[dhgeyer]

Let's compromise. I wouldn't eliminate the front brake entirely in off road use, but you do use a lot more rear. On pavement all sources agree (within 10%) that about 80% of your stopping power is in the front brake. That's why the front brake has more power on all modern road bikes. Off road the situation changes. If you slide the rear end on dirt or mud there is much less chance of a high side than on pavement. Experienced riders routinely slide the rear end around as part of steering the bike. If you skid the front end off road, as Bonehead says, you're likely to go down. So you use a lot more back brake - in some cases only the back brake. But, just going down the trail, if you need to stop in a hurry, use both brakes - just be careful with the front and use progressive braking so you don't slide the front out.

This topic has come up many times in forums dedicated to bikes that had some of the early linked brake systems. There was no way to use the back brake only, and it was causing some get offs in the dirt. The newer systems have addressed this. On my R1200R, squeezing the front brake lever activates both brakes - the computer and anti lock brake system decide how much rear brake to apply for optimum stopping power. But pressing the rear brake pedal activates the rear brake only. There are times when that is the best thing to do.