Best way to learn good rear brake habits?

[stw]

Noticed I don't use my rear brake very often.  I was taught to use it in my Basic Rider course, but don't seem to have retained the habit.  Often I'm braking front only and then remember the rear after I started to brake and my foot has to be reposistioned on the peg to use the rear anyway.

Have been trying last few days to remember to use both brakes at the same time--modulated with more front I guess--and trying to keep my arch on the peg so the rear brake pedal is always right there.

Keeping my foot there makes me a little concerned that I'll hit the rear brake accidentally while moving my boot.

Also concerned about using the rear brake too heavily and starting a rear wheel skid.

What are the best practices for the rear brake?  Thanks.

[Open Sore]

Get a small dirtbike.

[Papa Lazarou]

Do some off roading or ride slowly, turn as well, using the rear brake into turns. It really helps, particularly in tight, low speed corners, in towns or in keeping upright going very slowly in a straight line etc.

Practice for wet weather by using front and rear 50:50.

Most braking is using the front brake but I use the rear quite a bit when I don't need strong stopping power.

[R Doug]

For the most part, you don't need your rear brake in normal day-to-day riding.  However, though riding various advance riding technique books and after attending a racing school this summer, I have come to appreciate the importance of being able to master the rear brake in certain situations.

The best thing to do is go find a desolate strip of road or large parking lot and practice, practice, practice.

First, work on stopping the bike using the rear brake only to get a feel of its limits.  Then work on emergency stopping the bike with the front brake only to feel its limits.  Then, work on using the front and rear in emergency braking while using 100% of the front's capacity while seeking how much of the rear you can use BEFORE it locks up.  Once you find that limit and can train yourself how to use the rear without making it lock up, you're getting there.  

[stw]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm headed back to the big parking lot to try out Doug's suggestions.

And the off-roading suggestion make sense too, because of how dirt can punish you for using the front brake in the wrong spots and you need the rear brake more.

Where do you put your feet on the pegs? I've been putting my arch on the pegs and letting my feet point out a little. On the right side that makes it easy for my foot to press the brake but it's not resting on or touching the brake pedal.

[HipGnosis]

My feet are most always on the pegs w/ the toes of my boots touching the brake and shifter.  Unless I'm on a long stretch of highway, when I put my heels or toes on the pegs for variety.

[Papa Lazarou]

balls of feet on the pegs. Gives a bit better control.

[bassjones]

I move my feet around quite a bit on long stretches of straightness, sometimes even putting my feet on the passenger pegs and laying on the tank.  In town or on the good roads, balls of feet on pegs or slightly favoring the toes on the pegs.

[Hunter]

I say the track is the best way/place to work on using the rear brake. I use my rear a lot on the street when riding hard otherwise, not so much. On the track you can learn how to tighten your line mid corner and settle the chassis on corner entry with the rear without the possibility of blowing it on public roads and being run over by on coming traffic.

For normal riding I seldom to never touch the rear brake and other than a panic situation I see no reason to use it.

[scottzilla]

I never use the rear brake.
What kind of bike?

[Papa Lazarou]

I never use the rear brake.
What kind of bike?

Suzuki Unicycle 1200

[bluepoof]

balls of feet on the pegs.

+1 here.  

[scottzilla]

Suzuki Unicycle 1200

Nope.  Doesn't have rear brakes.

[Papa Lazarou]

Nope.  Doesn't have rear brakes.

rear=front

[sammyseaman]

balls of feet on the pegs. Gives a bit better control.

+1 here.  

+2 here  

[MadOzodi]

balls of feet on the pegs. Gives a bit better control.

+1 here.  

+2 here  

+3 here  

But when I was at the track recently, at stk0308's suggestion, I attempted to plant the front lip of my boot heel up against the peg and "lock" the inside of my heel/ankle against the heel guard when leaning off the bike entering a turn.  Normally when leaning off the bike, I get on the balls of my feet at the end of the pegs and drive my outside knee into my tank.  I could tell the benefits of driving the heel and whole inside of my lower leg into the side of my bike, but execution was difficult...it's something I'm going to practice though.

[scottzilla]

+3 here  

But when I was at the track recently, at stk0308's suggestion, I attempted to plant the front lip of my boot heel up against the peg and "lock" the inside of my heel/ankle against the heel guard when leaning off the bike entering a turn.  Normally when leaning off the bike, I get on the balls of my feet at the end of the pegs and drive my outside knee into my tank.  I could tell the benefits of driving the heel and whole inside of my lower leg into the side of my bike, but execution was difficult...it's something I'm going to practice though.

It's worth the effort.  
I've been telling people for years to get their heel up against the heel guard and never met anyone (Who wasn't a racer) who admitted to even trying it.

[bluepoof]

I'll try it on my Iron Butt 7-mile ride to lunch tomorrow. I think there's at least one turn on the way to the restaurant.

[bomber]

+1 on the heel guard thing -- you're missing out on some great alternatives to using just countersteering if you don't get to the point that you can shift your weight easily and quickly -- this'll help.

Practice a light application of the rear brake in a turn, rather than modulating your speed solely through the use of the throttle -- you can tighten your line a bit, in very subtle increments, using the rear brake while maintaining the throttle opening . . .

Also, a light application of the rear brake on many bike just before you reach the turn in point of the corner will settle the suspension a bit, and lower the rear of the bike -- this can be handy if the corner may result in a heavily loaded front tire --

[sas mayhem]

stw, good info for you to go thru here too.  And do a search in the forums for "..rear brakes.."  
http://www.msgroup.org/Articles.aspx?Cat=2

Cheers
Ron