Do you use your rear brake??

[Norm]

I find it unimportant for rapid stops, I take mine off of my sport bikes. I do use rears on dual sports & touring bikes though.

[MonsterDuc]

I almost never use it. Mostly used for holding the bike at a stop if I'm sitting up and I use it for very low speed U-turns (like at a gas station) and I tap it lightly to signal I'm about slow down sometimes, like in heavy traffic or if someone is following too close.

[rognam]

Yes. I find that living in the city it makes for smoother stops when going to stop sign to stop sign.

I also use it if I go into a turn too hot.

[quackerS2R]

Don't use it much... I try to use it but it's a pretty poor brake

[SoCalMonster]

It's a piss poor brake at best, but it does help slow the beast down.

[vadersdad]

Never at speed! when under heavy braking from high speed the majority of the weight id transfered to the front wheel. this would mean that very little of the rear tire is contacting the pavement= less traction=sliding rear tire= possiably less control.
I do know some folks use it to settle the chassis, and im sure that if it works for you then do it. There is a reason why there are two 320mm rotors on the front and one tiny one on the rear!
My rear brake does squeel a bit..

[roguen]

I use the rear all the time, but never alone and never with much force. I personally find that it makes a lot of difference in the stopping speed.

[Jammen]

I tend to only really use it at lower speeds or for emergency stops in traffic (straight line stopping). So mostly when commuting.

[jrfuisz]

It is there. *It will make the bike stop quicker. *It will settle the suspension. In other words, it does something (something that is very valuable).

What I find so ironic is that the same squidly that will tell you they never use it, will downshift like crazy and use the engine to brake the rear. *They know there is some advantage to having a braking force on the rear (oh so brutishly applied using the throttle, clutch and left foot), but just can't get over how to do the same thing with a simple application of their right foot. *Now that is prime squid territory.

As speed increases and you need more precision, there is no excuse for not using your rear brake. *If you never venture past poseur speeds, then fear not and remove the thing. *It would probably only confuse you anyway when faced with an emergency situation.

Or...spent the time and money and learn how and when to use it. *Graduate from squidom and learn to use the machine you bought.

[SheMonster]

OK, then how do you learn to use the rear brake properly? When I took the MSF Advanced Riders class, they told me I was not using it properly, and that it is better not to use it at all than to use it wrong. OK, that makes sense, so I use it very little if at all. I have read most of the Sport Riding Technique books, asked various rider friends (and they all have different answers), etc., have taken the MSF Advanced Riders Course, and done track days, but no one has ever told me or taught me how to use it properly. How does one learn to use it right?