Can't get over the idea of rear drum brakes

[Ski_rush]

I can't seem to get over the fact that some of these bikes have rear drum brakes. From what I've read online about drums vs. discs, drums have a disadvantage of being an older technology, having less stopping power, don't work very well at all if/when they heat up, and do not work if they get wet. I mean...this list must make sense because everything is discs now, even mountain bikes.

Those with bikes that have rear drums, please tell me your experience with them. Am I over-thinking this?

[letsride]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

I can't seem to get over the fact that some of these bikes have rear drum brakes. From what I've read online about drums vs. discs, drums have a disadvantage of being an older technology, having less stopping power, don't work very well at all if/when they heat up, and do not work if they get wet. I mean...this list must make sense because everything is discs now, even mountain bikes.

Those with bikes that have rear drums, please tell me your experience with them. Am I over-thinking this?

Yeah, you are WAY overthinking this. I have had a great many bikes with Drum rear brakes. I've never had a problem with any of them. I even had a small dual sport once DT100 yamaha that had FRONT AND REAR drums, and I never wasn't able to stop the thing. Climbling hills, running through puddles, it always worked fine. Now am I touting a drum is better than a disk? NOPE a disk had more braking force for sure, no question. But you are talking about a light motorcycle. I like the rear drum there is literally Four parts and two of those are the shoes.

[Mudflap]

90% of your stopping power is in the front so front disk and rear drum work just fine.

[BlackBike]

I can't imagine needing more stopping power on these 280lb (guesstimate) bikes. I have rear drum and can pull it down pretty fast. Any more ,I'd need a seat belt. Jmo. Your results will vary. Yes, a rear disk is best but not a deal breaker for me. I would say yes for a larger weight bike or for a more high performance Mx.

[wheelbender6]

Easier to change pads than shoes. Other than that, a rear drum works fine for me.

[letsride]

Originally Posted by wheelbender6

Easier to change pads than shoes. Other than that, a rear drum works fine for me.

Yep ^^^ true story.

[2LZ]

I have had both and have both now.

Yes, theoretically disk is superior. They weigh nothing compared to a bulky drum (less un-sprung weight is always better) and they also dump heat WAY faster than a fat, enclosed drum so they're obviously far more efficient.

Do my rear disks feel better, are more sensitive and require less "foot"? Yep.
That said, let's not lose sight of the fact that we're discussing a very small, light bike with a fire breathing 12-15 horsepower rearing it's ugly head between your legs. It's not like having a drum instead of a disk will make you lose the holeshot to the first corner.

[Merlin]

I can get past the rear disk cylinder sticking down just where a rock could take it out.

[BlackBike]

It's not like having a drum instead of a disk will make you lose the holeshot to the first corner.

, we'll said

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

I can't seem to get over the fact that some of these bikes have rear drum brakes. From what I've read online about drums vs. discs, drums have a disadvantage of being an older technology, having less stopping power, don't work very well at all if/when they heat up, and do not work if they get wet. I mean...this list must make sense because everything is discs now, even mountain bikes.

Those with bikes that have rear drums, please tell me your experience with them. Am I over-thinking this?

Everything is discs now because it is cheaper to manufacture only one kind of brake. Or, in the case of China Bikes, only buy brakes from one source. You might be amused to learn that in the days of my youth, we were warned by our elders to never use that (drum) front brake, because if you do, you will get a chance to test just how good that helmet you bought was going to work for you. A drum brake, on a motorcycle is all mechanical-cable or rod operated. No brake bleeding. Simple to adjust. Simple to fix. Plenty good enough for the rear brake on a 250cc dual sport.

[hertz9753]

I just do a Bob Hannah full on rear brake slide when I want to stop.

[bogieboy]

i never have any issues on my kawasaki KE100... full drum front and rear... if we were talking stopping a gsxr1000, yeah i may be leary of drums, but our little bikes?

food for thought.... semi trucks still run drums all the way around...

[BARLOW]

Originally Posted by bogieboy

food for thought.... semi trucks still run drums all the way around...

this is 100% true, and even in the mid 80s they were still putting rear drums on sports cars that can run 140+ mph at over 3k lbs with no troubles 25+ years later ... they are not the best, but in a non race condition, you seldom need the best to get the job done correctly ... that said, i do have rear disk on my bike, but i dont know that it stops any better than the old honda 360 xl i had

[Sir kayakalot]

Ahhh....Bob Hannah, that takes me back to 1986 in high school. My friends and I would come in to the gravel parking lot at school and do that full on rear brake slide to a stop to show everyone how cool we were lol. Loved to watch Hannah and David Bailey and Jeff Ward and Broc Glover battle it out.

[Mudflap]

I have one China bike with a rear drum and one with a disk. Both work fine and I have no preference for one over the other.