how do you brake r1200rt 2010

[yaron]

Hello all

I am riding a R12RT 2010 and wandering if you brake with the front linked brake solely, or braking with both the front and rear?

When i brake with the rear together with the front, it is not constant and sometimes the ABS is initiating.

can you advise me?

thank you

yaron

[BrianM]

I just brake like I always have, using both.

 

If you do not push very hard on the pedal, the rear bake will be controlled by the lever. If you push the pedal harder than the lever is pushing the rear brake, then the rear brake is controlled by the pedal. At least that is how it was explained to me.

 

If you push the pedal first and then use the lever, sometimes you can feel the rear pedal stop working as the lever takes over. This should not be confused with the ABS kicking in

[hhrcar]

Yaron: I have a 2008 R1200RT that I bought from an advanced riding instructor. He said the best way to stop the RT is to squeeze the front brake on until the windshield drops an inch or two, then you know you have good grip and balance, then squeeze as hard as required to stop. He also advised to me to use front brake only (which applies both front and rear automaticly) unless you need more, then a slight addition of rear is OK.

Neil

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Yaron

 

Your 2010RT has linked brakes from the front lever (only)

 

When you use ONLY the front brake lever you are mainly controlling the front brake pressure then the ABS computer is applying the rear brake using an electric servo pump.

The computer is designed to watch the front braking pressure as well as decel wheel slippage then properly match the rear barking to give you even front to rear braking.

 

 

If you step on only the rear pedal then you ONLY get rear braking (no servo apply)

 

 

If you step on the rear pedal while using the front brake lever the front still controls the rear brake through a servo---but as soon as you apply more pressure to the rear pedal than the front is supplying a valve closes & you take control of the rear brake using the brake pedal.

 

If you let up on the rear pedal while still using the front lever then as soon as the rear pedal pressure drops below the front supplied pressure it reverts back to front control of the rear brake. (or, in a nut shell, what ever end is supplying the most rear brake pressure has control over the rear braking.

 

The ABS system trumps both ends if the computer senses impending wheel lock-up or excessive rear wheel lift)

 

[BerndM]

I haven't touched my rear brake individually, ever, except to hold the bike at a stop on a slope.

Doesn't seem to be necessary at all IMO

 

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

Hello Dirtrider I know that the '10 R1200RT and the '05 R1200RT have different systems but the braking function seems to be the same. Is that a true statement?

In answer to OPs question. I rarely apply the rear foot brake because the hand lever does a good job.

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Joe

 

The 05 & 10 braking systems are quite different.

 

The 05 had the I-ABS system & the 10 has the I-ABS Gen-2 system.

 

The 05 had power servo assist for both front & back. The 10 has standard hydraulic on the front with power servo assist on rear (only from the front lever). The rear on 10 is non power from the rear pedal.

 

The ABS system on the 10 has a much better response system also as it is a valve type ABS controller.

 

The 10 is almost transparent when it comes to rider interference.

 

 

 

[Boxtop]

I haven't touched my rear brake individually, ever, except to hold the bike at a stop on a slope.

Doesn't seem to be necessary at all IMO

 

 

Rear brake only is handy for:

 

Holding on a hill, as you mentioned.

If you need to brake in a low speed turn where use of the front brake will put you on the ground. (I can attest to this.)

Low traction conditions.

Dragging the brake in parking lot/U-turn type maneuvers. (Don't do it too much or you'll fry your dry clutch.)

 

For straight stops, I use the right hand only.

[yaron]

thank you for the replies,

but do any one know what is the BMW recomandations?

is it recomend to brake only front?

if the developement is that the brakes are linked, is it prefered to brake with the front and leting the machine doing it's work?

i ask these questions because it feels like the bike don't realy needs the rear to brake even in sudden brakes.

yaron

[CoarsegoldKid]

What does the manual say? Seriously I think you need to figure that out for yourself on different road conditions.

[yaron]

the manual just describes the function of the brakes:

 

"...Brake system with BMW Motorrad Integral ABS

Partially integral brakes

Your motorcycle is equipped with

partially integral brakes. Both

front and rear brakes are applied

when you pull the handbrake

lever. The footbrake lever acts

only on the rear brake.

While the brakes are slowing the

motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad

Integral ABS adapts braking-force

distribution between front and

rear brakes to suit the load on

the motorcycle..."

 

a help from your experience...?!

yaron

[BerndM]

I realize that my 05 and your 10 are different, but in the ordinary day to day riding that we do, there simply is no need to use anything other than your right hand.The bike's brake system is very capable of applying both front and rear brakes in the appropriate manner to execute a good stop. I have only taken advantage of my ABS on one occasion and that was with 2 fingers on the front brake only. It worked flawlessly otherwise I wouldn't be riding my current bike, but a replacement.

As mentioned earlier, the rear brake is great for hill holding and low speed turns, to provide better control and stability.

YMMV

 

[racer7]

The question illustrates why at least some of us despise linked brakes.

Nearly a half century of learning how to use a bike well only to have a badly designed linked system interfere.

 

The last few mph of any stop work best on rear only because the RT is so top heavy but otherwise its best to stick to the lever.

 

The feel of the rear brake is virtually non-existent- its one of those German nanny bits of engineering just like the crappy stability and traction control systems on German cars that cut in way too early if you actually know how to drive, even on so-called performance models.

 

It is very easy to trip into the antilocks due to the poor feel of the rear brake if you use both the lever and pedal in anything a bit above a moderate stop so for most purposes you're probably safer using just the front lever- if you trip the ABS your stopping distance will balloon a lot because it is not well engineered and takes way too long to cycle- the ABS is about a decade behind the best current car systems and needs both hardware and software improvements. The RT brakes are plenty powerful enough but lack a balanced rider friendly feel when using both controls

 

The brakes on early models were far better IMO. I ride several but of them I like the brakes on the K1200RS a lot better than any of the R1200s...

[Cleatus]

I always just use the front lever, as the others have mentioned, as it takes care of front and back braking. I had an 07 GS before my current RT and I did notice something; although I always used just the front brake lever for all stops, the rear pads wore out well before the fronts.

[aixgeek]

Carefully.

[wtonseth]

Although I know the front brake lever on my 2011 R1200RT will apply both brakes optimally, I almost always apply both for several reasons.

1. Habit. After many years of riding it is automatic.

2. I ride several different bikes. Only the RT has linked brakes . I don't want to have to think about different braking for different bikes.

3. In case of servo failure, the read brakes will be activated anyway

4. when coming to a full stop, especially 2-up, I usually release the front brake first using the rear only for the last few feet. This seems to give better balance and control.

 

There are a few odd cases where I use the rear only like slow speed turning.

 

 

 

[na1g]

Use only the hand lever, which gives you both front and rear brakes, 99% of the time. Adding rear brake with the foot pedal does not add anything useful in routine stops, and in an emergency full-on stop there is very little weight on the rear wheel anyway so there is little to be gained.

 

I use rear brake only in just three situations I can think of. Slow speed U-turns where dragging the rear brake helps control speed and using front brake will dump you on the road. Coming to a stop on those wonderful arrows and stop lines painted on the pavement, especially when it's wet. Stopping on any dodgy surface, like sand, mud, toll booth, snow(!), etc.

 

That's the breaks... er, brakes.

 

pete

2011 RT