Re: Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

There nothing wrong with the sliding two pot tockios as long as they are kept clean. That includes the slides (which a lot of people forget about).
The bouncy bits seem to make them appear crap!

I strip and service mine once a year and get a quick crud clear every 2k ish (the brake dust seems to be attracted to the pistons).

The rear is worth doing also as it's a right PITA to do on curvys and pointies if seized.

Pads wise either EBC gg/ road or hh will be fine for the road (I prefer road and got 12k before I wore them a fair way and got rid, but that was over 3 different sets of discs)

Between most the people that have responded to this thread we've probably rebuilt about 200 sets

sent from place where even the devil is afraid

Re: Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

I think I will take the pads out and check the calipers and pistons, and if they are working OK will do some cleaning and put them back on.

I will do proper service when weather is not so nice any more and I am not using the bike every other day, this way I can do it slowly & properly (especially that it is going to be the first time!).

Brakes are not awful - they just feel weaker than some other bikes I rode (GSX for example), so cleaning is probably a good start.
I will also change lines in a month or two, just so it is done as service schedule suggests.
Will come back with some questions though - that's guaranteed ;-)

Re: Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

I did a lot of experimentation after I bumped my '81 CB900F up to 105 hp and 68 ft/lb of rear wheel power, then greatly improved the suspension and added SV650 wheels and brake rotors. I rode it for years with groups of modern sport bikes, still do from time to time. It requires old school point and shoot techniques, since it lacks ground clearance and tends to wallow in fast turns. I removed 80 pounds from the bike, but it's still a bit over 500 pounds, and lots of hard braking with a 500 pound bike takes it's toll on the brakes.
It came with 2 piston sliding calipers. They worked OK if you kept them clean and sliding, but non-metallic pads not only went away quickly, they ate the rotors and created lots of heat. Sometimes they warped the rotors. I switched to EBC HH pads, and saw rotor life improve vastly. It quit destroying my rotors. It also stopped lots better. Adding 4 piston Nissin calipers made it better yet, but there was a much bigger difference from changing pad compounds than from the 2 piston to 4 piston conversion.

Re: Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

So I took pads out and had a look how pistons have been working and they seemed fine.
I cleaned everything, greased sliding bits and put them back together.
They seem fine, perhaps slightly better, but it might be just me.
Will try to use them a bit harder and see if it makes any difference.
I also have to check back brake in the same way.

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Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

I changed my lines for stainless hels this weekend and I can't tell any difference I am going to let them settle for a few days then take the advice found here and then rebleed them. Just need to find a you tube video on how to do it.


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Re: Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

You won't find a difference. They are the same as new rubber hoses in terms of performance if you aren't on track hammering the brakes.

Poor brakes - pads and lines?
 

I agree


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