Sucky Brakes

[Kiwi]

I went for a quick ride this morning to literally shake the cobwebs off the bike.
At the first stop light, it seemed to take a lot more pressure on the brake lever than usual.
Everything looks OK, plenty of pad left.
Any suggestions on how to improve braking?
It's an 82, and i don't have the $$ to upgrade to the 83 setup.
I already have SS brake lines.

Is there a better brake pad?  what are you guys using?

Thanks

[QBS]

Look for oil soak pads.  Flush out/change your brake fluid.  Lightly grease (silicone grease is good) the caliper pin and brake pad carrier interface area.  If none of these ideas help your problem, the last arrow in your quiver may be caliper disassembly to clean and lightly polish the caliper piston and the bore it lives in.

[jasonm.]

a stuck piston can cause weak braking. aka...it don't want to move. Put it on the center stand and jack up the wheel. See how easy it spins. Should take no effort. A misquito should be able to move it. Maybe you forgot how basic the brakes are? Sounds like the 1st time I rode my 82'. I immediately got SS brake lines on and better pads on Ebay. I found some HH rated pads, part #SV186. Excellent power. The company I think is out of business. "Velvet Touch"...ya I know, odd name. An "S.K. William Corp. out of Solon,Ohio".

[QBS]

Jason, with all due respect, it is normal for the pads on disc brake systems to be in light contact with the brake rotor when the brakes are not being applied.  This makes for a slight amount of normal drag (and noise) between the rotor and the pad.

[jasonm.]

slight...but still ...slight contact. I think I should have said. ..."you should easily be able to spin the tire a few revs before it stops"....but with little effort. Mine spins 6 or more rotations with little effort. I have afriend with an FJR his calipers are not good and he cannot get even one rotation unless he puts a lot of effortinto it. His bike has issues and will not admit it.  Remember a excessively dragging brake causes heat and the pads will not work well when too hot.