Best Brakes

Originally Posted by BillyC

Forget the lines unless yours are getting tired.

The best thing you can do, is clean your pads (wirebrush), clean your calipers of all the crap that accumulates in them, re-grease the contact edges of the pads (where they contact the caliper), and clean your discs including the ventilation holes.

is copper grease the best grease to use for this ?

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by bikageboy

is copper grease the best grease to use for this ?

Yes

Well thanks every one - looks like I need a combination of all 11 replies :-

Fit braided lines and better pads (maybe to the front only?). The bike is 2002 so new lines would have been needed soon anyway.

Once done, keep pads, calipers etc clean and useable.

See what I can do to improve front suspension.

Any idea how much it will cost to fit braided lines and better pads? I'm a DIY duffer, so will get it done professionally.

Ta

Martin

Originally Posted by BillyC

Yes

I'm going to say No

Copper grease has quite low thermal limit (280c or so) but even approaching that temperture the grease starts to dry out and harden. It will actually stop been a grease and start been a sealant. High temp Brake grease comes in small packets - it's cheap and has a much higher thermal limit.

Originally Posted by NitroNorry

Well thanks every one - looks like I need a combination of all 11 replies :-

Fit braided lines and better pads (maybe to the front only?). The bike is 2002 so new lines would have been needed soon anyway.

Once done, keep pads, calipers etc clean and useable.

See what I can do to improve front suspension.

Any idea how much it will cost to fit braided lines and better pads? I'm a DIY duffer, so will get it done professionally.

Ta

Martin

Pad changing is really easy - Getting the pins out is the hard part - so go and give them a twist now if you can. (they will be seized)

Front set of EBC HH pads are about £25, set of HEL lines £58.

Front forks - if you have an sk2+ then increase the pre-load, and see what that does as a intsant change (not the right change - but the supsenson guru's will put that right)
Otherwise change the oil to something heavier: 12.5 (half 10 + half 15) or 15. If your current oil is old then even just replacement will make it feel stiffer.
Swapping springs and oil is a common upgrade. Ohlins springs are about £70 iirc - I think JHS have them listed.

[northwind]

Think JHS sell Progressives instead now, could be wrong. Oh yeah, don't bother mucking about much with the rear brake IMO, I use mine a lot and it was fine as stock. I fitted a braided line there when I did the front, and all it does is make the rear harder to use well. But looks good Definately worth pulling or rotating the pins from time to time, mine are never coming out again.