I just received "Ride Like A Pro IV" (great video BTW) and went out this morning to practice. I was doing some friction zone exercises using the rear brake which is not something I've ever done before. MSF class I took about a year ago didn't teach using the rear brake for these slow exercises. Anyway,just as I was wrapping up I noticed the rear brake wasn't working. The break pedal (2006 RKC) had no resistance and would go all the way down. So now I'm riding home with just the front brake. UGH! I kept trying the rear brake on the way home and it started to gradually work and was 100% normalby the time I got home. I know you are supposed to let the rear brake cool off periodically when you're practicing like I was. I assume I overheated the brake. But, does the brake just not work when it gets too hot or do I have a more serious problem? Seems fine now.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Brake system over heating and reduction in efficacy at elevation was a big topic on another forum. I'm surprised not so much here. Dragging your brakes heats up the fluid thru induction. IF , and I mean if, you have any water in the system, it will turn to steam and make the system useless, until it cools. Wisdom far greater than mine says to replace your fluid completely, flush it all, re fill and bleed. Some folks recommend changing your fluid every year. I am going this route for our bikes.
Your skills and wrenching confidence will be your only stumble. There is great advice on flushing your system and replacing pads on line. Lyndall Racing Brakes has some good poop.

Also, Know Thy Hog, available here, is a great addition to your resources. Got mine and itis worth the cost.

 

I went to the MoCo/Northwestern's policemotorcycle school. They taught to use the gray area of the clutch to do most of the control and a little bit of rearbraking as an added bit of finesse to get you where you wanted to go. Admittedly, I was very heavy on the rear brakemost of8 hours a day for the entiretwo weeks. Sometimes, my rear rotor would be nearly red. It would squeal loudly. However, I never had brake fad to the point where I lost the rear brake.

 

I agree with FLGEEZ, over heat on the brake system. When practicing the slow speed stuff, there is little air flow over your brake rotor to offer any heat reduction,it builds and builds. Be cautious in the future, and limit the brake excercises. Take a few minutes and get back on the road to get some air flowing over the bikes surfaces. this can also cause a warped rotor if continued overheating of the system is occuring. change the fluid, it is a cheap preventive maintenance excercise that willbe worth the effort.