SV650 brake improvements?

[Juju]

My bike is a 51 plate. Every winter without fail the brakes seize up, if parked for more than a couple of weeks.

Last service, they told me the brakes needed rebuilding, and I agreed. One expensive service and mot later, The performance is now, in my view, for the size, style and speed/use of the bike, absolutely fine. I'venever had a need, or desire, to stop faster than I do, and I feel sure I could lock the front wheel if I should.

I's wager people who criticise the braking, are either comparing with a sports bike, or haven't had the brakes fully overhauled in a long time.

[jambo]

One thing sometimes missed while rebuilding the calipers, cleaning the discs and replacing the pads...

Pop the lever off, give everything a nice clean up, and reassemble with a dab of grease, including a spot of red rubber grease on the face of the master cylinder contact point. A gummed up lever with a flat face worked onto the point where it touches the master cylinder can leave you with quite poor feeling brakes, even if the calipers are doing their thing quite well.

Jambo

[Jayneflakes]

My brakes work really well, but then I do this every now and again.

This is the short version, there is a longer one, but it is only longer because it is full of swearing, farting and other distractions.

[Balky001]

If your brakes are in good condition (caliper and discs), new fluid and sound lines (you said you have HEL) and banjos are air tight, I found the EBC or SBK HH sintered pads really helps. If you want to splash out £200 the Brembo radial mastercyclinder can add a lot more feel to your braking.

[flymo]

Originally Posted by 650

Gotta laugh every time I read "they'll do the job". It's a perfectly valid question to wonder if there's better calipers out there, and there is.

[].....

But with that in mind, the stock SV brakes in good working order and using braided hoses are good enough to stop that bike on its nose.

You'll soon notice shortcomings in front suspension and tyre grip and the road surface before you beg for more caliper power. They are certainly not crap, but aren't as powerful as bigger better brakes.

9 times out of 10 I think what is being described by posters is brakes that need a damn good overhaul rather than an upgrade.

[johnnyrod]

Do braided steel lines have a service life? Other than if damaged, staringly bloody obviously.

[flymo]

Originally Posted by johnnyrod

Do braided steel lines have a service life? Other than if damaged, staringly bloody obviously.

Dont think so no, certainly not in the same way as rubber hoses that can perish.

The braided hoses are typically teflon/ptfe tubes surrounded by braided steel covers for protection. They do not perish or harden as rubber hoses do, its more likely they would need replacement due to damage or visual appearance than age.

[650]

Well I've bought a master cylinder repair kit (labelled as a Gixxer one, hope it's the right fit!) and your caliper rebuild kit. Failing those two sorting it, I'll be doing a front end swap. All that power and **** brakes is a bad mix.

[Mark_h]

Originally Posted by 650

Well I've bought a master cylinder repair kit (labelled as a Gixxer one, hope it's the right fit!) and your caliper rebuild kit. Failing those two sorting it, I'll be doing a front end swap. All that power and **** brakes is a bad mix.

I had my K3 SV1000 brakes stripped, serviced, new seal set new fluid, new pads, cleaned up the disk and I recon if you wanted anything that stopped the front wheel moving more efficiently than my current front brakes you are looking at a scaffold pole through the spokes.

Nice feel, instant grab and two finger lock-ups if you forget you now have working front brakes. I do have ancient braided hoses and did give the lever and master cylinder area a general de-cruding too.

[Balky001]

Originally Posted by Mark_h

I recon if you wanted anything that stopped the front wheel moving more efficiently than my current front brakes you are looking at a scaffold pole through the spokes.
.

I used to love doing stoppies on the SV.

I had stock calipers but upgraded suspension/tyres/pads/lines and could outbrake many a SS on track and road. As others said, as long as the sliding action is smooth and everything is working they are good... but the Ohlins and track tyres also helped!