pointing out to the judge that your bike did not have a front brake.

This "no front brake" keeps coming up on the site, and it makes no sense to me.

Would you let your wife, son or daughter drive the family car/truck if you knew the front brakes were worn out?

 

[WickedKlown2]

How about this question for the rear only brake believers,,, what if you rear tire gets a flat how are you going to slow down or come to a controlled stop ???

Below information was taken from the TN Motorcycle Handbook

Studies show that most crash-involved riders: • Underbrake the front tire and overbrake the rear. ( my question is what if you don't have a front brake at all ,,, isn't this the same situation ??? )

Quick Stops
To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time. Don’t be shy about using the front brake, but don’t “grab” it, either. Squeeze the brake lever firmly and progressively. If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately then reapply it firmly. At the same time, press down on the rear brake. If you accidentally lock the rear brake on a good traction surface, you can keep it locked until you have completely stopped; but, even with a locked rear wheel, you can control the motorcycle on a straightaway if it is upright and going in a straight line.

 

[KeithB]

I can't even understand a debate about justifying the use of rear brake only.
Usually the need for hard braking is precipitated by events outside the riders control.
But, if you want it and it's legal in your state, knock yourself out.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

Your safety isn't determined by how you ride - it's determined by how the 1,000,000's of car and truck drivers you encounter over your lifetime drive.

It's easy to ride around with no brakes when you're planning every move, anticipating stops etc. But when the crazy old lady decides to haul ass out of a side road into your path, good luck with just a rear brake. It's the unexpected that will kill you quickly.

That being said, I'm not running around with dual disk 6 pot calipers on a bike with super tuned modern suspension and the best rubber money can buy. But I do have a 4LS front brake that hauls me down really well on AVON RoadRiders and Hagon shocks, cartridge emulators up front.

There's a balance to be achieved between form and function. Running no front brake because you like the way it looks is a pretty weak argument, especially if you have kids.

 

[zorpman]

Locking the rear wheel is not the problem...almost any brake (disk or drum) can do THAT.

The problem is stopping the bike...not just the rear wheel. Weight transfer upon braking unloads the rear wheel so it is easy, to easy, to lock. But locking the rear wheel does not stop the bike, it just skids the unloaded rear wheel.

Only an effective FRONT brake can generate the tire/road surface friction needed to stop a bike in any reasonable distance (unless you have a wheel base that is the length of a car and a rear tire contact patch to match).